UNDISCOVERED VOICES INTERVIEWS Rachel Lovatt
Our Undiscovered Voices winning illustrator this week is Rachel Lovatt, a recent graduate of the Cambridge MA illustration course, and a big fan of The Wind in the Willows, from which she selected one of the most iconic scenes at the beginning of the story.
Tell us about yourself in 50 words or less
My first love was illustrated books, I still own a battered copy of favourites. Since completing my MA in Children’s Book Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art I have worked in industry and freelance. You can usually find me in the Peak District, searching for interesting things to draw.Who or what do you think informs your illustration the most?
Storytelling is at the heart of my work. I am hugely influenced by folktales.What materials do you enjoy using the most?
I enjoy using mixed media, blending drawing, painting, collage and digital techniques together. I work on separate sheets of paper then collage them together to make my final artwork. I love the freedom of working this way. It always leads to surprises that I wouldn’t have ordinarily thought of from the outset.Why did you choose the scene you illustrated for UV2018?
I chose my scene from The Wind in the Willows because I loved the images the words conjured- “A babbling procession of all the best stories in the world,” - the idea that the river could tell stories was magical to me. And it’s the first time Ratty sees Mole so it felt like a special moment.If there was one thing that stood out the most about being a part of UV2018, what would it be?
There isn’t one particular thing. For me, it was the whole experience of Undiscovered Voices that stood out, and I feel very proud to have been part of it.What has been the most valuable part of UV2018 for you?
Making contacts with agents and publishers, along with making great friendships with the other Undiscovered Voices winners. We have made a Facebook group and continue to support each other by sharing insights, skills, or just 'virtual' hugs if anyone is having a tough creative day.
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Undiscovered Voices is an anthology published every other year by the British SCBWI and aims to help fresh, new voices in children’s literature – both writers and illustrators – find agents, publishers and ultimately readers. Undiscovered Voices has launched the careers of writers and illustrators, who have gone on to publish more than 200 books. These authors have been nominated for and won an amazing array of literary prizes: including the Carnegie Medal, Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize, Branford Boase Award, Blue Peter Award, the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, and nearly 30 regional awards. Visit www.undiscoveredvoices.com for all the details and news when submissions will open for the next anthology.
Follow her on Instagram @littlewolfillustration
Well done Rachel. It’s great that more people will get to see your magical artwork.
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