A Q&A with illustrator and writer Matthew Hodson
by Matthew Hodson, illustrator and writer
We spoke with Matthew Hodson - illustrator, writer, and co-founder of the small press Bumpy Books - about SOSOGES, our book of the month and his latest children's book based on a nonsense poem. Discover how he turned a fit of giggles into a book beloved by children.
Where did the idea for SOSOGES come from?
It was one of those silly conversations where you get the giggles at the simplest idea - in this case, changing the spelling of ‘sausages’ to ‘sosoges’. It didn’t stop being funny for some time, so eventually, I made a book about it. Part of the reason for running a small press is to have the space to nurture silly ideas like this all the way through to a finished product.
How did you decide which ‘things’ to include in this book?
There’s a simple rhyme scheme throughout the book, which informed many of the choices, but also included things I thought would be interesting to design and, of course, words that sounded nice when misspelt. I really wanted to include ‘nepples’ in the body parts spread, but some things just can’t be illustrated.
How did you create the illustrations?
After sketching, I’d paint simple shapes of each thing with thinned-down acrylic. I usually create multiples of analogue artwork; it helps me make things without feeling too precious and becomes a process of selecting my favourite from each sprint.
After that, I use a nail technician's air compressor (it looks like a tiny panda) hooked up to an airbrush to apply various colours of ink. I like the hazy and slightly out-of-control application. For the eyes, spots, and dots, I use kids' crafting foam cut into shapes to make simple stamps, which I ink from librarians' ink pads.
The final paintings are then cut out by hand to achieve the curves and angles I want before scanning them in. The whole process was a delight and a healthy break from previous screen-based projects.
Why do you think this is the best way to illustrate your poem?
Though I typically work with a drawn line, I’ve always loved the immediacy, joy, and scope of graphic images. I like the tension between the silliness of the text and the measured poise of its design. All the design work for Bumpy Books is done by Orlando Lloyd, based in Edinburgh. We discuss the design of each book throughout the process, which I think really helps us deliver the right tone for each text. Early SOSOGES mood boards referenced Enzo Mari, Bruno Munari, early Pelican and Puffin titles, as well as some modernist catalogues from the ’60s.
What was your favourite ‘thing’ to illustrate, and why?
Some of the 'things' took multiple days in the studio to get right before I was satisfied, which is quite silly, really, considering how much I talk about working intuitively. However, Alafant came out like that on my first attempt and is my favourite image from the book.
We love the glossary - what made you feel it was important to include?
Ah, that was Orlando’s suggestion, inspired by a vintage catalogue he’d seen that had a glossary matrix in the back pages, which allowed for more clean white space in the interior spreads.
We liked the idea of expanding the reading experience for slightly older, more curious children.
The writing was done quite last minute, very much in the spirit of Bumpy Books but not without its risks. There are a few pieces of writing in there that I don’t like and feel a flush of shame when I re-read them, but that’s part of the fun of self-publishing. We’re happy to make mistakes in the pursuit of trying something different.
Who should read SOSOGES?
I think it has quite broad appeal. It’s not a timeless storybook but more of a curiosity piece. Having seen kids read it, I believe it engages both early years children with its visual simplicity (dogs, cats, elephants, apples) and primary-age children with its slightly silly and transgressive tone of voice.
What are you working on next?
Currently, I have two book proposals in development, which I will try to find a publisher for, so that’s my focus for the next few months. After that, I have a poem about a dog called Michael that I want to try to make with foam or possibly wooden stamps. Ultimately, I’m aiming to create picture books that engage both children and adults in the performance of reading aloud. Silly, uncomplicated, and joyful books—I’m not sure I’ve completely figured it out yet, but it’s fun trying.