INSPIRATIONS FROM THE BOOKSHELF Sally Walker
Tell us a bit about
yourself
I am a traditionally published Children’s Book Illustrator based in
Suffolk, UK.
I have worked for over 25 years as graphic designer and now work part-time
as an Art Director in corporate communications. But I was always creative in my
spare time. I took classes and workshops and loved to draw and create. In 2014 I
decided to take my hobbies further and enrolled on the MA in Children’s Book
Illustration at Cambridge School of Art.
During the course, I spent a lot of time experimenting in the print room. This formed the foundation of how I craft my illustrations now. I love to
spend time experimenting and print-making to create textures, which I blend
with hand-drawn and digital techniques.
Children’s books are a huge passion of mine. The talent in the Children’s book industry today is so rich and diverse that it is hugely inspiring. That's what
attracted me to this art form in the first place. My book collection is quite
diverse too. I have a growing collection of board books, picture books, chapter
books, graphic novels and other illustrated stories.
Which age-group do you write/illustrate for?
I illustrate picture books
and board books, but I am writing my own author-illustrated books
currently too.
Sally's collection of kid lit books. |
Mellissa Castrillon illustrated books |
A collection of inspiring books for illustration |
How do you keep your work fresh, original and unique and avoid looking like your inspiration?
I’ve found studying how
someone else works and experimenting with those techniques has helped me to
build my skills. I find that by allowing myself to do that and then putting the
inspiration to one side and having some time not looking at it, allows it to
sink in but not be too heavy of an influence. Also not being focused on one
illustrator’s way of working too much either, I find inspiration from across
the spectrum of art styles. And stepping away from illustration and studying,
photography, film, fine art, theatre etc. really helps too.
Does your book shelf have all the books that you love or which inspired you?
No, I don’t own all the
books which have inspired me (unfortunately) - I don’t have a big enough book
shelf or bank account for that. Which is why I’m so thankful for our libraries!
Can you name a few books that have inspired your work and yet are not on your bookshelf?
I do love Benji Davies work
and have taken his books out of the library many times but still don’t have one
in my bookshelf (yet). Mainly because I have a terrible memory. I have thought
to myself, 'I must buy Tad and The Grotylin' every time I see it at the library.
And then there’s other
books from my favourite illustrators which I have had to stop myself from
buying to stop my collection getting out of control too!
Are there any books that have made you wish you'd worked on a text like that or that have made you wish you'd thought of that unique way of storytelling?
So many! I look at a lot of
storytellers with pure admiration and complete awe at how they’ve created their
work.
I am a big fan of graphic
novels and really admire the artists who create these. The amount of work and
technical ability needed to layout a story in that way and make it work is
huge. My all time favourite Children’s Book is Raymond Brigg’s Father Christmas,
which is where my love of this genre began.
Another collection of inspiring books |
But more recently, Sophie
Burrow’s graphic novel, Crushing, blew my mind. How she tells that story, which
is so simple but very emotive, really connected with me. I would love to
work on a graphic novel at some time in the future and bring all these influences
to life in my own way.
Sophie Burrow’s graphic novel ‘Crushing’
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See more of Rekha's work here. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter
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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.
Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or www.titaberredo.com.
Contact her at: illuscoordinator@britishscbwi.org
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