Should you “Trust the Process”?
(Illoguild question #34: How does the sausage get made?)
Hey there,
Ever found yourself staring at a beautiful illustration and wondering how it was made? Not just the final strokes, but everything behind it—the brief, the brainstorming, the mess, the moments of doubt, and the little sparks that make it sing? This month, we’re pulling back the curtain to give you a glimpse into the real process of picture book illustration.
Illustrator Spotlight
This month, we’re shining a light
, the extremely talented illustrator. Adam illustrated 11 picture books in his first two years of publishing earning awards and international recognition. His clients include Harper Collins, Bloomsbury, Wern and Rook, Hardie Grant, Scholastic and Anderson Press.His bold, energetic style brings joy and humor to every page—don’t miss the Q&A with Adam below!
ILLOGUILD Talks: Behind the Scenes
Join us on 21 April for a live Zoom session where we’ll dive into the topic of Behind The Scenes, specifically tailored for artists and children’s book illustrators.
Thank you for being part of this community! Hope you have a productive month!
You’re invited to the LIVE ZOOM (It’s free) - Replays available for Paid Subscribers.
So this is how the sausage is made…
talks about vulnerability. “The choice to share your art and soul with the world is nothing but a total act of bravery!” talks about how she turned an illustration around that just wasn’t working out. She talks about when you should start over and when some tweaks will suffice. writes back to 50 readers who responded to his last newsletter… he answers their illustration related questions. One reader wrote: “Within a month of signing, I got an offer for 12k USD for a picture book via the agency. Please understand that back in September, a publisher had told me my work would never be worth more than 2k.” shares how art supplies are an inspiration. She shares her recent trip to the local second hand store and here beautiful sketches. 
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shares the benefit of attending a local art class. talks about the “head space” of an illustrator. shares the making of her newest picture book - Cecelia Takes Flight - From the Drawing Board to the Sky.
Q and A with
What inspires you?
At the minute nothing inspires me more than watching my toddler grow up, Picture books have some of the biggest impact on heras a window to the world, and it fills me with a sense of importance about what we do.
What are you working on?
I’m doing some character development for a new project involving a sports icon, It’s a wonderful gig!
What’s your dream project?
I have some dream projects in the works so I don’t want to jinx it, but beyond that, something with a Tiger, Dragon, or Knight in Shiny Armour, that’s a good title for a book isn’t it? Knight in Shiny Armour?
What has been a career highlight?
It’s been such a short career so far so everything is a highlight, but if I could boil it to a single moment I would say signing with my amazing agent Lydia Silver. The reason it’s a highlight is because it was a cumulation of years of work doing so many different things that all aligned in a single moment, it felt like every ounce of effort stacking on top of each other to create enough momentum and interest, to catch the attention and inspire her to take action.
You can see more of Adam’s work on her website or instagram.
Announcements
The next illoguild live session is on 21 April “Behind the Scenes”. Sign up Here.
Congrats to Katie Stack who’s work was selected for the staff exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
And Congrats to Carla Hoffenberg, whose work was selected to be on the cover of the anthology “Somewhere Lost” out 1 May. You can pre order here.
Congrats to
who is releasing her 2nd book in the series! Cecelia Takes Flight - From the Drawing Board to the Sky. It’s written by Noreen, illustrated by Nithini Wathsala and designed by Chris Hammond. “Meet Cecelia as she tackles obstacles and launches her vision to the sky!”
Some of the Illoguild members went to Bologna this year! We can’t wait to hear more about their trip! You can check out their newsletters for more On their adventures -
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Links to Illoguild Member Newsletters and Socials
Adam Ming: ‘Ten Minute Artist’ and Adam’s Instagram
Brenda Harris: ‘On The Creative Road’ and Brenda’s Instagram
Carla Hoffenberg: ‘Carla’s Crowd’ and Carla’s Instagram
Chantelle Holt: ‘Chantelle’s Studio’ and Chantelle’s Instagram
Damjana Loddelina: ‘Lemon Tart Bandit’ and Damjana’s Instagram
Jen Gubicza: ‘Rymes with Pizza’ and Jen’s Instagram
Jennifer Jamieson: ‘Jennifer’s Newsletter’ and Jen’s Instagram
Katie Stack: ‘Katie’s Newsletter’ and Katie’s Instagram
Kavita Rajput: ‘Kavita’s Corner’ and Kavita’s Instagram
Noreen Anne: ‘Creative Canvas by Noreen Anne’ and Noreen’s Instagram
Rose Lihou: ‘Studio Tea with Rose Lihou’ and Rose’s Instagram
Tammy Angelis: ‘Tabbykat Chats’ and Tammy’s Instagram