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Nor Azhar Ishak: The Educator

8/2/2015

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Nor Azhar Ishak is a science museum educator who is passionate about children's books. He has been published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka after winning the consolation prize in the KotaBuku-DBP Picture Book Award 2013. This year, he won third prize in the YGL-Oyez! Picture Book Award. Here he takes some time to answer a few questions. Oyez!Books will be publishing Azhar's new book this year, Under the Sea, which he has illustrated making effective using of the batik technique; selected illustrations are shown below.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I studied Chemistry in Australia and went on to work as a chemist and as an engineer in Johor. But I now work at the Science Discovery Centre in Kuala Lumpur. I am a science museum educator by profession. My passion is in the development and education of people, especially the young. Being a children’s book author, illustrator and a storyteller feels right with my values.
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How did you get interested in illustrating and writing?

As far as I can remember, I have always loved creating and looking at pictures. My father loves art and my mother is the creative one. My sisters helped shape my interest in children’s books. But as time went  by, I fell in love with children’s picture book. They look simple yet there is  a great deal of thought and effort that goes into creating one. There are so many picture books out there but it is not easy to find those which children really enjoy. I take it as a challenge to create one that they will find hard to resist! There are so many children book writers that I find inspiring but there’s something about Dr. Seuss books that touches me deeply.
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How did you get started in batik painting and why did you decide to illustrate using the batik method?

I started to write a few years ago but I did not pursue it seriously due to some constraints. In 2012, I joined a workshop organised by Persatuan Penulis Negeri Sembilan (PEN) - Writers' Assocation of Negeri Sembilan, and Kota Buku. The workshop, facilitated by the nation’s foremost writers, Puan Mahaya Mohd Yassin, Nisah Haron and the artist Yusof Gajah gave me the basics for creating a picture book.

I have always been fascinated by batik but I never took it seriously. So I thought of trying my luck by entering the DBP-Kota Buku Picture Book Award 2012 using a batik medium. I won the consolation prize which encouraged me to explore the medium further. I  researched to learn more about the technique and also learned from batik artists like Zakiah Mohd Isa, Yusof Gajah and Sulaiman Sehan.
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Will you be illustrating using other medium in the future?

Defintely! I just love the brilliant colours of acrylic. It is also interesting to see how children are fascinated by the colours and texture of acrylics and how they keep wanting to touch them! My mentors, Yusof Gajah, Mie Mambo and other artists’ illustrations and creative passion have been a source of inspiration and example. I did an acrylic illustration in 'Alahai, Anak Gajah', published by Karangkraf, which will come out very soon.
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What other stories do you have in mind?

I have so many stories that I would like to write and illustrate but it is a challenge to find time! There is a story about Wau (traditional kite) which I am working on, some drafts on animal stories (I love writing about animals), and I am developing a character based on the civet cat, an animal I find fascinating.
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How do you find time to illustrate?

Since I work during the day and spend some time with my children in the evenings, I illustrate late at night, after they are all asleep. But most of the time I do illustrate on my off days especially during weekends. My wife and family help a lot, not only in assisting with some preparation beforehand, but also looking after the kids while I work. It is hard work but it pays off when I see the outcome.
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What is your ambition in terms of writing and illustrating?

My favourite author-illustrator, Eric Carle once said that picture books are an introduction to literature for the very young reader. I hope to be able to encourage children to see how wonderful it is to be surrounded and touched by books. But my ultimate goal is to create  books that will inspire children, encourage them to think creatively and critically and perhaps something that they can find solace in and companionship during difficult times.
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Azhar with one of his batik illustrations.
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Canting or waxing
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Melody Soh: A True Story

7/2/2015

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Melody Soh, first prize winner of the YGL-Oyez! Picture Book Award 2015, based her picture book on her own life. The simple text, originally in Chinese, accompanied by detailed illustrations, tell a poignant story as summarised by Melody below:

1980s Malacca, three sisters nicknamed Do, Re, Mi, looked forward to new clothes every Chinese New Year. But one year Mother said that a new baby was coming and they might not have enough money for new clothes. So Da Dou, Xiao Lei and Mi Mi decided to work harder to help the family but life took many unexpected turns in their quest for a simple Chinese New Year wish.


Melody Soh, winner YGL-Oyez! Picture Book Award 2015
About Melody Soh
Melody Soh grew up in Malacca, the second of four girls. Since young, her favourite game was acting out stories with her sisters on their parents’ bed. She liked drawing but ended up studying business at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
After graduation, she worked for seven years before leaving for Melbourne to pursue her dream of making movies. Due to financial difficulties, she studied graphic design instead. She later returned to Malaysia and worked in a publishing company. However, before one year had passed, the company downsized and Melody found herself out of job. During her six months of unemployment, Melody completed her picture book and this has reignited her childhood love for drawing and storytelling. The book won the YGL-Oyez! Picture Book Award 2015.
Melody Soh, winner YGL-Oyez! Picture Book Award 2015

Illustration style and inspiration
According to Melody, she was inspired by Shaun Tan, Isabelle Arsenault, Jimmy Liao, Carson Ellis, Sophie Blackall, Florent Chavouet and Liekeland.

"Their stories and illustrations made me want to start drawing again. I remember drawing as my favorite subject in school but no one mentioned art as a career back then. So I didn't even think of becoming an artist. For this story, I decided to just draw them the way I've always loved drawing - using ink/biro pen. I just changed the pen to colour pencils as I love colours in picture books."
Here are more pages from her book which will be published by Oyez!Books.
Melody Soh, winner YGL-Oyez! Picture Book Award 2015
Melody Soh, winner YGL-Oyez! Picture Book Award 2015
Melody Soh, winner YGL-Oyez! Picture Book Award 2015
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Mohd Khairul Azman Ismail: The Call to Art

2/2/2015

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Mohd Khairul started drawing when he was three years old. In primary school, he participated in art competitions and won a number of awards. Drawing and painting were his main hobby. However, when he entered secondary school, art was not one of the subjects offered. Nevertheless, he continued painting in his spare time. 

After returning from Jordan with a major in Arabic studies, Khairul became a secondary school teacher based in Shah Alam. He is currently teaching Arabic language and Islamic studies.


He was introduced to picture book illustration when he attended the Book Council's Teachers Author Programme in 2012, in addition to other workshops organised by Kota Buku, PeRUPA (Malaysia Visual Art Association) and Shah Alam Gallery. He credits his two mentors, Yusof Gajah and Izzah Aziz for their coaching and advice.

Khairul recently won the second prize in the inaugural YGL-Oyez! Picture Book Award 2015, a joint award offered by the Yusof Gajah Lingard Literary Agency and Oyez!Books. His submission, Where is Owly? is a story of a big brother looking for his younger brother who has gone missing.
Here are a few pages from his submission.

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Big brother realises that Owly is missing and goes searching for him...
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the village...
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through the woods...
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and the paddy fields...
Khairul began creating the owl character at a workshop organised by PeRUPA and taught by Yusof Gajah. During the workshop, Yusof asked the participants to create characters based on shapes. "I think the owl is cute and of course, wise," says Khairul with a laugh.
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Seeing shapes
Khairul has also illustrated three picture books written by his wife, Razisatul Asyifah Ismail. One of them, "Tolong! Saya Tak Pandai Berenang" (Help! I can't swim) is published under the Karangkraf 100 Picture Books Project and will be launched on 1st February.

"I hope my picture books will colour children's world, guide them, and they will remember them fondly when they become adults," says Khairul.
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    Author

    This is the blog of Linda Tan Lingard, literary agent, book lover and people watcher. If you have stories especially from Southeast Asia and Asia, I would be pleased to feature them.

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