Children’s Illustrator Cassandra Allen

Currently residing in Switzerland, Cassandra Allen is an Illustrator who specialises in Children’s books. After studying Fine Art, Multimedia and Photography in Australia, she had success working in Melbourne’s Prahran, before upping and moving in 2007 to Europe. Amongst other things, she has gone on to illustrate Sing! which every Aussie who went to an Australian school should know.

What have you been up to lately?
I am drawing almost every day. I have got so much illustration work coming in at the moment, mostly children’s books and a fun new project for kids yoga cards. I have ideas for writing and illustrating my own books, but presently I am too busy. I have managed to put a few prints in my etsy shop, so we’ll see how that project goes.
In between time spent hunched over my illustration table, my partner and I are planning our future house on a piece of land we bought in nearby France. We have a beautiful old cherry tree which bears more fruit than two people could possibly devour. Endless supplies of cherries from our own backyard each Summer? Life doesn’t get much better than that!

How did you first start illustrating children’s books?

I got lucky. I received an email from the publishing house Hachette Livre, offering me a children’s book project. I had already decided to give up graphic design and focus solely on illustration when I  embarked on my European adventure. But at the same time, I wasn’t sure how to make the dream a reality, and for a while was living off my savings. It can be a difficult world to crack into and I thank my lucky stars.

You are currently based in Switzerland. How has life changed since moving abroad and how have these changes influenced you creatively?
My life has changed immensely. I love living in Europe. There are similarities to Australian life, but also more differences than I could have imagined. The language for a start, which put me in a bubble at first, but now I manage to get by in French,( with an accent they say is cute, but I am not so sure!) Secondly, the culture is very different and my Australian attitude and manner is not always aligned with European thinking and behaviour. And thirdly, the history of Europe blows my little Aussie brain. I am living in the old stomping ground of Julius Caesar, back in 58 B.C., which was also once a land where Napolean was a threat, and where we currently have public holidays celebrating events which occured over 600 years ago. And along with the history comes beautiful architecture which for me is an endless source of beauty and awe. All these things influence my creative process.
I am also influenced and greatly inspired by the work of European illustrators, especially from France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. The quirky style and different approach of many of the illustrated children’s books I see in Europe appeals to me.

What approach do you take when you begin illustrating a children’s book?
I start by reading the text many times over. It is important for me to move the story from the page to inside my head, I need to see the characters, the scenes, bring it all to life. From there I draw what I see in my imagination, usually starting with the main characters. It is a process which feeds itself, the more I draw, the clearer the characters and scenes become in my head, and then that feeds back onto the pages of illustrations. Some days are magical, when everything come with ease. Other days can be more difficult, it comes in waves.

What are you reading/watching/listening to/browsing at the moment?
Reading: I am a terrible reader. I get too easily distracted. The most I read is my daily dose of blogs. I did buy a biography this year, one of the few novels I have bought in my entire life, about a guy who is autistic. The first 34 pages were very interesting, but I never reached page 35. That was about 3 months ago, so it’s not looking good!
Watching: The Autumn leaves fall and the first snow covering the tops of the local mountains. TV I try to avoid. Films, I am dying to see Where The Wild Things Are, but I am frightened of being seriously disappointed.
Listening to: French radio while I draw, absorbing absorbing absorbing.
Browsing: every day I have a list of daily reads, including blogs, illustration portals, some French ones too to keep up the learning, and various goings on from here and there including keeping up to date with the hubbub of Melbourne. I could not live without the internet, but it can suck away time like nothing else.

Where do you find inspiration?
Mostly from inside my brain. Ideas are absorbed from here there and everywhere and then, “pop”, inspiration is born.

Links:
folio: www.cassandrallen.com
shop: www.CassandraAllen.etsy.com
blog: www.cassandrallen.blogspot.com