Hello, I’m Angela and I’m a children’s book illustrator.
That means that I draw and paint the pictures to go with stories.
I have had lots of jobs. I have sold orange juice and donuts; been a nanny for a film star and worked in a children’s book publishers, thinking up ideas for novelty books - I loved that job, it was so creative and fun!
In those days I got to commission lots of brilliant illustrators. Whenever I handled their wonderful artwork, I could smell the paint and I thought, “I want to create illustrations just like them!”
Nowadays, when I’m making a piece of artwork, of course I draw, draw, draw, but also I like to use lots of different things to make marks. I use paintbrushes, rollers, sponges and toothbrushes to make different lines. I scan the paintings, textures and drawings and put them altogether on the computer.
I have learnt that the way to make my best artwork is to play and have fun in sketchbooks – to really enjoy the process!