K-Fai Steele's NOODLEPHANT

I love the books coming out that subtly teach social fairness and equity, such as the new book written by Jacob Kramer and illustrated by K-Fai Steele, NOODLEPHANT. It's a very different sort of picture book as you'll see... e: K-Fai, what was your creative process/medium for Noodlephant, can you walk us through it?
K-Fai: Noodlephant is my first formally published picture book and at 80 pages it is an ambitious project (though with Enchanted Lion daring is sort of the norm). I did a ton of learning along the way about my process. The part that’s the most challenging for me when I’m developing a picture book, I’ve learned, are the initial pencil drawings. That’s where the generative labor is, and that’s where I learn about what the characters look like, their homes, environments, etc. Re: process for Noodlephant I blew the pencils up to as large as I could print them, then I used a light table to watercolor and ink finals on hot press watercolor paper. Initially I was inking with a Winsor & Newton Series 7 sable brush #2 and Holbein acrylic ink; after awhile I realized that I could get the same effect (and more speed to my line) if I used a pentel brush pen with waterproof ink. I was treating the paper and the linework and the drawings in a quite precious way, and I realized that what I needed was speed and boldness. Noodlephant is incredibly plot-focused and so much happens that I wanted a line that matched the pacing. e: What was your path to publication?
K-Fai: My path was probably pretty similar to other folks’ who are publishing now; primarily through opportunities I got through SCBWI, which seem increasingly the only way to get into the industry. I met my agent, Erica Rand Silverman who’s at Stimola Literary Studio at the LA conference. As I was signing with her I had been working with Jacob Kramer, the author of Noodlephant on some illustrated poems. Jacob’s path to working with Claudia on Noodlephant was a bit more like I imagine book deals were made in the 60s in New York; through a mix of authentic conversations, talent, and a good story. He showed Claudia our collaboration and she asked if I would be interested in making the drawings for Noodlephant. It was really special and happened exactly the way I was told (through SCBWI) it would never happen. Claudia is cool. e: Noodlephant seems especially relevant to our current political environment. Is there a unique or interesting story behind the creation of Noodlephant?
K-Fai: Absolutely. We just got off a three-week US west coast book tour, and often we were asked this question. Some readers are surprised to know that this book was started in the spring of 2016 in a pre-Trump presidency world (if you can remember such a time). At our book’s heart are questions we I have around justice and power; who has it and who doesn’t, and the implications of that imbalance. It’s unfortunate that the book seems to only have become increasingly resonant and relevant. The coolest thing from book tour was engaging 1st and 2nd graders on conversations around who laws are for, who they serve, and what true justice looks like to them. e: What do you think makes an illustration magical, what I call "Heart Art” - the sort that makes a reader want to come back to look again and again?
K-Fai: “Heart Art” always is changing for me (as it should be for people who change and grow); recently it’s been about details, activity, and characters on a page. I like pages where you can pour over details and as a reader insert yourself into a scene and really live it through different characters’ eyes. e: How do you advertise yourself?
K-Fai: I mostly use Instagram @areyouokfai, and I use it a lot. It’s been fun to use the stories feature as a way to document what I’m observing and a bit about my creative process. Otherwise I think my agent Erica Rand Silverman does most of the heavy lifting in terms of getting my work in front of editors and art directors. e: What is your favorite or most challenging part of being a creator?
K-Fai: I love the heady rush of making sketches after reading a manuscript for the first time; sometimes I get so excited because I know I’ve already nailed a character or an interaction that I feel manic. I dislike the slow crucifixion of edits. e: Is there something in particular about Noodlephant you hope readers will take away with them, perhaps something that isn’t immediately obvious?
K-Fai: I hope that Noodlephant raises more questions than it gives answers. We’ve been asking students upon meeting them: is it ever ok to break a law? e: I bet that made for some interesting discussions! What are you working on next or what would be your dream project?
K-Fai: We’re developing a Noodlephant sequel (it’s about capitalism). And I have a bunch of other books coming out (my own author/illustrator debut with Balzer + Bray comes out in June). e: I can't wait to see it! Thanks for stopping by!

K-Fai bio:
K-Fai Steele is an author-illustrator who grew up in a house built in the 1700s with a printing press her father bought from a magician. She is the illustrator for Noodlephant by Jacob Kramer (Enchanted Lion Books, February 2019). She is currently a Brown Handler Writer in Residence at the San Francisco Public Library and was the 2018 Ezra Jack Keats/Kerlan Memorial Fellow. Other forthcoming titles include A Normal Pig, her author-illustrator debut with Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins Childrens (June 4, 2019) and Old MacDonald Had A Baby by Emily Snape with Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan (November 2019).