ILLUSTRATOR INTERVIEWS
On this page, I interview illustrators who have created covers and/or images for children's books that they or others have written. If you are an illustrator and would like to be featured on this page, feel free to contact me.
November 18, 2015
Chihiro Tani
https://twitter.com/HowlWolfSong
1. Explain your background: schooling, body of work, first job illustrating, etc.
I went to the high school of JOSHIBI University of art and design in which I basically trained in pencil and charcoal drawings, and water colour and oil paintings, and compositions.
I continued to the same university and got a degree in graphic design.
(However, my graduation work was installation/sculpture-based.)
Regarding body of work and first illustration job:
First job: Illustrations for English language class
Work: Book cover illustration, Children's book illustration
2. Who are your influences? Do you ever try to emulate those artists’ work?
I remember when I was young being fascinated by the drawings of animals in my encyclopedia. I used to spend hours copying these pictures, which must have helped my development of capturing form. Later, learning faux finish painting and other decorative painting techniques lead to me trying to emulate these apparent textures in my illustrations.
Sakai Komako's style made me allow myself to portray characters’ shape quite realistically apart from the colouring which I am trying to make look rough and abstract.
3. Why do you illustrate?
As a little child, drawing was simply what I could do and enjoy.
The reason I kept doing it was probably because I am not a good speaker, but still want to express what I feel and see.
It is the fastest way to show someone what I want to show. (Though of course it's a time-consuming process to generate)
Furthermore, I think there is something that words can’t translate from humans senses, like atmosphere or subtle mood.
4. What is the best compliment that you have ever received from your art?
In the two Youtube videos below, you can listen to one of the authors I worked for, called JulieA’s comment .
(I made the transcription but please feel free to edit as you like.)
The only person out of that I saw for Roger, and the Wobbies that could do what I wanted to do but coulddn’t do it was a lady called Chihiro Tani.
She is a Japanese lady, and she just captured what was in my head and put it on paper.
I could put the words down but I got no hope of drawing picture.
And she was able to tap into what I wanted.
And without talking to me, she did it, she is just amazing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpDpbeOOgYc
4:20
She’s done incredible work.
She was the one of probably have the best indication of what to do.
She was the only one who could actually draw what I could see but I couldn’t put on paper.
She was the one that was able to come up with what I really really wanted.
When we first did the ‘Wobbies’,
This is the colour! This is what I want! This is my Wobbies!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHTuXXr6x1w
3:30, 12:12
5. Do you save all of your work? How do you store it?
If I can have some hard copies of books and leaflets, I keep them.
Otherwise all my work is kept in my hard drive.
6. How many versions of a drawing do you typically sketch/plot out before developing a specific illustration?
Normally it’s one or two.
7. What is your favorite subject matter?
Nature, Wildlife, Fantasy/Spiritual, and Children
8. Name your favorite book covers.
Wolf Brother
9. If you are also an author, when in the process do you start developing your covers/illustrations? If you are not an author, when do you begin to collaborate with the author?
Maybe at the very early stage of writing the story. (When I made my own story book)
After I completely understood the story and author’s view point, concept and context.
10. What’s next for you?
Another children’s book of my own or collaborating with someone who can write stories.
And I am thinking about producing some memorabilias from the story using my silver product design skill which you can see in the website below.
August 12, 2015
PBJ
1. Explain your background: schooling, preferences, body of work, first job illustrating, etc.
I was that kid that was a doodler. You know the type: scribbling on every scrap piece of paper and always a pencil stuck in my ponytail. I loved art in school but never really thought of it as a career path. The businesses I have owned over the years were always in creative fields (design company, pottery studio, art gallery) but when I decided to write my first children's story, I actually looked into hiring an illustrator. It just seemed out of my comfort zone. My friends and family convinced me that I should do it. It was not an easy sell but I finally agreed and "How Long Will You Love Me?" came out on Halo Publishing International in 2013. I was very pleased with the outcome.
