An interview with the illustrator of Grobblechops!

 

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We interviewed Jenny Lucander, the illustrator of our fabulous Rumi tale Grobblechops! Jenny is an illustrator based in Helsinki, Finland. Grobblechops is her first book to be published in the U.K! We spoke to her about her inspiration, the process of creating the book, and how she feels about Grobblechops. Read the fab interview below!

What was your inspiration when drawing the monster in Grobblechops?

When I started sketching I thought about all the different kind of monsters that are depicted in literature. As far as I know monsters don’t exist in reality, yet we recognise one for sure when we see it in a picture. I wanted to find my own unique monster and started to look for pictures of other interesting creatures like dinosaurs and birds. In the end Grobblechops turned out to be a kind of monster that has big teeth but also feathers, and it changes colours like a chameleon.

Can you tell us a bit about the process of illustrating the book? What media did you use and how long did it take? 

Research and planning is a huge part of process. There are an infinite number of possibilities when thinking about the pictures in a picture book and the storytelling. I feel like a movie director when I start planning the scenery that I want to use, I conduct the audition of the actors, I plan what scenes to shoot, what perspectives and angles to use the camera in. 

I like to use the computer (Photoshop) to finish my illustrations that are actually collages of mixed media. But I love to draw and paint and I do as much as possible by hand. This project took around 6 months to finish. 

What was the most challenging part of illustrating of this book?

The most challenging part of illustrating this book was definitely the fact that almost everything took place in the same room! I had to be very creative to find new ways of presenting each spread in a new way.

In this book, we matched an author from Britain with an illustrator from Finland to retell an ancient tale from the Middle East. What was your initial reaction to this idea?

I was super exited! I love challenges like this. It was interesting to do research about Rumi and at the same time thinking about how to plant something Finnish in my drawings and in the home of the British family that gets a visit by Grobblechops. (If you look closely you may spot a Moomin house among Amirs toys).

How do you feel now when you look at your book?

I feel proud and happy. I love that the book is a humorous, warm feel-good story with a deeper message of love and peace in true Rumi spirit. I think I managed to match the illustrations with the feel of the text quite well.

What advice do you have for an aspiring illustrator?

Draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw draw. Watch movies, go to the theatre, write stories.

• Introducing Grobblechops!
• Read a blog: is there really a monster under the bed?!
• Read a review by Jill Bennett: Adults and little ones will relish Grobblechops!

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