Why Illustrator Jo Surman’s Work Glows with Light and Imagination
- David Salariya
- Aug 28
- 14 min read
Updated: Sep 24
Jo Surman: Illustrator, Storyteller, and a Creative Force
Jo Surman’s creative path
Jo Surman’s creative path reads like a kaleidoscope - graphic design, animation, heritage projects, augmented reality, children’s picture books and a novel, all building into a body of work that feels both richly textured and wholly her own.
Winner of the Stratford/Salariya Picture Book Prize for her debut Snow?, Jo is that rare illustrator whose technical skill and emotional storytelling rise in perfect tandem. Her images have a way of glowing - dappled in light and shadow, steeped in character, never quite sitting still.
The Stratford Salariya Picture Book Competition was created in partnership with Annie Ashworth, the driving force behind the Stratford Literary Festival, which she founded back in 2008. Under Annie’s inspired leadership the festival has flourished, not only becoming a major cultural event but also widening its reach through a remarkable programme of charitable work - from schools’ and community projects to the heart-warming initiative of running bedtime story writing workshops in prisons. It’s this blend of creativity, generosity, and imagination that made the competition such a special platform for
new illustrators like Jo.
Though Jo won the picture book prize with Snow? back in 2021, we didn’t actually meet for her winners’ lunch until February 2025, the global pandemic which interrupted business in more ways than one, certainly for me in a big way. When we finally did meet for lunch in Brighton, it was clear the delay hadn’t dulled her spark. If anything, it made the encounter feel all the more celebratory: a creative life paused, then restarted with even greater intent.
A trained graphic designer with a Master’s degree in Illustration, Jo’s work bears the mark of a deep visual literacy. She speaks in shapes, colour theory, and perspective as fluently as she does in emotion and imagination. From early influences like Peter Firmin and the mid-century magic of Alexander Lindberg to contemporary figures like Gareth Lucas and Chaya Prabhat, Jo’s creative heritage is both eclectic and intentional. It’s clear she doesn’t just admire illustration - she studies it, absorbs it, and then remakes it in her own voice.
Digital tools are a key part of that voice. Though she began her career resisting Photoshop, Jo now works in it with relish, layering texture, tweaking light, even building 3D models of giant mushrooms to get her story angles just right. But make no mistake: every project still begins with pencil and sketchbook. That grounding in physical mark-making keeps her work human, intuitive, and heartfelt.
What drives her is a boundless curiosity - and a quiet but fierce resilience. As someone who received a late ADHD diagnosis, Jo is now channelling that neurodivergent insight into books that celebrate difference and deepen understanding. Whether illustrating and writing nature-rich picture books or writing gothic middle-grade fiction inspired by Tim Burton, Nosferatu, and the Brontës, she brings a sense of joy and quiet rebellion to every project.
When she’s not drawing, Jo can be found walking her dogs through the leafy parks of Leamington Spa, working from bohemian cafés, or stealing quiet weekends in remote cottages where the noise of the world fades and ideas start to whisper. She’s inspired by Lucy Strange’s deliciously spooky prose, by John Martyn’s music, and by the sheer play of colour and shape.
At heart, Jo Surman is an artist who believes in the magic of storytelling and the power of a good pencil line. For her, success isn’t about fame or fanfare—it’s about making work that resonates, that matters, and that makes a child want to turn the page. “Fun is good,” she quotes Dr. Seuss - and you can feel that spirit, wry and radiant, in every image she makes.
Advertising to Animation
DS Your career has spanned diverse creative fields, from advertising to animation to heritage design. How have these varied experiences shaped your identity as an illustrator and storyteller? Are there specific lessons or approaches you’ve carried forward into your work?
JS I think that being in advertising meant that my illustration style has retained quite a graphic look and I find myself thinking about balance and the composition of shapes as a way of image making in the same way I would when using the principles of graphic design to create a poster. Working with Photoshop has dramatically influenced my understanding of colour; having the option to play with layers after they have been created and alter colour, hues and saturations has meant that I can play with the palette of an image after it is completed until I get precisely what I want and that ability to play leads to all sorts of exciting palette discoveries. Working in animation influences my work because having worked with 3D models I learnt a great deal about shading and lighting so my work has a strong light and shade feel to it, I’ve tried to dabble with flat illustration but I just don't feel that it's a finished piece if it’s not shaded.
