From an Artist’s Point of view

“Da-da-da-dah!” Today is the day I introduce you to the incredibly talented and lovely, Morgan Taylor. Morgan tells stories though art, and promotes making the seemingly ordinary, beautiful. Morgan is the illustrator for my debut picture book, When Water Makes Mud: A Story of Refugee Children.

1. When did you realize you loved to draw/loved art?

Ever since I could remember, I always had coloring books or paper, and crayons. I remember feeling frustrated with the line art in a coloring book and wanting to change the design. I can also remember being drawn to studying designs on food packaging, and not much has changed since then as that is what catches my eye when shopping. My dad would often take me to book stores on Saturdays, where I’d pick out a book to read based on the illustration. I took art classes all throughout primary and secondary school but when I started attending college is the point that I decided to become an illustrator and my focus turned to children’s books again.

2. How did you prepare to start working on the story—When Water Makes Mud?

By doing research. That is how all my projects start. I started by researching as much as I could about Bidibidi, the refugee camp where the characters arrive in the beginning of the book. Watching videos about life in the camp helped a lot. I even did research on the landscape and types of animals that would live in Uganda which are mentioned in the book. I also revisited the book Illustrating Children’s Books: Creating Pictures for Publication by Martin Salisbury. I used it for my thesis in undergrad; it makes a number of decent points and is a helpful aid.

3. What is your favorite illustration in the story?

My favorite illustration is on page seven, which features Little Sis smiling for the first time as a result of Big Sis drawing her a picture of their home and family in the dirt.

The emotion of happiness coming over her is compared to the movement of a butterfly, so the spread contains butterflies. I also thought that was a great metaphor. Researching all the different butterflies that would be native to that part of Uganda, such as the narrow blue banded swallowtail (which is the black and blue butterfly featured throughout the book was enjoyable.

I also liked playing with the texture of the expressive and emotive lines of excitement and joy that are shown behind Little Sis in the background; I almost wanted them to look smooth, so it gave the effect that the lines were moving and changing, much like emotions do.

It’s also the first time we see Little Sis happy. Up to this point, the reader sees her body language as being a bit unsure, and then skeptical, so it’s nice to see this side of her personality.

4. How long did it take to create the pictures? Describe your process.

I would guess that one page would be the result of eight to ten weeks of work on my part and the art director, Alayne. First, based on the text, Alayne and I would share ideas that we had for the spread. I would share digital sketches created in a program called Procreate, via my iPad, and Alayne would suggest edits. Then I would create a new sketch based on the edits. When it got to the stage where Alayne and I were both satisfied, then I would start on the black outlines for each page, in a new file. Next is laying in flat color for every part of the page, and finally I would add shadows, and highlights as well as any texture or details. I feel that a good illustration is the result of lots of planning, and an idea that has been edited at least a few times. I think it shows when a fair amount of work is put in.

5. What is your drawing/painting/work routine?

I usually sit at my desk or on my bed, with a snack and plug my headphones in to listen to music. I frequent 70’s folk music, or sometimes classical so that it sort of floats around in the background while I concentrate. I will work for about two to three hours at a time, and I will usually get up and walk around for ten to fifteen minutes or I will sit with my eyes closed for a little to give them some rest. I will work anywhere from seven to ten hours a day.

6. What inspires you to draw?

Everyday life. I am frequently attracted to lighting and color so something as simple as the fruit arranged at the grocery store, to the way that light filters into a room at sunset will interest me. They give off moods, which is what I try to convey with all of my work. I call it art brain, which is when I fixate on things and imagine the process of drawing them and what it would look like.

7. What are you working on now?            

I am currently working on a commissioned family portrait for a friend of mine. Portraits are a favorite of mine as I love to convey a person’s personality. I am also working on a few speed paintings of dramatically lit tomatoes and chilies that I grew in my backyard this summer.

8. Words of advice for illustrators.

1. Agree to a project if the idea of it resonates with you. For me, the text of When Water Makes Mud really moved me and I felt I had to help tell this story.

2.Try new and different things. I didn’t know just how much I would enjoy illustrating digitally until I got the hang of it and stuck with it. When I first started working digitally in my junior year of undergrad, my work was amorphous and muddy looking and at this point, I feel that I’ve achieved some sort of progress!

3. Keep a number of artists as friends. It’s always good to bounce ideas off them if you’re stuck on a piece and they can pass on information about jobs that you may fit. Sometimes it’s just great to talk to someone in your field that will understand the process you’re going through. Also you never know, your friend that is a sculptor might have some great ideas to pass along your way, or might want to collaborate on a project together.

9. Is this your debut picture book?

This is indeed my debut picture book! I had previously self published a picture book for my undergrad thesis which yielded one copy due to expenses. I am so excited for the release of this book and thankful to both you and Blue Whale Press for allowing me this opportunity!

10. Who or what has been a major influence on your illustrating style?

I feel that studying post-impressionist painters such as Georges Seurat, Claude Monet and others have helped me become a bit more fearless when it comes to texture and mark making. Studying their use of color and light, as well as looking at baroque painter Caravaggio’s use of lighting has also transformed the way I look at shadows and highlights, which I learned are not always one uniform color. Taking scientific illustration classes, as well as figure drawing classes helped me to get in the habit of reworking a piece multiple times, and helped me with technical skills. Some children’s book illustrators that I look up to are Patricia Polacco and Faith Ringgold. I can see the influence that both of their styles have had on my work, especially on this book.

11. What’s the one thing an illustrator must keep in mind when illustrating a children’s book?

To just keep working on it. If a particular spread doesn’t seem right, just keep working with it. Change the perspective of it, try changing the lighting, flip through a few children’s books for some ideas, run it by a friend or simply just come back to it the next day. It will eventually come to you. That is how this book finally came together for me.

Thank you, Morgan for the opportunity to talk and see your process. Your beautiful work fills this story of hope with so much emotion and color. It is an honor to work with you.

Morgan Taylor is a Philadelphia area native who graduated from Arcadia University’s Bachelor of Arts Program for Illustration. She enjoys working mainly in oil paint and in digital 2-D mediums. Morgan’s main focus is portraiture, nature, and things from everyday life. Morgan draws upon various influences, one of the earliest being her mother’s wide use of color in quilting. Today, she is usually curled up with a good book while caring for her succulents and cacti.

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