What’s this illustration for?
This is an illustration which appears in my latest picture book,
“Fox and Fine Feathers”
(Omnibus/Scholastic 2009) and is also used on the cover of the book.
Do you have to wait for a flash of inspiration – how do you
start?
When I begin planning a storyboard for a picture book, I usually
have some of the images already in mind and the words for those steps of the
story just fit around them. Other
illustrations are worked out when I see the step of the story that has to be
explained and I start thinking about how I can best show that
step.
Going back before that stage – to getting the
actual idea for a story in the first place – I see that whole process as
the filling in of a jigsaw. For months
or years I may be walking around with bits of ideas in my head, gradually assembling them until I think I
have enough for a story. If I suddenly
read something or see a picture which helps fill in part of the puzzle, then I
will keep it in a file.
How did you get your start as an
illustrator?
I
studied children’s literature, and design and print-making at teachers’ college
in the late 70’s – which first piqued my interest in the whole area. Later, when I taught at the
Qld
School for the
Deaf , I read hundreds of picture books to my students and we constructed our
own picture books constantly, often using their pet animals as characters which
we photographed.
I did a 2 week picture
book illustration course with author-illustrator Irena Sibley, and we had to
front up with a text we had written. I
completed the illustrations to go with that text over the next 3 years while I
continued to work part-time as a teacher of hearing impaired students. I submitted the text and illustrations to a
publisher who gave me a contract for
it. (Leaf Tail,
1989)
Who or what has influenced your
work?
A few influences have been: the lecturer I had in Children’s
Literature – Joan Zahnleiter – who revealed the wonderful role that
illustrations can have in telling a story,
and of course, Irena Sibley who helped me to see that illustrating could
be a career. In addition, my work has
been heavily influenced by an interest in biology, animal adaptation and
evolutionary theory coupled with being married to an environmental
scientist. My initial drive to write and
illustrate a picture book came from visiting many national parks and seeing the
array of interesting animals which fit
perfectly into their habitats, yet never appear in children’s picture books as
characters. I thought it would be great
if there were picture books which were set in some Australian habitats and did
not feature the usual cast of rabbits, ducks, elephants and hippos. I could see the story potential in some of
the brilliant ways Australian animals camouflage or hide in their surroundings.
I also admire the work of many other illustrators and I especially enjoy the
illustrations of Chris Van Allsburg, such as those in his book, “Two Bad Ants” where the words present
such a different point of view to the pictures , and the illustrations are at
such clever angles.
What’s your favourite media for creating
pictures?
I love printmaking of all kinds, but I have used linocut prints or
linocut rubbings as the basis of all my illustrations. I am drawn to the bold, “random” outlines and
the patterns and textures which can be
achieved with lino – and I also enjoy the physical act of carving it. I like the idea of having a block or plate as
an intermediate stage from which I can do multiple prints, and experiment with
them – adding other media such as watercolour, pencil, pastel or even 3D collage
items, or cutting them up or whatever.
In my book, Home, I used
softer pencil linocut rubbings to portray two falcons and collaged them onto
hand-coloured digital photos of
cityscapes. I would like to
experiment further with collage using linoprint as part of the
design.
Do you experience illustrator’s block – if so, what do you do
about it?
Generally not. Because it
takes me quite a while to complete one image, I have usually been thinking
enough about the next one to know what I will do with
it.
What’s the worst thing about being a
freelancer?
Like some other small businesses, the money does not come in
evenly through the year, and I find it difficult to balance out the highs and
lows. I find it tricky to balance the
amount of talking and promotional work I might do with actually getting on and
doing the illustrations. Deadlines help
of course. And the amount of time needed
to make a living in the field sometimes does not sit well with time needed to
raise a family.
To sum up: never enough time and not enough money! (ie. if you
have a mortgage and children to support)
And the best?
I am
actually doing work which is also my passion. And I do feel a sense of
achievement in that I have been able to make a living in an area of the arts in
Australia .
What are you working on at the
moment?
A book for early childhood readers which features birds
(surprise!), very little text, and hopefully will be a little humorous. I am experimenting with collage for this
one.
Where can we see more of your
work?
On my website, www.narelleoliver.com If you are in
Brisbane, you
might like to check out the Brisbane
Square library
(children’s library) in the city. The
design of this library features illustrations from my book “Home” which was commissioned by the
Brisbane City Council for this purpose.
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