I just love getting an inside peek into how others in this profession work. Check out this 15 minute interview with Ed Emberly. Good stuff here:
An interview from the Hatchette Book Group with Patrick McDonnell about his new picture book biography Me…Jane.
Patrick McDonnell tells the story of the young Jane Goodall and her special childhood toy chimpanzee named Jubilee. As the young Jane observes the natural world around her with wonder, she dreams of “a life living with and helping all animals,” until one day she finds that her dream has come true.
When did you get started illustrating for children? What did you do before?
I started a few years ago when I was asked by Harper to do work for the Bella Sara books. Before that I was doing art for RPGs. In fact I had been working (freelance) with the Bella Sara company (Hidden City Entertainment) on their Clout game before they picked up Bella Sara. I enjoyed the move and the chance to draw horses. I am a fan of drawing animals.
I understand much of your current work is for the chapter book Bella Sara series the most recent one, #11: Amia and the Ice Gems by Felicity Brown came out recently. Can you tell us about the books and your involvement in them?
I had been working on the cards for a tad when the license for the books were picked up by Harper Festival. I believe it was around the time of the Magical Creature set (I remember they liked the Lien card) Harper approached several artists working on the cards at the time. I felt very lucky, the Bella Sara books were fun to work on.
Can you share any of the preliminary art for the books you recently completed?
Sure. Here are several roughs.
For number 7 I proposed a few ideas. We went with the new idea so the character would be looking at the audience and then the ship had to be changed to match the script. #6 was also a proposed change. My art director was very nice and open to ideas. I would happily work with him again. =)
What are you working on right now? Do you have any other books or art projects you’d like to talk about?
I finished up a short on the Bunny General, and am currently getting a new short about a Valkyrie off the ground (will have several cute critters in it =)
I am also finishing up some very cute art for a possible baby line of art, working title is Sleeping Safari. Many nice things came about at San Diego and I hope I will have something to announce soon.
Do you illustrate full time? If not, what else do you do?
Yes.
When you illustrate a book how do you decide what scenes and details to draw?
Usually a scene is picked for me to draw. But I will try to distill a chosen scene down to what I think that piece is about and focus in on that.
When illustrating books do you include a visual storyline not mentioned by the text or include animals or people you know?
On occasion… Mostly I like to work in mushrooms or acorns into a picture somewhere. Now and then I will add things for background interest, usually animals doing something.
Can you explain your art process? (please include a URL link to any visuals you may have on a blog or web site)
Here you go: J.L. Meyer Illustrations: How I Work
Of late I’ve started to use the alpha channel selection method to color my line work (like I did on the last unicorn).
Do you have a favorite color or palette?
Generally the project dictates the colors, but when I have the option… right now I am favoring a neutral/subdued palette or something more earth toned.
If I have the option I do like something more atmospheric.
What is your favorite medium to work in? Have you always worked in this media? If not, why did you switch?
My favorite medium is pencil. I’ve worked in that for a long while. I also enjoy the versitility of digital coloring.
Did you always want to be an artist when you grew up?
I think at one point really early on I wanted to be a librarian (I love books), then I decided I wanted to draw my own worlds. I love visual storytelling. I studied both animation and illustration in college.
Do you use models/source pictures or do you draw from your memory/imagination?
A bit of both. I have found that working stricly from models/source pictures tends to stiff-in my figures so I do a bit of both.
If you could be anything other than an artist, what would you be?
Travel photographer~ wildlife, exotic locations, beautiful sunsets.
What gets you through an illustration when you?re stuck for inspiration?
Going for a walk, music, flipping threw the internet, I have an inspiration file, going to the book store (generally just getting out), or taking a shower.
What book do you remember from when you were young?
The Dark Phoenix, There is no such thing as a Dragon, Are you my mother? and Bunnicula.
Is there a children’s book illustrator whose work you gravitate towards in the bookstore now?
I do like Diterlizzi’s work.
I am a fan of Mucha, Hasui, Waterhouse, and Amano.
If you could illustrate any writer’s new work, who would it be?
I like Mike Carey’s work of late.
Thank you so much for sharing your time with us today!
