‘Shabana and The Baby Goat’ is here! Q and A with the illustrator Roshini Pochont

The adorable picture book Shabana and the Baby Goat written by Samina Mishra and illustrated by Roshini Pochont is here today – hot off the press! We spoke to the illustrator Roshini about her experience working on picture books and more.

 

What draws you to illustrating for children?

I love imagining a story from a child's perspective, and figuring out how it can be told in the simplest and most engaging way. It's also good fun to add in details that kids will get drawn to.

Also, while I enjoy all forms of illustration, my go-to style is a cartoon-y one that lends itself to children's illustration, so that works in my favour as well!

How did you feel when you were asked to illustrate Shabana and the Baby Goat?

This is my first children's book and I couldn't have asked for a better one. It was a great experience to visualise Samina's story because of all the funny situations Kajri (the baby goat) finds herself in, and the adorable friendship between her and Shabana.

How did you arrive at the style that is finally seen in the book?

I tried a few different styles like a collage of different textures and a painterly look before deciding on the final pastel effect. The decision was based on valuable feedback from my colleagues about what would work well with a light-hearted story like this one.

What considerations guide the process of illustrating a book?

The main thing I had in mind was to do justice to the lively, mischievous nature of the story, and to have the art complement Samina's text well. The process also taught me how to come up with unique ways of composing a spread, finding a suitable illustration style, and what details to include or exclude from an illustration for children.

Which illustrators’ work do you admire and why?

I'm constantly inspired by the work of Shaun Tan, Oliver Jeffers, Melissa Sweet, Priya Kuriyan, Prabha Mallya, Rajiv Eipe and Isabelle Arsenault. I love artists who employ a lot of mixed media in their illustration, as I'm always looking to try new styles.

Which children’s books are your favourites and why?

I grew up with the standard classics that have hence become my favourites: illustrated fairy tales, Enid Blyton's books, the Harry Potter series, and pop-up books. I think the first books we read are the ones that really stay with us through life, and it's probably why I ended up in children's books! 

What do you do when you are not illustrating?

I'm usually reading, sketching, or snacking. I also occasionally dabble in crafts like crochet and weaving.

What book/s are you working on now?

I'm working on my second book for Tulika.

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Roshini Pochont is an illustrator and graphic designer with a love for beautiful books and all things handmade. She collects picture books and hopes to open a library of them soon.