A Master’s degree in Illustration
DS With a Master’s degree in Illustration, who are the artists or illustrators who have influenced your style and approach? Are there any specific works or creators that inspired you during your studies or career?
JS Studying other illustrators' work was fundamental in my growth as an illustrator and I would advise anyone setting out to become an illustrator to look for work that you admire and learn about how the illustrators who produce it. Often Illustrators will have a YouTube channel or the like that will show you how they produce their work. I grew up with story books that were illustrated by Peter Firmin and that 1960’s style has stayed dear to my heart although it probably isn’t represented in my illustrations directly but through colour and pattern. I collect books by other illustrators of that era including Lazlo Gal and Alexander Lindberg whose work still looks contemporary today. I relish lots of detail and hidden elements and I don’t do minimalism well. Contemporary Illustrators that I follow now include Paula Wearing who overlaps as a graphic designer, artist and illustrator too and has a strong emphasis on shape, colour and pattern. Gareth Lucas who is a joyful, playful illustrator of children’s books with a great sense of pattern and colour. Alex T Smith whose work is so whimsical and has a deeply nostalgic feel that somehow captures the ethos of the 1950’s illustrators and his work really warms my heart (and he has super cute dogs too). His illustrations stand alone, without words, and tell magical stories by themselves with heaps of humour. Richard Jones who is an author and illustrator and a master at creating beautiful, lively textured illustrations that glow with warmth and vibrancy. Natalia Shaloshvili creates the most adorable and enigmatic characters in paints and pastels that convey great personality and charisma. Chaya Prabhats work is so sumptuous and she creates the most beautiful worlds full of vivid, luscious and daring colour palettes. I just adore everything she creates.
Animation, and Digital Design
DS With your background in 3D modelling, animation, and digital design, do you find yourself drawn to combining traditional and digital techniques in your illustrations? What’s your preferred medium or process when working on children’s books?
JS I resisted going digital at the beginning of my career but it was impossible to avoid as a graphic designer but, after the initial timidity, I found that I began to savour it and most of my work now is produced in Photoshop. I will sometimes model an element in 3D modelling software to help me plan quirky, distorted perspectives i.e. a recent picture book idea that I was developing had an enormous mushroom in it that would be looked at from different viewpoints throughout the book so I made a 3D model of it and set up different cameras with dramatic camera angles around it to represent different viewpoints and emotions. I then rendered stills of it and took them into Photoshop as a base layer to build over them. I always draw sketches out first though and import them into Photoshop and sometimes I will create pastel textures and backgrounds and bring them in too.
The Stratford Salariya Picture Book Prize
DS Winning the Stratford/Salariya Picture Book Prize for your book Snow? was a major milestone. How has this recognition impacted your career, and what doors has it opened for you - if any? Has it influenced how you approach new projects?
JS Winning the Strattford/Salariya picture book prize was phenomenal for me and I will always be hugely grateful for it. Firstly the validation it gave me cannot be overestimated. As fledgling unpublished writers and illustrators we are plagued with doubt about our work and the industry is notorious for being virtually impossible to break into so that reality weighs heavy on us. Winning the prize was like someone giving me a ticket through the mighty gates that enshroud the publishing world. Receiving your printed book in the post is a feeling like no other and seeing it in shops is so uplifting. On a personal level it’s been amazing to have my book published around the world and to have people contact me to tell me that they like it. I've made some wonderful new friends around the world. I believe that having the prize has helped me secure an agent too and given me scope for future work.
Adaptability and Curiosity
DS Your career journey demonstrates a deep adaptability and curiosity. As you look to the future, are there any new styles, media, or formats you’re excited to explore? Could you see yourself experimenting with new techniques or storytelling approaches?
JS I would like to develop my illustration further and fine tune a distinctive style and I would like to do this by softening the look of the elements in my work more. The danger of working solely in Photoshop is that images can look too sharp edged so I would aim to use a pencil or charcoal brush to soften and fix this. I think it would be nice to go back to painting with acrylics and experimenting with texture and then incorporating it in photoshop to develop it further. I have just written a middle grade gothic novel and would like to illustrate that with line drawings so this would be a bit of a departure for me. For my masters degree I designed an augmented reality book but was disappointed with the publishing industry's response to AR. I am hopeful that there may be opportunities to develop more AR books in the future as I feel it's a vastly overlooked format for storytelling and it has so much scope for creating magical reading experiences.
