Miss du Vigneaud was the illustrator for the interior illustrations of The Girl Who Wasn’t There, Episode IV in the Capital City Character Series.

When did it begin to become obvious you had a talent for drawing?  

I have always had an interest in art and design. I think I really began improving on my skill in middle school. I dedicated a lot of my time to drawing and painting. My art teacher noticed my interest and really helped me find new ways to create.

What made you decide to become an illustrator and graphic artist?

I have always loved storytelling and art, which is what attracted me to be an illustrator. I do not like limiting myself to one thing and I felt as if I could pursue many different paths in illustration.

In bringing the three main characters in The Girl Who Wasn’t There to life, what were the biggest challenges for you?

My biggest challenge was understanding the characters and how they would react. The three are identical clones, who often have different or limited emotional responses. Understanding how they present themselves to the world in different ways was a challenge.

If you could start over again and create all new illustrations for the story, what would you do differently?

With many artists, they find that they improve as they create. Small things like shading and positioning are what I learned through this process. If I were to go back a recreate, I would add more detail to the background settings. I have always focused on characters in my work, but I have recently found an interest in backgrounds and settings.

Can you explain the process you used to visually bring to life characters that previously had only existed in written form?

My process is fairly simple. First, I sketch out many different ideas I have. Next, I would narrow down the sketches and pick out my favorites. Most importantly, I would pose myself or friends for reference so I can better understand a scene, movement, and proportions. Understanding the scene in my own eyes is what helped me visualize it best. Finally, I bring my ideas into digital form.

In the course of creating the illustrations for The Girl Who Wasn’t There, what did you learn about being an illustrator that you previously didn’t  know?

I think something I learned is working with someone else. I have worked on group projects and assigned work, but those tend to be open-ended. Working with a writer to make their story come to life is different. You have to fully understand their vision for the illustrations.

For anyone who is interested in a career in graphic design or being an illustrator, what advice can you offer?

My advice would be to experiment. Never limit yourself to one style or medium.

To check out Miss du Vigneaud’s illustrations, pick up a copy of The Girl Who Wasn’t There. Available from Amazon in Kindle or paperback editions on May 19th, 2020.