Latest News: Her most recent projects are Kepler, a science fiction for young adults, and Sarah & the Gypsy Carnival, the sequel to her first project, Sarah’s Story. Here’s a sneak into her latest posts on Instagram, follow her for updates and bookings.

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It is a well-known adage: A picture is worth a thousand words.

Creatives have what we call The Need.

No matter what we do for our professional career or in our hobbies, we always have to satisfy that need by incorporating it… one way or another. And most importantly, the way we express it the best.

Our way of genius.
Our way into solace.
Our drug of choice.

While it is commonplace to have abstract surrealism mixed with minimalism in the styles of art nowadays, a little bit more graphic and detail is needed when it comes to expressing a solid story.

As writers, we are often engrossed in the little universe in our minds, especially on the production… Jotting down thoughts into words, so that the said universe may be conjured in the closest possible way it exists in our minds. Now there’s a whole bunch of steps for that… for another article, that is.

Inclusion of the audience, while there is no one way to please everyone, in this industry is, and remains compulsory.

This is where the illustrator comes in, waving their brushes like magic wands. No matter what tools or multimedia software they use to produce the closest materialisation of a writer’s universe, they are a vital part of publishing we writers should take into serious consideration and decision, especially with children and young adult genres.

Nuskiya Faleel is a story-teller and instead of words, she uses strokes of colour. She is an illustrator, based in Sri Lanka and is currently doing projects nationwide.

In this article, we cover a take on the process by the artist, so we may further appreciate our collaborations with them.

Work Preparation

I usually keep all my materials ready by my desk before I start work. These include brushes of all sizes, paint, papers and all other necessary tools. I also have author based input sent to me which includes character profiles and scene synopses, so it’s easier for me to illustrate them the way the author pictures them in his/her mind. The first output is to send a rough sketch to the author and discuss if they would like to make any changes before I proceed to the final illustration.

Starting and Ending a Project

I start the actual timeline when my client is satisfied with the rough sketch. I also set a schedule and plan accordingly so I can finish it on the marked due date. I based the details on the author input and add my creativity to the illustrations. I would know it’s complete when I’m satisfied with it, but the project ends when the client is satisfied.

Techniques and Perspective

The best technique to make illustrations more realistic and unique is to add more detail; like shadows, patterns, and small objects. As for drawing characters, their facial expressions give life to a picture. It is also important to choose realistic colours. I always pay attention to small details, on even the tiniest objects. I think all these help in making an illustration look lively.

The First Big Project

My favourite illustration so far is the picture of a little girl in her bedroom, sitting on her bed, hugging her stuffed unicorn (Sarah’s Story). I love it because I had a lot of fun illustrating it, and this picture also helped in making my dream come true, as it was my first illustration for a storybook project. Being a book illustrator has always been my dream.

As it was my first, it took me longer to complete than my other illustrations, since I was still learning and experimenting. It was a few days, with constant communication with the author.

The author and I understood each other very well, and we made a great team. I had a lot of fun illustrating that book. Our publisher was very nice and friendly. She gave us the complete freedom to make decisions regarding the illustrations.

There was hardly any pressure, and the guidelines were very flexible. The results were exceptional too. The book came out much better than we expected and many people complimented us, pointing out the illustrations went very well with the story.

Tools of her Trade

I’m a watercolour illustrator. My tools include watercolour pads (hot press, cold press), water brushes from size 0, and watercolour artist paints. I often use wet and wet, wet and dry, and dry-brush techniques. I also use masking fluid, a mechanical pencil and of course, an eraser.

Inspirations other than Tea

Like the typical Sri Lankan, I’m rooted in our land and greatly inspired by the beauty of nature. I observe a lot and take in all the necessary details. For research, I also follow the YouTube channels of expert illustrators. Instagram and other social media platforms are also great sources of inspiration since you can follow people with similar interests and observe their unique techniques.

On Software

I am mostly self-taught. There are many resources out there for free, nowadays for anyone willing to learn. I use traditional hand-painting, no software for me.

Of Negative Feedbacks

I still have not faced such a situation, thankfully and I hope such a situation wouldn’t come up in future. My clients usually like my illustrations. They are very patient with me, they hardly complain.

Flora’s Remarks: I think because writers had it tough with editors, we are generally kinder to illustrators.

Time-Management

Everything should rely on a timeline… However, as the artist, I don’t prefer rushing through my work. Ideally, Illustrations need a perfectly inspired moment. I have to feel satisfied enough with the piece before I let them go for print. Maybe it is the perfectionist in me, but if I’m not allowed ample time, I’ll simply refuse to work on the project.

Team Work

I appreciate listening to different opinions since it helps me with my learning and growth. However, for projects and relationship, compromise is vital. It is crucial to have good communication between team members. We all need to have a proper understanding of each other, bring the best out of one another so we may come up with the best output.

Handling Rejections

To avoid this kind of problem, I always make sure to have a proper idea of the specific expectations and preferences of my clients. When you work as an illustrator, you have to be prepared to work to meet client expectations even though you will do things differently if you had the choice. Meeting client’s expectations should always be a priority. So I’m prepared to provide as many rough sketches as needed until the client is satisfied.

The Block

Creative block is a common thing. It happens to all artists, usually when they overwork themselves without taking regular breaks. When it happens to me, I stop working on the current painting and start a new one. I also take a break from work until I feel refreshed and motivated enough to continue. It also helps to try new things, new hobbies that excite you the most.

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This article is written based on the online Q&A, we had with Nuskiya Faleel. It has been edited and amended for the article build-up, while not losing the essence of the book illustrator.

Samudra Books Listing

Re-Tree Sri Lanka

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These are showcased on her Instagram, so do follow her for more and full-size illustration samples.