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Saturday, April 11, 2020

Kuwentong Musmos Illustrator Interview: Angela Taguiang


Angela Taguiang, who illustrated Ang Batang Papet (Boquiren, Lampara Books 2019) shares with us the challenges she encountered during and after the Illustrators' Workshop in Baguio for the Kuwentong Musmos Book Project of Room to Read. She has a list of interesting books recommended for aspiring artists and advice for anyone who dreams of becoming a children's book illustrator.

1.    What is your creative process for Ang Batang Papet?

We were each assigned a story beforehand, but beyond that, I didn’t really know what to expect because I’ve never attended a workshop like this before. So I decided to stick to a medium I love and knew well, which was pencils. At the workshop, we had to design the characters, put together a rough storyboard, then a detailed storyboard, make a sample colored spread, and make a cover design. It was the typical book-making process, except we only had a fraction of the time it usually takes to complete a book.
On top of that, the story was changing as we moved along. The story we have now is quite different from what we started with. The RTR team, mentors, and Lampara team collectively decided that the central theme would now be freedom. So while Sir Al (RTR) and Aiko (Lampara) were in contact with Norman (the Author) editing the story, I was scrambling to finish the storyboard with the mentors.
By the time we got home, I still wanted to draw everything with pencils. But that also meant I would have to scan every page, clean them up, do some editing-- extra steps that I wasn’t sure I had the time for. So I tried to do one page digitally, hoping it would be faster to do. But I ended up spending the same amount of time to achieve the hand-drawn look I originally wanted. In the end, I decided to draw all the characters on paper and add the backgrounds digitally. I’d say this was 60% traditional and 40% digital. I was very happy with the result.
 2.    What is the picture book/children’s book you wish you had created or illustrated?

Zoom by Istvan Banyai. It’s a wordless picture book that zooms out from one page to the next, until you reach the end. It’s so clever, I wish I had thought of it!


3.  What advice of tips do you have for aspiring illustrators?

·Find out as much as you can about the industry. Attend relevant talks, discussions, workshops. Ask questions. Research about pricing, rates, copyright laws, contracts, common practices, etc. Get to know the different fields/ directions you can take. The more informed you are, the more focused your efforts and goals would be.
·  Don’t just focus on technical skill. Expression and emotion are as important as drawing well.
·  Know when to look away. We all have artists we look up to, and we often turn to their work for inspiration. If you see an idea that you like, please don’t just redraw and recolor it. Look away and use it as a springboard for something new. Put your own spin on it. Develop, transform, interpret, improve. Find a different angle. Inject your own perspective. Or just admire it and move on.
·  Don’t stress about style. Instead, try to know yourself more. What inspires you? What do you believe in? What are you afraid of? What do you struggle with? Take advantage of your own experiences and quirks and your work will be effortlessly unique and authentic.
·  Please write better emails. Whether formal or casual, it should always sound professional and respectful. This also applies to private messages.

4. What are your 5 recommended books for young artists or anyone who wishes to break out into picture book illustration?

·  Children's Picture Books: The Art of Visual Storytelling by Martin Salisbury and Morag Styles
·  Show Me A Story! Conversations with 21 of the Most Celebrated Illustrators by Leonard Marcus
·  Steal Like An Artist & Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon (two different books but best read consecutively)
·  Wordless picture books. To see how loudly pictures can "talk"
·  Blogs!

5. What part in Ang Batang Papet did you enjoy drawing the most or proved challenging to draw?

I had fun making studies for the cover. I wanted to try different things and I would’ve been happy with whatever they chose.
Most challenging was the storyboard! I remember watching everybody move forward with their detailed storyboards and colored spreads, and there I was, still working out the storyline with the mentors and Lampara team. The struggle was very real! At one point, I wondered if I’d be able to submit anything beyond the character studies. But everyone was so supportive and encouraging. It was impossible to come out with nothing. :D
Visit Angela's portfolio and follow her on Instagram!
Instagram: @aangelapis

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