What a wonderful opportunity! Owl Kids has been a staple of magazine-loving Canadian children for decades - so I was beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to illustrate four pages in the October 2020 issue on Cryptids.
Not only did I get to help bring the myth of the Loch Ness monster to another generation of inquiring minds, but I was also able to put my own spin on some of the most iconic beings of the globe!
I enjoyed researching the stories of these often-misinterpreted but always interesting creatures and learning about the cultures from which they hail - the Animkiig (Thunderbirds) of the Anishnaabeg and Algonquin, the Scandinavian Kraken, the far-travelling Chupacabra known for it’s exploits in Central America & South America, and the many-named Metoh-Kangmi, Michê or Bun Manchi, often called the Yeti, hailing from the Himalayas.
These beings are portrayed in a colourful palette with child-friendly design choices.
Designing the title is half the fun - but it can’t be overlooked how important this is for establishing the tone of the article.
Sometimes you need to provide a lot of information in a small space - textured backgrounds provide the option to accomplish this without sacrificing visual interest
A carousel of some of the images produced for the comic portion of the article - colourful, appealing and age appropriate for the readership of Owl Kids magazine. The Loch Ness monster images were based on research which I synthesised with common media depictions for accessibility to create a recognisable figure that still adheres to the most up-to-date theories on the scientific origin of some Loch Ness stories. The strong resemblance to eels is intentional as I used them for the basis of the head after familiarising myself with current research. The figure of the abandoned Nessie statue is accurate to photos taken before the form was lost to the Loch. Vehicles, costuming, technology and landscape are also period and location accurate.
Representation
As an Indigenous woman of Cree and Métis descent, it was integral to my process that representation be considered for illustrating important figures from a variety of cultures. Balancing the need for education with the understanding that some cultures have beliefs that are sacred and secret, I aimed for intriguing images that would be recognisable and accessible, responsible but also intriguing and, if appropriate, a touch scary.