Future Work?
DS Do you have any upcoming projects or books in development that you can share? Are there themes or ideas you’re particularly excited to explore in your future work? Who or what inspires you creatively today?
JS I have about five picture books in the pipeline that are finished to varying degrees. Most of them are nature based and I have done a follow on to ‘Snow?’ but I’m also working on books about autism. Having ADHD myself I want to help bring about a deeper understanding of what it’s like to navigate the world neuro divergently. I love having ADHD but have only come to understand and embrace it later in life so I want to promote it positively and to help children understand themselves and teachers understand them. I also have a 28,000 word middle grade gothic novel that is in the process of being edited at the moment and I have enjoyed this new venture enormously and would like to write many more including adult fiction. I’m inspired by the writer Lucy Strange because her books have a classic feel and are deliciously spooky and magical too. I’m a huge Tim Burton fan and also love the classic gothic tales, Wuthering Heights being one of my ultimately favourite books, along with A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I love films like Sleepy Hollow and Nosferatu, I studied German Expressionist Cinema for my masters degree and I’ve no doubt that the gothic components of these films have crept into my writing. Whether it’s specific people, places, or even experiences, where do you find the spark for your ideas? I’m lucky to live in a very beautiful town and despite living here for over 20 years it still inspires and uplifts me. History and architecture are like food for my mind and there are some lovely parks here too. Being amongst nature certainly has a beneficial effect on my creativity and walking the dogs is a great way to clear the mind and let the creative thoughts materialise. I take a sketchbook to the park, take photographs and make notes on my phone as I walk. I sometimes have mini holidays to remote cottages to eliminate all the noise of everyday life from around me and this seems to be a great way of gaining inspiration and focusing my mind but, paradoxically, I love working in quirky, bohemian cafes with strong creative vibes about them too.
DS For aspiring illustrators and authors, what’s the most important piece of advice you’d give about breaking into the world of children’s publishing? Are there any pitfalls to avoid or habits to cultivate?
Advice?
JS I would definitely advise entering competitions. Keep entering as many as you can find. Winning a competition greatly helps people take notice of you and you can use it in all of your self promotions. Find your style too and build on it and develop it. Look through Pinterest and make folders of work that you love and then try to put your own unique spin on the images that you like. Before you know it you’ll be developing and growing, becoming more proficient and sophisticated, your own creativity will take you on a journey and great things will emerge. It's very hard indeed to get responses from publishers, even to get replies to emails, and it can feel very soul destroying. When you get a reply it's like gold! Promises and assurances often come to nothing too. You can have very positive meetings where so much is discussed and promised but you never hear back from them again so you have to have resilience. Don’t ever give up though, we do this because we love it and no other job will be as satisfying. Getting an agent is a great advantage if you're not good with understanding and negotiating contracts. Research agents to find out who represents your kind of style of work and then write to as many as you can. Again, sadly, most won't reply at all but you only need one to and you’re away! If you’re a writer I would greatly recommend Jericho Writers which is a company run by industry experts that offers a great wealth of support to writers in the forms of mentoring, tutoring, events, online workshops and video classes and a community of other authors to share your work with and to support you. They also offer one to one chats with agents which will be extremely illuminating.
A Turning Point?
DS Looking back on your journey, from studying art to working in industries like children’s television and interactive software, is there a moment that felt like a turning point for your artistic path? How did it influence where you are today?
JS I always wanted to work as an illustrator creating children's picture books but somehow I drifted through different careers in design without making that decision to go for it. I have thoroughly enjoyed every sphere that I’ve worked in but I’ve found my true vocation now and I put that conscious shift in career and motivation to change down to becoming a parent. My parents read to me every night and I cherished that time so much. They would read Dr Zeus and my dad would make up stories about a little guy called Plasticine Man and I would visualise every element of his stories in glorious colour. It was a very special time indeed so it was natural for me to want to repeat that with my children. As I was reading the picture books to them I found that I was enjoying them just as much as they were and it was the catalyst I needed to finally go for it. I realised that I had a huge portfolio of graphic work but very little illustration so I decided to do an MA in illustration. I had a fabulous teacher, Kate Milner who is an incredible illustrator, who supported me and believed in me. She told me about the Stratford/Salariya picture book competition and the rest is history.
What Does Success Mean To You As A Creative?
