Freya Blackwood, author/illustrator, Orange, NSW
Describe your illustration style in ten words or fewer.
Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
I have a strong memory of books from my childhood that relied heavily on visual storytelling, including those by Janet Ahlberg, Maurice Sendak, James Stevenson and John Burningham. I drew a lot as a child, teenager and through university, but it wasn’t until working on Lord of the Rings and seeing the incredible drawings of the designers that I wanted to see if my drawings had a place.
What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
Describe your illustration style in ten words or fewer.
Emotive and warm, loose linework, perceptive.
What items are an essential part of your creative space?
I need a desk on a slant, with my reference material and inspiration around me in a bit nest-like arrangement. I like to have the things I’ve collected nearby, things that feel like ‘me’.
Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Probably watercolour with coloured pencil over the top, but I like using oil paints for illustrations too, especially with a thick brush so I can’t be too precise. I like my drawn pencil lines to stay visible.
Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Lizbeth Zwerger’s illustrations are sublime; the ink linework, watercolour washes and her compositions are extraordinary. I love Armin Greger’s work - the thought that goes into the compositions and the dark strength of his drawings. Eva Eriksson’s work is also lovely - beautiful characters.
Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I would love to visit the early modernist painters in Australia, around the 1920s. I love their use of more intense colours and simplified shapes and compositions. They were heavily influenced by Cezanne.
Share a photo of your creative workspace or part of the area where you work most often. Talk us through it.
This is my new workspace, converted from a mechanic’s shed in the backyard of our house in Orange. I have my desk, which I like to have on an angle, inspiration and reference taped and pegged to the drawing board, and my art materials to the right of my chair. Then opposite that, my computer and scanner.
What items are an essential part of your creative space?
I need a desk on a slant, with my reference material and inspiration around me in a bit nest-like arrangement. I like to have the things I’ve collected nearby, things that feel like ‘me’.
Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Probably watercolour with coloured pencil over the top, but I like using oil paints for illustrations too, especially with a thick brush so I can’t be too precise. I like my drawn pencil lines to stay visible.
Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Lizbeth Zwerger’s illustrations are sublime; the ink linework, watercolour washes and her compositions are extraordinary. I love Armin Greger’s work - the thought that goes into the compositions and the dark strength of his drawings. Eva Eriksson’s work is also lovely - beautiful characters.
Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I would love to visit the early modernist painters in Australia, around the 1920s. I love their use of more intense colours and simplified shapes and compositions. They were heavily influenced by Cezanne.
Share a photo of your creative workspace or part of the area where you work most often. Talk us through it.
This is my new workspace, converted from a mechanic’s shed in the backyard of our house in Orange. I have my desk, which I like to have on an angle, inspiration and reference taped and pegged to the drawing board, and my art materials to the right of my chair. Then opposite that, my computer and scanner.
Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
I have a strong memory of books from my childhood that relied heavily on visual storytelling, including those by Janet Ahlberg, Maurice Sendak, James Stevenson and John Burningham. I drew a lot as a child, teenager and through university, but it wasn’t until working on Lord of the Rings and seeing the incredible drawings of the designers that I wanted to see if my drawings had a place.
What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
I enjoy the initial planning of a book - the problem-solving. And once I have a clear idea of the way I want a book to look, I love the painting. It’s such a relief when you can see a book start to come together, hold together and show signs of working as you’d initially planned.
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What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
The lovely thing about illustration is that there isn’t a right or wrong way to create work. Finding your own way to work and solve illustrative problems is really important, and this just happens with time, experimentation and practice.
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What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
The lovely thing about illustration is that there isn’t a right or wrong way to create work. Finding your own way to work and solve illustrative problems is really important, and this just happens with time, experimentation and practice.
I like my work to feel loose and free, and I’ve found I definitely can’t force a drawing. I have to be patient with myself, accept when I’m getting nowhere and walk away. Eventually, I’ll revisit something tricky and find a solution. It certainly isn’t always easy!
Exploit your skills and make the most of what you do best. Join those lovely children’s book groups like SCWBI to share experiences and information. (I’ve never actually done this, but I’m going to take my own advice because it can be very isolating.)
Freya Blackwood is a multi-award-winning illustrator and writer, living in the central west of NSW. Since publishing her first picture book in 2003, Freya has worked with writers such as Libby Gleeson, Margaret Wild, Jan Ormerod, Nick Bland, Mem Fox and Kirli Saunders. Her picture books are beloved for her warm and perceptive drawings, typically created with pencil and watercolour. Pop along to Freya's gorgeous website to find out more about her work as an author and illustrator, or follow Freya on Instagram and Facebook to discover what she's up to next.
