Most children’s book illustrators only have words to work with when they create artwork. At The Secret Mountain, they also have music. We asked Marianne Ferrer to share how the upbeat songs and imaginative narrative in A Feast Beneath the Moon and its prequel, A Picnic in the Sun, inspired her magical illustrations.
What is your studio setup like?
My work environment always has to be cozy and cheerful so that I can be in the best mood while drawing or painting. Whether I’m working from my big desk in my bedroom or the kitchen table, it’s important to me that I’m always facing the window. I wanna soak in as much inspiration and sunshine from the outside as possible (and make sure my plants are happy too)! I’m also surrounded by all of my art materials, funky hair clips of all sorts to keep my long hair from dipping into dirty paint water by mistake or smearing fresh artwork, and my laptop so I can listen to music or movies while I work.
How do you start a project like A Feast Beneath the Moon? What is your creative process like?
I always start by reading the manuscript I’ve received from the editor a few times. This way, I can start visualizing the characters, setting, and pacing.
Once I have a better idea of the direction I want to take, it’s time to sketch! I make myself a sheet full of tiny blank spreads so I can draw without getting distracted by details. You focus on gesture and composition when the available space is only about two by three inches. When brainstorming, the cheaper the paper, the better. Draw on the back of junk mail, receipts, printer paper—any kind of paper you don’t feel pressured to perform really well on works well!
When I’m settling down to paint, I always start by creating a distinctive and limited palette on a separate piece of paper I can refer back to. This helps keep a cohesive consistency throughout the book. I also just enjoy using colour as an additional narrative tool.
Your artwork features warm colours and complex textures. What types of art tools do you use?
I’m a huge fan of traditional media in general, but my staples are watercolour and gouache. There’s something about how pigments collect on paper as the water dries. The way they blend, the transparencies you can layer, and the luminosity you can bring out of the colours are impossible to completely replicate digitally. I find that it also allows me to feel more productive since I can’t just undo anything with the touch of a button and question myself endlessly. I have to commit to each brushstroke!
What is your favourite page or part of the story?
There are so many illustrations I really enjoyed painting for this book because there is so much magic and whimsy in the stories and songs. I think my favourite, however, has to be the one with Zach wearing his pointy hat and serving quite the unique feast. I'm sure every bite is delicious, even though each dish is a little out there!
Did you listen to the music for inspiration while creating illustrations?
I listened to the music of the book a lot, of course! It has such a timeless feel to it. That inspired me to create characters that feel like they have existed for many generations, too. At other times, when I just needed to paint and focus, I put on a lot of rain soundtracks and sounds of the forest. It felt like I was on their journey with them, and it was the perfect immersive background noise.
What’s your favourite song from A Feast Beneath the Moon?
My favourite song from the book is “On a Paper Airplane.” If I close my eyes, I can feel the soft summer breeze taking me into the night sky on paper wings. It makes me wish I had Alice's powers! While I can't fly to the moon, I can put on the album and pretend I can.
Where else do you find inspiration for your work?
I’m inspired by a lot of things, mostly nature, art movements and history, crafts of all kinds, and so much more. I try to always keep an open eye on everything cause you never know what could spark your creativity and get the ideas flowing. It really shows that I was heavily inspired by medieval tapestries and folk art, in particular, for this book.
Marianne Ferrer was born in Venezuela and moved to Canada in 1998. After attending Dawson College for illustration and design, she studied graphic design at Université du Québec à Montréal. Her recent publications include Carmen and the House That Gaudí Built and The Year My Life Turned Upside Down.
What song did you have the most fun working on?
TK
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay informed about our new releases and events and for a chance to win our subscriber giveaway. To order books for your library or bookstore, please contact Hornblower Books/University of Toronto Press (Canada, United States) and MMS/BookSource (United Kingdom). For additional information, email info@thesecretmountain.com.
