Isabelle Arsenault
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Isabelle Arsenault, the illustrator of Just Because, in her workspace in Montreal, Quebec.
I worked on a very special custom drawing table that my father built and gave to me for my birthday that year. Its an inclined table that I described to him and that he created, adding even more cool features. It was very interesting to inaugurate the table with this book project, which I end up dedicating to my highly creative dad.
I received the manuscript for Just Because and, of course, I liked the story — its tone, the absurd sense of humor and the ending. The manuscript came along with two vintage images, some visual references suggested by the writer, Mac Barnett. I liked these images very much. They looked as if they came from an old documentary book or encyclopedia. The project started taking shape in my mind. I wanted to find an approach that would be classic and warm but still contemporary. I could say this one was inspired by the old documentary books of my childhood.