DS Finally, what does success mean to you as a creative? Is it about personal fulfillment, audience connection, or something else entirely?
JS Winning the Salariya Picture Book Prize has been life-changing for me. Having that kind of validation from such an individal publisher has given me a huge confidence boost and solidified my belief that I’m in the right industry. Success, to me, is about feeling like I’m on the right path - doing what I love, growing creatively, and knowing that my work resonates with others. This experience has given me the motivation to keep pushing forward and trusting my instincts as an illustrator and author.
Jo Surman 20 Question Quickfire!
1. Favourite colour? Purple
2. Do you listen to anything when working? John Martyn or audio books
3. Artist who had the most influence? Gareth Lucas (illustrator, does that count?)
4. Who is your favourite artist? John William Waterhouse or Tamara De Lempika
5. If you weren't an author/artist what would you be doing? Interior designer
6. How do you come up with ideas? Walking the dogs and being amongst nature
7. When did you start drawing? As soon as I could hold a pencil, it was all I wanted to do even at preschool
8. Favourite film all-time? Amelie
9. What do you do in your free time? Eating out with family and friends
10. What do you do when you are stuck for inspiration? Walk in nature, look at Pinterest or visit a place similar to the setting of the book.
11. Favourite holiday destination? Dartmoor
12. Who or what makes you laugh? Milton Jones and Have I Got News For You.
13. Favourite guilty pleasure? Chocolate
14. Favourite season? Spring
15. What time of day are you most productive? Late morning
16. How long does it take to illustrate a book? My illustration style is pretty labour intensive so I would say about 3 - 6 months
17 Last book you read? "The Ghost of Gosswater" by the brilliant Lucy Strange
18. Words to live by? "Fun is good" Dr Seuss
19. Do you ever visit schools? Yes, usually at Christmas to do workshops with the book 20. Where do you work?
At a local cafe in Leamington Spa called Temperance, Warwick library and at home.
Final Word and Thank You
It was a real pleasure to finally meet Jo Surman over lunch in Brighton - some four years after she won the Stratford/Salariya Picture Book Prize with her beautiful debut pictur book Snow?.
The pandemic, of course, had other ideas about the timing of our winner’s lunch. But if anything, that long-delayed meeting only reaffirmed what the judges sensed back in 2021: Jo is an artist of exceptional warmth, wit, and talent, with a distinctive creative voice that deserves to be widely heard - and read.
When I first established the Stratford/Salariya Picture Book Prize with the Stratford Literary festival in 2017, I hoped it would help bring fresh, original talents into the spotlight - voices that might otherwise struggle to break through in a crowded and cautious market. Jo represents exactly what that prize was created to celebrate: technical craft, originality of vision, emotional intelligence, and a deep understanding of how words and pictures can speak to a child’s imagination.
From our conversation, it’s clear Jo has only just begun to explore what’s possible. Whether she’s writing gothic fiction for middle-grade readers, championing neurodivergent perspectives, or building entire story worlds out of pattern, light, and detail, she brings a rare combination of curiosity and care to everything she does.
So thank you, Jo, for your time, your candour, and your generosity in sharing your journey. And above all - congratulations. You are a thoroughly deserving winner, and I can’t wait to see where your creative path leads next.
A Final Word
The Stratford/Salariya Picture Book Prize was one of the projects I was proud to have been -part of, an open door for new talent in an industry not always known for leaving them ajar. Jo Surman’s Snow? was one such success: a book full of warmth, wit, and winter light. It now appears as First Snow (Templar Publishing, ISBN 9781800787810), wearing different livery, its origins quietly swept from view. These things happen.
When I closed the Salariya Book Company in 2022, it wasn’t one reason - it never is. Illness played its part, yes, but so did the tangled bureaucracy of HR laws, Brexit logistics, shipping disasters, warehouse lethagy, and the creeping realisation that I’d spent too long with mummies and dinosaurs. There comes a point when even the most resilient ringmaster grows weary of the circus.
The decision was not taken lightly. Too many people were affected for that. But in retrospect - what a strange gift the pandemic gave me: the space to stop, and the silence to listen for what might come next.
I’m proud of what we did. I am recovered. And I’m grateful to Jo for this generous conversation- and for reminding me that, beneath all the forms and freight delays, books still begin with stories and someone brave enough to tell them.
David Salariya
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