Category: Design

Where ideas come from

I visited a school recently and was asked, ‘Where do your ideas come from?’ The simple answer is everywhere!

My recent books are inspired by one or more of the 17 Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a really rich source of ideas, as they cover most of our lives. Aqua Boy relates to SDG 15 life below water, Eco Girl maps onto SDG 14, and Astro Girl takes its meaning from SDG 5, gender equality.

It’s a wonderful challenge turning grown-up concepts and language into relatable and enjoyable stories for young children, and highlighting the lives of people from around the world. This is one place where ideas come from. There are others, depending ont day, or the mood, or the prompt.

©️ken Wilson-Max 2025

One of my upcoming books is inspired by SDG 13, Climate action.
The pace of climate change means more people are turning to renewable energy. If you wonder where ideas come from, current affairs is a great place to start. I like the fact people have the power to change their own destinies, even thought it must be very hard, and I always look for those stories in the news.

©️ken Wilson-Max 2025

At times it feels like there will be no end to the stories that can come from current affairs, but it’s a tricky process involving research, iteration and experimentation. A can-do attitude will not be lost on curious children, who are the leaders of the future.

©️ken Wilson-Max 2025

Understanding the world as much as possible helps creativity because it provides a reason to finish that book, by answering the ‘why’, while giving you energy to find out the ‘how’.

8 February 2025
Amazing Aqua Boy!

30 years ago, my first books were published. It’s a milestone I never thought about till now.

I didn’t imagine how long I would be creating books. I only ever thought about making the next one better than the last.

That’s not to say I don’t dream of writing and illustrating forever! I’m a dreamer, and proud. There is always an understanding that dreams don’t always come true, nor they aren’t the same as clear plans or purpose. But they are important. Letting a dream go can be devastating, so learn to hold on to them for use later.

Dreams are the gold by which creatives make their living, combined with a way of turning them into reality that is unique to each of us. Publishing is, on some level, harnessing those dreams and turning them into products.

A few years ago Astro Girl was published to wide acclaim. Its been doing well since in all the places its published. It was followed by Eco Girl and all of a sudden I had two books about global topics that young children can understand. That was a dream come true!

So its with enormous pride and excitement that I introduce to you the next book in the series – Aqua Boy!

This story is all about life below water and how we should be paying more attention to it. In it, young Aaronfinally gets to do something brave because of his new friend from the ocean.

All of a sudden this is a series.

Astro Girl (US) (UK), Eco Girl (US) (UK)and Aqua Boy are available at all cool bookstores. My thanks to the UK Publishers, Otter Barry Books, US publishers Candlewick, two amazing teams of people.

26 January 2024
Old is new again

I came across Officina do Cego, run by a group of crafts and art people in Lisbon, thanks to Kristine Martinova. She introduced us to the president of the Association, Nuno Ramos, who explained how they teach and make work using screen and letterpress printing. They make their own books, so also teach bookbinding.

Walking into the place I found machines that fondly reminded me of my early days in graphic design. I started young, around 15 years old, working during school holidays in the Maviyane Project.

These were the days before computers in the office and we did all the artwork by hand. I mean, totally by hand. We traced letters to make layouts and stuck things down with hot wax. We calculated the size of type that would work for a book using a formula and then sent that to the typesetters who sent us back rolls of text on photographic paper. If it wasn’t right the whole process had to be done again, causing delays, among other things. Attention to detail meant a lot more than it does now- it could end a project, or worse still a job.

We carried all of that experience to the computer age, thankfully.

It was a wonderful trip down memory lane. I might take one of their courses next time.

Oficina do Cego sign

The letterpress studio

Letterpress machine

Screen-printing squeegees

19 September 2021
Urbanation: Cool Words from The Street

I’m always on the look out for interesting words and phrases from all over the world. Languages evolve so quickly as real world usage leaves tradition rules behind.

Street language, or slang is more than just words. It’s an attitude, or a breakthrough in understanding, or the ultimate insult. It’s the point where expression takes over to give deeper meaning. It’s code that no one understands unless they are in that special group.

This ongoing series is called Urbination: Words From the Street.

Urbination: Hip Hop 4Eva

Urbination: Wa’ Gwaan?

Urbination: Feeling blue

4 February 2010