2024 - 07
I am always impressed when people change careers and to embark on an alternative creative life. It is brave and brilliant. Before becoming a children’s book illustrator Ella studied Fine Art, (Painting), and worked in Children’s Book Publishing (design and art direction) for 21 years, latterly as Head of Campbell Books. As well as illustrating, Ella is a tutor on the prestigious MA in Children’s Book Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art, from which she graduated in 2022.
The way Ella illustrates fascinates me, it has complexity and atmosphere. We talked about how she creates characters through observation engaging with happy accidents in her practice. Also how important observational drawing is #walktosee, and how she takes inspiration from the world around her.
We had an in-depth discussion about life as a children's illustrator, the variety of different ways she has discovered to fund her passion, tools of the trade and how her son gave her the idea for one of her children's book. So much creative discussion in 40mins.