Falmouth Graduate Illustrates Stunning Children's Encyclopaedia, Amazing Asia

Illustration BA graduate Jason Lyon has co-produced a beautifully crafted children’s encyclopaedia, Amazing Asia.

The book, which took Jason 12 months to illustrate, explores the rich diversity and history of Asia across its five regions: East, West, North and Central, South, and Southeast. It takes readers on an immersive journey across one of the most dynamic continents on the planet, exploring its history, culture, people, nature and future.

We caught up with Jason about the creation process and how he used his illustrations to convey the incredible stories of this vast and varied continent.

How did you get involved in illustrating Amazing Asia?

Myrto Dimitrakoulia, Quarto Publishing's senior designer, reached out to my illustration agent with this exciting opportunity to work on a fully illustrated encyclopaedia, following the success of their Africana title in September 2022. It didn’t take me long to accept the commission, as one of my earliest memories of drawing is sitting with my dad, sketching fascinating creatures from an encyclopaedia about marine life. It felt like a natural calling. I hope to inspire young readers in the same way I was inspired as a child.

How did you approach creating visuals for such a vast and diverse continent?

The wonderful team at Wide Eyed and the author, Rashmi, always provided ample information and text, which gave me a solid foundation for the illustrations. I also did my own research to deepen my understanding of the topics and to ensure everything was depicted accurately and respectfully, as it’s a non-fiction book filled with facts for children. In terms of the visual style, I wanted to bring my usual surreal, magical approach to this project because I aimed to capture a sense of warmth and wonder on every page. I believe I achieved that in the end.

What was the most challenging part of illustrating the book?

Overall, it was a bit challenging as it was my first picture book project. I'm more accustomed to working on editorial projects for magazines, journals, newspapers, and occasionally advertising, so managing the time and workload at the beginning was an adjustment. A particularly complex region for me was North and Central Asia. The region is rich in detail and vibrant, diverse cultures, so I spent a considerable amount of time focusing on capturing that complexity.

Which illustrations are you most proud of?

I'm particularly proud of all the illustrations for the 'Spectacular Sights' spreads. These pages highlight iconic landmarks from the five regions of Asia—East, West, North and Central, South, and Southeast. Each spread features a full double-page illustration of one landmark, accompanied by three circular spot illustrations of other landmarks. I was told that this section was redesigned specifically to suit my style, allowing the landmarks to capture an atmospheric and grand feel, which was a wonderful compliment to my work