The Writer's Busman's Holiday : Natascha Biebow

In his recent blog post about how many illustrators like to sketch when they're out and about and on holiday, Garry Parsons asked: "Now I’m left wondering if authors do this too? Do they sit on the beach on holiday in Minehead conjuring poetry, psalms or haiku just for pleasure? I’m curious!"



Intrinsic to our craft is the fact that authors, like illustrators, never really take time off - our minds are constantly finding ideas and fine-tuning characters, plots and story arcs. On holiday, we sit on airplanes, trains, diners, cafés and at the in-law's dinner table listening to dialogue, experiencing situations and new scenery that will very likely, one day re-emerge in our books.

A few of the bloggers in the Den have commented that they carry around a notebook and jot down ideas and snippets that will perhaps later become books. Others, said they have a go at drawing too. I do both those things, but find that the notebook musings come second to a whole bunch of other activities (see below).

Being freelance comes with all kinds of challenges to do with when you are actually on a designated holiday and when you're supposed to be working. But I do try to take time off. Because it's important to just 'be' and let new vistas come and refresh the page. I love being close to nature and walking.

I took this snap on a holiday in RSA to celebrate my mum and my birthdays

I am not yet lucky enough to count myself as a full-time writer, and so I find myself actively having to carve out time to write. Having recently embarked on picture book non-fiction– and then actually having sold something in this genre – I discovered that I can suddenly spend my holiday time researching all kinds of seemingly useless information in the name of being a writer.  This is actually really quite fun.

So, this summer, whilst on holiday in Pennsylvania, I:

The mini-golf course was filled with unexpected hurdles . . .

- played mini-golf with my family in a place called Bird-in-Hand (boy, this shows up personalities that make for good characters!)

- went to the library and checked out a dog-eared young fiction biography of Elizabeth Blackwell,  first woman doctor so I could see if it had any nuggets in it (and because she's a lady Judy Moody admires and I knew nothing about)

- read the fascinating story of William Kamkwamba, who changed his people's world by inventing and building a simple windmill with scraps, despite the famine and because of the village library (and that his story is now a bestselling sensation because of a blogger)



- studied a whole bunch of non-fiction picture books and studied how other people who get paid to do this stuff do it well

 

- watched a few episodes of Frasier on TV (to research humour of course)

Staring contest from 'Frasier' -Eddie wins

- spent several hours in the hammock reading Judy Moody, Hank Zipzer and several other American young fiction series (again, for research of course)

- visited the Crayola factory to see how they make crayons in real life (I know, how cool is that!)

- spent copious hours the floor of the children's section of Barnes & Noble and any other bookshop my family would let me near . . .

I also:

- hiked in beautiful Valley Forge National Park with the dogs (and worked out plot problems and suchlike)

- bought a vivid set of Crayola pastels and swirled some backgrounds for my new author website

- was lucky enough to be invited by my lovely new agent to a weekend retreat in Vermont to hang out with fellow clients. Sitting by the peaceful riverside, we each shared a work in progress with the eight other retreaters. Though I found this daunting because I'd never met any of them before, it was a very useful experience and the feedback invaluable. We ate, laughed and hiked, plus discovered that Victoria Wells Arms is a master chef.

- oh and sometimes, I wrote. Yes, when I'm on holiday, I can do that. 

What did you do on your summer holiday?

________________________

Natascha Biebow
Author, Editor and Mentor

Blue Elephant Storyshaping is an editing, coaching and mentoring service aimed at empowering writers and illustrators to fine-tune their work pre-submission. Check out my small-group coaching Cook Up a Picture Book courses! Natascha is also the author of The Crayon Man (coming in 2019), Elephants Never Forget and Is This My Nose?, editor of numerous award-winning children’s books, and Co-Regional Advisor (Co-Chair) of SCBWI British Isles. 

 

The Illustrator's Busman's Holiday : Garry Parsons

Among the things I enjoy seeing posted on Twitter are illustrator’s roughs for the projects they are working on. I’ve always been curious to know how other illustrators develop their work because everyone’s process of working is unique. These initial character sketches and pencil outlines sometimes give you a hint of that process and would have mostly gone unseen in the days before social media.

Recently my attention has been drawn to posts that have included observational drawings, city scenes or landscapes and even life drawing, all of which appear separate from work projects and made out of studio time. These drawings are often accompanied by a text or a title alluding to the illustrator being on holiday, travelling or simply having a few minutes to spare in a coffee shop or killing time on a station platform. Some of these drawings are superb!

