HELLO!

Welcome to Chapter Three of The Happy Book. In this chapter, I will be talking to illustrator, author, and friend, Jess Racklyeft. Jess and I have published three picture books together, with another two in production. We'll be taking you through the picture book production process and how we created our books-from how the ideas were formed through how we actually liaised and worked together with our publishers.

I'll also talk to Jess about her book illustration journey-where it started and where she's going now. She'll have some wonderful tips and tricks on illustrating that you won't want to miss.

Fire up your device, cram in those earbuds and enjoy this foray into the magical world of kids' book creation. If you have any questions or comments, you can say hello at [email protected].

I'm Tania McCartney and I'm an author, illustrator and editor of children's books. I've always wanted to live inside a book, and now I practically do. Welcome to The Happy Book.

GUEST - JESS RACKLYEFT

Jess Racklyeft is a Melbourne based-illustrator, working as a picture book illustrator, card designer, and for various freelance illustration clients. She began her working life in publishing, working for almost a decade in customer service and sales roles before having her first child-which gave her the nudge to work harder than ever before launching her own business as an illustrator.

Since then, she's illustrated over a dozen books, and has seven books out in 2019. She's also the illustrator coordinator of SCBWI Victoria, and mum to two young kids. Most of the time, she's either drawing picture books, visiting the local bookshop or library, or reading them to her kids.

SHOW NOTES

00:35 Introduction

01:35 Introducing Jess Racklyeft

03:45 When Jess first passed thought to illustrating children's books

05:22 Returning to your 8-year-old self and what you loved

06:26 The first book Jess worked on as an illustrator

09:24 What does a typical workday look like for Jess?

13:40 The collaboration route

17:19 Illustration notes

19:24 Collaborating by email - Ivy Bird

21:45 The importance of digital illustration skills

22:20 Jess's illustration process

24:50 Producing Smile Cry

28:38 Animal or human characters

29:19 What advice would Jess give authors on working with illustrators

30:58 The author and illustrator as equal creators

32:12 The many and varied people involved in creating a book

32:30 Jess's new role as author

33:41 What's the difference between being an author/illustrator and just an illustrator?

36:08 The benefits of being an author/illustrator

37:27 Tips and Ideas for emerging illustrators

38:20 Courses in illustrating picture books

39:49 Expression and movement in your illustrations

41:55 Parallel/dual narrative told in illustration

43:39 Other ideas on how to make revenue from illustrating

47:16 Getting your work out there

47:48 Your online presence

48:08 Digital portfolios

48:55 Sending your folio to publishers

49:50 Meeting publishers in person

51:35 Your illustrations fitting with the right manuscript

52:34 Showing portfolios at conferences

54:46 The most difficult parts of illustrating a picture book

56:33 Balancing work with family and life; being present

57:45 Weighing up the pros and cons of opportunities

59:12 Progressing your illustrator career and making the right choices

1:00:06 What's the most enjoyable part of creating books?

1:01:09 What would Jess's ultimate book dream be?

1:02:37 What's...