Novia Heroanto shares her unique connection to the themes of resilience and belonging in Our Map, written by Angie Cui, and her meaningful, detailed approach to illustration.

Where do you look for inspiration when illustrating new stories?

Many creative insights flew from my morning quiet time with my Creator, sipping my morning coffee, when everyone at home was still fast asleep before the birds chirped their morning melodies in my backyard. I looked for the invisible red cord between the stories I illustrate and my life experiences, connecting the characters to my primary school teachers, my son and the children whom I taught at the childcare and Sunday school, or sometimes even strangers I saw lining up getting their coffee fix. I love getting perspectives from my husband who gravitates towards history and science which added the depth of the artwork context. Walking around the neighbourhood and in nature also helped me immensely in building the colour palette.

Did you take any new approaches to illustrating Our Map compared to the other books you have illustrated?

I was immediately hooked on my first reading of the Our Map manuscript. It was exciting to illustrate—that the feel of open-endedness of the written words gave much freedom for visual storytelling. At the same time, to be honest, it was quite daunting as I questioned myself on the best artistic direction to communicate the story, as I felt the manuscript theme suited slightly older children. After praying about it, and doing more library and local bookseller trips, I decided to draw the characters in a more graphic novel look and intentionally added more detailed elements on each page so that the readers could revisit the page and be delighted to discover something that they might have overlooked previously. I also built a subtler earthy colour palette to evoke a nostalgic feeling, and sense of peace which brought balance to the fluctuating emotions of the story. The shade of washed out military green was the red cord among the pages, as it symbolises strength and resilience, which was central to this story.

What did you find most enjoyable about this project?

It was exciting to encounter the inspirations that came simultaneously through daily life experiences. Since I became a Mum, the kitchen sink is the most frequented spot for me to think through while doing the dishes. One day, I decided it would be perfect for the first-page setting! On another day, when I was teaching Scripture in the classroom, one student came wearing a moon boot and shared how she was in the recovery process of her leg injury and I thought… I will include that in my drawing. While waiting for a coffee order pickup, I observed this barista whose facial features inspired me to draw the Dad. During that year, I brought this project with me on my travels from Sydney to Perth, Melbourne, Singapore and Samarinda, my hometown in Indonesia. It was kinda interesting to consistently focus on one project at different places with their unique vibes and atmosphere. The project felt like “home” to me.

Did you run into any challenges while illustrating this story?

I was mindful to portray the war symbolically which would be appropriate to the young children, as it might trigger trauma to some readers and their families. During the illustration process, I also experienced personal struggle as my Dad passed after three years of battling with lung cancer. Still fresh in my mind I coloured the spread of war with strokes in rhythm with tears streaming down my eyes on my flight back to my hometown in Indonesia. The silver lining was I learned that drawing was so therapeutic in navigating grief. I was truly grateful to be given such a golden opportunity to process my emotions and release them by drawing until completion.

Was there any part of Our Map that you found particularly spoke to you?

Lee’s family background increased my appreciation towards my ancestors and their courage. My 爷爷 Yéyé (paternal grandfather) and 奶奶 Nǎinai (paternal grandmother) were boat migrants from Fujian, China and they landed in Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia. Like in the story, I experienced that the act of drawing connected people heart to heart, and my heart rejoiced to see my nephews, Stephan & Owen, draw some artwork to contribute to the story. Guess which ones are on the book pages?

You have mentioned that you’ve moved countries multiple times. Have your experiences across the world informed any part of your art process?

It definitely helped, particularly in constructing the historical context of the story, and illustrating their characters. Being an immigrant, I deeply resonated with the friendship between JJ and Lee in Our Map, as I also found kind-hearted and supportive people who helped to nurture my sense of belonging in the particular community where I lived.

How did you work with the author of Our Map, Angie Cui, so that the finished product is something you are both proud of?

I was given complete freedom for the artistic direction and ample time to think and execute. I was happy to receive positive feedback and there were only slight revisions on some pages. Both Angie and I had a few informal catchups and the interesting thing was we happened to depict the Vietnam war without previous communication! She was also supportive in sharing her thoughts in promoting the book, including social media posts and planning for the book launch.

Do you have any other projects in the works?

Currently, I am taking mentorship in illustration with Nina Rycroft and writing with Zanni Louise. I am going back to my watercolour artworks while learning to cultivate my voice through written words. Another thing is Christian faith has been central and personally life-changing to me and I aspire to write and draw faith-based picture books for young children.