Choose Your Mood Board Books: Q&A with illustrator Teresa Bellón

Teresa tells Mama Makes Books about illustrating Happy as a Lamb and Brave as a Lion

Tell us a little bit about the process you use?

I work digitally, I use a graphic tablet with a built-in screen, which makes my work much easier. I usually start by looking for images on Google of what I’m about to illustrate (it's not easy to draw a kangaroo from memory!). Then I do a simple sketch and when I'm satisfied with the composition, I do a more finished sketch. When the client is happy with that sketch, I go to colour.

Tell us a little bit about where you work?
I live in Madrid in Spain, and I work from a small studio in my living room. It's a nice place, decorated with some favourite souvenirs from my trips to Korea, Japan and Sweden. There is a lovely light coming in through the window.

Your characters, both children and animals, are so expressive – how do you capture the emotions and feelings?
I think it's because I still feel like a child and so I understand how they feel! And as for animals, my father was a biologist, and he passed his love for animals on to me and that's why I feel close to them.

Do you practise any mindful techniques yourself? Have you caught yourself jumping around your studio like a spring lamb or do you have a happy place?

I was practising yoga for a while and there we used mindfulness techniques. I really enjoyed doing that. On the other hand, when I'm drawing, the world stays outside and I feel that this is another form of mindfulness.


Do you have a favourite character in the books?

Yes, absolutely. It's the shark! Sharks are my favourite animals and I had a lot of fun drawing one with sunglasses.

We love the puzzle pieces. Are you a puzzle fan?
In fact I am. A couple of years ago I started doing puzzles again and I love it. Once I start putting pieces in, it's hard to stop and I can't stop thinking about the puzzle until I finish it. That's why I usually only do it on holidays ha-ha!