Last Monday, the V&A hosted their annual Illustration Awards and us Bloomsbury folk had the chance to give a big old cheer to our lovely friend and author-illustrator Yasmeen Ismail when she won the V&A award for Book Illustration! Time For Bed, Fred!, Yas's very first picture book, was published in July 2013, so it was pretty amazing to celebrate an achievement like this less than a year after publication. I can still remember so clearly my Editorial Director, Emma Blackburn, talking to me about the story of Fred - everyone could see there was something special about the expression, emotion and beauty in Yas's artwork and the imagination in her writing. When we met her last year for the first time, we quickly understood where it all came from - she's a cracking lass. So Monday was a properly exciting evening, for all of us. And - crikey - the V&A. What an incredible backdrop for our bubble-sipping celebrations!
To mark Yas's big win, I fired a load of questions at her and made her answer them . . . oh the trials of being an award-winning illustrator!
Firstly, congratulations on winning the V&A award for Book Illustration! How did you feel when you found out you’d won?
At first I thought someone was pulling my leg, but once that passed I was very happy.
The award is pretty fancy – you’re not going to use it as a door stop, are you?
Of course I will. It’s the perfect shape and size.
You worked in animation for ten years, and even owned your own company - when did you realise that you wanted to be a published author-illustrator?
I wanted to be an illustrator for a very long time. But it was never something that I thought I could do. I didn’t even know when to start. After running the company I was a lot more confident and I was left with a lot of time on my hands to start figuring out what I wanted to move onto. It made sense to me to not waste the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change my career. It was at that point that I understood that Illustration was something that I could start to pursue. It happened very organically and felt very right.
I never thought I would be an author too. We all dream of being allowed to write, but I never thought that I actually would. I was just very lucky that Bloomsbury took a punt on me as a writer and told me to give it a go.
How did you get an agent?
I got the Children’s Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook and trawled the Internet for suitable agencies. Then I sent out little mailers to the right people. After sending a lot I received a call from The Bright Agency. I went in for a meeting and that was it!
What is your favourite part of the book-making process?
My favourite part is when it all goes smoothly. Each bit is enjoyable. I enjoy the writing, planning and the artworking. They are all great parts when it goes well and I feel like I am getting somewhere. But equally it’s awful when I am stuck in a rut and I can’t think of ideas or the structure is wrong or I can’t seem to get the characters looking right. The process works as a whole for me, I can’t pick favourites.
Is there a particular review or nomination that has felt extra-special to you?
Actually winning the V&A was the best. I love a trophy! I was really pleased to be in the NY Times as the Editor’s Choice as well. The Greenaway and Waterstones nominations were super too. So far winning the V&A is best . . . because I won!
If you could have cocktails with any author and/or illustrator (dead or alive), who would they be?
I sometimes think about meeting my heroes and what I would say to them, and in every scenario I make a fool of myself or say something stupid. I worry a lot and I think the pressure of a cocktail with someone I admire could be catastrophic. But, for the purposes of this question, and if you can guarantee that I won’t make an arse out of myself then I would have to say:
Posy Simmonds
Maira Kalman
Quentin Blake
Kate Beaton
What are your views on the picture book market right now?
There are some terrific new artists out there. And more are coming along. I think the standard is very high at the moment. I worry that I’ll be old hat soon!
If you could change one thing in the world of picture books, what would it be?
It’s a really nice industry to be in. I sometimes think that the restrictions on what you can write about or show for young kids may be too severe. I wouldn’t want kids to always be so coddled. I am all for protecting them, but a more realistic take on things that they experience might be in order.
Describe yourself in five words
Anxious
Ambitious
Loud
Fun
Silly
So huge congratulations to Yas for winning, and a big thank you for answering my questions! Now I'll leave you lovely readers with a rather splendid trailer of Yas illustrating Fred . . .
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