Meet the artists who are revolutionising the face of Slinkies, inviting readers into a multisensory experience!
Lauryn Evans is at the forefront of bringing the inner pages to life.
An emerging Chinese Australian illustrator eager to amplify diverse voices and the stories they tell. Lauryn is passionate about using her art to embody, encourage, and empower. She puts her heart into everything she creates and uses art to understand the world. Lauryn says her art invites the audience to share in the experience.
Can you give us a brief insight into what your creative process looks like when bringing someone else’s story to life?
After reading the stories all the way through to get a full picture of the plot, atmosphere, and characters, I took some notes of key imagery and significant moments. This helped me decide what to focus on and where to start.
Lauryn says she is inspired by the similarities to the creative processes Taika Waititi speaks about.
“He writes a first draft, leaves it for a year, then returns to reread and rewrite the whole manuscript from memory. That way he can focus on what’s integral and memorable about his story.”
After this, she begins to decipher the message of the story.
What emotions [the piece] provoke and which moments would be enhanced with an artwork? I then use various art techniques to try and showcase these elements!”
As this is the first year that the competition is featuring art and illustration, how does it feel to be part of this milestone, and what impact do you hope your illustrations will have on the overall experience of the stories?
“It feels a bit surreal, but certainly very exciting! I am honoured to have been invited to contribute to this issue.
“I hope that my illustrations enhance the stories they are partnered with. That they supplement the story well and support the different voices and messages in this anthology. That the unique styles in the illustration are tailored perfectly to their stories and that they add a little bit of magic.”
How do you see the role of illustration in enhancing the storytelling experience, particularly for a collection that showcases emerging Australian writers under 30?
“Writers and artists can be powerful partners in storytelling. Good writing can stand on its own, but good illustration can enhance storytelling by providing supportive imagery and aesthetics.”
Lauryn says Illustrations offer an alternative access to the story for the reader to engage in.
“I like to think of it as similar to how autonomous cars use multiple mechanisms to drive, from cameras to lasers to radar, in order to detect obstacles and traffic signs and road markings. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, but combined these ‘skillsets’ add up to a system at maximum efficiency. Together, writing and illustration can use their unique techniques to drive home the power of the story!”
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How do you adapt your illustration style to reflect the diverse voices and genres present in the collection?
“I like to challenge myself to try new techniques, experiment with new styles, and study d
ifferent subjects. This type of practice has allowed me to add these different techniques to my toolkit (regardless of whether or not they are perfectly executed!) which equipped me well for adapting each illustration to the uniqueness of each story included in this issue.”
How do you think the illustrations enhance the readers’ connection to the stories?
“As an anchor, illustrations can help readers visualise different elements of the story and draw them further in,” Lauryn said.
What advice would you give to young creatives who aspire to blend their artistic talents with literary projects?
Lauryn stated “If you want to blend your artistic skills with literary projects, read as much as you can in the genre to become familiar with the style. If you want to blend your writing skills with illustrative projects, check out artworks in that genre.”
“Engaging with different media doesn’t just inspire your appreciation for other creative work and their techniques, it also widens your horizon and helps you articulate your vision if you are working with a team of creatives who have different skill sets.”
She enforces the importance of practice. “Often hard to hear, but it is crucial, and the time and effort it requires is worth it.
Her secret to overcoming fear involves a key ingredient: fun!
“The purpose of an artwork might be to just be silly, but it can have the secret achievement of improving on, say, colour theory.
“Some ways you can practice are to do studies – check out creatives you admire or observe your surroundings, and try to replicate their likeness or improve on specific skills. You can try prompt challenges or generators to find ideas to get you started – there are many monthly challenges all over social media.”
Slinkies authors Helena Pantsis and Miles Mazzocato have been selected to feature their own designs and illustrations alongside their written submissions.
This is an all-time first for the competition and the Spineless Wonders team can’t wait for readers to experience such inviting and creative short stories.
Check out more work by Lauryn Evans:
Get involved in supporting Lauryn and these young authors at the upcoming Slinkies Book Party on October 24th. Buy tickets here!