I was lucky enough to get a chance to chat with debut author-illustrator Nancy So Miller about her particularly unique illustration style for Sun, Moon, and Star: A Folktale from Korea. Nancy's process is intricate and beautiful, and I'm excited to show you more!
About the book:
Three sisters must outsmart a hungry tiger in this fresh retelling of a beloved Korean folktale.
When Eomma goes to market she has only one rule for her three daughters, don’t open the door until her return. There are creatures that roam the nearby mountains.
But as the hours pass, the sisters grow anxious. Surely, Eomma will be home soon. And when there’s a knock at the door, the girls jump to let Eomma in. Except, it is not their mother at the door.
When Eomma goes to market she has only one rule for her three daughters, don’t open the door until her return. There are creatures that roam the nearby mountains.
But as the hours pass, the sisters grow anxious. Surely, Eomma will be home soon. And when there’s a knock at the door, the girls jump to let Eomma in. Except, it is not their mother at the door.
Let's talk Nancy So Miller.
LTPB: Where did the idea for Sun, Moon, and Star: A Folktale from Korea come from? Where did you first hear the Korean folktale?
NSM: The idea for Sun, Moon, and Star: A Folktale from Korea stayed with me for twenty years after I read a collection of Korean folktales written by Kim So-Un. One story I was especially drawn to was “The Three Sisters.” I had heard other variations of this Korean folktale before, but this version resonated with me because the main characters are three sisters. I imagined myself and my two younger sisters being warned by our mother never to let anyone into the house because tigers roamed the mountains.
My family immigrated to the U.S. from Korea when I was four years old, and I was the oldest sister and responsible for my two siblings. Side note, shout to my sisters who grew up to be amazing adults, and I’m truly proud of their accomplishments and their endless cheerleading for my writing and illustrating! That was another aspect of the story I could relate to, but in my retelling, I wanted the sisters to be distinct individuals, brave heroes, and for their Eomma (Mom) to find her way back to them. Korean folktales can be quite harsh, and I wanted to soften my version of the story.
LTPB: What did you find most difficult in creating this book? What did you find most rewarding?
NSM: The hardest part of creating a book for me is the writing. Writing picture books is especially challenging because of the economy of the word count. Every word must be clear and appropriate for the intended age range. I went through many drafts of my stories, and I credit my wonderful critique partners and early readers for helping me refine this one to the point where I felt confident submitting it to a publisher.
For me, the most rewarding part of the process comes when everything begins to come together as I create the illustrations. Once the text is complete and approved by the editor, having the freedom to create illustrations that complement the story feels magical. I immersed myself in visual research on Korean folk arts. During my academic studies, I focused on Western art, so this project gave me the opportunity to connect more deeply with my Korean heritage. Growing up as an immigrant in the US, I never felt Korean enough or American enough.
hanji
While researching the visuals for the book, I learned about Korean hanji (handmade paper) and minhwa (folk painting). After completing the illustrations, I made time to study with two accomplished Korean American artists: hanji maker Steph Rue and minhwa artist Hye Ryung Suk. Both artists teach workshops for the Korean diaspora and were incredibly generous in sharing their knowledge and expertise with me. I marveled at each step of the process of creating these beautiful traditional art forms that date back to my ancestors, and I am excited to carry what I’ve learned into future book illustrations.
Another rewarding moment was seeing the F&Gs for my book. I was ecstatic! The guidance from my editor on text and the creative director, Kerry Martin’s design choices, helped me create a beautiful book that I’ll be proud to share in my school visits, workshops, and lectures.
LTPB: What did you use to create the illustrations in this book? Can you walk us through your unique process for developing them?
NSM: I used a variety of materials to create the illustrations for Sun, Moon, and Star: watercolor paper, watercolor inks, acrylic paint, gouache, moss, clay, pastel, foam board, wire, balsa wood, glass eyes, hanji, and ink. Here’s a video that shows some of the materials I used.
As for my process, I begin by writing the manuscript. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but I need the overall story structure in place. I’ve had numerous rounds with my critique partners. Thank you to my critique partners: Becky, Debbie, Patti, and Tiffany!
From there, I create numerous thumbnail sketches for the story. I make multiple passes of storyboards and then move on to book dummies. These start out small, and I gradually increase their size until I reach full-scale book dummies. It usually takes about ten dummies before I begin creating tighter line drawings, followed by value and color comprehensives.
