Isabelle Arsenault Textured pencil characters in children’s books

photo: Martine Boisvert

Isabelle Arsenault is an illustrator who studied Graphic Design at the Université du Québec à Montréal (2001).

After her studies, she quickly contributed to several magazines in Canada and the United-States. In 2004, Isabelle illustrated her first children’s book, for which she received the prestigious Governor General’s Award for children’s litterature in French (illustration).

Her passion for illustrated books has led her more and more to continue pursuing this path. Since then, she was a finalist on two other occasions for the GG’s (“My Letter to the World”, “Migrant”), finalist for the Marilyn Baillie Award in 2011 (“Spork”) and her book “Migrant” is among the 10 best illustrated books of 2011 according to The New York Times. In 2012, she received her second Governor General’s Award for the illustrations of “Virginia Wolf” in addition to winning Le Prix jeunesse des libraires du Québec for “Fourchon” (French version of “Spork”).

Isabelle, who enjoys working intuitively, adopts an approach to her work that is inspired by the projects she is given. Her style is infused with sensitivity and finesse. It attracts the attention of the young as much as that of older people, who can sometimes have a more in-depth understanding of it.

Today Isabelle still lives and works in Montreal.

You can find out more about Isabelle from this Q and A session in 2012 on the Perogies And Gyoza site, or through her Blog or treat yourself to a beautiful print from Sur Ton Mur. Captivating work.