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Behind the Art of A Feast Beneath the Moon with Marianne Ferrer
Most children’s book illustrators only have words to work with when they create artwork. At The Secret Mountain, they also have music. We asked Marianne Ferrer to share how the upbeat songs and imaginative narrative in A Feast Beneath the Moon and its prequel, A Picnic in the Sun, inspired her magical illustrations.
What is your studio setup like?
My work environment always has to be cozy and cheerful so that I can be in the best mood while drawing or painting. Whether I’m working from my big desk in my bedroom or the kitchen table, it’s important to me that I’m always facing the window. I wanna soak in as much inspiration and sunshine from the outside as possible (and make sure my plants are happy too)! I’m also surrounded by all of my art materials, funky hair clips of all sorts to keep my long hair from dipping into dirty paint water by mistake or smearing fresh artwork, and my laptop so I can listen to music or movies while I work.
How do you start a project like A Feast Beneath the Moon? What is your creative process like?
I always start by reading the manuscript I’ve received from the editor a few times. This way, I can start visualizing the characters, setting, and pacing.
Once I have a better idea of the direction I want to take, it’s time to sketch! I make myself a sheet full of tiny blank spreads so I can draw without getting distracted by details. You focus on gesture and composition when the available space is only about two by three inches. When brainstorming, the cheaper the paper, the better. Draw on the back of junk mail, receipts, printer paper—any kind of paper you don’t feel pressured to perform really well on works well!
When I’m settling down to paint, I always start by creating a distinctive and limited palette on a separate piece of paper I can refer back to. This helps keep a cohesive consistency throughout the book. I also just enjoy using colour as an additional narrative tool.
Find it on Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | Amazon | Edelweiss | Goodreads
Your artwork features warm colours and complex textures. What types of art tools do you use?
I’m a huge fan of traditional media in general, but my staples are watercolour and gouache. There’s something about how pigments collect on paper as the water dries. The way they blend, the transparencies you can layer, and the luminosity you can bring out of the colours are impossible to completely replicate digitally. I find that it also allows me to feel more productive since I can’t just undo anything with the touch of a button and question myself endlessly. I have to commit to each brushstroke!
What is your favourite page or part of the story?
There are so many illustrations I really enjoyed painting for this book because there is so much magic and whimsy in the stories and songs. I think my favourite, however, has to be the one with Zach wearing his pointy hat and serving quite the unique feast. I'm sure every bite is delicious, even though each dish is a little out there!
Did you listen to the music for inspiration while creating illustrations?
I listened to the music of the book a lot, of course! It has such a timeless feel to it. That inspired me to create characters that feel like they have existed for many generations, too. At other times, when I just needed to paint and focus, I put on a lot of rain soundtracks and sounds of the forest. It felt like I was on their journey with them, and it was the perfect immersive background noise.
What’s your favourite song from A Feast Beneath the Moon?
My favourite song from the book is “On a Paper Airplane.” If I close my eyes, I can feel the soft summer breeze taking me into the night sky on paper wings. It makes me wish I had Alice's powers! While I can't fly to the moon, I can put on the album and pretend I can.
Where else do you find inspiration for your work?
I’m inspired by a lot of things, mostly nature, art movements and history, crafts of all kinds, and so much more. I try to always keep an open eye on everything cause you never know what could spark your creativity and get the ideas flowing. It really shows that I was heavily inspired by medieval tapestries and folk art, in particular, for this book.
Find it on Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | Amazon | Goodreads
Marianne Ferrer was born in Venezuela and moved to Canada in 1998. After attending Dawson College for illustration and design, she studied graphic design at Université du Québec à Montréal. Her recent publications include Carmen and the House That Gaudí Built and The Year My Life Turned Upside Down.
TK
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay informed about our new releases and events and for a chance to win our subscriber giveaway. To order books for your library or bookstore, please contact Hornblower Books/University of Toronto Press (Canada, United States) and MMS/BookSource (United Kingdom). For additional information, email info@thesecretmountain.com.