Observe, Practice & Evolve - Udayana Lugo, Children’s Books Illustrator
Udayana Lugo
Professional children’s book illustrator shares her art, skill-building tips and how to build a portfolio to win the jobs you want.
Hi, my name is Udayana Lugo.
I am a (mostly) self-taught children's books illustrator. I was born in Russia, but grew up in Mexico, which shaped my tastes, my imagination and my colour palette. I also lived in Italy and the U.K. before settling in Canada.
Examples of books illustrated by Udayana Lugo
When I'm not working, you’ll find me walking my dog, baking, reading or chilling out with my family.
I love Steveston's cozy feeling, the way you run into friends and neighbours when you walk the dog; how you can find whatever you need at your doorstep (I really dislike driving). I don't think I'll ever tire of going for a walk with my husband and/or kids and spotting a bald eagle, a beaver, a sea lion or a river otter. There are so many interesting things to observe in this area that help to inspire my work.
Udayana and her dog Lola.
And speaking of my work—are you curious about what it’s like to be a children’s books illustrator? Well, I have a few thoughts to share on that!
In this article, I’ll you’ll learn about:
How I became a professional illustrator
The challenges I faced in my career journey
A little show-and-tell of my work
Tips for those who aspire to follow the same career path
Okay, let’s begin!
Udayana's home studio
About my art
When You Meet a Dragon illustrated by Udayana Lugo, book written by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
I realized very early in life that I loved drawing and painting. When I went to university, I chose a BA in Product Design because I thought it would allow me to draw for a living, which is partially true.
I think my style has changed in time based on what has interested me. At the beginning I was drawing like a designer, trying to keep everything with the correct proportions, and being very strict about perspective, and gravitating towards a more realistic style. The more I’ve done this, the less interested I’ve been in doing realistic pictures, and the more I’ve wanted to capture how children draw some things (although my previous training is very ingrained in me!).
I honestly don’t know how to describe it, I can only assure you that I try to have as much fun as possible, and hide some “Easter eggs” (surprises) in the background for readers to discover.
How I became a professional illustrator
Dare to Question illustrated by Udayana Lugo, book written by Jasmine A. Stirling
After university I worked on designing many different things, like furniture, jewelry, auto parts, brochures and packaging for many years. Fast forward to my late 30s, I had two children under 5, and lived in the UK. I had been a stay-at-home mom for some time, with no prospects of picking up my design career, so I decided to try something else—but nothing too different.
A few years previously, a dear friend of mine had asked me to illustrate a story she wrote, so I signed up for a correspondence course in children’s books illustration and started practicing at home. I soaked up everything I could about children's books and visual storytelling until I felt I was good enough and had a decent amount of work to show.
I bought a plane ticket to go to the Bologna Children's Book Fair in 2019, printed a portfolio, a lot of postcards and business cards and showed up. I tried talking to publishers (that's not always possible), but mostly left lots of cards—hoping that I would get a commission. A few months later I got an email from an agency saying they were interested in representing me, and since then I have had continuous work in publishing.
Challenges along my career
If You Were a Princess illustrated by Udayana Lugo, book written by Hillary Homzie
It's always hard to pivot, especially when you have other responsibilities. At first, time was my biggest hurdle. When we first moved to Canada my kids were 3 and 5 years old. We put them in a Montessori school, but the youngest attended for only three hours every day. We didn't live close to the school, which incidentally is in Steveston, and it's how we came to know the neighbourhood. We had to take the bus, and I spent more time commuting than anything else. Barely any time to practice!
Another challenge has been my own personality. I am a true introvert. I find it extremely difficult to go out and talk to people and promote myself. This is why I love having an agent, and also the nature of my work—which allows me to do my thing from home.
Okay, now that you’ve read a bit about my career journey, let’s check out three of my favourite illustrations.
Show & Tell
Illustrations by Udayana Lugo
At the movies
At The Movies, illustration by Udayana Lugo
This little movie theatre scene that I painted in 2019 is still one of my favourites. When I started taking correspondence and online classes, there was a lot of emphasis on drawing faces and emotions. I decided that I would do some scenes depicting people doing things.
On this one, I tried to remember my own experiences at the theatre, and what kinds of people I've met at the movies. For example, there's a person sleeping, which I based on a lady who was once sitting next to my husband and slept through most of the movie. From time to time she would wake up and ask her partner in French what was going on. It was hilarious!
