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Poor Santa. Looks like he’s having a rough time. <\/p>\n
That illustration comes from Richard Curtis’ The Empty Stocking<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, illustrated by Rebecca Cobb<\/a><\/strong>, who is visiting for breakfast this morning. “My favourite breakfast,” she told me, “is a banana and some toast, and I don\u2019t like tea or coffee, but I do like the comforting idea of a warm drink, so I always drink hot water instead.” I gotta have my coffee, but I like the way she thinks. Comforting, indeed. I’m setting out some hot water for her and my own coffee mug. <\/p>\n If Rebecca’s name isn’t familiar to you, that’s because she lives and works in the UK. But you all know I like to see what illustrators across the big, wide pond are doing. <\/p>\n Rebecca has both written and illustrated some of her own titles and has also collaborated with authors such as Helen Dunmore<\/a><\/strong> and UK Children\u2019s Laureate Julia Donaldson<\/a><\/strong>. Rebecca’s Missing Mummy<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, a picture book about the death of a young boy’s mother, was shortlisted for the 2012 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal. <\/p>\n I thank her for visiting this morning and sharing her art. Let’s get right to it. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jules<\/font><\/strong>: Are you an illustrator or author\/illustrator?<\/font><\/p>\n Rebecca<\/font><\/strong>: I write and illustrate my own picture books, but I also illustrate books by other authors, too.<\/p>\n Jules<\/font><\/strong>: Can you list your books-to-date?<\/font><\/p>\n Rebecca<\/font><\/strong>: <\/p>\n Jules<\/font><\/strong>: What is your usual medium, or\u2013\u2013if you use a variety\u2014your preferred one?<\/font><\/p>\n Rebecca<\/font><\/strong>: I like using different media to make different types of marks in my pictures, so I mostly use a mixture of ink, watercolour, coloured pencil, and pencil.<\/p>\n Jules<\/font><\/strong>: Where are your stompin\u2019 grounds?<\/font> <\/p>\n Rebecca<\/font><\/strong>: I moved to Falmouth in Cornwall (UK) to study illustration ten years ago and loved it so much, I have lived here ever since.<\/p>\n Jules<\/font><\/strong>: Can you briefly tell me about your road to publication?<\/font> <\/p>\n Rebecca<\/font><\/strong>: It was the scrambly, steep, uphill road that probably most freelance illustrators and authors have to climb. Lots of perseverance, sending samples of my work to as many people as possible, and constantly trying to improve. It was difficult for a few years but definitely worth it. <\/p>\n Jules<\/font><\/strong>: Can you please point readers to your web site and\/or blog?<\/font> <\/p>\n Rebecca<\/font><\/strong>: www.rebeccacobb.co.uk<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Jules<\/font><\/strong>: Any new titles\/projects you might be working on now that you can tell me about?<\/font><\/p>\n Rebecca<\/font><\/strong>: I\u2019ve just handed in the final artwork for a new picture book that I have written for Macmillan Children\u2019s Books, which will be published next year, and I am just starting work on a new picture book by Helen Dunmore<\/a><\/strong>, which is a beautiful, magical story, set in St Ives in Cornwall.<\/p>\n 1.<\/font> Jules<\/font><\/strong>: What exactly is your process when you are illustrating a book? You can start wherever you\u2019d like when answering: getting initial ideas, starting to illustrate, or even what it\u2019s like under deadline, etc. Do you outline a great deal of the book before you illustrate or just let your muse lead you on and see where you end up?<\/font> <\/p>\n Rebecca<\/font><\/strong>: When I first get the text for a picture book, I sit down and read it through several times. Usually, by the second or third read, my head is filling with images for the illustrations. <\/p>\n The first thing to draw is the characters, to work out what they look like and what they are wearing, etc. Then I think about how the text is going to be divided up amongst the pages of the book, where the page turns will be, which pages will have more text and less illustration and vice versa. The next stage is to storyboard the book, drawing little boxes for the pages and filling in very rough sketches of what the illustration might be on each page. After that, I draw full-size pencil drawings of each page, leaving enough space for the text, and draw in as much detail as possible so that it is a good impression of what the book will look like in the end. After perhaps two or three stages of revising the rough drawings, I then make the final colour artwork. <\/p>\n When I am writing my own stories, the ideas usually come to me in pictures, as well as words, so it is a slightly different process, because the text and the illustrations seem to evolve at the same time. <\/p>\n 2.<\/font> Jules<\/font><\/strong>: Describe your studio or usual work space.<\/font> <\/p>\n Rebecca<\/strong><\/font><\/strong>: I work at a table and a lightbox, which my boyfriend kindly made for me, in the corner of the front room of our flat. It is quite a big room with a lovely big bay window, but it is a bit crowded, because it is also our living room, dining room, and guest bedroom when family and friends come to stay.<\/p>\n 3.<\/font> Jules<\/font><\/strong>: As a book-lover, it interests me: What books or authors and\/or illustrators influenced you as an early reader?<\/font><\/p>\n I also loved Helen Craig\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> books, particularly Angelina Ballerina<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, and Janet and Allan Ahlberg\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> books, especially The Jolly Postman<\/a><\/strong><\/em>. <\/p>\n As I got older, my favourites were The Owl Who Was Afraid Of The Dark<\/a><\/strong><\/em> by Jill Tomlinson and Roald Dahl\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> books with Quentin Blake\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> illustrations.<\/p>\n 4.<\/font> Jules<\/font><\/strong>: If you could have three (living) authors or illustrators—whom you have not yet met—over for coffee or a glass of rich, red wine, whom would you choose? (Some people cheat and list deceased authors\/illustrators. I won\u2019t tell.)<\/font><\/p>\n Rebecca<\/font><\/strong>: Quentin Blake<\/a><\/strong>, Brian Wildsmith<\/a>,<\/strong> and David McKee<\/a><\/strong>. I would be too shy to speak, though!<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/theislanders1.jpg\")
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<\/p>\nOkay, the hot water (for Rebecca) and coffee (for me) are on the table, and it’s time to get a bit more detailed with seven questions over breakfast. I thank Rebecca again for visiting 7-Imp.<\/font> <\/p>\n
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‘Oh no!’ said the crocodile. ‘Children taste disgusting.’
‘Horrible!’ said the wolf. ‘Revolting!’ said the bear.”<\/em>
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Rebecca<\/strong><\/font><\/strong>: The first book I learned to read through repetition was The Three Billy Goats Gruff<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, which I absolutely loved, because I was scared but, at the same time, fascinated by the troll under the bridge. He was bright blue and wore a brown hairy outfit, and I would imagine similar trolls to be lurking close by whenever we were out and about. <\/p>\n<\/a>
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And Jim with two noses \/ And Jo with the bow …”<\/em>
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And Jim with two noses and Jo with the bow!’ \/ And they jumped …”<\/em>
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