A Conversation with Risa Hugo
Risa Hugo, illustrator.
When I do school visits or talk to people at dinner parties about how picture books are made, they’re almost always surprised to hear that authors and illustrators traditionally are not in contact during the making of a book. Inevitably I get asked if it’s hard to let go of the image of the story I had in my head. The answer is, of course, but it’s also such an honor to know that an artist — a real working artist! — is going to be spending months working on something I wrote. And by taking that great leap of faith, the book is able to grow into a final form that is different from anything I could have imagined on my own.
When I first saw how Risa Hugo, had envisioned the world of my second book, A Summer without Anna, I was so surprised. The story is fictional, but it’s heavily inspired by the real experiences and landscapes of my childhood. In Risa’s hands, the people and events of my past were lifted out of their landscape, with it’s blackwater lakes and evergreen trees, and transported somewhere entirely new. It was like a magic trick.
I was excited when Risa agreed to let me interview her, because it was a chance to see her side of the process for the first time. I often wonder where my story goes after it leaves my desk, and I was delighted to see that Risa’s desk actually looks very like mine. I wanted to hear about how she approached the text, what her inspirations were. I was fascinated to read that a key visual touchstone was the anime film My Neighbor Totoro. It’s a detail I especially love sharing with kids.
Risa Hugo is a Canadian/Japanese illustrator with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Emily Carr University of Art and Design. She spent most of her childhood living between Canada and Japan. Risa currently lives on a small farm located in Southern interior of BC with her husband and three sons.
My book with Risa, A Summer without Anna, launches on June 3rd. If you live near Kitchener-Waterloo, come by and celebrate with me at the Eastside Branch of the Waterloo Public Library on May 31st at 10:30 am. If you live in Toronto, I’ll be having a second launch event at TYPE BOOKS Junction on June 8th at 6:30 pm.
Additionally, Risa has two more books coming up! The first is Who Needs the Dark?: The Many Ways Living Things Depend on Darkness by Laura Alary from Owlkids. It’ll be available on September. Other one is by Jean E. Pendziwol from Groundwood. Publication date is TBA.
Were you a bookish kid? Were there specific stories that left their mark on you as a young reader?
Yes I did enjoy reading from very young age. When I moved to Canada from Japan I read a lot of children’s book to learn English. One of the book I read was Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back by Shel Silverstein and I remember thinking Oh… this is very different. I never thought Children’s book could tell story like that and it really stuck with me.
2. What did your path to becoming a picture book illustrator look like? When did you know this is what you wanted to do?
I always loved drawing but I never really considered it as profession so for the longest time I thought I would just get a decent job and do art as a hobby. I was back in Japan studying to apply to one of the universities there with zero motivation. According to my parents, one day I came to them and said I wanted to go to art university out of nowhere. I don’t remember why I did that but I do remember my parents weren’t super thrilled with my decision. However they still supported me to apply to a few art schools in Canada and US. Emily Carr University was the first to accept me so I just went for it.
I had great time in ECU doing painting and stuff but still had no idea what to do. I was taking bunch of random classes for fun and one of them was illustration for picture book taught by Julie Morstad. First day of the class Julie showed her illustrations and I fell in love with it. I could see my style fitting really well within the world of children’s book and from there on I concentrated on becoming the picture book illustrator. It still took me about 7 years after graduation to become one though. I was pregnant with my second son and I thought maybe this will be my life. Get a part time job somewhere once the kids grow up, make art on the side and I was fairly satisfied with that. That’s when I got my first picture book offer! It was one of my happiest moments of my life.
3. Agreeing to illustrate a picture book manuscript is a big commitment. How do you decide what projects to take on?
There are a few factors like timing of the project or payment to consider and everything have to balance out in my own way. However, if I’m intrigued with the story I try my best to take on the project.
For Summer without Anna the story felt very natural for my style and I had pretty clear vision of Anna and Junie and how they would look like. I knew it was a very personal story for Kate, and I was honoured to be part of it.
4. What tools and materials did you use to make the illustrations for A Summer without Anna?
Gouache, water colour, colour pencil, procreate and photoshop. I always try to do as much as I can on paper.
Risa’s desk
Kate’s desk
5. When I wrote this story, I was drawing on some of my most foundational, deeply-felt memories of time spent at my Nana and Pop’s cottage on Crane Lake, near Perry Sound, Ontario. It was a mid-century kit cottage, built into a hill overlooking the water. The coniferous forest crowded in on all sides, making it cool and dark inside, even in the middle of the day. Along the granite shore, birch and maple trees were reflected in the green-black water. Everywhere you walked, there were pine needles underfoot. But in picture book making, it’s the illustrator, not the author, who determines what things look like. You took my lake story and painted a very different landscape, with wide-open spaces, pink skies, wild flowers, bright blue water, and mountains. It’s so different than I imagined, but so beautiful, so vibrant. I’m wondering if you can talk a little bit about your inspiration. Were you referencing a specific landscape from your own life?
I wish they told me about the location! Pine needles underfoot sounds like a great core memory. I’m always nervous and terrified about the opinions of the author because I know they usually have their own vision and I’m worried about living up to that. I try to remember that publisher and author agree to hire me for a reason and I just do my best to execute the story in my own way.
A lot of things were inspired by my childhood memories and my dream cottage home. I love flower garden but I don’t have a talent or patience to grow my own so I like to draw them whenever I can. I was also inspired by My Neighbour Totoro which is an animation I was obsessively watching when I was around Junie’s age.
I wanted the illustrations to be delicate, soft and nostalgic. The use of colour pink kind of came organically and I decided to use it throughout the book to help tie in all the pages.
6. Are there any current picture book creators whose work really excites you? Any specific books that light your hair on fire?
Milky Way Picture Books have amazing children’s books! I wish I can buy them all. I got Milo the Knight by Gregoire Laforce recently and I love Charlotte Parent’s Illustration.
7. What’s the hardest part of your job? What’s the best part?
Hardest part is the thumbs. Thumbs are the very first sketch for each page and this is where I decide the layout/flows of the book and it’s really exhausting process for me. Sometimes I’m researching and looking for inspirations for days without drawing one single thing on paper. I’m so glad I have editors to help me out in all these steps. I really appreciate their insight.
For Summer without Anna, Junie floating in the lake (page 12-13) was the very first page I drew. That spread came immediately but the next spread with Junie on phone (page 14-15) took forever to come together. There’s a lot of informations and I was kind of stuck on what to draw. At the end we decided to focus on Junie’s disappointment/loneliness and I think it worked out great.
Best part is when I get to do the actual painting. I love building the colour and texture on paper. I sort of enjoy removing tiny dust on photoshop as well. I also like that I can stay home and work on my own pace.
8. What advice would you give to aspiring or emerging illustrators?
If you want to be a picture book illustrator make sure you’re drawing something that can be used in a picture book. The editors want to know you can draw a children in action, they need to know you can draw environment. Have at least one or two illustration that shows you can do those things. Editors are always searching for new talent so keep updating your work and submit to different publishers. Social media are great platform to promote your work but have a proper website if you want to be taken seriously. Last thing is be nice and professional. You could be amazing artist but no one will hire you back if you’re unreliable and unprofessional.
9. What are you currently obsessed with, bookish or not?
I’ve been knitting a lot. It’s so calming to follow pattern and I get to wear the finished product!
10. What do you think young readers need from books and the adults who create them in this moment?
Guidance and connection. We should try to be their safe space.
