Nicolle Lalonde• Winter 2024
Nicolle Lalonde (@nicollelalonde) is a Toronto-based illustrator with a passion for storytelling and creating captivating narratives through her art. Born and raised in Pickering, Ontario, Nicolle is an alumni of OCAD University’s illustration program and now spends her days working on a variety of freelance projects. She believes illustration has the unique power to add a touch of magic to everyday life and she hopes to spark little moments of inspiration and joy with her artwork.
When she’s not at her drawing table, Nicolle finds inspiration in her cozy, plant-filled home, where she enjoys gaming, delving into mystery novels, and experimenting in the kitchen with cooking and baking. She’s also an avid nature lover, frequently exploring hiking trails, camping spots, and Toronto’s vibrant vintage shops in search of hidden treasures.
Discover what fuels Nicolle’s passion for storytelling— read on to delve into her artistic journey!
Hi Nicolle, can you share a bit about yourself and your art journey?
Hi! I’m Nicolle and I’m a freelance illustrator originally from Pickering, Ontario. Creating has always been the centre of my life so it’s very natural that I pursued it further in my education. I applied to the OCAD University illustration program not really fully understanding what the world of illustration actually was - I just knew that I liked the program span between fine art and design, and I saw that my studies could lead to a number of interesting paths in the future.
I kicked off my freelance life after I worked on my first picture book with Annick Press. And now I spend much of my time illustrating puzzles among other things.
Our Big Little Place book illustrations by Nicolle
What sparked your interest in illustration?
I was always doodling and creating since I was young, even self-publishing little story books for my friends and family. I also always really loved animation and I spent hours creating animations on my computer as a little kid. I really dreamed of becoming an animator and I felt that I needed to study illustration first to get to my end-goal. I totally fell in love with the world of illustration in the meantime, and I realized it was actually a much better fit for me.
How would you describe your art style and how long did it take you to develop it?
I would describe it as warm, vocative, and thoughtful. I really want to create artwork that feels inviting and familiar to the viewer - I’m always thinking of the story behind what I'm doing and what I'm creating, and I want to find ways to make it feel both interesting and dynamic.
I would say I really started to find a groove for myself around 2019. I think the roots of my current style started during my thesis but it took a little bit more time for me to find a way that felt true to myself and my own sensibilities as an artist. I've also learned to embrace that style is not static and that’s okay.
What are the important tools you use in your daily work?
I found that using my iPad to sketch out ideas on Procreate was a total game changer. Since much of the work I do needs to be created at a very high resolution, I use Photoshop to digitally paint most of my final artwork.
Can you describe the process you take when creating illustrations for puzzles?
Puzzle illustrations by Nicolle
Sure! I really love creating puzzles. Whether I’m given a brief from a client or given full rein on what I get to do, I’m always thinking about the future puzzler and how to make the artwork as enjoyable for them. I always want to make scenes that have lots of opportunity for colour, detail, and a little bit of storytelling. I always start with a detailed sketch, then I move onto colour samples for the client, and then I spend the rest of my time bringing the sketch to life through colour. I sometimes even overlay a puzzle grid over the final artwork to make sure that every little piece is fun and not too challenging.
You can also find some easter eggs within my art - I’ve added some of my friends in them, mostly their pets, and I’ve also signed my parents’ names into some as well.
Have you ever run into an artist’s block? If so, where do you turn to for inspiration?
For sure, art block is unfortunately inevitable and just part of artist life. For me, I often find it means I just need a change of scenery or a change in medium - so switching out what tools I'm using and then the creative juice will start flowing again in time. I find that if I take time to visit an art gallery or museum or try sketching on a notepad or in a cafe, it really helps to break out of the slump.
Which of your work is your favourite so far?
It’s a super hard question but I often find myself wanting to jump right into the artwork of the Autumn Cottage puzzle that I created for Trevell, and same with the Warm & Cozy puzzle which is the scene with the girl wrapped in a blanket with the cat. Those are scenes I see myself wanting to be in.
Who is your biggest inspiration or illustration idol?
I grew up watching Studio Ghibli films so their beautiful artwork and animation have always been one of my biggest inspirations. If you watch the level of detail they put into small animations - like when Chihiro puts her shoes on, she does it like how a little kid would actually put her shoes on and taps her feet, and that’s clearly someone who understands things like that. I want to bring real life into my artwork even if it’s kind of like a fantasy.
I also really admire the work of illustrator Carson Ellis and animator Tom Moore.
Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away
Work by animation studio Cartoon Saloon
Work by illustrator Carson Ellis
What's your dream client or project?
It sounds a little bit corny but this project really fulfilled one of my wishes for me. I really wanted to work on a project involving drawing food, and it was even better that I got to illustrate a cozy winter scene for the cover. Aside from that, I would also really love to work on a book about nature where I get to draw lots of plants and animals.
Can you tell us more about your inspiration behind the Winter 2024 Menu art and what messages you wanted to convey?
I really wanted to invoke that super cozy feeling of being in a warm and inviting space in the middle of winter. Many years ago, my family took a winter trip to Quebec and we stopped at this quaint little restaurant in the middle of nowhere to have crepes and hot chocolate. We still talk about it to this day, it was so wonderful and I wanted to capture a bit of that nostalgic comfy feeling in the artwork.
What's your ideal creative environment? Do you listen to anything in the background - music, podcasts, movies? Do you have favorites that you recommend?
I can struggle to find my focus at times. I often find myself listening to video game soundtracks or lofi music without lyrics when I'm trying to find my work groove. There's an animators channel that creates playlists called Blue Turtle that I really like. I also listen to podcasts, usually history podcasts like Noble Blood or audiobooks like Phoebe Reads a Mystery.
I love being at home because I find it easiest to stay focused that way. I get distracted quite easily in a cafe, but I do like taking a break to study at a library or work at a cafe sometimes just to give myself a little bit of change of scenery.
When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing most in your spare time?
I really love spending time in nature. I was really lucky to get to take a short camping trip to Killarney this autumn and I really appreciated the break from the busy city life.
If you can give a piece of advice to anyone new in the industry what would it be?
I would say be kind to yourself and remember that good things take time. Remember to embrace your own unique perspective/voice and don't get stuck comparing yourself to others. Not everything you do is going to be a masterpiece and that's ok, what matters is to let yourself keep growing and explore what brings you joy.
