Mother Goose-Interview with the Artists Part I I
as part of the exhibit:
as part of the exhibit:
Mother Goose Re-Imagined
Flinn Gallery, Greenwich Public Library
101 West Putnam Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830
on view through January. 16, 2013
exhibiting ARTISTS: Angelique Anderson, Deborah Cuneo, Diana Ting Delosh, Laura Goetz, Leeza Hernandez, Mike Herrod, Sara Kahn, H. R. Karpes, Anna Kim, Ann Koffsky, Sarah Lisa Lavoie, Kitty Leech, Donna Miskend, Sawaka Norii, Marilyn Papas, Clare Pernice, Barbara Mason Rast, Roberta M. Rivera, Vicky Rubin, Tatyanna Starikova, Cheryl Taborsky, T.T. Tyler, Wallace West, Brian Yanish
CHILDREN’S BOOK ILLUSTRATOR GROUP
ARTIST PROCESS
DM: Tell me about your
illustration process.
When I’m working from a text,
I read through it a few times and make quick sketches of things that catch my
interest. For the promising ideas, I seek out photo reference. Although my
illustrations are stylized, starting with photo reference helps guide the
stylization process. I start with small thumbnail sketches of several concepts
and compositions and eventually choose three or four to refine into more
detailed drawings. I scan these, clean up the line work, and then do a
grayscale study to work out the lighting. Next I do a color study, either
digitally or in paint, and use this as a guide for the final illustration.
- Lisa Lavoie
For
these pieces, I combine two very distinct techniques: paper-cutting and
painting. My paper-cuts are very clean, graphic, and intricate, while my
paintings are more whimsical, textured and inviting. Combining those techniques
creates juxtapositions and contrasts that I think are really interesting.
- Ann Koffsky
I do all my sketching by hand working
out the character shapes and layout on paper. Then I scan the sketches and save
them digitally, letting the original raw look of the sketch lines show through.
Then I add color digitally to create a graphic style to my illustrations.
- Brian Yanish
When I use watercolor for my
illustrations, I work in layers, that is why it takes a long, long time to
paint them. I let each layer dry, then carefully put on the next layer, it is
important to put the second or third color on with just one wash of color,
otherwise it will dissolve the previous layers and it will be a big muddy puddle
of color.
- Sara Kahn
When I read the words are translated to
images in my head like a movie. The style of the piece comes to me at this
point as well. I sketch out the visions; these are very rough – only another
artist could read the sketch! Then I start to refine the ideas with thumbnail
sketches to work out the composition. I may look for reference for the elements
that will be in the illustration such as a pose, or an animal.
Sometimes I need to research costumes or something else from a particular era.
I keep a clip file for reference and I have tons of my own reference photos. I
use Photoshop and Illustrator mainly to lay out my compositions and to resize
sketches. I’ll clean up the drawings on tracing paper or make further
adjustments and then transfer it to watercolor paper. I may decide on a color palette in advance, but I rarely do full color sketches. If I use watercolor, I
lay an under-painting color to add depth and build it up from there. If I use
gouache, which is an opaque medium, then I’m thinking of layering to add
texture or pattern. Sometimes I use Photoshop to play with lettering if I want
to add text. I love to work in different styles and try new things.
- Donna Miskend
The technique I use most often is a
fusion of traditional media collaged digitally into a final image. Acrylics,
watercolor, pencil, ink, rubbing, block prints and paper all play a role when I
create textures and line-art. My impatience is satisfied during the collage
stages, by using Adobe Photoshop to layer everything together. It gives me more
control and gives my art more versatility. I also work with Serigraphy and
graphite pencil on Arches paper.
- Leeza Hernandez
My process is three-fold. First, I
design the scene and make the costumes or have them made. I then pose the
dolls, and finally photograph them. These illustrations are digital copies of
photographs.
- Kitty Leech
My illustration process varies upon the
project. I generally start out with a few ideas in my head. Then draw two, maybe
three rough sketches. If it is a freelance job, an art director will approve
one, and then I work it up on tracing paper. Drawing on tracing paper
allows me to easily make changes to the composition. At this point I know if I
need to do any additional research, to draw the finishing details accurately.
Then, when I'm happy with the finished drawing, I transfer it to a good quality
paper for painting. (I don't skimp on art supplies, and buy the best I can
afford.)
The medium I used for Little Miss Muffit
was Rembrandt soft pastel. I am able to work more quickly with pastels,
because they are more forgiving then watercolor paints. After I have planned
the composition, I sketch a loose drawing on Canson paper. Then I apply and
blend the colors with my fingers. It’s fun and messy, so I spray a workable
fixative to help prevent smudging.
- Laura Goetz
I scan my basic thumbnail sketch to
use as a template. and then use Photoshop to manipulate and collage them. I
research images and manipulate them in Photoshop to collage into the image. To
create the 3D model of Humpty, I used a modeling program called MAYA. To finish
off I use various other 3D effect techniques in Photoshop along with lighting.
- Angelique Anderson
My illustration process is different
for different kinds of work. For some, I'll use graphite and
shade the entire piece in light to dark gray gradations. Other times, I
will use ink and watercolor. Sometimes, I'll combine pencil, Illustrator
and Photoshop.
The drawing process, however, stays
same no matter what. I spend hours getting the drawings right.
I put an enormous emphasis on character expressions, personality - face
and body - until I feel that the drawing conveys the feeling, I
think what the character must be going through for that moment in
the scene.
The next thing I spend a great deal
of time on is composition. Coming from a comics background, I realize how
important perspective and composition are to a drawing or conveying a visual
story. Composition - where I put the camera is crucial in how I'm going to
convey that emotion of the character.
