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This article was originally published under the title " A Man and His Reference's" in the January 2003 issue of Juvenile Illustrator's Quarterly.
Did you draw as a child? What were your original inspirations?
I can remember as a child spending long summer hours lying on the floor drawing and coloring. My strengths at the time were rain, grass and snakes. My mother (from whom I should have absorbed organizational skills but didn’t) kept bunches of those little drawings and looking back I am amazed at how prolific I was. I really liked to draw. Lots of geek stuff too. Spiderman, Batman and of course, as with every child of my generation, Star Wars. I learned a lot about composition and drawing action from reading and re-reading those Marvel adaptations. My wife bought me a novel of reprinted seventies Star Wars comics the other day and I was amazed to see how much of my style was foisted right out of those pages.
I also remember being inspired by other kids at school who could draw, and my mother who is a terrific artist in her own right, and who is much more well versed in the finer arts than I am. She spent time teaching me the basics of composition and perspective and for these gifts I am incredibly grateful.
What inspires you today?
I draw a lot of inspiration from those books I read as a child, plus now I have the resources and the ability to research, seek out and find other books that inspire me. I love the art of the classic children’s illustrators. Artists like Tibor Gergely and Gustav Tengren created absolute masterpieces and kids have adored their work for the last half of a century. I loved the art of the Curious George books. I have an entire library in our house that is basically split into three sections; children’s books, 20th century periodicals and art books. Sometimes when I am having a real mental block there is nothing more inspiring than sitting down and reading a tool catalog from 1949 or a book on ‘How to design posters for your business’ from 1961. I love having reference materials in my hands.
Where do you search for sources of inspiration?
I find myself inspired by things everywhere I go. My wife and I will be walking down the street and a pattern will jump out at me. Here is a perfect example. There is a restaurant in Mount Shasta, California that has been there since the late 40’s. We were on vacation and happened to drive by the place and I noticed a gorgeous 40’s neon sign that just screamed deco and noir and pop. I sketched it, I took pictures, I knelt before it… these are the places I find my inspiration. There is art everywhere around us. A commercial artist like myself is lucky because unlike a lot of other professions it is very easy to look around and find remnants of the rich heritage of our craft.
Which books, magazine, music, movie, website inspired you lately?
Wow what a tough question. I have three books open on my nightstand right now. Strunk and White’s Elements of Style, a 1953 book called The Technique of Advertising Production, and a reprint of a 1908 Sears catalog. I’m very much into late 60xs R&B music at the moment and I have been listening to that while I work, that will last about three days because my musical attention span is just as short and eclectic as my taste in reading material. I recently visited the web site of one of my favorite illustrators Bob Staake, he is a god and his web site is very fun and very slick. I also get an amazing amount of inspiration from those people around me. My wife, my children and my best friend Mike are all sources of constant inspiration. Just spending a few moments picturing in my head how they would see something helps give me a more subjective view of my own work.
How did you become interested in illustrating literature for children?
I think it was because of the huge importance that children’s books had in my life, and watching my daughter read the same books and realizing that the medium is still very pure and very powerful. In a society where the ‘next big thing’ is going to happen in fifteen minutes (and if it doesn’t we get bored) it is amazing to see an art form where products are not only viable, but extremely topical and entertaining after nearly half a century or more. I create art for one reason, because I enjoy it. What I enjoy creating most is art for children. Now don’t get me wrong, I will leap through hoop after hoop to illustrate posters and p.o.s. and book covers and business cards and logos and on and on, but what gives me the most satisfaction is creating art that children will read and be inspired by.
Who are some of your favorite children's illustrators?
Tiber and Gustav I already mentioned. Do you have time? It’s a fairly lengthy list. I loved Richard Scarry books as a child. Maurice Sendak, Hans and Margret Rey, Doctor Seuss, Charles Schulz, Bob Staake, the list goes on and on. I crave other artist’s work the way a junky craves a fix. There are few things as satisfying in this industry as seeing an artist who’s work is incredible and who makes you want to be just that much better in your own version of your craft.
Do you remember which illustrated children's books were your favorites back when you were a young reader and what about those particular books caught your eye?
I had a book on farming and food production that I think was actually written by the ‘American Council on Food Propaganda’, a very bizarre children’s book explaining how important the American farmers are. It was filled with the coolest, the most retro, the most chic, the most fab 60’s illustrations ever! That book single handedly warped me for years. I also remember reading ‘The Peanuts Dictionary’ over and over again looking at the hundreds of illustrations. I have often said that if I could just have the amount of talent that was in Charles Schulz’s big toe I could die a happy man.
Could you tell us a bit about any of your upcoming projects?
I am blessed with being incredibly busy at the moment; projects seem to be stacking up even as we speak. I am currently working on a children’s book called ‘Jessie and the Big Big Bear’, I am involved in creating an ad campaign for an agency in San Francisco and most importantly I just finished my daughters 4th grade mission project! It’s going to be a busy year.
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