pic 1
I mostly work ‘traditionally’, using gouache paints and inks to create my artwork. The backgrounds are painted as one piece, and then I add the characters towards the end. I do use Photoshop, but I keep it to an absolute minimum, usually to quickly alter a colour, or to correct a mistake.
I start my colour illustrations by tracing over my rough ink drawing using a light box. Then, when I’m happy with the layout, I add washes of colour in ink. I do this part quite quickly and dunk the ink onto the paper in a very rough way. I usually make a terrible mess, but sometimes the mistakes make the painting more interesting! (pic 1)
When the first wash of colour is dry, I add outlines and a few of the bigger details, such as leaves, using a dip pen. (pic 2)
pic 2
pic 3
Lastly, I paint the flowers and other small details, such as the bees and the butterflies, and add more texture and depth by building up layers of ink. The watering can and the decking are drawn separately on scraps of found paper and collaged into the piece before scanning. I add skin tone digitally as the flat colour acts as a contrast to the texture in the hair and clothes of my characters. (pic 3)
My absolute favourite part of making a picture book is creating lots of things for children to spot. If you’re familiar with Daddy’s Sandwich you might recall that Ruby creates a really silly sandwich made of all the things that her Daddy REALLY loves. For added fun, I have hidden all the ingredients from his sandwich throughout the pages of Mummy’s Suitcase. Can you spot them all?
Mummy’s Suitcase is published by Faber & Faber, 978 0 571 327539, £6.99 pbk
ALL
the he’d be stuck Of them!
things
Chester Parsons
famous
thought being
one mind
gorilla’s was
for,
Of
inside a NOT
/
/
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