A new children’s book brings together seven illustrators to reveal how they make picture books. We find out what led to this wise and fun idea
Illustration Courtesy/Pankaj saikia
What goes into the making of a picture book? In a new children’s book, This is How I Draw (Pratham Books), seven artists — Aindri C, Deepa Balsavar, Ogin Nayam, Pankaj Saikia, Prabha Mallya, Priya Kuriyan, and Rajiv Eipe — seek to answer the question by offering a glimpse of their first steps. For Eipe and Balsavar, listening to people and paying attention to all that is around us are ideal ways to find ideas. Meanwhile, Saikia searches for the extraordinary in the ordinary. Aindri C begins with shapes, and Kuriyan sits with a thought before giving it form. Mallya admits that online research is a great tool when she wants to refine her ideas. Nayam’s imagination reaches the sky, like “a house on stilts, in the clouds”.
Illustration Courtesy/Prabha Mallya
Plenty happens before a final book is brought out. Only the publishers are privy to this. The book opens a rare window into this world for its readers. It’s a well-curated compilation of different voices that borrow ideas from life. “We wanted to take the readers backstage, so that they could see the illustrators’ minds at work,” says Canato Jimo, art director at the publication.
Illustration Courtesy/Rajiv Eipe
“The brief we gave our illustrators was: ‘an illustrator goes for a walk’. It was a very open brief. We gave them the freedom to fill two spreads of the book however they wanted, and share their processes,” he adds. The book ends thoughtfully with blank pages left for readers to share their responses, too.
Illustration Courtesy/Deepa Balsavar
The illustrators have quirky and endearing things to say. One of them weighs themselves in momos; another believes that bats are upside-down hearts. Another’s dream house is so tall that their brother gardens in the sky. Jimo admits that choosing the artists for the book was a challenging feat.
Canato Jimo
“We have worked with so many illustrators who are all fantastic at what they do, but, unfortunately, it wasn’t practical for us to have everyone in the book,” he tells us, and adds, “At the end, we went with those who have, over the years, created beloved books and characters for children. Each voice is distinct, and so is their approach. Their work spans different mediums and styles.”
Illustartion courtesy/Ogin Nayam
Together, the artists show us a small glimpse into the wondrous world of illustration in India. The book is perfect for those who have asked artists at libraries, festivals, schools, and reading sessions, as Jimo concludes, the singular question: “How do you draw?”
Available Leading bookstores and e-stores
Cost: Rs 110
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