Books are my business: Illustrator and author Úna Woods

Úna Woods: 'I like to try to come up with ideas when I am out for a walk or a run. Once I have an idea it will start off with pencil and paper.' 

Úna Woods is an illustrator and author who lives in Donnycarney, Co Dublin. Her books include Have You Seen The Dublin Vampire?, A Spooktacular Place To Be, and A Blooming Great Day published by The O’Brien Press. 

She has also illustrated books for publishers including Futa Fata, Pat-A-Cake Books, and Scholastic. She is an ambassador for Irish Book Week, a nationwide celebration of Irish bookshops, Irish books, publishers, writers, illustrators, and poets.

How did you get into illustration?

I studied animation in college and worked in lots of different animation studios. 

I loved working in animation but one day I met Nick Butterworth in Dubray bookshop when he came to Dublin to promote his picture book The Rescue Party. 

He spoke for a while about what he did and how he made his books. 

I remember thinking it sounded amazing and from that day on I set my mind on becoming a picture book maker.

I started taking small Illustration commissions mainly for education books until I finally built up a portfolio and I decided to be a freelance illustrator. 

Eventually I got to pitch an idea I had to The O’Brien Press at their Perfect Pitch event on Culture Night 2018 and that’s how I got my first publishing contract for Have You Seen The Dublin Vampire?

What does your job involve?

It involves a lot of imagination. Coming up with new ideas is probably the hardest part of my job. 

I like to try to come up with ideas when I am out for a walk or a run. Once I have an idea it will start off with pencil and paper. 

I will sketch characters, locations before writing the stories. I am a very visual person so I like to see how everything will look first.

I love each stage of making a book from the initial rough draft, creating storyboards, dummy books to the final artwork. 

I work from my studio in the front room of my house. I like to drink lots of tea when I work. I try to just work during the day. 

Even though my books are made digitally, I love to experiment with lots of different art materials. I always try to find time to paint and I also enjoy using coloured pencils. 

A fun part of my job is that I get to go to schools and libraries to do workshops. I like to get the kids to do different crafts to go with my stories such as making things or collage.

What do you like most about what you do?

My favourite part of making picture books is when I finally get to see a book I have made printed. 

It is so exciting to see the book on shelves in shops and libraries. It makes all the hard work so worthwhile and it also makes me motivated to make the next book. 

When a book is finally made I get to do lots of fun story-time events in schools and libraries. I love meeting children and being able to read the story to them.

What do you like least about it?

There isn’t much I don’t like about being an illustrator and author. I feel very lucky to be able to do this, but if I had to pick one thing it might be that sometimes it can be quite lonely. 

I am very lucky though as I am a member of Illustrators Ireland and Children’s Books Ireland, they are amazing and I have made so many great friends through them.

Three desert island books

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier is probably the book I have read the most. I love all the characters and the mystery that surrounds them.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis always makes me feel so warm. I love the moment when Lucy meets Tumnus at the lamppost in Narnia and when he invites her back for tea. 

October, October by Katya Balen is a really special book full of wild adventure — I love the way Katya writes about nature.

• Irish Book Week runs from October 19 to 26. For more, see Bookselling Ireland’s social media platforms: Facebook: @BooksellingIreland, Twitter: @BooksellingI and Instagram: @BooksellingI and the campaign hashtag #IrishBookWeek