| |
| Q |
How
old were you when you knew you wanted to be an illustrator? |
| A |
I
started drawing when I was very young, about four years old,
according to my mother. By the time I was six years old, I knew
I wanted to be an artist when I
grew up. |
|
Q |
How
long does it take to make a Highlights cover? Is it hard
to do? |
| A |
It
takes about two or three weeks to draw and paint a Highlights
cover. The
hardest part is thinking up the silly “wrong”
things for the back cover, but it’s
really fun to do. |
|
Q |
Do
you have a favorite color? |
|
A |
I
like all kinds of colors, but my favorite paint color is yellow. |
|
Q |
Who
is your favorite artist? |
|
A |
There
are several artists whose work I admire. My all-time favorite
illustrator is Trina Schart Hyman. I love all the detail and
expression she puts in her artwork. |
|
Q |
What’s
your favorite thing to draw? |
|
A |
I
love drawing animals. I also enjoy illustrating stories from
Greek mythology. It’s
hard to pick a favorite, but of all the animals in the world,
I think I like to draw birds and fish the best. |
|
Q |
Did
you go to school to become an artist? |
|
A |
I
never had any formal training in art. Both my parents and several
members of my extended family were artistic people, so I think
talent in drawing came naturally to me. Over the years I’ve
learned many different techniques and skills from the advice
of my family and other artists I’ve
worked with. |
|
Q |
Do
you have any pets? |
|
A |
I
have three cats, who love to lie on my drawing board. Their
names are Oedipus, Toby, and Sophia. |
|
Q |
What
advice would you give a young artist? |
|
A |
Try
to draw something every day. The more you practice, the better
artist you’ll
become. |
|
Q |
When
you were a kid, did you read Highlights? |
|
A |
I
remember Highlights from my own childhood. My favorite
features were “The
Timbertoes,”
“Goofus and Gallant,”
and of course, “Hidden
Pictures.” |
|
Q |
Are
there times when you can’t think of anything to draw? What
do you do? |
|
A |
When
I can’t
draw, I like to go fishing. Sometimes just being out on the
water gives me good ideas for subject matter. Libraries are
also great places to look for inspiration. |