Escape From Illustration Island (EFII) is the brainchild of Thomas James, an Illustrator and Writer located in Portland, Oregon who works tirelessly to provide useful content, encourage community participation, and help Illustrators escape their isolation.
Thomas James is an Illustrator, Writer, and Podcaster based in Portland, Oregon. In 2009 he created Escape from Illustration Island, a website, podcast, and art community devoted to sharing resources and inspiration with Illustrators and other creative professionals. He is also the author of the new eBook, 15 Steps to Freelance Illustration, due out on June 15th.
Thomas has written guest posts for Fuel Your Illustration, Design TAXI, and the Creative Freelancer Blog, and has appeared on Illustration podcasts and blogs such as Big Illustration Party Time, Chris Oatley’s Artcast, Art & Story, Zero 2 Illo, Workbook, and Ninja Mountain.
In his spare time, of which there is never enough, Thomas enjoys life with his beautiful wife Melissa and his awe-inspiring twin daughers Emma and Olivia.
Why did you start EFII?
Thanks so much for inviting me to answer your questions, Wendy. I’m really flattered.
The name Escape from Illustration Island comes from the idea that Illustrators often live and work in the isolation of their studios. I created the site and the podcast as a way of bringing creative professionals together to share ideas, resources and inspiration. This has grown into a thriving community of artists eager to share, which is something that I’m both happily surprised by and extremely grateful for.
I see you have a podcast as well as tutorials, articles and other resources for illustrators. Do you find keeping all the content fresh to take time away from your illustration work?
Actually, I was beginning to feel bored and uninspired with my Illustration style, so EFII was a welcome diversion while still working on something related to Illustration. Fortunately, I’ve been able to turn the site into an alternate income stream with the help of my generous sponsors. This allowed me the freedom to take a step back with my art, and think about where I really wanted to go with it. As a result, I completely overhauled my style to be something that I’m excited about again. So, EFII has actually been a blessing in that way as well.
It seems as if the site has morphed into a huge thing. Was this a plan or a happy accident?
It started very small. In fact at first it was just a list of resource links that I’d compiled over the years. I quickly realized that there was a huge demand for a place that artists can turn to for advice, inspiration, tutorials, and other resources. Being a podcast junkie myself, starting an audio show seemed like the logical next step. Thanks to Nate Williams, I was able to also syndicate the podcast on Illustration Mundo, which helped to get the message out there. I soon saw that I was in a unique position to speak to such amazing people as Steven Heller, Drew Struzan, Gary Taxali, Brian Despain, and so many others.
The more I did, the more things grew. So, I gradually added more and more features to the site, such as articles, tutorials, reviews, etc.
So, to make a long story short, Escape from Illustration Island has been an exercise in noticing that I was onto something big and trying to make the most of it.
How long have you been an illustrator?
I’ve been an Illustrator since about 2003, which isn’t very long compared to a lot of people I’ve spoken to. However, it feels like a long time to me because ever since I started I’ve been cramming my head with as much information as I could so I could be better at what I do.
What are some of your recent projects (other than EFII?)
The thing I’m most excited about is my new eBook, 15 Steps to Freelance Illustration, which will be release on June 15th. Basically, it aims to help artists to build a strong foundation for their freelance Illustration business through a series of tasks that they can apply to their own unique situation. While there are a lot of other useful books on the subject, I challenged myself to strip things down to the most essential elements and empower every Illustrator to customize the process with the supplemental workbook.
I’ve also been building up my portfolio with work in my new style, since I’ve gotten rid of everything that I don’t identify with anymore. Soon, I’ll be working on putting myself back out there and trying to find projects that I’d most like to work on.
Was the isolation of being a freelance creative something you wanted to alleviate for yourself? Has the EFII helped?
I’d have to say that I mostly wanted to help other artists to feel less isolated, but EFII has helped me to connect with the larger community in ways that I never even considered. I’m so grateful for the enthusiasm, feedback, and participation that has made Escape from Illustration Island what it is today.
How long has EFII been active?
EFII just celebrated its 1 year birthday last month, and it was really rewarding to look back on everything I’ve accomplished in the past year, and to look ahead at all the exciting plans I have for the future.
