[Featured Illustrators] Sayada Ramdial

Although Sayada Ramdial has not yet illustrated a children's book, she has worked on several design projects for children and hopes to illustrate a picturebook one day. Her Christmas card line, "Designed For a Smile" celebrates the spirit of Trinidad and Tobago Christmas, often through the eyes of childhood. Her illustrations are done entirely digitally in Photoshop with the aid of a graphics tablet.

The illustration "Making Pastelles" captures one of the traditions of Trinidad Christmas: making pastelles! Pastelles are delicious seasonal pies made of cornmeal and stuffed with meat. Ramdial says: "I wanted to show in this illustration the feeling of family bonding through cooking. That, and the inevitable stealing of some meat from out of the bowl!"

The illustration "Christmas Eve" was inspired by a personal memory: "When I was very young, my sister and I would wake up in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve and go with flashlights to the Christmas tree to sneak a peak at what Santa had brought us. It was all fun and games until we got caught and were sent straight back to bed!" Sounds familiar?

Making Pastelles

Sayada on what Caribbean children's illustration means to her:

"Caribbean children's illustration to me means representing our culture in a way that educates, engages, and delights children, and makes our young people feel included in media meant especially for them." 

Biography

Sayada Ramdial is an artist and illustrator from Trinidad and Tobago. Her love of drawing from an early age was nurtured and grew, eventually leading to her pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art & Design. Since graduating in 2012, she has returned to Trinidad to work as a freelance illustrator. Her illustrations appear in the poetry collection Through The Eyes of Innocence by Tessa Pascall and are also forthcoming in books by Andy Campbell and Jan Westmaas.

View more of Sayada's work here:

http://sayadaramdial.com/

Christmas Eve

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About Anansesem

Anansesem is an online magazine of Caribbean children's and young adult literature by adults and children. We strive to bring you the best in news, reviews and creative content from the world of Caribbean children's publishing.