Next on @klausfluggeprize reflections is Wen Dee Tan’s fairy-tale-like debut, Lili. It tells the story of a young girl who can't fit into her community because of her hair which is a living flame. Only when her courage & unique trait saves some children is she welcomed back (1/6)

The story was initially developed whilst Tan was completing her MA course in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Arts. The concept of ‘friends roasting marshmallows in her hair’* was the initial spark that set the story off. (2/6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=AwzvGc-CvfQ&feature=emb_logo

With a book full of ‘paired back’ monochrome images, created from oil pastels & charcoal. The only colour is Lili’s hair making the focus far more striking. For Tan, ‘posture and expression’ is what would carry the emotional resonance of the story (3/6)

An interview with @fhordon1 shows how Tan continually paired back the text from the initial drafts. She felt that the images carried so much of the story so why clutter the book with too many of them? (4/6)

Many illustrators inspire Tan. This is verbatim from @fhordon1 blog (see below):
‘Lisbeth Zwerger and Miniji Kim for their technical brilliance’, Isabelle Arsenault for her colour palette’ & ‘Chris Riddell for his characterisations and the expressions on his characters’ (5/6)

With special thanks to @booksforkeeps and @ferelithhorden for wonderful interviews which made up the most part of this thread.
https://www.klausfluggeprize.co.uk/wen-dee-tan-illustrator-of-lili/
http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/issue/219/childrens-books/articles/windows-into-illustration/windows-into-illustration-wen-dee-tan (6/6)