What future plans do you have for EFII?
Well, now that the eBook is finally finished, I’ll be focusing on sharing that with the community. Also, I’ll be attending the ICON6 Illustration Conference in July as a media sponsor. While I’m there, I’ll be covering the event from the inside and recording a lot of audio and video content to share with those who can’t make it.
I’m also working on an event in Portland, Oregon where local Illustrators and Art Directors can come together to discuss the goals and challenges they face. I’m hoping it helps us to understand each other and helps us to work together in the future.
Basically, now that EFII is more firmly established I’m inspired to work on big ideas like this and try to be a positive influence on the industry.
Since you started working in this field, what changes have you observed in the industry?
I’m seeing more and more artists coming out of isolation into the light of day to communicate with each other and share resources. Social networking is playing a big part in that.
How would you like to see the future of the illustration industry change? What would you like to stay the same?
I’d like to see Illustrators helping to raise the standards of what our time and creative energy is worth. I think it’s becoming easier and easier for us to undermine our own efforts by working for little or no pay because we’re so desperate to get our work seen. As far as what I’d like to stay the same, I hope we all continue to talk, share, and assist each other. I think that’s something that won’t go away.
Are there any modern day illustrators whose work you gravitate toward? Do you feel they have influenced your growth as an artist?
I think that anyone who follows their own creative path inspires me, as well as artists who focus just as much, if not more, on the concepts they are presenting as the skill involved. A lot of people can draw or paint a pretty picture, but it takes a lot more work and dedication to communicate ideas.
On a personal level, every guest that I speak with on the EFII Podcast helps to motivate me to keep creating and exploring with my work
What would you recommend for someone new to illustration as a career? How about for an old-timer trying a new approach?
To someone new to the career of Illustration, I would say to do as much research as you possibly can. The more informed you are about the business, the more confident and successful you will be. Also, I think it’s so important to stop comparing yourself to other artists. That only holds you back from finding your own true voice. To “old-timers” trying a new approach, I would say to be fearless with their own work. If there’s something that’s making you want to move in new directions, then there is something powerful to be found there. Follow that instinct.
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To purchase Thomas James’ new e-book follow this affiliate link: Click here to visit Escape From Illustration Island.
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Thank you, Thomas, for a very informative interview. I hope my readers will tune in for your next podcast. I know I will.
Give a warm welcome to Mary Haverfield, this month’s picture book illustrator. She has a lot of information to share. 
When did you get started illustrating for children? What did you do before?
I studied illustrating for advertising, in college at the University of Houston. I did what used to be called paste-up for a design firm in Houston to pay my way through school. This was long before computers. When we moved to CA I continued doing paste-up at an ad agency in Los Angeles while I attended classes at the Art Center College of Design at night. When the ad agency job ended I freelanced all over LA for six years, while my husband was learning photography. The evening classes at Art Center kept my illustration hopes alive. We moved to Dallas in the early 80’s when Pat was hired to work as an advertising photographer on staff at a large studio here. At that point I decided, no more paste up jobs. For a year or two design firms and ad agencies hired me to create illustrations for magazines, brochures, and greeting card companies. It was during this time that I realized I needed a more definite style, and I wanted to pursue children’s illustration, not advertising. I took a year off and developed a more distinctive style by illustrating the classic story of Jack in the Beanstalk. By the end of that time I had a new portfolio of 11 illustrations. Four were in black and white using graphite pencil. The rest were in watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil. I began to show this work around town and soon met a local printer who wanted to produce an accordion fold promo piece with me, using five of my new illustrations. We got a paper company, a separator, and a calligrapher involved and we all used that piece for promotion. Soon after this piece was printed Pat and I traveled to NYC so I could show my work to publishers. Since then the bulk of my work has been in children’s publishing
Tell us a little bit about the recent book you wrote and illustrated, Sometimes It’s Grandmas & Grandpas: Not Mommies & Daddies.
Abbeville Press hired me to illustrate this book last year. The author is a woman in CT named Gayle Burn.