Hannah Warren - Montenegro Sketch book and "Black Lake"

I have always drawn (well ever since I can remember anyway) and when I visit schools today I often tell the children that I have been practicing my pencil skills since I was first born. (I draw a baby version of myself to illustrate this). So when I studied painting at art college it wasn’t a challenge for me when the tutors encouraged the students to carry a sketchbook with them at all times because I already did and still do today. So, when I’m travelling or going on holiday, my bags always include drawing equipment and sketchbooks, which appear before swimming trunks and passports on my packing list.

Garry Parsons - El Turbón, Spain

On a recent trip to Somerset with my seven-year-old son, we stopped on a hillside, got a blanket out of the car and sketched the landscape together. My son confidently explained to me that there was “no imagination needed” because it’s all there, right in front of you – the hills, the farm, the trees and cattle – and “you don’t have to make it up!” 

Garry Parsons - Kilve Beach, Somerset.                                             Guy Parker-Rees - Sussex Downs

He was right, of course, in some ways. Drawing on a hillside, there are no deadlines, art directors, editors, sales team or authors to consider. No one was going to suggest I use a different colour or change the eyes on the cows from circles to dots.  What there is, though, is a quiet joy in just sitting and drawing what you see, especially on a warm evening in a beautiful place with another artist, even if they are just seven. But, despite having carried a sketchbook with me most of my life and always feeling the urge to sit and draw, this was the first time I’d really considered what it was that actually compels me to do it. And it’s a curious question to ponder.  I can come up with many different answers, most of them valid in some way or other, but what it really comes down to is feeling a sense of ease through drawing what you see. It’s like a necessary nourishment that’s unique and personal.

Garry Parsons - Santa Cruz de la Serós and Luz-Saint-Sauveur.

So after my son’s encouraged revelation I made a mental note each time I spotted a landscape or holiday sketch posted by an illustrator on Twitter to ask them the same question, what is it that motivates them to continue drawing “out of studio hours” when probably, like me, they spend most of their day drawing anyway.

Guy Parker-Rees told me: “I love drawing and painting landscapes when I have the time and I go life drawing every week. Life drawing is the very best way of keeping that loose connection between eye and hand. I love the freedom to let go and experiment when doing my own work. No brief, no deadline, just enjoying the process. I'm sure it always feeds back into my illustration work: it's a way of trying things out, maybe using different media or techniques.

I think it's important to keep experimenting with different ways of working in order to keep your style fresh and to make sure it keeps growing and evolving.”

Guy Parker-Rees - 20 minute life drawing

And the dexterous Hannah Warren told me:

“I draw to relax and to think and to observe and to remember. Drawing for yourself is very different and private and many things just stay in the number of small sketchbooks. It's good to have something that’s just for you. Some things though, are used as a basis for commissioned work, like an interesting person walking their dog, someone smoking on a wall, a couple having an argument. I like to look a lot at body language and how people just go about their lives. My work has so many people in it because that’s what I’m most interested in. As for drawing “on holiday” this is again to record a new place.”

Hannah Warren - Sketch

I’ve seen some beautiful work worthy of high praise from many other illustrators too, Adam Stower and Thomas Docherty to name a couple. Wonderful artists with acutely refined drawing skills, the depth of which just might have been concealed within the confines of picture book characters or a commercially designed illustration job but glimpsed in these “out of studio” works.

So if you enjoy a good drawing, these are well worth looking out for on your Twitter feed!

 

Garry Parsons - Roda de Isábena

But now I’m left wondering if authors do this too? Do they sit on the beach on holiday in Minehead conjuring poetry, psalms or haiku just for pleasure? I’m curious!

***

Guy Parker-Rees is the award-winning illustrator of Giraffes Can't Dance which has sold over 215,000 copies. He is extensively published by Orchard, Walker and Little Tiger. Visit Guy's website HERE and follow him on twitter @Guyguyyug 

Hannah Warren is an illustrator and bike lady who lives and works in South London and has recently worked for The New York Times and The Sunday Telegraph as well as in publishing. Hannah's work has also been animated for broadcast. Visit Hannah's website HERE and follow her on Twitter @_hannah_warren_ 

Garry Parsons is an award winning illustrator of children's books including the best selling picture book "The Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas" by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter. Visit Garry's website HERE and follow him on Twitter @ICanDrawDinos