SCBWI NZ Five Questions - César Lador

César Lador is an illustrator and says “I am a dad, engineer by trade and a dreamer by night, like many of you! I have a passion for illustration, children's books and comic books. So when I am not having good times with my family, in the ocean or at work, I really enjoy grabbing a pen and exploring my imagination! I have been drawing as long as I can remember and I have decided to finally share my creations.” You can see more of César's work HERE

What is your writing or illustrating day like? When and how do you create?

At the moment I have weekly deadlines for my publisher so I basically draw or paint every day of the week, 8.30am till 4pm, less over the weekend but still I usually do some work. It is a challenge day in and day out but I am trying not to let questions and self doubts slow me down. I am keeping the most creative tasks for the morning when I have more creative energy. I am mostly working traditionally with ink and watercolours but I am using Photoshop almost every day too (scanning, post processing, correcting etc.). 




















Where do your best ideas come? How do you develop them further? 

I don't know if I have any good ideas but for some reason, when I am outdoors I often "see" tiny creatures living here and there, in a log, walking out from a cluster of tall grass, it is funny but it has always been the case. But books, movies and Instagram will also spark inspiration. There are also themes that I love to explore or re-explore and sometimes watching the news or listening to the radio reminds me that there are so many life stories that are amazing and unique that would be worth telling. 
And the best way to develop them for me is usually drawing little scenes or environments related to the story, that usually help me flush out a story that I have in my mind. 


What is the work you are most proud of so far? Why?

All the work I have done before getting a publication deal is what I am the most proud of. Not really for its technical qualities but more because I stuck at it (for almost a decade) and didn't let go of my dream. I don't know where it came from, maybe being a bit older (I am in my forties) helped me to stay driven and focused even with a young family and a day job.

What is something you dream of achieving with your work?

Putting smiles on faces and sparking the love for books and for reading. 



What is one thing you would say to aspiring children’s illustrators?

Keep drawing and practicing, have fun, work on projects that you love. And if no one buys into your story, crowd-source or self-publish it, you will learn so much in the process and even if it is not an immediate financial success, you will have grown and have a finished project under your belt!



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