In March 2008 Lisa Evans was selected as one of the Big Picture’s Best New Illustrators.
Her debut children’s book, The Flower, follows Brigg, a child living in a grey, soulless world, who discovers a new life of colour and possibility when he plants a seed and a flower begins to bloom.
Lisa lives in Bath and her one ambition has been to make a living using her imagination
You studied illustration at Bristol, how important was this in developing the way you work?
I've been very fortunate to have studied on great courses at both Bristol and Cambridge APU.
Wonderful tutors at both helped me a great deal in developing my own style, while great peers inspired me with their talents and energy.
What artistic techniques do you use when you illustrate?
My work has developed a lot in recent years. I used to paint, but I now primarily create my work using pencil and digital manipulation in Photoshop.
The opening pages of The Flower are illustrated predominantly in grey and black; gradually spots of colour begin to appear as Brigg's life changes for the better. Did you find interpreting John Light's text easy and do you have any plans to write your own stories in the future?
I was very lucky to have had the chance to work on such a rich and soulful text. I felt deeply for the story and this made it easy to connect with its themes and characters.
I'd love to write and illustrate my own books and am looking forward to an opportunity to do so!
Which illustrators or picture books do you admire and have influenced you the most?
Where to start! There is so much beautiful work out there, and so many artists creating beautiful worlds for us to get lost in.
I'm particularly inspired by the works of Svjetlan Junakovic, Gabriel Pacheco, Pablo Auladell, Maximiliano Luchini, Nicoletta Ceccoli, Wayne Anderson, Brad Holland and Lane Smith.
What are you working on at the moment?
I've recently illustrated editorial work for Mojo Magazine, and am working again with Nordstrom on their 2008 Christmas Campaign. I also hope to begin working on new children's books with Templar Publishing and Child’s Play in the near future.
