Illustrator Spotlight: Erika A. Meza

© Erika A. Meza


May 7, 2021

We are pleased to feature illustrator Erika A. Meza and her new picture book, BALLOONS FOR PAPA, written by Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia (Harper Collins, April 2021). Enter to win a copy!




Tell us about yourself and how you came to illustrate for children.

 

I grew up in Mexico, and wanted to study animation desperately. I knew I wanted to tell stories, create characters and worlds, and it seemed like the perfect medium for me, but at the time I was unable to take my place at the U.S. school where I'd been accepted and I studied graphic design in Tijuana instead. One thing led to another, and I discovered writing and illustrating was a path that suited me better. Ten years later, a lot of work and a lucky scholarship to study in Paris, I am now happily doing the very thing I wanted: telling stories, creating characters and worlds, in a cinematic way... in books!


© Erika A. Meza

 

Congrats on your recent picture book, Balloons for Papa! Tell us about the story and what inspired you.


The story is very, very simple: Arthur and his dad go through the park every day, and Arthur really wants to get a lovely, colourful balloon - the key here is the reason he is unable to do so. 


© Erika A. Meza



One thing I loved about it was that it wasn't shying away from a dark and sometimes taboo subject: I find that sometimes, in an effort to protect children, we can end up underestimating them and their emotional strengths. This story was doing the opposite: it was celebrating and throwing the spotlight on children's empathy, and their capacity to understand the world around them through sheer intuition. 


© Erika A. Meza



I ended up creating a visual language that would help me transmit the many nuances and unspoken elements in the text: the environment became sharper, geometric, to emphasise dad's broken demeanour (his jumper is even cracked!), while Arthur tried to retain a more organic, natural (and thus present) look to him. No matter how dark, he always has those yellow boots keeping a ray of optimism. And the balloons aren't just decorative: they each have marks I developed to abstractly represent different kinds of happiness.


© Erika A. Meza


 

What is your illustration process?  


Oh, for this project there was a whole process to achieve simplicity! The clouds and the backgrounds throughout are all done in ink: I would heavily wet the paper and then allow the ink to circle about around the characters. The colours are made with gouache: I wanted something heavily pigmented to create that punch of colour. And the details in the characters are done with very thin pencil.


© Erika A. Meza


 

What projects are you working on now?


Oh, that's a secret (*wink wink*), but promise not to tell anyone. I am painting monarch butterflies for an upcoming book about the discovery of their winter roosting place. I am also working on a book about a little girl (Marianna) visiting Mexico, and I am starting the paint on a book close to my heart that... is a proper secret for now. But it will have a similar art style to the one in Balloons for Papa!




© Erika A. Meza


 

Was your road to publication long and winding, short and sweet, or something in between?


Something in between. It is all sweet, but it was definitely long and accidented: I went from sleeping on couches and jumping the barrier of the Paris metro, and getting thrown metal robots to my head, to getting a lot of small jobs to suddenly being taken on by my current agent, Claire (who's THE BEST) and developing the kind of artwork I desperately wanted to make. Balloons for Papa is the first one having the pure aesthetic I wanted to work with!


© Erika A. Meza




What advice would you give to other aspiring illustrators?


Be yourself. It is easy to say, but harder to do: the reality is that you have an unique way of looking at the world, and you should let that infuse your work. The different elements that make up your personality - your tastes, your hobbies, your interests, your favourite flavours and your favourite music - should be infused throughout your work, since it is the only way to make it truly personal - and thus, to make it stand out!


© Erika A. Meza


 

What is something most people don't know about you?


I have different playlists of music on Spotify depending on the mood I am in, or of the mood I am painting. And I have been known (by my neighbours) to sing along at full volume... I don't think even my family or close friends have ever heard me!


© Erika A. Meza


 

Where can people find you online?


My website is https://www.erikameza.com. I have an Instagram (@ErikaDraws), and sometimes I post behind-the-scenes sneak-peeks of the work I am doing even though I shouldn't. But I rarely do use it. I am more of a Twitter addict (@erikadraws)

 

 

Erika is a Mexican Author and Illustrator. She studied graphic design in Tijuana, illustration in Paris, and lives and works in London for a total of 35 house moves accumulated so far. She is represented by Claire Cartey, and works with Harper Collins, Penguin Random House and Walker Books amongst others. She has been attempting to convince her intern (a grey French cat of exceptional fur) to work, but so far has failed miserably.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comments

  1. I’m so glad you kept your illustrations because they are gorgeous and really tells the story. Thank you for sharing your Journey with us. Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Natalie! I’m particularly proud of how the illustrations were able to match the emotional tone of the story...!

      Delete
  2. This looks gorgeous! Congrats, can’t wait to read this!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love your illustrations. They seem to capture the "childness" of the children. They are so alive and colorful. I really must read your book to find out what is bothering Papa. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I just love this use of ink/pencil and color. So distinctive! Really gorgeous work!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow! Your artwork is so gorgeous and full of life, Erika!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I really love your artwork--it's so very expressive. I can't wait to see those boots up close, too, to see your marks of happiness! And hey, who hasn't jumped the Paris metro barrier!! (London for me, LOL!)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh - I've been wanting to read this book! I absolutely love your illustrations and simply can't wait to see what you do with Monarch Butterflies! They are one of my favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love, love your art! I can't wait to read your book--the use of color is imaginative to show emotion.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This sounds like a sweet book, I love the illustrations.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love the juxtaposition of colours and black&white on the book cover.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love the dog in that final illustration. The whole family looks so happy!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Book looks beautiful, look forward to reading it to my twins.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beautiful! I love the fluidity of your illustrations, and the pops of color. Best wishes!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Beautiful illustrations. I also love the pencil and pops of color.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment