Today I'm pleased to share my interview with Mexican author-illustrator Azul López about Croco, translated by Kit Maude. This uniquely designed book runs vertically to capture some stunning images and deep emotions. Read on to learn more about how Azul developed and created it!
About the book:
Croco, the protagonist, tries to follow the advice of his friends to escape his predicament, only to realize the solution was within him all along. The story builds tension as Croco remains trapped, culminating in a satisfying ending that restores harmony and marks his growth.
Let's talk Azul López!
AL: Among all the things that make me who I am, I have lived with depression most of my life. With the company of my family, my dogs, my therapist, and a lot of love and work, it has become less turbulent to find my way out of the situations I’ve faced because of this trait.
During the years of lockdown, it was difficult to feel motivated to work or to focus on anything other than the sadness I felt. Over time, I began to observe that sadness more closely and realized it had three parts: the sadness I felt because of the pandemic, the sadness I felt because of my body’s chemistry, and the sadness I felt for feeling sad. That last one was the loudest—constantly repeating to me, “It’s easy,” “Cheer up,” and a long list of recommendations I had heard all my life, from the love and tenderness of people who wanted to help me. Still, I was flooded with the frustration of feeling stuck, incapable, and misunderstood. And, of course, sad too.
One bad night, while taking a shower—which was one of the few things that helped me feel a little better by focusing on the sensation of the hot water on my skin—the water suddenly ran out. Partially wet, completely frustrated, and now even sadder (though it makes me smile to remember that night now), I began to cry. It would be a lie to say I cried enough to fill the shower. It was the opposite: I cried until I emptied out what I was feeling, and there I found Croco.
I got out of the shower and drew him in many positions in my notebook, and that same night, I wrote his story. It wasn’t a bad night after all.
LTPB: Did you always picture the book as a vertical book with a limited color palette (mostly warm colors plus green)?
AL: Yes. I wanted the book to behave like a stage. I had read an interview about David Zinn’s set design work and—as inspiration often works—without realizing it, I started playing with cutouts of Croco in different positions. That’s when I understood that what I needed for the story was, as he said in that interview, for the stage to be a character in itself.
The use of color was my way of marking the distance between Croco, the birds, the monkeys, the snake, and, of course, the stage itself. The vertical format came from the need to give the book physical depth. This allowed the fall to feel more dramatic, so that Croco’s sadness would also feel deeper.
In a workshop in Sweden, a child told me that the length of the book and the way it opens and closes reminded him of a crocodile’s mouth. I really liked his discovery.
LTPB: What did you find most difficult in creating this book? What did you find most rewarding?
AL: The most difficult part was making it almost twice. The stage is about 2 × 1.5 meters, so scanning it was extremely laborious. I had to scan it in many parts and then see how the computer decided to stitch the pieces together.
One day, when I had finally finished scanning the swamp, I asked the computer to save the file—which was probably as heavy as an actual crocodile—and the computer shut down. (Later, I found out the hard drive had died and I had no backup.) Skipping over the tears, the anxiety, and the desperation of trying to find someone who could recover the file (which was all I wanted—I could deal with the computer later), I went through several strange days. I felt very sad; this project was helping me in so many ways, and now I couldn’t move forward. I fell again.
Once more, my family and friends showed up to help me. They offered me their computers, scanners, and their time. They listened to me and hugged me. Without them, I couldn’t have finished the book the way it turned out—nor finished the way I turned out.
What I enjoy most about the book is sharing it. Unlike my other books, when I read Croco in presentations or workshops with adults and children, it’s fascinating to see that one of those two groups laughs a lot, while the other cries. Realizing that the same story can trigger both reactions—and that both are necessary—is a very special reminder.
LTPB: What did you use to create the illustrations in this book? Is this your preferred medium?
AL: For this book, I used watercolors, pastels, oils, branches, dirt, colored pencils, scissors, paper, and pieces of plastic. I’m not sure if it’s my favorite medium. Today, my favorite is a black marker I bought at a bookstore, but yesterday it was watercolors. I like that things change.
LTPB: How does your process change from book to book?
AL: My last five books have been made under very different circumstances—emotional, sentimental, and geographical. In each one, I’ve had to adapt, and I think that’s the main constant in my process: adaptation, creativity’s friend.
I’ve had to buy materials I didn’t know, work with brushes that weren’t mine, and make new friends in the search for a scanner. I always start by observing and writing. Everything else is always different.
LTPB: What are you working on now? Anything you can show us?
I’m currently working on my next two books. One has a spider as the main character, and the other is about love hiding everywhere.
LTPB: If you got the chance to write your own picture book autobiography, who (dead or alive!) would you want to illustrate it, and why?
AL: Tove Jansson. Her books made me smile in moments when it didn’t seem easy. I would love to play with her and go for a walk in the mountains. It would be wonderful if my story could make someone feel the way her characters made me feel.
Gracias to Azul for talking to me about this gorgeous and cleverly-designed book! Croco publishes from Tapioca Stories today!
Special thanks to Azul and Tapioca for use of these images!
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