Illustrator Saturday – Jess Mason

Jess Mason an illustrator from Worcestershire, the original home of Hobbits! Her two main passions in life have always been making art and reading books. She is drawn to a variety of themes in her work. She is inspired by history, folk art, medieval manuscripts, Renaissance maps, and the sleeping positions of her cat.

If she had a superpower, it would be time travel. As that’s not possible, transforming memories, stories, and experiences into illustrations is the next best thing. She found it both fascinating and inspiring to venture into Lia’s world and view World War II through the lens of a child living through it.

HERE IS JESS DISCUSSING HER PROCESS:

Here is the cover for a picture book I worked on with Hazy Dell Press.

 

When working on covers I usually come up with 3-4 ideas which I roughly sketch out and share with the art director for feedback. In this instance we all agreed that sketch 4 was the strongest. I especially liked the title lettering, I was inspired by the beautiful gates you often see in US cemeteries. The moon with the pumpkin face also gives the reader a clue to what happens later on in the story without giving away too much.

Once we had decided on the direction I refined the rough, added more detail and tone so that I could demonstrate the mood of the artwork. I wanted it to be dramatic, moody but also vibrant.

Because of this I always start with the most important aspects of the artwork which is usually the characters. I work in procreate from start to finish which means I am able to work in layers. If I were working with traditional media it would make more sense to work on the background first and build up, however working digitally makes it easier to work on separate layers and getting the most crucial aspects down right away helps to inform the rest of the piece.

I don’t usually create colour roughs, I find that when I do I usually end up changing it anyway! I much prefer to make the decisions as I go along and mostly work intuitively. Although I did have a general idea before starting work on this. I was inspired by films such as ‘The Corpse Bride’ and ‘The Nightmare before Christmas’ – or any Tim Burton film for that matter as well as season 2 of ‘Stranger Things.

I think the main thing that really brought this cover to life was the addition of neon highlights. The first half of the book is set in a rather dreary small town, the colour palette for these pages was made up of muted browns, greys and orange. We wanted to create a moment reminiscent of the Wizard of Oz, when the world turns from black and white to full colour and we did this by creating a dramatic shift from the warm, muted palette to the cooler, darker palette with subtle but powerful pops of electric neon.

The last thing I tackled on this cover was the title lettering, up until this point the text had just been a placeholder. I spent a long time looking at cemetery gatesand spooky fonts found on gothic headstones. I love hand lettering and am always excited when I get to do it myself. It is tricky finding the balance between intentional naivety and clear, legible text but I think it turned out pretty well in the end!

INTERVIEW WITH JESS MASON:

When did you realize that you had a talent for art?

I’ve always loved drawing and painting, I wouldn’t say there was a moment where I realized I had talent, it was more that I enjoyed it and was passionate about it and worked really hard to develop my skills.

What was the first thing you created where someone paid you for your work?

Pretty sure it was a pet portrait, my first paid commercial job was for my friend’s company Fancy Features where I created a giant colouring in mural for an event.

You live in Worchester. Did you grow up in Worcestershire, England?

Yes.

How did you decide to attend University of Worcester to get your BA in illustration?

I had briefly attended Birmingham city University where I studied Fashion, however I soon realized that the only part of the course I enjoyed was the fashion illustration class on a Thursday morning so I dropped out, moved back home and started at Worcester the next academic year which was the best decision I ever made.

What were your career goals when you started at University of Worcester?

I didn’t have any, the main reason I wanted to go to university was to find out!

What classes were your favorite?

Sequential and Narrative Illustration, this was how I learned that I wanted to pursue a career in children’s book illustration.

Did you take any animation classes?

No.

Did you do any freelance artwork while studying at University of Worcester?

Yes, I worked for my friend’s company ‘Fancy Features’. I also worked on some small commissions for local businesses.

Did U of W help you make contacts with publishers and help you find a job?

Yes definitely, during my time there I was introduced and exposed to lots of great people from the publishing industry.

After you graduated, did you immediately work as a freelance illustrator or did you take a job while freelancing?

I worked as a care assistant in a nursing home for about 12 months whilst I worked on building up my portfolio.

Have you taken any art classes, since you graduated?

Not in person but I did watch some skillshare tutorials.

