PICTURE PROMPTS: Leila Nabih

Welcome to PICTURE PROMPTS! This is my way of 'paying it forward' for all the beautiful illustrations found in picture books all around the world. For the next year you will see me visit with guest illustrators, spotlighting their beautiful artwork and sharing their answers to a few questions I thought my readers might want to know about these illustrators. 

On the Friday when an illustrator hasn't stopped by for a visit and a hot cup of green tea, I will put up a random PICTURE PROMPT that has inspired me to write a little flash fiction to share with you!

If you are an illustrator, established or just starting out, and would like to participate in my PICTURE PROMPT series, just shoot me an email over to donasdays (at) gmail (dot) com and I will send you the information on how to join the fun!

Please welcome talented illustrator, Leila Nabih, and check out her answers to my interview questions...

 

Why did you decide to become an illustrator?

I’m a Walt Disney child at heart.  I grew up with its cartoons and animated movies, so naturally as I got older, my dream was to make cartoons and animated movies.  However, society imposed its materialistic beliefs on me and I forgoed my dream for a regular 9-5 career.  I’ll spare you the details.  2013 was a very important year for me as I decided to pursue a career in illustration and children’s books and let go of everything else. I was lucky enough to be able to make this happen with a change in my personal circumstances. 

 

Where do you get your inspiration?

Beautiful images, inspiring stories, funny situation, but most of all my imagination. I have always been blessed with a very creative mind. It can be anything really, as long as it speaks to me and resonates with who I am and i can visualise it in my own little fantasy world.

Do you have a favorite illustration of yours? 

Yes I do. Here it is. “The girl with the bunny mask”. I love this particular illustration because it was one of my first attempts at illustrating digitally. I wanted to keep it simple and try out a new software i purchased. I drew the girl with pencil on paper first, sketched it and tightened it and when i felt happy with the result, i reproduced it digitally and coloured it. I was and still am very pleased with the result. I can also somehow relate to her, her shyness, hiding behind a mask afraid to show herself to her audience. Totally me in some ways.

 

If you could invite five other illustrators to dinner, who would you invite and why?

Beatrix Potter  - because i never tire of hearing her life journey into illustration. I’d love to hear about her life directly from her. Alas that is not possible. She is a pioneer in my opinion. Her story is inspiring.

Quentin Blake - because i find his style so free and so unique. I’d love to hear about his journey in illustration as well. After all, he is a legend.

Sarah Kay - because she has been one of the first illustrators whose illustrations left a mark on me as I grew up.

Rachelle Anne Miller - because her illustrations have inspired me to try and work digitally and I’d love for her to teach me a few things and give me a few tips.

Kelly Murphy : I’ve discovered her art recently and it made me swoon. It also encouraged me to explore my sketches further and to develop my pen and ink skills. I especially love the illustrations from her Mouse with the question mark tail book.

 

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on a book for a french self-published author. Unfortunately I can’t give anymore details about this project except that it involves three characters: a bee, a dragon and his knight. But if you want to know how it progresses, all you need to do is connect with me on facebook, follow my facebook page or my blog.

I have also got a birth announcement to illustrate, and I'm starting sketches for an alphabet book.

 

Do you work in different mediums? If so, which style is the most challenging?

I love paper and pencil. None of my illustrations start anywhere else. Sometimes I am just happy to finish off an illustration with pencil and move on to something else. I have tried so many different mediums. I have tried watercolour paint and watercolour pencils, acrylics, inks, chalk pastels, oil pastels, coloring pencils, markers, collage but I have never been able to be happy with the results of my illustration unless I finish them digitally. I still try occasionally to develop my skills with markers or pastels, just because I love the handmade feel of the whole process, and if its for personal wall art only. But if I have to publish this art for a book, I go to digital.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about trying to be an illustrator?

Draw everyday. Even the smallest doodles done for each of the 365 days a year will develop into something else and you will be able to notice a difference by yourself. Just draw, anything really, as long as you exercise your hand and mind to illustrate something as simple as a mouse or fruit, or anything else, you’ll improve, find your style and your niche and your confidence.

Do you have another job in addition to being an illustrator?

Not at this point. I got married recently and I am expecting my first baby at the end of March. So besides doing my illustrative work, trying a hand at writing short stories every now and then, I’m happy and content. I know that I will need to take a couple of months off to take care of my new born this year before i start actively working and illustrating again. 

Biography

Leila Nabih is an up-and-coming illustrator and an indie author of children’s books. She has left the corporate world of publishing more than two years ago and has decided to invest herself completely into her art and her writing. Of French origins, she has travelled the world extensively, and has now temporarily settled in the far ends of the whimsical Hungarian countryside, waiting for her first baby to be born, and honing onto her illustrative and writing skills.

When she isn’t illustrating or writing, she indulges in crafts of various sorts, always anxious to experiment and discover new horizons that would help her quench her thirst for the creative in her daily life. It could be cooking, baking, collage , sewing or jewellery making.

Amongst her projects feature a few custom made books, portraits, birth announcements, wedding invitations and various nursery art prints. If you’d like to see a sample of her work, do get in touch with her. She is prompt in responding and can always tailor your needs to her art.

Links

Website/ Blog Address: http://leilanabih.com/ 

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LeilaNabihIllustrations 

Twitter: @LN_Illustration 

PICTURE PROMPT: Sara Lynn Cramb

 

Welcome to PICTURE PROMPTS! This is my way of 'paying it forward' for all the beautiful illustrations found in picture books all around the world. For the next year you will see me visit with guest illustrators, spotlighting their beautiful artwork and sharing their answers to a few questions I thought my readers might want to know about these illustrators. On the Friday when an illustrator hasn't stopped by for a visit and a hot cup of green tea, I will put up a random PICTURE PROMPT that has inspired me to write a little flash fiction to share with you!


