Lilla here! I was an art agent for 30 years, and I’m also an illustrator, an author, a columnist, a speaker, and an educator. I love sharing what I’ve learned from my decades in the industry.
It’s just over a month now until the start of one of my favorite courses (spoiler alert: they’re all my favorites), Illustrating Children’s Books, which I teach alongside my brilliant friend and colleague, children’s book art director and author, Zoë Tucker. This will be the twelfth time we’ve taught Illustrating Children’s Books, and every year it just gets better and better!
Children’s book art director and picture book author Zoë Tucker with three of her picture books. Zoë co-teaches Illustrating Children’s Books with me, and between us we have a wealth of expertise to share!
As you probably know, I worked as an art agent for 30 years, during which time I agented many hundreds of picture books, and before that I was a professional illustrator. I’m also an author, a columnist, a speaker, and an educator. In other words, put me and Zoë together, and we have tons of wisdom to share!
Some of my career highlights so far, including my book, I Just Like to Make Things (Quarry Books), my regular column for Uppercase magazine, my craft jewelry line, some of my illustrations, and more.
One of the cool things about this course is that – alongside getting three exclusive texts to work from, written especially for class, and getting your art directly in front of a fabulous children’s book art director who often finds artists to commission in class, and getting to create a powerful ready-to-send children’s book illustration pitch in just five weeks – you also get to ask questions of me and Zoë every week.
Q: I have a question about style. What advice would you give to an illustrator whose work isn’t currently on trend, but who wants to break into the picture book market? Should they try to incorporate elements of trending styles to boost their chances, or stick with their existing style and hope for the best?
A: Just as with movies you watch or books you enjoy, there are current cultural tastes which change over time. You don’t have to follow the trends—in fact, I’d encourage you not to—but you do need to be tuned into what’s happening in the creative landscape you want to be part of.
Art by Shona Van Aswegen for Illustrating Children’s Books. All styles are welcome in class.
I know that’s not a straightforward answer.
You’re probably thinking: “Lilla, just tell me: can I stick with what I love, or do I have to change to get work?!”
The truth is, there is no easy answer.
Art by Laura Page for Illustrating Children’s Books.
You should absolutely do the work you love (but make sure that love isn’t just a cover for staying in your comfort zone). Every artist hoping to succeed in the picture book world needs to be tuned into the wider visual conversation. That means developing your taste, going into bookstores, paying attention to what’s being published, and noticing what kinds of work are getting commissioned. It means sharpening your drawing skills, beautiful use of media, and using color with purpose and flair.
Picture books agented by Lilla Rogers Studio. The book bottom right, Love Grows Everywhere, was also art directed by Zoë and illustrated by a Make Art That Sells student, Tisha Lee. It’s good to be aware of the cultural landscape: for example, these books all emphasise love and kindness.
My best advice is to study the live reviews Zoë and I do in Illustrating Children’s Books and see where your work sits alongside others. Some of our students create clean, graphic illustrations. Others are working in soft, painterly watercolor. Some styles are witty and bold, others are moody and atmospheric. What you don’t see is, say, the look of Winnie the Pooh or Beatrix Potter.
That said, I speak from experience when I say that originality has power. When I broke into illustration, my work was full of floating objects rather than traditional scenes, and quite different from the literal, realistic styles of the time. I drew stylized characters in my own natural style, shaped by years of life drawing, and I leaned into bold brush lettering honed from my days teaching calligraphy.
I jotted this memory in my journal the other day. Many years ago, when I was an illustrator, a top agent told me, “We don’t represent women.” “Oh, why?” “They’re too emotional!” he barked.
Eventually, I got loads of wonderful commissions in my style. It wasn’t easy—I was a woman in a male-dominated field in the mid-’80s, and I had to work twice as hard to be taken seriously. But it paid off. I was generally booked solid for a decade!
Some of the many literally hundreds of commissions that I got in the 80s and 90s. From left: from the Levi’s campaign—double page spreads in major magazines and in-house; from a monthly cover commission for a Japanese travel magazine cover; a page in the Grammys program for Electra/Warner.
So if you believe in your style, make it sing. Refine it, strengthen it, make it irresistible. That’s how you’ll find work.
I hope this helps. But my best advice is to keep going. Don’t give up. A creative career always comes with challenges, but it’s worth it. And it gets easier.
- Sunday, June 1st: The next FREE Quarterly Art Challenge will be landing in your inbox on June 1st, and it’s a cracker! The Art Challenge is only open to people on our mailing list – If you’ve got a friend who you think would love this challenge and the chance to win FREE places on our courses and more, then let them know!
- Monday, July 7th: Join me and brilliant children’s book art director, Zoë Tucker, plus some fantastic guest reviewers, for Illustrating Children’s Books, and make an incredible ready-to-send picture book illustration pitch that contains everything a publisher or art director needs to see in just five weeks. Sign up here.
- Monday, July 7th: Join me and Zoë for a lively, inspiring FREE live Zoom event to celebrate the start of Illustrating Children’s Books. Mark your calendar now!
- Next newsletter: Discover one of our amazing guest reviewers for Illustrating Children’s Books!
Lots of love
