Character design happened very quickly with "The Peg People". The main character is based on myself and a mixture of family members, so it made sense to draw a little blonde girl in pigtails - as you can see I have a lot of reference material to work from. Unlike 7 year old Kate in "The Greatest Cake", this main character is much younger, a 4 year old about to start full days at school for the first time. The pigtails, rounder face and shorter arms and legs all help signify this. The more I draw of the character in different page settings, the more I get to know the way she moves and then learn to bond with her. I find it hard to keep consistency sometimes and I have a lot of earlier work where she looks much older again. Luckily my niece Ivy is just about the right age for me to watch and sketch from on various photos on social media (Thanks Suze!) and I have definitely found my friend's little girl, Esmeé, another source of inspiration when it came to page composition (Thanks Rach!)
Trying to show the little girl's personality is key in telling this particular story. She is an only child and has an abundance of imagination when it comes to play. Nothing really bothers her until her freedom feels disrupted, as she is told about starting school for the first time. I wanted to tell a story which both adults and children could relate to and the theme of anxiety definitely resonates with most people, particularly now. Through watching my nephew and nieces grow up I remember how little worries feel very big at certain ages. The story shows how little Ada figures out how to cope with her first worries and I hope it helps to give a little comfort to those who feel a bit overwhelmed from time to time.
The main character is named after my Great Grandma, Ada May Kerry. I really like the name and it's another personal connection which felt right for this story. More info about the story coming soon, but if you'd like to donate £10 to my Go Fund Me page, you will receive a signed copy of the book and greetings card.
Many thanks for all the donations so far, I really appreciate your support! x
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