Yu Rong.
different colour papers together, then use the multicoloured paper to cut. Sometimes, it is almost impossible to identify my work is paper cut. In short, I feel inspired by the marriage of old technique and traditions and more modern thinking and approaches.” Yu Rong says that although her artistic endeavours are time-consuming she has “turned a passive work method to a positive and active method, that feels unique to me. The whole process became playful and enjoyable.”
Shine in our own way One of Yu Rong’s recent books, The Boy Who Loves to Lick Wind, by Fiona Carswell, is a story about an autistic boy and his relationship with his brother. It explores the world of autism and shines a light on the joys as well as the challenges that can come with it. The boys are based on Fiona’s own sons. Yu Rong says: “I have a good friend whose son is autistic, I have followed their family path for many years. I admire the
way they worked together to make their lives beautiful.
“When I received Fiona’s story from Janetta Otter-Barry, I immediately fell in love with it, and felt a real connection which led to me finishing the book in two months. The story is inspired by Fiona’s own son, and while I was illustrating the book Fiona and I were in very close communication. We discussed every single detail shown in the illustrations. For example, how to catch the light through fingers, how to find the best wind and lick it.
“The more I get involved in the story, the more I am attracted to the autistic world. We are all different, each of us has a sparkle to shine in its own way.” It is not the first time Yurong’s illustrations have helped bring to life the story of someone who expresses themselves and communicates differently – her Yoto Carnegie Medal shortlisted book The Visible Sound centres around a deaf dancer.
Each book had its own challenges, as
Yurong explains: “The hardest part in any book is to put myself into the characters of the stories. “When I was doing The Visible Sounds book, I tried to close my ears in the early morning on the river bank and at midnight in my studio, in order to find a way to feel the sounds in silence and discover how they felt and existed. How to illustrate sounds is another challenge, because the sounds are invisible! After so many attempts, eventually I used the orange colour and sound patterns to convey the sounds. “The Boy Who Loves to Lick Wind was slightly easier as I have had some experience with autistic children, and I felt a natural connection with the story. I was eager to understand the character, and put myself into his world. I imagined myself getting into mum’s car, and going to the beach with two boys, I was their invisible friend to play with. I chose the soft yellow tone as the background for the autistic boy, to show that he is mostly secure in his own familiar world.
Spring-Summer 2024
PEN&INC. 13
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