Questions for Illustrators

Mum Me and the Mulberry Tree

Illustrators, from striking graphic designs for literary covers to full picture books lovingly illustrating the whole story, illustrators are right there at the heart of what pulls us into the a book.

2023 saw the start of an Illustrator Interview, a series of interviews with book/cover illustrators/artists and I’m just finalising a series of questions for this, if you’re interested please email me or use the contact form on the and we’ll get this kicked off.

If you would rather fill in a Google Form you can find one here where you can upload images as well – Illustrator Interview Series Google Form

I was thinking these could be the questions, any thoughts?

• What’s your name, could you add lots of images and links
• When did you know you wanted to become an illustrator?
• How long does it typically take to make a page or cover for a book?
• What’s your favourite piece of art equipment?
• do you have a favourite colour scheme, if so what and why?
• Who were your inspirations when starting out?
• Do you have another job beside being an illustrator, if so what?
• What do you do to overcome a creative block?
• Do you have a favourite piece in your portfolio, if so could you share it and talk about it?
• What was your first book related project?
• What type of media do you prefer to work in and why?
• Do you have a playlist you like working to? If so do you want to share it?
• Do you have any rituals when working?
• Do you have a favourite artist outside of the world of books, if so who and why?
• Did the books you read as a child influence your work?
• Has your illustration/art style changed over time?
• How closely do you work with the author on developing the illustrations for a book?
• If you could illustrate any classic book which would it be and why?
• Which illustrated books in the last year have you loved?
• If you can please tell us about your latest project and if not your last project
• Do you have any events on in the near future?

An alphabetical list by surname of all the illustrator interviews, with date the interview was published.

• Rowena Aitken (24/10/23)
• Ian Archie Beck (15/02/23)
• Tom Brown (08/02/23)
• Karin Celestine (11/01/23)
• Olaf Falafel (01/02/23)
• Steve May (01/03/23)
• James Mayhew (05/01/23)
• Maria Oliver (25/01/23)
• Rikin Parekh (22/03/23)
• Keith Robinson (18/01/23)
• Lynne Russell (08/03/23)
• Robyn Wilson-Owen (22/02/23)

A gallery of some great book covers

The Death of Francis Bacon

The Little Match Girl Strikes Back

Wild: Tales from Early Medieval Britain

The Tarot of Leonora Carrington

The Photographer’s Playbook

famished

Kate on the Case: The Headline Hoax

The Friendly Mammoth

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed