Rommel Joson, 2025 De Jesus Wordless Book Prize Winner

Rommel E. Joson, instructor at the UP College of Fine Arts’ Department of Visual Communication, is the Grand Prize winner of the 2025 PBBY–De Jesus Wordless Book Prize for his work, "Alikabok sa Liwanag". Rommel drew inspiration from his research on the Bangsamoro region, the Marawi Siege, and his earlier projects on conflict and resilience to shape a child-friendly yet poignant narrative without words. In this interview, he shares his process of visual storytelling, his insights on balancing craft and emotion, and his reflections on why children’s books are powerful spaces for connection and imagination.

Congratulations on your win! Can you tell us about the journey of creating your award-winning wordless picture book—where did the seed of the story come from?

I started making the story around 2 years ago for the last wordless prize competition. Unfortunately, I didn’t make the deadline back then. Several weeks before the deadline, I was working on projects that were coincidentally connected to the Bangsamoro region. I made a series of illustrations for Conflict Alert Philippines that tackled the violence in the Bagsamoro region and then a poster for a movie directed by Shing Gener entitled “Bula sa Langit” which revolved around a soldier that fought during the Marawi Siege of 2017. I was immersed in all this information so I thought, why not make my wordless book entry also about war? But of course, the challenge was to depict it in a child-friendly way.

Wordless books rely entirely on imagery to carry the narrative. How did you approach visual storytelling so that readers could follow the plot and feel the emotions without a single word?

There are techniques that allow us to follow a narrative visually. It's part of an illustrator's craft and forms the "grammar" of visual storytelling. It’s essentially guiding the reader’s eye and allowing the drawings to act like a camera for the reader. Simplifying it, I think we can group it into a couple of principles:

a) Framing and Composition

A single image can either be a close-up, a medium shot, or a wide shot. How we frame an image tells the reader what to focus on, but it also has an emotional—for example, a closer shot implies intimacy while a wider shot establishes context and space.

b) Point-of-view

A shot can also vary in terms of its position in relation to the viewer’s eyes. An image or object can be presented on the same level as the viewer or it can be positioned above or below the observer. Varying the POV not only suggests the reader’s physical and emotional position in the unfolding action.

c) Gesture and action of the characters

Having said all the above, drawing a wordless piece is a little bit like acting. The gestures and facial expressions of the characters were a big help in getting my point across.

Your works were described as both “a work of art” and “a work of heart.” How do you balance artistic style with emotional storytelling in your illustration process?

Thank you for saying so! I think this balancing act is precisely at the heart of the illustration process. I think less about “style” and more about “process”: how to draw a certain thing and what materials to use to make the process more efficient, less painful, and more physically sustainable.

What do you hope children and the adults who share this book with them; a take away after experiencing your story?

I don't have a specific "message" really. But I do want them to feel something. At the heart of it, it's really just a story of finding connection and holding on to fragile things.

For aspiring illustrators or visual storytellers in the Philippines, what advice would you give about breaking into the children’s book field, especially for those interested in creating wordless narratives?

I think anyone interested in breaking into this field should work on their craft. Widen one's visual vocabulary and influences and try going beyond the comfort zone of one's abilities. Secondly, draw genuine insight and inspiration from one's culture. Look beyond the children's books and draw inspiration from all sorts of different places.

Thank you, Rommel! Through his award-winning wordless picture book, Rommel Joson shows that silence can be just as powerful as language, inviting readers to slow down, observe, and feel. His work underscores how illustration can serve as both art and empathy, guiding young readers to discover connection and meaning in the spaces between words.

Illustrator of the Month: Ara Villena

Because the 2018 National Children's Book Day is a week away, the blog will be featuring the Alcala, Salanga and Wordless Picture Book Prize winners. Here is the interview with Ara Villena, the 2018 Alcala Prize winner. She is also the blog's Illustrator of the Month.

How did you learn about the Alcala-Prize?

I first learned about the Alcala Prize when I was applying for Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang
INK) back in 2014, because Ang INK’s application process is often, if not always, based on the PBBY-Alcala mechanics.

I remember, back then, I also submitted my Ang
INK application artworks to the contest, just for the heck of it. I mean, the requirements were the
same, so why not, right? Obviously, that didn’t get noticed at all, but I got into Ang INK anyway, so, hooray!

What is your creative process for May Alaga Akong Bakulaw?

May Alaga Akong Bakulaw is a beautiful story – I fell in love with it as soon as I read it. I think the story was something like a journey: an uplifting journey towards the rediscovery of love, towards hope, towards light. So, more than anything, I wanted my artworks to be able to radiate that feeling too.

I began sketching the three artworks side-by-side, trying to create cohesive story that could somehow stand on its own (I’m not sure if it does, but I hope it told its own story, in a way).

I also wanted to illustrate the journey that the Bakulaw went through using color and composition, as well as through the Bakulaw’s physical form. From a ragged, hairy creature, he eventually turned to the smiling Tito Robert, who crossed from his dark yard over to the little girl’s colorful world. And of course, the little girl was instrumental to this transformation – constantly reaching towards Robert like a little source of light.

And then so, after figuring this all out, I began to paint!

Ara Villena's rendition of May Alaga Akong Bakulaw

Who are your role models in your discipline or community?

I’m not sure if I have any particular role model but I definitely take
inspiration from a variety of illustrators.

First and foremost, however, is the artist who got me into children’s book illustration in the first place: Shaun Tan, an illustrator from Australia. His books, such as The Red Tree, The Lost Thing, and The Arrival, catapulted me into the children’s book world.

The Red Tree, in particular, got me through some difficult times in my life, and it was through this book and Shaun Tan’s work in general, that I sort of found where I want my works to go: in a world of journeys towards hope. And the magic of it is, I believe children’s book illustrations transcend age – just like how Shaun Tan’s work did!

From there, I made conscious effort to find out more about the local industry: I took a class in Panitikang Pambata under Eugene Evasco, a children’s book author, who introduced me to a whole spectrum of children’s books in the Philippines. This was before I became part of Ang INK. And then I became a part of Ang INK, and I got to know even more artists!

Ever since then, my awe for Filipino talent grew exponentially. Artists like Beth Parrocha, Kora Dandan Albano, Sergio Bumatay III, Aldy Aguirre, Aaron Asis, Jericho Moral, and the late Jason Sto. Domingo, are just a few of the brilliant artists I admire because of their great techniques, wonderful storytelling, and their ability to capture the hearts of their viewers, (including mine). Our country is brimming with talent, and that’s enough to inspire me to continue illustrating.

Villena's bright eyed view of the world is reflected in this art work.

Who are you as an artist?

I’ve always believed in the power that even the littlest of lights can bring to a world of darkness. I’d always say, if you could just cling to that glimmer of hope, cling to it, no matter how small it is, then things will be alright.

Of course, the concept is disputable, but, I’d rather believe in it than give up.

So, if I or my artworks could bring that little bit of light, if I could be that light then that already fulfills much of who I want to be as an artist.

Ara Villena will be awarded a medal and cash prize on Tuesday, July 17, 2018 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.