Every illustrator and writer has grown up with inspirations from a variety of sources.
This week, illustrator Rekha Salin wanted to find out what book illustrator & author
Lucy Farfort feels made the biggest impact on her.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m Lucy, an Illustrator and Author of
dual heritage who enjoys writing on the themes of representation, hope, community,
and self-reflection. I consider myself foremost an illustrator because I have been doing that the longest, but if I am entirely honest it is writing that I
now enjoy more. My illustration work is a mix of traditional and digital
materials and I have worked with several publishers from pre-school picture
books up to middle grade fiction. I am currently undertaking a six-month
creative residency, working with Year 4 children from a local school, to create
a Choose Your Own Adventure book.
Which genre do you write/illustrate for?
In terms of my illustration work I have
mostly illustrated picture books, but I have also contributed work to fiction
for older children. In relation to my writing, again I mostly write picture
books, but have had a short story published in a bedtime story anthology and am
currently working on a chapter book.
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| Illustration of a family, by Lucy Farfort |
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| Studio bookshelves in Lucy's workspace (Credit: Lucy Farfort) |
What inspires
you to pick up or buy a book from the library/bookstore or buy online?
Often my reading list is based on
recommendations found on social media and from trusted sources like BookTrust
and CLPE etc, or from fellow book enthusiasts.
I would say I read for research as much as pleasure,
so this also has sway in what books I buy, or what I rent from a library. For example,
if I am working on a chapter book, then I will read within that category/genre
more, or if I am working on a picture book then I will focus on that more,
because it really helps me get in the right mind-space.
Are you inspired by books from multiple genres
written/illustrated by the same author/illustrator?
Yes, but it just depends on the author.
I don’t tend to stick to buying works by the
same author/illustrator, because I like to discover lots of new creators.
There are just so many fantastic children’s book authors and illustrators now,
and I want to support as many as I can, and it’s always lovely to get a feel
for all the different styles of writing and artwork.
Do you bring your inspirations into your
work?
Yes, I am sure that those things that inspire
me do appear in some form or another in my work. It happens on a sub-conscious
level though I think, as it does, I imagine for most people. So, for me, inspiration comes from many places, and it all mixes together and acts like a kind of filter that my own personal approach is distilled through, resulting in the final style.
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| Colourful illustration of a tree above and below ground, by Lucy Farfort |
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| Illustration of a busy street scene, by Lucy Farfort |
How do you keep your work fresh, original,
and unique and avoid looking like your inspiration?
Honestly it isn’t something I think about in terms of my writing or illustration. I try to concentrate on my own work, how I
want to create it and what works best depending on the project. It comes from a
place of emotion, and I don’t tend to strategise in that way, or think about
specific methods to make my writing or illustration distinctive. I suppose it
would make more logical sense to create in that way, but I personally don’t
approach making art like this. And maybe because I am inspired by such a wide
variety of styles, I don’t have to worry too much about unintentionally
emulating someone else’s work.
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| Illustration of a cooking scene, by Lucy Farfort |
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| Illustration of a busy city scene, by Lucy Farfort |
Does your bookshelf have all the books that
you love or inspired you?
I wish it did, but I don’t have space on my
bookshelf (possibly not even in my house), or enough money to own all the books
that I would like to.
Which are the main few books that have
inspired your work and yet are not on your bookshelf?
A lot of classic fairy tales, and classic
children’s novels such as Water Babies and series such as Chronicles
of Narnia. Plus, many stacks of manga comics, and graphic novels. Some of which I have owned over the years but
have had to pass on to make room for other things.
Are there any books that have inspired you in
a way that you really wish you worked on a text like that or you wish you thought
of the unique way of storytelling?
Classic fairytales such as The Little
Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson, and Aesops Fables were a
big inspiration for me when I was a kid, so I would very much like to write a
longer children’s fiction, in a fable or fairytale style someday. Also, if I
ever get the opportunity and time to illustrate a fairytale in a book using
traditional media, that would be a dream!
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| Thumbelina, by Lucy Farfort |
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| Li Chi, by Lucy Farfort |
*Header image: Ell Rose and Tita Berredo
*
Lucy Farfort is an Illustrator and Author of dual heritage (Caribbean-English) based in Newcastle, specialising in work for the children’s market. One of her proudest moments as an illustrator was being awarded first prize for illustration, in Faber Children’s inaugural FAB Prize competition, in 2017.
See more of Lucy's work here. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter
Rekha Salin has three books published as an illustrator. Two picture books, one in 2020 and the other in 2022, and also a recipe book (for adults) in 2022 published by ABV publisher. She is currently working with Gnome Road Publishing, and this will be available in 2024.
See more of Rekha's work here. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter
*
Ell Rose is the Illustration Features Editor of Words & Pictures.
Find their work at www.fourfooteleven.com.
Follow them on Instagram and Twitter.
Contact them at illustrators@britishscbwi.org
Tita Berredo is the Illustrator Coordinator of SCBWI British Isles and the Art Director of Words & Pictures. She has a Master's degree in Children's Literature and Illustration from Goldsmiths UOL and a background in marketing and publicity.
Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or www.titaberredo.com.
Contact her at: illuscoordinator@britishscbwi.org
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