Introducing Rachel Ortas, whimsical creator of unique worlds
Rachel Ortas was born in Majorca and raised in a bohemian artist family in Paris. Inspired by the whimsical worlds of the Moomins and Hayao Miyazaki, she loves to explore imaginary worlds, emotions, and humour through digital art, silkscreen and risograph printing. As the creator of The Messy Monster Book for OKIDO in 2007, she helped build the world of Messy Monster, who became the lead in the BBC series Messy Goes to OKIDO.
Let’s find out what else she's working on, where she finds her inspiration, how her process works, and more:
What would you say is your best piece of work or collaboration to date, and why?
Maybe the best so far it’s the fantastic world of OKIDO, where Messy Monster makes so many children happy. This adventure has also became a collaborative project and I find that so enriching.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Directly from my childhood and from the kids around me — not to mention the funny cats I share my house with.
Is there anything you'd be a good advocate for?
It’s okay to feel red, blue, yellow, or swirly pink sparkles. Every child, girl and boy, belongs to our planet. From tiny bugs to faraway stars, wonder is everywhere and science is fun. For older humans... War, grief, loss — my drawings explore them gently, hiding sorrow in a child’s line. Always tender, always touched by hope.
What would you say sets you apart from other illustrators? Something you feel is unique to you.
What sets me apart might be my imagination. I believe everyone sees the world a little differently. I try to bring my own playful way of seeing things into my work.
What is something that clients come back to you for?
People usually come to me for fun, imaginative stories with kids or animals... Friendly monsters full of heart, a bit of magic, and themes like empathy, equality, the wonders of nature and the magic of science.
How would you describe your style?
My work began with silkscreen printing and sewing giant fluffy monsters. Since then, I’ve been creating playful worlds of innocent yet zany creatures, with a pinch of yokai spirit. It’s charmingly naïve.
Please give a scenario of a dream project that would mean the world to you — something personally meaningful.
I’ve always wanted to create a fun and thoughtful book about philosophy for young children. Something playful but meaningful — a book that encourages asking “why?” Also, I have a dream to create a picture book that celebrates neurodiversity — telling the story of a child growing up with diverse needs, starting life as non-verbal. It would be full of tenderness, mischief, and poetry. The story wouldn’t shy away from challenges, but it would be filled with love, humour and wonder. This project would be especially meaningful to me because it would be inspired by my little brother.
Are you working on any personal projects you can share with us?
A series of riso posters about innocent critters tangled in a violent war. But also about peace and hope. I am also working on a hand-drawn animation about the moon and some spirits for a music video.
Finally, if you were to illustrate a book related to a real life person, who would you choose?
I’m inspired by humanist heroes and artists. I’d love to tell the childhood story of Joséphine Baker.
If you’d like more info, please contact [email protected].
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