Q&A with R.J. Timmis creator behind Hello Sunshine: Cosy Aussie Colouring
- Allen & Unwin
- Sep 18
- 3 min read
We chat with illustrator R.J. Timmis on creating Hello Sunshine: Cosy Aussie Colouring.
A&U: What was the main source of inspiration for you for the drawings in Hello Sunshine? Do you use tools like reference photos?
RT: I needed two types of inspiration for Hello Sunshine. The first was the ideas for each page. Illustrating a story is a lot more straight-forward – the text guides you on what to draw, although of course you can be quite creative with it. But for Hello Sunshine, each page was like a whole new story. Thankfully I had a great team behind me, and we brainstormed ideas together. Hello Sunshine is all about celebrating summer and all the magical moments it brings, so we talked a lot about our favourite things to do outdoors, in the summer holidays, or even some of our favourite childhood memories (like exploring rock pools at the beach!).
As for the drawings themselves, I use all kinds of things for inspiration. I sketched lots of everyday items in my house, like slippers and seashells, skateboards and hats, and broke them down into simple, squishy shapes to get the style right. For the characters, I used lots of photos. I had to keep checking which animals have tails and which don’t (for the record, koalas don’t!). Luckily I live near Dreamworld on the Gold Coast so was able to pop down and take some reference photos.
A&U: How did working on a colouring book differ for you from working on your usual illustrations? Did you find the process easier, or did it present its own set of challenges?
RT: It was a steep learning curve. I like to draw cute pictures, but the style had to be the right balance of detailed and simple. Sometimes it’s hard to make an object look recognisable with very minimal detail. It was also very important that the lines joined up, so that when people are colouring in, they know where to stop and change colour – gaps make things tricky. Once I got the hang of the style, though, it was a breeze!
A&U: How long does it usually take you to complete one illustration for a book like this?
RT: Some illustrations took 2 or 3 days, such as the Sydney Ferry, and Echidna sweeping his veranda. Vehicles, straight lines like buildings and furniture, and perspective, all take a long time to get right. The fastest ones were the nature scenes, with lots of curved lines and organic shapes. Wombat collecting seashells took under an hour to draw.
A&U: Do you have a personal favourite illustration in this book, and why?
RT: I am going to be cheeky and say I have two favourites! The first is Echidna and Wombat snorkelling. Echidna runs a surf shop and he’s very attached to the beach, while Wombat is always up for an adventure. There are lots of small details to colour in, and the cute octopus in the corner always makes me laugh.
The second is the very last page, which is calm and simple – two special friends out enjoying the stars. I felt it was an adorable way to end the book.
A&U: And finally, what do you hope people feel or experience while colouring your artwork?
RT: Something I really tried to capture in the artwork is a sense of calm and tranquillity. There is no danger here, no high stakes. Even the more active drawings, like hiking or playing cricket, are super chill. I like to think people feel at ease when they’re colouring Hello Sunshine. It’s a chance to unplug from our busy lives and just enjoy the simple things, whether that’s picking your next colour, listening to some music, or feeling a moment of wonder for our amazing Aussie summers.
Hello Sunshine: Cosy Aussie Colouring
by R.J. Timmis
Take a deep breath and relax while colouring these gorgeous Aussie animals living their best and cosiest lives, drawn by Australian illustrator R.J. Timmis.
Comments