Kristen Willis lives a life full of creativity, from her graphic design work to children's book illustration and her brand new venture, Piccolo Prints. If you love art and creativity, then this is the episode for you!

Host Shara Curlett welcomes award-winning Australian children’s book illustrator and author, Kristen Willis of Tondo Creative. Kristen is a Brisbane-based creative with a Fine Arts edge and a Graphic Design mindset. She discusses her path from fine arts and graphic design to kidlit, and everything in between.

Kristen shares how a childhood filled with creativity and excitement has influenced her as an adult, along with her Italian-Australian roots. She shares how she works traditionally with gouache, coloured pencil, and PanPastels, before scanning and preparing art for publishers.

Kristen emphasises authenticity in art and connecting with manuscripts prior to taking them on. She recounts her CBCA New Illustrator shortlisting experience for Peekaboo Lottie (written by Laura Holloway), and describes the illustration process for Casa Mia (written by Josie Montano), about a boy connecting with his nonno who longs for Italy amid dementia. Kristen explains how she used palette shifts to mirror emotion.

After sharing her upcoming large-format graphic novel project, Kristen introduces Piccolo Prints, a portable miniature art vending machine piloted at the Brookfield Show, and does a blind vend for Shara!

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Kristen Willis on Instagram: @tondocreative

Kristen Willis on Facebook: @tondocreative

Kristen Willis website: www.tondo.com.au

Piccolo Prints on Instagram: @piccoloprints_bytondo

Piccolo Prints on Facebook: @piccoloprints

Piccolo Prints website link: www.tondo.com.au/piccolo-prints/

Peekaboo Lottie picture book link

Casa Mia picture book link

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Find out more about The KidLit Pod host, Shara Curlett, here:

Shara Curlett on Instagram (@sharacurlett)

Shara Curlett Website (www.sharacurlett.com)