Mae Besom — Watercolour Children's Book Illustrator, China

Producing work that is charming, atmospheric and inspired by nature’s beauty, Mae Besom is one of China’s leading children’s illustrators. She’s an author as well, with a strong understanding of visual narrative and an imaginative approach that ensures her work is captivating and magical.

Working for publishers in China and around the world, Mae’s experience is an asset on any project. Previously employed by a comic book publisher and a computer game developer, she has an excellent understanding of the production process, the marketplace and how to collaborate with authors. That comes in addition to over a decade as a freelance illustrator, turning badgers, bears, squirrels and fairies into delightful little characters for her audiences. Mae studied painting at Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts and is inspired by comics, cartoons, nature and Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki.

Approach

With a fully developed grasp of digital painting in Photoshop, Mae also loves drawing the traditional way and completes most of her images using watercolours. She constantly broadens her skills through creative studies – insects, flowers, birds, fish… she’s always practicing something new.

Key Software

Photoshop

Style

Mae’s deep, earthy tones create an atmospheric backdrop, from which more colourful creatures and characters come to life, often highlighted in colour combinations the artist has observed on flowers, insects, birds and animals of the forest to round off her connection with the environment.

Awards

2017 – Christopher Award – Books for Young People

Client list

Mae’s clients include Pearson Education, Compendium, Penguin Random House, Usborne, Nursery World, Wilderness Media, Wild Xinjiang, QCZW and Manas Workshop.