Following the success of part one, twelve more world-class picturebook makers share their processes, inspire us with stunning illustrations, and demonstrate the immense creative potential of this unique and dynamic art form.

Far from being simple, picturebook creation can be a complex, lengthy and enigmatic process. Part two of the Picturebook Makers series once again gives voice to twelve much-loved contemporary picturebook artists. With great generosity, the international creators share their processes, inspirations, challenges, doubts, insights, and show us that “the unseen evolution of an idea is as interesting as the final result”, as observed by Shaun Tan in part one of this series.

The intimate talks with the creators allow us to not only discover the myriad of ways in which the initial idea for a picturebook can arise, but also the wildly different creative processes which inform the development of each work. As Meghan Cox Gurdon observes in her review of Picturebook Makers in The Wall Street Journal: “There’s mystery in the process and, with luck, magic in the outcome.”

The Picturebook Makers series reveals the picturebook’s immense creative potential, celebrates outstanding international picturebooks and their creators, and constitutes an inspiring collection of picturebook knowledge for anyone interested in this unique and dynamic art form.

Featuring Carson Ellis, Axel Scheffler, Anna Höglund, Sydney Smith, Kristin Roskifte, André Letria, Issa Watanabe, Valerio Vidali, Anete Melece, Vincent Pianina, Marika Maijala, and Jimmy Liao.