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!