The book is about a little girl 5 or 6 years old, being raised by her grandparents. It’s told from the child’s perspective. She’s happy with grandma and grandpa and feels well loved, but she’s begun to wonder why she doesn’t have a mommy and daddy. Gayle is raising her own grandchild. She found there were plenty of books and support groups for adults in this situation but none for children, especially small children. Abbeville and Gayle found me on the picturbookartists.org website and especially liked a piece I had done of our goddaughter Carolina, who was the same age as Gayle’s little girl.
You also worked on an activity book. Can you tell us about what that was like?
“Moonbird, Moonbird Fly Away With Me” was a true labor of love.
I am a member of a small but talented critique group here in Dallas. One of the members Bebra Bayne, is a wonderful writer who works a lot with the Nasher Sculpture Center. We had an idea for a children’s book in 2008. The Center rejected our original idea but suggested a coloring book. Bebra and I began brainstorming immediately. A few weeks later we presented a sample manuscript, along with 3 illustrated spreads. They gave us permission to develop a full book dummy. We did, they approved, and to our surprise added to it. Our book went from 32 pages and a modest 8” by 10”, to 48 pages at 9” x 12”! This book allows children the opportunity to take a few of these great sculptures home!
What are you working on right now? Do you have any other books or art projects you’d like to talk about?
I’m working on launching a blog and hope to have it up and running within the month.
Do you do non-children’s book art (licensing, fine art, etc.) or art just for fun? Is that art similar or different from your children’s book art?
No and Yes! No I have not sold any art for licensing. I would like to but don’t know how well my work would lend itself to that.
Yes, I’ve sold a few original spreads from my books. I have also sold a few contemporary style paintings. These paintings were not similar to my children’s book art at all. They’re all done in acrylic paint, non-representational, from 3’ x 4’, up to 4’ x 8’.
Do you illustrate full time? If not, what else do you do?
I also do school and library visits, in which I talk about my books and the process of creating picture books. Most of my presentations are to the elementary grades, however I have 3 or 4 different programs I can deliver depending on the age of the kids and the needs of the teachers, or librarians. I have spoken to groups from pre-school to college age.
I still write and would love to find another book I both wrote and illustrated on bookstore shelves one day.
Besides illustrating and painting, I sometimes help my husband Pat, a food and still life photographer and director. www.pathaverfield.com
When you illustrate a picture book how do you decide what scenes and details to draw?
This is one of my favorite parts of the whole process. I read the story several times. Next I do tiny thumbnails so I can see at a glance the action in the story and how the book will flow. When this tiny “book” makes sense, I enlarge it and embellish until I have a more complete dummy, usually about half size. Seeing each book as a little movie in my mind, and then constructing these dummies helps me to choose which scenes will be the most interesting to illustrate and which are most important to keep the story moving.
When illustrating picture books do you include a visual storyline not mentioned by the text or include animals or people you know?
Yes, quite often. For instance in the case of this last book “Sometimes…” I felt the author didn’t give me enough locations to work with. She talked mostly about the child and the grandmother hugging and I needed more than that. 
I decided that the grandfather could be building a tree house for the girl. I pictured him gathering materials, reading a book about tree houses, and finally building one with the girl as the story unfolds.
Fortunately everyone liked this idea and I now had many interesting props and points of view to explore.
The use of detailed borders is another device I often use. With borders I can enhance the design, mood, and atmosphere of each scene, suggest time of day, and seasons of the year. I have even introduced characters in the borders, not mentioned in the manuscript. Reading to my own child and many others, I’ve found they love the details. If during the 3rd or 4th time a book is read to a child, they can discover a new detail for the first time? That’s magic for me
Can you explain your art process? (please include a URL link to any visuals you may have on a blog or web site)
My process is very low tech I’m afraid. After the dummy is approved on a book project, I do all the sketches with pencil, full size. I do very detailed and finished sketches at this stage for two reasons. One: I want the clients to see exactly what I’m proposing. And two: Watercolor illustrations have to be well planned out before I paint. This is where I decide on colors, avoid over painting, and any number of other mistakes I’m prone to make. As I work on the sketches I tape them, in order, to a long wall in my studio. From there I can
stand back and see at once how things are flowing and fitting together. I study them for days, weeks, adding and subtracting details, and asking myself questions. Does the main character’s clothing stay the same in this scene as in the one before? Where is the light coming from in this scene? Can I put a clue on this page that relates to what’s coming on the next? Stuff like that.
