There are so many incredible artists in the world that are all instantly accessible thanks to social media. However, the thought of sifting through an entire planet’s worth of illustrators was daunting to me. There are so many factors to consider: style, timeline, cost, professionalism and reliability, working approach, that overall necessary *vibe*, etc. That’s why I am extraordinarily grateful that my illustrator, Aline Monjardim (Ah-Lee-Nie//also goes by Ah-Leen), who also identifies as a highly sensitive creative, was introduced to me through my team at The Self Publishing Agency. We have been working closely since September 1st, 2023, and after a few in-depth, creative discussions, Aline began interpreting my thoughts of the four main characters of Pop Out Loud into visuals. In mid-November, Aline presented the first drafts of these characters to me and in turn I sent her detailed notes on which parts matched my vision and what needed tweaking. When I received the first round of edits, I popped right out of my seat – it was clear that the characters of my book had officially been birthed!
It is my pleasure to introduce you to Jimmy, the star of Pop Out Loud, along with his appetizing crew! Jimmy is a sensitive kernel, whose emotions and thought process are often deeper than those around him, in seemingly “normal” settings. He pops into a popcorn when he experiences these big feelings.
Pictured below are the official sketches of the most prominent characters in my book.
Throughout each creative meeting, Aline and I went far beyond the pages and deep through the backstory, emotions and hopes of each character and feature elements through every picture spread.
Q&A with Aline!
S: What is your favourite food?
A: My favourite food is rice and beans, as is traditional in my country of Brazil . My favourite snack though would have to be popcorn!—I’m not even kidding.
S: What (or who) inspires your personal style?
A: Storytelling is at the epicenter of my inspiration. When I hear a story no matter in which context, I can’t help but start picturing the characters in my mind—their emotions, actions, message. It’s just a very rich image that pops into my head! Other than that, I also find inspiration in nature, art, design, illustration, and animation! (I’m obsessed with Pixar animation movies!)
S: What is your favourite part about this project, Pop Out Loud?
A: My favourite part is to collaborate with Sarita and the TSPA team in what will be my debut picture book. There is a lot of care and meaning being put into this work, and I feel so thankful for the opportunity to bring such a relatable story to life in the hopes it will help a generation of kids out there who feel deeply like I also do. It just feels like the right team!
S: Are there any challenges that come with this project?
A: To me in particular, the main challenge is to give life to personified snack-themed characters. Finger foods are delicious but without obvious human-like features, we need to get creative. That also happens to be the most exciting part for me, because as an adventurer I love challenges.
