“[It’s] a bit of a coup for me, it’s called The Tiny Star,”  she said.

“So that’s my first book that I’ve done with her. It’s been a really interesting experience because it’s not her normal type of book, it’s for older children, it’s been a challenge but it’s been a lovely artistic experience.”

But as that work has continued she has also agreed to part with many of her original works for the first time.

“I guess I wanted to share them. It’s sad to see [them] sitting in my drawers at home,” she said.

Ms Blackwood has about 50 original works and prints at her first selling exhibition opening at The Peisley Street Gallery on Thursday January 24 from 6pm and is on daily until February 22.

“Some of these originals for sale are ones ... it is hard to part with stuff, so they are work that I feel ... sometimes they are older books or they’re books I don’t have the same emotional [link] with,” she said.

“The work I’m really fond of, that I can’t bear to part with, I’m selling as prints.”

The works are priced from $170-$1695 and range from some of her earliest work in 2007 to more recent books.

Ms Blackwood said she loved illustrating picture books, with each project taking several months.

“I’m pretty lucky, I can work school hours,” she said.

VIDEO: Freya Blackwood talks about her work

“I get presented with the text and I find what I feel is the right way to illustrate that story.

“Generally there is a different feel to each book based on what I think would best work for the story. I always see it like a little movie.

“I only illustrate picture books, that’s my main job, I’ve done the odd mural but I love picture books and it’s because I like the story.

“I’d struggle to create a work if there wasn’t a story to illustrate.

“There’s a lot of thought and planning that goes into the book from the characters in it and the little environment they’ll be in and the design of each page and the colour scheme, so actually it takes me six months, [that] would be the minimum.” 

She said authors rarely got involved with illustrating or instructing illustrators.

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“Some authors are more interested in the drawing side while others are quite happy just to let you go and do your thing,” she said.

“It’s nice to be trusted with someone’s story,” she said.