After that, I started getting requests for illustrating. Just like that a new career had snuck up on me! After a particularly torturous experience with an author, I wished out loud that I could do a very simple illustration job and thats when I came up with the story of "Stu's Big Party" which is an illustrator's dream project - about 80% of the story takes place in the dark!
Since 2013, I have illustrated 2 of my own books, 7 for other authors and have 3 in various stages to be completed before the holidays. 12 books in 2 years from someone who wasn't sure she could do the first one. Lesson to be learned? Trust yourself and take that first step. No telling where it will lead.
2. Who are your influences? Do you ever try to emulate those artists’ work?
I have so many illustrators that I admire but I don't think I have ever tried to emulate them. I am at a point where I finally have stopped trying to compare what I do to anyone else's work. Art is funny that way. Picasso and Michaelangelo aren't always loved by the same people.
That said, I love the work that Melanie Watts (Scaredy Squirrel) or Sandra Boynton (Hippos Go Beserk) because of the brilliant simplicity and Mark Wayne Adams (The Fart Fairy) is just a super-talented indie illustrator who probably bleeds in watercolor.
3. Why do you illustrate?
My beliefs in illustrating are much like why I write rhymes for kids. Picture books are often the first introduction to kids of storytelling and the illustrations are often a child's first taste of art and it many forms. I just think its incredibly important to introduce art to kids - whether creating their own or learning to appreciate it from others.
4. What is the best compliment that you have ever received from your art?
I think the best compliment I get regularly is how my illustrations make kids (and grown ups) laugh. The review I remember most though was probably the most honest review I ever got. It was from a small book award I entered in which the reviewer said "The illustrations are certainly passable, but not of the caliber of the majority of stories on my Buy list ." I learned a lot from that! It stung a little but i realized it wasn't the end of the world. I worked harder, drew more for practice and even took some classes. I did end up being on the "Buy list" and also ended up as one of 3 finalists from the award. I think it's an important thing to remember: You can't control what a reviewer says, you can only control your reaction to it.
5. Do you save all of your work? How do you store it?
I do save it all! I have drawers full of the physical painting on watercolor paper. I finally stopped saving the sketches though since I have a SMALL create space!
6. How many versions of a drawing do you typically sketc/plot out before developing a specific illustration?
Working on someone else's book, I may draw and redraw several times. When I do my own books, I probably sketch far less but I am more likely to have it all complete and decide I want to use a whole different medium and redo the whole thing. My first book was done start to finish 3 times before I settled on watercolor pencils.
7. What is your favorite subject matter?
As far as illustrating, I do a lot of semi-cartoony animals who interact with things in real life: a dragon that works with kids at a library, a dog and its owner - those sorts of things. I also do a lot of Anthropomorphism like alligators and crocodiles having a BBQ. It's more fun when I can skip the people! But as far as story matter, I love love. That's just a joy to illustrate!
8. What are your favorite book covers?
I'm not certain I could even narrow my list down to 100 favorites! I love any well-done cover that automatically evokes a response to pick up the book and open it. Smart indie authors get that and leave it up to the pros but I see way too many book covers that are very amateurish. I say all the time, "Skimp where you must but never on on editing and never on your cover."
9. If you are also an author, when in the process do you start developing your covers/illustrations? If you are not an author, when do you begin to collaborate with the author?
I am both author and illustrator on some projects and illustrator only on others. For me, there is no separation when its my own book. I do both parts simultaneously. I don't write the words if I can't already see the illustration in my mind. For other people's books, I prefer to have no input until it gets back from the editor. Too often the editor suggests changes like use "at the park" to "near the lake" - 3 words that maybe fix the flow of text but totally change what I've done. I like to be the last step before it heads to production.
10. What’s next for you?
I am currently finishing up a book for a first time author and then a 3rd book of a series for another author. I'm still hoping to get my third book, "I Love you to Pieces" finished before the holiday season but since I am also opening P.J. Books, a new bookstore for indie authors, in October, Im not sure I will get a chance to finish it in time!
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