Story illustrations for a middle grade fiction anthology
Spooky ink drawings for an anthology of short stories written, selected & edited by kids aged 10-12.
The process
Context: The Sound of the Dark has been published under 100 Story Building’s year-long publishing program Early Harvest. In 2019, fifteen young editors (age 10–12) from Greater Dandenong came together to curate this collection of stories by young writers mentored by publishing professionals.
Collaborators: ‘The Rash’ written by Sakina Jafari; 100 Story Building Early Harvest Program Founding Editors are: Davina Bell, Emma Hewitt, Jenna Williams & Lachlann Carter; Book design by Regine Abos; Cover illustration © Daniel Gray-Barnett
Brief: They commissioned emerging and professional illustrators for each story, enabling the young editors to learn about the publishing process.
The story I was asked to illustrate was called ‘The Rash’, in which our protagnist is sent down the rabbit hole on an almost Kafka-esque journey to solve the problem of a rash that appeared during Mrs Koffee’s PE class. Following Googled medical advice leads our narrator to a secret code, the quest for an antidote, mysterious instructions and a trip to Bunnings to buy paint.
Approach: The brief specified the work should be black & white and, naturally, I chose to work in traditional media with my favourite brushes and india ink.
After a round of pencilled thumbnails to find the best composition, I calculated the physical size of the book to determine reduction scale (and how large I should work).
A few Photoshop collages of reference material, a couple roughs & outtakes, and we end up with the final illustration comprised only of ink on paper, with many thin washes gradually building to the darkness.
Results: The Sound of The Dark was published in November 2019. The final book is a stunning compilation of horrifying tales suitable for ages 7+, with a very stylish art design and oodles of great illustration. I’m proud to have my work included in a project of this kind. Purchases of the book support the Early Harvest program. Buy your copy at your local bookstore, or buy a copy online.
