Q: As an Art Director at a publishing house, what is the first thing you look for when reviewing submissions from emerging illustrators? What qualities or characteristics immediately catch your attention and make a portfolio stand out?
I receive at least a dozen portfolios a week. Presentation is key; there’s no need to include everything—a carefully curated selection will be far more appreciated than a “catch-all” collection intended to showcase one’s skills. It’s essential that the selection be tailored to the specific audience you’re addressing, and that the artist has reviewed the catalog before submitting. Selection is paramount; I always advise showing what you stand for—the images you’re proud of. To effectively advocate for your work, there’s no point in keeping outdated illustrations; don’t risk steering the art director toward a style that’s no longer relevant.
I look for boldness, consistency, and curiosity. What interests me is the artist’s personality—what makes them unique and their desire to tell a story. I hope to discover a visual storyteller. Before facing the constraints that commissions sometimes impose, emerging illustrators must explore, experiment, and find their visual voice—the signature style that will set them apart and add value to their existing talents. I’m on the lookout for the detail that triggers emotion—the little mishap, the clumsiness that awakens the reader’s tenderness. I love it when the white of the paper brings out the light behind the textures and colors.
Q: For Chinese illustrators hoping to collaborate with Western publishers or publish their work internationally, what are some commonly overlooked details in both portfolio development and the submission process? Are there any mistakes or blind spots that illustrators should pay particular attention to?
I think the elements we focus on in children’s book illustration are universal and international! In particular, the ability to bring characters to life through their postures, attitudes, or facial expressions. We need to be able to follow them and keep them consistent throughout the story; readers must be able to immediately identify and recognize them as the story unfolds. We must respect their proportions, their ages, the softness of their fur, or the colors of their feathers! You have to be able to handle multiple interacting characters—their gazes matter a lot. The same attention must be paid to the settings, and then you have to make the characters evolve within those settings! The work of staging is crucial—the framing, the visual flow, everything that weaves a narrative thread into the story. The eye must move from one page to the next without encountering any obstacles, knowing exactly where it is the moment it lands on the image.
Q: Having worked with many illustrators over the years, what qualities do you think make an illustrator someone you would want to collaborate with over the long term? Beyond artistic skill, what professional qualities or attributes are essential for a successful and lasting working relationship?
After 35 years in the children’s book publishing industry, I realize how fortunate I’ve been to have worked with illustrators early in their careers who are now leading figures in the field. I started out with them and had the pleasure of supporting them, watching them “grow” in their art, reflect on their practice, and challenge their habits. I continue to collaborate with many of them. Over time, others have joined the list, expanding the family of illustrators I work with today. We exchange ideas, reflect, and discuss; it’s an ongoing conversation, a relationship built on deep trust and mutual respect that has developed over time and that I cherish. The qualities are the same for established artists as for novices: boldness, curiosity, and the ability to reinvent oneself each time to innovate, surprise oneself, and maintain the desire to explore new territories. The pleasure the artist takes in creating is conveyed to those who receive their art. Children’s publishing is the field with the greatest number of long-sellers and classic works—essentially timeless. I have thus passed on many of the books that shaped my childhood to my daughters.