If you are an illustrator, established or just starting out, and would like to participate in my PICTURE PROMPT series, just shoot me an email over to donasdays (at) gmail (dot) com and I will send you the information on how to join the fun!


Please welcome talented illustrator, Sara Lynn Cramb and check out her answers to my interview questions...

Why did you decide to become an illustrator?

 
I’ve loved children’s books from a very young age and have collected them for years. After graduating college, and working as a designer for a number of years, I found that something was missing, I really missed illustration. I decided to get serious about pursuing illustration as a career a little over two years ago and have really enjoyed making my childhood dream become a reality. 

 

Where do you get your inspiration?

 
I find a lot of inspiration in my work from the natural world, including both living and extinct animals,  I’ve always loved observing nature and the daily lives of animals. Vintage picture books (especially anything including maps) are also a huge influence on me, as well as indie and web comics.

 

Do you have a favorite illustration of yours? Why is it your favorite?

 
That’s a tough one! My current favorite would have to be “The Squid and the Whale: An Unlikely Love Story” [http://www.saralynncreative.com/353675/3170721/storybook/the-squid-and-the-whale-an-unlikely-love-story]. It’s my first piece telling a story through a series of panels, I had lots of fun breaking the panels to lead the viewer's eye through the piece. I created a number of digital brushes and developed several new techniques to make something that was a bit different in style from my previous work.  

If you could invite five other illustrators (alive or deceased) to dinner, who would you invite and why?

 
That would have to be Charley Harper, Jan Brett, Jon Klassen, Marc Simont, and Bill Watterson. Jan Brett and Bill Watterson were huge influences on me as a child, I would spend hours pouring over their work, absorbing every detail. Bill Watterson’s integrity throughout the run of Calvin and Hobbes made me think seriously about what it means to be a working artist. 

Charley Harper, Jon Klassen, and Marc Simont are fairly recent discoveries for me. Charley Harper’s ability to break the shapes of animals down into simple, yet beautiful forms, and work with a diverse range of clients, is something I really admire. I love the deceptive simplicity of Marc Simont’s work, I have a soft spot for flat color and subtle textures. Jon Klassen is a master at making digital art look very organic.

 

 

What are you currently working on?

 
I’m working on a series of illustrations for a short story about a snake that escapes from a zoo to take a vacation in the city, and a t-shirt illustration for an animal charity. I’m also working on a number of personal pieces delving into earth science, astronomy, maps, and more animal illustrations focusing on species I haven’t drawn before.

Do you work in different mediums? If so, which style is the most challenging?

 
I primarily work digitally, using Adobe Illustrator for most of my pieces. I’ve started teaching myself Sketchbook Pro as well. I have a “flat” style and a more “textured” style. They both have their own challenges, but the “textured” style is a bit more time consuming as I spend a fair amount of time making sure the brushes and other effects I add to the work are in balance and don’t compete for attention with the main focus of the image.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about trying to become an illustrator?

 
Do your research, figure out which market will be a good match for your work. There are plenty of good resources, both in print and online, that will help you gain the knowledge you need early on, and will continue to be helpful later in your career. Seek out other artists with similar interests and join a critique group. That will help give you valuable feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of your work and help you improve your skills more quickly than you could on our own. Once you’ve got a body of work that you are proud of, build yourself a simple portfolio website and start showing your work to people. No one will hire you if they can’t see your work!

Do you have another job in addition to being an illustrator?
 
I also work as a freelance graphic designer. It’s nice to have something that’s still creative to work on in between my illustration jobs. Being a designer has helped a lot with putting my website together and creating promotional materials for myself.

Thanks Donna!

 
Bio:
 
Sara Lynn Cramb is an illustrator and designer with a love of visual storytelling. She specializes in creating images that feature maps, animals, and monsters, as well as fun and engaging educational illustrations for children's books, magazines, novelty books, and signage. She currently lives in Athens, GA with her husband, two turtles, and a pair of mischievous cats.


Links:
Portfolio Website: http://www.saralynncreative.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/saralynncreativ
Blog: http://saralynn-creative.tumblr.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/saralynncreative

PICTURE PROMPT: Beyond Ice & Snow

Dan wished he could think of a stronger word. The word cold just seemed so small to describe the bone-deep ache he felt from the icy blast of wind whipping across his face. Feeling had left his extremities long ago and only the desire to live kept him dragging one foot in front of the other through the deep drifts of snow. He could barely make out the entrance to the temple just ahead of him. 

Sanctuary.

The elders of the village told the legend of this place like it was heaven on earth. The end to all the misery one could find in this world and a chance at a new start in the next. It's what drove Dan to travel half way around the globe in search of this place. Weeks of hacking through jungle and now almost buried in snow. Nothing was going to stop him from reaching that door now. Not even the fact his guide succumbed to the cold last night. One final mumbled warning about some kind of price to pay for sitting at the feet of the gods and he was gone.

Dan had no idea what the guide was talking about but it didn't matter now. He finally reached the corridor leading to the temple door and peace waited for him on the other side. It took him three tries but he summoned the strength to bang on the door before slumping to the ground in exhaustion.

Warmth and light  raced out into the bitter cold as the door slowly creaked open. This is it, thought Dan, as he looked up into the face of his rescuer. The last thing he heard was the echoes of his screams as the creature reached out bloody claws towards him...