Then there are the children who are a bit scared or confused and seek comfort from their parents, the teenagers who throw popcorn at other people, the ones who are shushing others or the person on their phone. I also inserted my teenage self between two friends who had very opposite reactions to the movie: one was laughing his head off while the other thought we were watching the worst movie ever.
Kevin's apartment
Kevin's Apartment illustration by Udayana Lugo from the book Jungle Cat written by Andrew Larson
This is a scene from Jungle Cat (written by Andrew Larsen and published by Orca Books, 2023). Bob the cat goes from apartment to apartment, and the art director asked me to make everyone different. I had a lot of fun with this book, and I particularly loved this page because it got me thinking about what kind of objects a geeky guy would have at home. Would he like comics? Would he like music? What kind of music? What kind of furniture would he have? Who would be his favourite artists? There's some blank-ish space at the bottom of the page to accommodate the text, if anyone is wondering why I didn't add more stuff.
Haunted shipyards
Haunted Shipyards illustration by Udayana Lugo
This is a promo/portfolio piece for my agency. The theme was haunted not-house, so I did a mix of Finn Slough and Britannia Shipyards. It's amazing how spooky those places can look at dusk in the fall or winter. One thing I haven't mentioned is that I am very passionate about representing people who we don’t usually see being the lead characters in stories. I make a point of having little girls and boys who look like me and my childhood friends in my illustrations. After I did this piece, I liked the werewolf costume so much, I'm making myself one for this year's Halloween.
Advice for Aspiring Illustrators
How to build a strong portfolio
Remember that effort makes evolution. It takes time, so don't expect to be published on your first attempt. Build a strong portfolio, and never stop editing. A portfolio is a showcase of your best work, but it has to be consistent and geared towards the kind of work you want to get.
For example, if you took drawing classes at some point and did a really wonderful still nature that you're very proud of, ask yourself, "Is this what I'm going to put in a children's book?" If the answer is no, then leave it out.
Book cover illustrated by Udayana Lugo
Never show things that you didn't enjoy drawing. They might be great, but if you hated them, there's a chance you'll get hired to do something similar and you'll regret it. Be ruthless about your portfolio, and don't think about it as a static thing, it has to evolve with you.
A portfolio is as strong as your weakest piece, so don't be afraid to ask for feedback as it will make your work better (but don't ask your grandparents unless they're artists, because they'll find everything you do is perfect).
Character sketches by Udayana Lugo
How to prepare yourself for opportunities and work in a team
People often think that an artist is idly waiting for inspiration, until it strikes and then they paint or draw like they're possessed. The truth is, you have to work a lot before inspiration "strikes", and it always builds on something you've already done.
Illustration is a commercial form of art, so you'll always have to collaborate with others, take criticism, improve your work based on feedback (but also learn how to stand up for yourself), and meet your deadlines. Publishing a book is a team effort, so bear this in mind.
Character variations by Udayana Lugo
How to make your illustrations more compelling
Pay attention to the world
I don’t just draw from my imagination, but I also use a lot of my environment in my work. Sometimes I’m walking my dog, and I see a person and I think, “They would make an excellent character”. Pay attention to the world around you.
Observe how things are made
Look at the shapes and the colours of objects. Notice how the same street may look different depending on the time of day or the season. Draw a lot of different faces and emotions, and practice different poses. I like to draw several head shapes: circle, square, triangle, rectangle and oval. I also draw separately the features: all kinds of eyes, eyebrows, noses and mouths. Then I combine them and place them closer or more spread apart on the face until I find one that I like.
Don't only focus on "happy" emotions
Children's books talk about the whole spectrum of human emotions, so practice in front of a mirror. I often find myself pulling the same face I am drawing, even if I don't have to look at myself in the mirror.
If you're only starting, don't be afraid to copy others, but DON'T show that work as yours. Just use it for practice, for understanding specific things: the brush strokes, or the line pressure, or the colour. How that artist used light and shadows, or expressed a feeling. Once you're more comfortable with the basics, your style will emerge organically and you can use that as your portfolio pieces.
So, there you have it—a glimpse inside my world of being a children’s books illustrator. I hope you enjoyed reading my story and found my tips to be helpful!
Richmond Maritime Festival 2023 Poster illustration by Udayana Lugo
Want to see more of Udayana’s work?
Check out these links:
Website: https://www.udayana-lugo.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/udayanalugo