Hi there, Macha here, nice to meet you !
I’m a lava-lamps-lover, French-born children’s illustrator and creative designer living at the foot of Tiger Mountain in Taipei, Taiwan, after nine happy years in Leeds (Yorkshire represent!).
Most of my adulthood has been spent abroad, collecting stories, colours, and characters everywhere I go. And with my good dose of Peter Pan syndrome, illustrating stories for kids really feels like the best job in the world.
How it all began
After spending my early years doodling on the kitchen floor and binge-watching Tom & Jerry on rainy Sunday afternoons, I eventually took a more socially acceptable route with a degree in cinema editing and special effects. Along the way, I picked up everything I still use today, from storytelling rhythm to composition.
A decade of freelancing in the TV and design world later, I finally took the leap, worked reallyyyy hard, and shifted my career toward what I’d always wanted to do: essentially keep doing what I started on that kitchen floor.
In 2024, I joined my dream agency, Plum. Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to draw for kids and call it work.
Influences
My work carries many of the things I loved growing up, neon colours, the glow of arcades, the freedom of bike rides with friends going nowhere in particular, and the goofy, silly energy that come with being a kid. I aim to create artwork that feels joyful, empowering, and a little bit rebellious — the kind of worlds eight-year-old me would have loved to escape into.
My tastes lean toward 90s aesthetics and pop culture, the whimsy of Hilda, Studio Ghibli films and The Little Prince, the playful absurdity of Adventure Time, and a lifelong love of comics (well, bande dessinées!). I’m also drawn to bright colour palettes, spooky stories, and abandoned funfairs, all the little worlds that keep my imagination busy.
Circa 1996 (meet the kid I still draw for today!)
Tools
Most of my work happens on an iPad using Procreate. It’s where I sketch, refine, and colour, and I love how flexible and intuitive it feels (and that it lets me work from the couch!). I also keep a (very messy) sketchbook in my bag for sudden inspirations, doodles and notes (but no-one is allowed to see it!).
I can’t resist trying new mediums, whether it’s acrylic, markers, or unusual craft supplies found at my local art shop. I play with them on weekends with my 2 kids (and brutally honest creative advisors!)  or during classes I teach. Those little experiments often find their way back into my digital work.
One of my latest obssession : collage comics!
A word about community
My absolute favourite part of working in the kids’ book industry is immersing myself in new worlds, bringing unique characters to life. But most of all, it’s all about the humans I do it with!  I cherish the relationships side of this job just as much as the drawing side, and I’ve been lucky to form long-lasting friendships with the people I collaborate with, and with fellow illustrators who make this industry feel joyful, supportive, and anything but lonely. Children publishing peeps are just the best!Â
Clashing patterns: a sure sign you’ve spotted a group a illustrators friends (here on a Florence escape during Bologna Fair, in 2023)
Fun facts
Longboard dancing is my happy place
Plus it’s convenient for school-runs!
I became a british citizen in 2024
Please teach me all your british slang so I can sound legit
I’m a black belt in taekwondo
I promise I’m a nice person though! Kicking stuff is my best therapy
I feel at home by the sea
I grew up in Brittany,
on the North West coast of France,
(where everyone is part human, part seagull)