When did you decide to make a career illustrating children’s books?

In my second year at university after completing a module on Children’s book illustration and discovering the work of other illustrators such as Jon Klassen, Carson Ellis and Julia Sarda.

Was Bigfoot Mountain by Rod O’Grady and Jess Mason published by Firefly Press on 4/29/2021 your first illustrated book?

Yes.

How did you get that contract with Firefly Press?

Through my agent.

How did you are represented by The Plum Agency. How did you connect with them and how long have you been with them?

I submitted my portfolio to Plum as I had heard really good things about them, they were also representing other illustrators I admired. They got back to me and said they would like to take me on, I have been with them for four years now!

Just a Girl: A True Story of World War II by Lia Levi, Jess Mason, et al. | Mar 22, 2022 HarperCollins. I see the book is 163 pages. How many illustrations did you do for the book?

I believe it was around 35-40.

The cover is beautiful. The colors are eye catching. Were any of the interior art done in color or were they all black and white?

Thank you! They were all black and white.

Did you have any idea that the book would win the THE MILDRED L. BATCHELDER AWARD!

No idea, it was a lovely surprise!

How many illustrations did you do for the 96 page book Where Do Wishes Go?: Poems by Debra Bertulis – Published by Otter-Barry?

I actually don’t remember but I think it was around 30-40! Although they were predominately spot illustrations.

Where they all Black and white spots?

Yes.

I just featured Swallows Swirl by Christina Wilsdon on Writing and Illustrating. I fell in love with the illustrations you created and knew I had to ask you to do Illustrator Saturday. How long did it take you to create the pages for that book published by Sleeping Bear Press?

Thanks so much, The whole project probably took around 4 months, Which is a relatively fast turnaround for a picture book but I really enjoyed the process.

Were you done with Swallows Swirl before you started working on Who Owns the Woods? by Emily Hibbs coming out on April 13th with Little Tiger Press? 

Who Owns the woods came out last year!

Do you have any desire to write and illustrate a picture book?

Yes definitely!

Would you be willing to work with a self-publisher picture book writer on illustrating their book?

Probably not, working as a freelance illustrator is not the most stable of careers so I prefer to work with established publishers who can ensure the book has the best chance of success without me having to take personal financial risks.

Do you have an art studio in your house?

I have an art corner!

What is your favorite tool or medium to use when creating your illustrations?

I work entirely in procreate these days however I used to like working with gouache and pencil crayons.

What do you think helped develop your style?

Practice, practice, practice!

Do you think your style has changed since graduating from University of Worcester?

Yes and no. I think the overall aesthetic is still the same, I’ve always preferred muted colour palettes for instance. The main difference is that I just got better at doing it.

Do you use Photoshop with any of your work?

Occasionally but only for adjusting colours at the very end.

Do you have and/or use a graphic tablet?

Yes I use an ipad pro.

I know you are just starting out your career, but what do you think has been your biggest success, so far?

Being longlisted for the Klauss Flugge prize 2024 for sure.

 

Any exciting projects on the horizon?

I have a few things in the pipeline although nothing I can disclose at present I’m afraid.

Do you think the Internet has opened any doors for you?

Absolutely, although it is a double edged sword. It’s so much easier to get your work seen however there is also a lot more competition!

What are you working on now?

I’ve just finished working on my 4th picture book.

Are there any painting tips (materials, paper, etc.) you can share that work well for you? Technique tips?

Best advice I ever received in regards to drawing is ‘Draw what you see, not what you think you see’. In terms of materials I am a digital artist who works solely in procreate, I would recommend trying lots of different brushes or even making your own. The trick with working digitally is to make it look like it isn’t made digitally! At least it is for me anyway.

Any words of wisdom you can share with the illustrators who are trying to develop their career?

Draw every day and make sure the right people see it!

Jess, thank you for taking the time to answer the interview questions and sharing you process with us. It was a wonderful way to get to know you. I’m sure your illustrationswillmake everyone smile. Please let me know when your next book comes out and I will share it with everyone.

You can visit Jess using the following Links:

WEBSITE: www.jessmasonillustration.com

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jessmasonillustration/

AGENCY: https://theplumagency.com/illustrators/jess_mason