When all sketches are approved I transfer the sketches to 300 lb., Fabriano Artistico WC paper. Extra white. They are transferred by hand using 2H pencils and a truly ancient
Art-o-graph. During this process I fine-tune the drawing, and adjust size relationships, etc.
Next I mask off the edges with blue painter’s tape and start painting. Lightly at first, slowly building up layers of paint until the saturation and depth is working for me. Next I go into each illustration with a very sharp brown Color-erase pencil. Heavier lines help define the foreground. Lighter or nonexistent lines establish distance. Next I go back to painting, laying down my darkest values and shadows, playing with color and value to bring the piece alive. The final step requires a bit of white gouache. Pure white to brighten or add highlights, and white mixed with watercolor where I need to paint over mistakes, reinforce shapes, or make minor changes
Do you have a favorite color or palette?
Yes. I developed my basic palette working on Jack and the Beanstalk all those year’s ago. For the most part I use the same colors today. I find I also wear them and decorate my house with them. How weird is that?
What is your favorite medium to work in? Have you always worked in this media? If not, why did you switch?
I’ve always used a combination of watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil for my illustration work. I flirted with Dr. Martin’s dyes in college and early in my career, but they proved difficult to reproduce, and were too harsh for what I wanted to do in children’s illustration. I’ve also used some collage.
For large paintings I started with acrylics years ago mostly out of necessity. My first “studios” were a spare bedroom, a tiny attic, or our garage. Acrylics have no fumes, dry faster, and are easier to clean up.
Did you always want to be an artist when you grew up?
Yes. I was always drawing apparently. In Jr. high an art teacher strongly encouraged me to study art. I was thrilled. Then my high school art teacher, who was him self a working artist, taught me the many ways a person could actually make a living in the arts. We were living in southern New Jersey and he took us on regular field trips to NYC and Philadelphia. We saw all those great museums as well as a few galleries every year because of him. I also worked on the HS yearbook where I began learning about the graphic arts and preparing art for a printer. I honestly never thought of any other career path.
Do you use models/source pictures or do you draw from your memory/imagination?
Both. I do research on line. I shoot pictures myself and often enlist everyone I know to model for me. I look at other illustrators work constantly, and doodle and sketch as much as possible. I’m working to stylize my work more and more.
If you could be anything other than an artist, what would you be?
Someone who works outside with plants, like a landscape architect or even basic yard maintenance? When I’ve been “chained” to my drawing board for long periods I often dream of a job like that.
What gets you through an illustration when you’re stuck for inspiration?
A long walk always helps a lot. A trip to the library! I also cruise the net looking at my hero’s (read: illustrators I admire) web sites and blogs, I look for new books by great illustrators on Amazon. Listening to recorded books or music helps too. If none of the above does the trick, I stop working on that particular piece and switch to another. Sometimes it’s best to pick up the phone and talk to my editor and/or the author of the piece to get their thoughts. A good editor can be a fountain of inspiration and information.
What book do you remember from when you were young? (list one or multiple books)
The Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh (illustrated by E. H. Shepard), anything by Dr. Seuss, all things Disney, Peter Pan (The original. Not so much Disney), a book of poetry we had by Robert Louis Stevenson
Is there a children’s book illustrator whose work you gravitate towards in the bookstore now? (list one or multiple illustrators)
Soooooooo many! David Small Lisbeth Zwerger Oliver Jeffers
Chris Van Allsburg Allen Say Raul Colon
William Joyce P. J. Lynch Jane Dyer
David Wiesner Mary Grandpre Brian Selznick
Brian Lies Etienne Delessert Jerry Pinkney
Maurice Sendak Tomie DePaola Paul O. Zelinsky …just to name a few.
If you could illustrate any writer’s new work, who would it be?
My own!!
Who do you want to be when you ‘grow up’?
A children’s illustrator and author, who also paints fantastic fine art pieces and sells both, in bookstores and galleries and beyond!