Depending on the complexity of an illustration, I also create a rough cut-out dummy using cardstock or foam board to work out the scale. Because the final illustrations are built from cut pieces and placed into scenes, this step helps me avoid making elements too small or too large in relation to one another.
Once that stage is complete, I separate my line drawings into individual pieces in Photoshop. I then print them onto watercolor paper and complete the inking and painting. After cutting everything out, I keep the pieces organized until I glue them together. Next, I set up the scene with all the pieces, the backdrop, and the lighting, and then I photograph the final illustration.
The photography stage can be especially challenging. When I reviewed the images digitally, I wasn’t always satisfied, so I would go back and reshoot them. I have a vision in my head, and when it isn’t working, I step backwards and try again.
LTPB: What are you working on now? Anything you can show us?
NSM: I’m currently working on a middle-grade manuscript with illustrations. I’ve written more drafts than I can count, and I hope that one day it will be ready to go out on submission. I’m also developing a picture book with a childhood friend, Kristin Marteness, who is an amazing writer. Beyond those projects, there are countless other stories in my head that I’m excited to begin bringing to life.
I’ll be teaching an in-person workshop, Miniature Worlds and Storytelling: Creating Dioramas for Picture Books, at the 2026 Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival. I’m excited to share my love of 3D cut-paper illustration and my creative process. The festival is held at the University of Southern Mississippi. They hold the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection. The collection contains the works of Randolph Caldecott, John Newbery, Kate Greenaway, H.A. and Margret Rey, and Ezra Jack Keats. I’m thrilled to be part of the festival!
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?
NSM: Funny you should ask! My middle-grade manuscript I mentioned earlier is inspired by my own childhood, so I would be the writer and the illustrator.
NSM: The idea for Sun, Moon, and Star: A Folktale from Korea stayed with me for twenty years after I read a collection of Korean folktales written by Kim So-Un. One story I was especially drawn to was “The Three Sisters.” I had heard other variations of this Korean folktale before, but this version resonated with me because the main characters are three sisters. I imagined myself and my two younger sisters being warned by our mother never to let anyone into the house because tigers roamed the mountains.
NSM: The hardest part of creating a book for me is the writing. Writing picture books is especially challenging because of the economy of the word count. Every word must be clear and appropriate for the intended age range. I went through many drafts of my stories, and I credit my wonderful critique partners and early readers for helping me refine this one to the point where I felt confident submitting it to a publisher.
hanji
minhwa
LTPB: What did you use to create the illustrations in this book? Can you walk us through your unique process for developing them?
NSM: I used a variety of materials to create the illustrations for Sun, Moon, and Star: watercolor paper, watercolor inks, acrylic paint, gouache, moss, clay, pastel, foam board, wire, balsa wood, glass eyes, hanji, and ink. Here’s a video that shows some of the materials I used.
As for my process, I begin by writing the manuscript. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but I need the overall story structure in place. I’ve had numerous rounds with my critique partners. Thank you to my critique partners: Becky, Debbie, Patti, and Tiffany!
From there, I create numerous thumbnail sketches for the story. I make multiple passes of storyboards and then move on to book dummies. These start out small, and I gradually increase their size until I reach full-scale book dummies. It usually takes about ten dummies before I begin creating tighter line drawings, followed by value and color comprehensives.
NSM: I’m currently working on a middle-grade manuscript with illustrations. I’ve written more drafts than I can count, and I hope that one day it will be ready to go out on submission. I’m also developing a picture book with a childhood friend, Kristin Marteness, who is an amazing writer. Beyond those projects, there are countless other stories in my head that I’m excited to begin bringing to life.
I’ll be teaching an in-person workshop, Miniature Worlds and Storytelling: Creating Dioramas for Picture Books, at the 2026 Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival. I’m excited to share my love of 3D cut-paper illustration and my creative process. The festival is held at the University of Southern Mississippi. They hold the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection. The collection contains the works of Randolph Caldecott, John Newbery, Kate Greenaway, H.A. and Margret Rey, and Ezra Jack Keats. I’m thrilled to be part of the festival!
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?
NSM: Funny you should ask! My middle-grade manuscript I mentioned earlier is inspired by my own childhood, so I would be the writer and the illustrator.
Thank you very much to Nancy for sharing her process for this special book! Sun, Moon, and Star: A Folktale from Korea publishes TODAY from Holiday House!
Special thanks to Nancy and Holiday House for use of these images!
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, visit my policies & disclosures page
No comments:
Post a Comment