Q&A with Sav Akyuz

June 3rd 2021

Q: Can you tell us a bit more about Big? Where did your inspiration for the story come from?

I’ve always been a big dreamer and always want to grow as an individual and I observe lots of young children who are all dreamers, wanting to do things their minds and bodies aren’t ready for yet - they want to be Big so they can do big things. They have a wish and a desire to grow. I wondered what and how that might play out if you’ve only ever had a small world perspective? It was a concept I loved exploring. 

Q: BIG is a (mostly) wordless picture book – what are the challenges that come from creating a story mostly through images and illustrations?

It’s very challenging as there has to be a visual clarity in how you, as the storyteller, is driving the story forward as well as conveying the emotion of the characters. The fun thing, however, is also giving the reader some room to use their own imagination, come up with their own ideas and dialogue. 

The other thing is that children love looking at pictures. And not just children - has anyone heard of that picture driven Social Media app which has the globe gripped? How many of us read the articles in magazines rather than consume the pictures? So we all love pictures and pictures tell stories so that gave me confidence to push on and try to move the story along visually.

Q: You’re well-known for illustrating the Bear books (written by Ben Bailey Smith, aka rapper Doc Brown!), which are great fun. With so many different distractions – particularly digital – available for young children now, what are the best ways to get them engaged in books and reading?

The first thing I’ll say is that as long as they are reading, I don’t mind if it’s digital or paper. I know you are referring to when they are not reading, preferring some TV, social media or web surfing, and i think the first steps are to provide them with material they are interested in. It could be something linked to a hobby or a spin off of their favourite TV show- anything just to get them picking up a book and turning pages. It’s our responsibility to learn about our children’s interests and then feed that interest where possible.

Q: How did you become an artist and writer – did you start drawing at a young age?

Thank you for referring to me as an artist! I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember but started to get serious about it in my mid teens when I discovered graphic novels. I loved the stories and the cinematic nature of them but it was the artwork I was most obsessed with. I’d spend hours, late at night, copying all of my favourite moments, learning about the artists’ technique and trying to emulate them. All of this fed into my love of storytelling and I’ve been trying to get stories out of my system ever since.

Q: Do you have a regular writing or drawing routine? 

I draw all day long as my other job is that of a storyboard artist in TV commercials and films. This work has very quick turnarounds so I draw a large volume of drawings at a rapid pace all day. When I switch into picture book mode, it’s sometimes hard to slow down and let the illustrations find themselves. I absolutely love drawing and looking at art at every opportunity.

Q: Are there any other authors and illustrators that you particularly admire?

All of them! It’s so hard to create - whether it’s words, pictures, music, textiles, food, etc - so anybody who does it, professionally or for fun, who can transform a blank space into something engaging and stimulating get my full admiration. If i have to name names, you can point the finger at Dave McKean who was, and is, my biggest inspiration. It was his graphic novel work, which I discovered in the early to mid 1990’s, which kept me up for hours and inspired me to try to better myself.

BIG is published by Oxford University Press and is out today.