To me, I try to capture the crucial
moment in a scene, a snap shot. It's a visual story I'm trying to tell.
Drawing and illustrating is just one way of storytelling.
- Anna Kim
My process starts with sketches. I love
to draw characters and I usually have a pretty clear idea of how I want them to
look. Once the sketches are to my liking I transfer to board or paper and
color.
These illustrations are purposely half
colored to give the feel of a school black board and I used color pencils. For
other illustrations I might use inks and watercolors. Gouache is really nice
for lettering as it is smooth and opaque. There are so many art materials to
enjoy and try. The art shop is like a sweet shop to me, I want everything!
- Clare Pernice
I usually rough out an idea on a
scrap paper, napkin, the back of a bag, a post-it note… whatever I have
on hand to get the idea down before I forget it, then I get serious! I research
and sketch out the different elements of my illustrations separately, scan
them into my computer so I can manipulate the sizes and placement of the
characters or objects. Once I’m happy with my composition, I print out the
final “sketch” onto the appropriate size sheet of Bristol and a couple of
smaller ones onto copy paper. I do a quick shadow and color study (or two or
three….) on the smaller ones and when I am happy with what I’ve come up with, I
paint the final piece.
- Deborah Cuneo
If
there is text, I’ll read the text first to conjure up images in my head. Then I’ll draw thumbnail sketches.
Sometimes, if a piece requires research, such as a building or a costume, I’ll
go take photos and write notes. I love going on mini-field trips for my
projects. Then I’ll do a color sketch. I’ll play around with color, tone and
shadows, working up quick little color sketches.
Then
I’ll start working on my final illustration(s). I love working in inks,
watercolors, gouache and acrylics. Lately, I’ve been inking in quills and
various nibs sizes. The nib hitting the paper is such a wonderful texture to
feel. I love other forms of media, but right now these materials give me the
desired effects I want.
- Roberta Rivera
I illustrate using pen, ink and
watercolor. After making a sketch in pencil, I use a light box to transfer the
drawing in ink to watercolor paper. I then watercolor over that drawing,
sometimes adding colored pencil or collage.
- Mike Herrod
It all begins with a doodle, a very
rough sketch, sometimes thumbnail size, usually done in pen or marker. I may
make several rough doodles before I go to a more formal full size sketch in
pencil on tracing paper. Once the sketch looks right, it's transferred via
light-box to 140 lb watercolor paper. I may continue to tweak the sketch before
inking with a Rapidiograph pen and then watercolor right on top of the ink
lines. I actually use water soluable colored ink as I prefer the intensity of
the pigments. Sometimes there are touches of gouache. As it is water soluable it may also be referred
to as watercolors. While I have experimented with a few other mediums this is
my default style.
- Diana Ting Delosh
I get
an idea for an illustration, in a variety of ways, for example, when I walk
down the street. “The Real Mother Goose” and “Baba Blacksheep” were done in
rough sketches to get the idea down on paper, then they were sketched with a
soft lead pencil and a kneaded eraser on Strathmore series 500 Bristol paper
with a vellum finish. I used
watercolors, and Winsor Newton gouache, adding lines with fine markers for
accentuation, and colored pencils to add to the details where needed. I used sable and sable-like watercolor
brushes to paint with. For “Pease
Porridge Hot” I did the rough sketch, then I sketched out the illustration
carefully for the final art and painted it in gouache in several coats, where needed.
- Marilyn Papas
I like to make a sketch, ink it out and then paint in watercolor. For the "Sing a song of sixpence"
illustration, I used matte photo paper. The water color sticks to it real well
making for vibrant colors, but it is not very forgiving and doesn't have the
same mixing and beading effect as on watercolor paper, just the same it's
different and fun to experiment.
In acrylics, I enjoy the vibrant colors
and opaque/translucent nature of the various colors. I like the mushiness of
the acrylic paint and the way it smears and mixes on the canvas as well as the pallete.
- Cheryl Taborsky
I draw a bunch of small sketches called
thumbnails, to try out different compositions. Then I pick one and
enlarge it on the computer. Using a digital tablet, I make another layer and
redraw it with more detail. If I don't have the tablet handy, I go through the
same process using tracing paper. After I have a more detailed sketch I print
it out. If it's larger than a regular piece of paper, I print it onto several
pages.
Then I put the printout onto a light-box,
place my watercolor paper over it, and draw lightly onto the watercolor paper
using a pencil with hard lead, so it won't smudge. I don't make an exact copy
or try to get every detail. If I'm using old-fashioned pen and ink, I draw the
ink drawing at this stage. I then paint light washes of color, building up
layers. I sometimes use a hair dryer to speed drying. I then erase the pencil
lines using a kneaded eraser, which doesn't leave eraser crumbs. At the end I
put in fine details, maybe some water-soluble crayon, and in some cases the
lines of the drawing at the end.
- Vicky Rubin
I imagine an illustration in
my mind first. At this step, I decide what the subject of the future
illustration will be, what is the most important message I want to bring to
the viewer, the mood, the color scheme, and how my character might look.
Then I search for visual
reference. It could be photographs or models that help me illustrate
accurately.
The next step is to create
several thumbnails (very small loose sketches) to find the best composition,
perspective, and point of view. After that, I make bigger sketches for value
study (in black and white), and color study sketches.
After all the preparation, I move
to working on an actual size illustration by developing a strong, detailed
drawing before I apply color.
I use the same principles when
I work with either traditional or digital media.
- Tatyana Starikova
