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Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Colourful, playful, with a predominance of girl characters.
What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Currently, I use a Wacom Intuos Pro pen and tablet (right hand) along with a Tourbox shortcut tool (left hand) at my main desk. I have Prismacoulor pencils and paper at a secondary desk.
Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Yes, I am happiest with colored pencil (Prismacolor) and digital tools (Photoshop).
Name three artists whose work inspires you.
I’ll go with two children’s book artists: LeUyen Pham and Kelly Murphy. For a third, I will say digital art creator Lois van Baarle.
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Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I love the lighting and detail of old works, such as with Realism in the Romanticism era. I’m also fascinated by Impressionism. But I don’t think I’d want to visit them. Instead I’d stay right where we are and enjoy modern art. If this were fantasy, I might want to time-travel and see what kind of art is shared in the future.
Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
My children were my biggest inspiration. I didn’t go to school for art. But when I was a stay-at-home mother for a few years, I explored arts and crafts and read picture books with them. That’s when I realized I wanted to pursue work in children’s book illustration.
Can you share a photo of your creative workspace or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.
My main workspace is in a small study. You can see my Wacom Tablet and my large monitor (so I can try to catch all the tiny mistakes). I have a window for natural light and a little standing lamp for extra light (such as for video calls). Not pictured is my yoga ball chair and the small pillows I surround myself with, sort of like a nest. I also have a loft art space that I’ve shared with my daughters. Here we have paint, special paper, more coloured pencils, and markers. It’s usually quite a mess! The art in this photo mostly belongs to one of my daughters (all three are adults now).
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I love when my sketches are approved to go to final! It’s fun to add colour and then bring all the details to life. And then my other favourite is after the whole book is done, and I can share it with kids!
What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
My advice is geared towards children’s book creators but applies to illustrators in all fields.
Join a critique group. You can help each other grow in your work. Drawing is (generally) a solo activity, and having artist peers who are supportive is great for emotional health. Also, in a critique group, you can learn to accept feedback on your art. It’s an important skill, as one day you’ll have to make revisions based on feedback from editors and art directors.
Keep tabs on the illustrator community, whether it’s a local one or an online group. This will help you learn what the business is like, what issues illustrators are facing, and what type of art is getting picked up for publication. You may even grow a fan base for your first published book.
Lastly, remember it’s a tough and subjective industry, so make sure you’re doing it because you love it. There are no guarantees. You need passion and drive to keep learning and growing in order to reach your publication goals.
Dow Phumiruk is an author and/or illustrator of several children's books, including three Colorado Book Award finalists. She is the illustrator of COUNTING ON KATHERINE, by Helaine Becker, and has illustrated books by renowned authors like Christina Soontornvat, Jane Yolen, Andrea Beaty, and Kelly Yang. Dow is a retired pediatrician.
