Q&A
Tell us something interesting about yourself:
In my mind, Autumn would be everyday.
Current job title:
Freelance Illustrator.
How would you describe your identity?
I am British Asian of Bangladeshi heritage.
Tell us your favourite medium for reading:
An old-fashioned book from the shelf, where I can flick the pages and smell the scent of pages and ink.
Tell us your favourite location for reading:
I love to read on my sofa, nestled with pillows, a hot cup of tea near and my dog next to me.
Book title:
The Hat Full of Sea by Maudie Smith.
What inspired your creative process in writing or illustrating your book?
The story itself is beautiful and poignant — this helped me create and landscape the imagery with illustrative cues that can help resemble those themes. Incorporating nature and facial expressions allowed me to create that connection between the characters.
Favourite character or moment from the book – and why?
I love the connection between Cora and her Grandpa. I have many favourite moments from the book, but I do love when Cora brings the sea to Grandpa. The waves, the seagulls, and the movement from her hat are depicted so well with the text — you can almost hear waves and seagulls!
What themes or messages does your book raise?
For me, The Hat Full of Sea touches on the meaningful message of bringing joy, care, and celebration to those who need uplifting from situations that may make them feel stuck.
How would you describe your artistic or writing style in three words?
Playful, heartfelt, and vibrant.
What aspect of the story did you most connect with, and how did it shape your illustrations?
I connected very strongly with the whole concept of the story. It reminded me of when my Dad was in hospital when he was very ill. So I poured a lot of my own experiences and emotions into the illustrations. It was a very beautiful way for me to express my feelings through it and did make me feel happy and sad at times. The experience was overwhelming with many emotions, but also so healing too.
Materials and techniques used for this book’s illustrations:
To create the artwork, I used Adobe Photoshop and my Wacom Tablet.
Favourite illustration – and why?
I do love the front cover! The colours are so vibrant and I love Cora and Grandpa together. It shows a great display of affection, and the waves in the background are beautifully placed to give a real feeling of the book.
Connect
IG: @jenkhatun
