Brandon Dorman
Brandon is from Washington. He’s blessed with a wonderful family--wife and 3 sons (as of Friday).
Road to illustration: He thought he could mimic his professor (do everything he’s done, he’ll make it).
He does lots of digital illustrations now.
His parents let him paint on his bedroom walls.
He earned a fine arts degree from a university in Idaho.
A book job: He gets a phone call from art director or publisher. He always asks when they need it. They write up a contract. Then, he gets a manuscript. Reads over the manuscript.
He has done about 30 covers for Goosebumps books. But he’s never read one of these books.
Some of his books include: Wells on Stilts, Palace of Laughter, Fablehaven (one of his first gigs out of school), The Wizard, Halloween Night, Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face, Pingo, Santa’s Stowaway (first book he did). There's a missing "the" in Santa's Stowaway
When Jack Prelutsky met him he said "I’ve got pimples older than you."Jack had never had any artist (that he’s worked with) bring his mom to a book signing
Brandon is currently writing A Pirate’s Life for Me
He’s going to do a book about a girl who teaches giants to dance.
He used to scan his sketches into the computer, but now he draws using Photoshop.
He makes the background a beige color and then uses brushes that’s created on the program. Then, he begins to sketch and feel out what he’s trying to do. He uses a stylus when sketching. He hates when people say his drawings look “computery.”
He ate a slug once when he was in the Caribbean.
Brandon likes his images to be uplifting
He created art for 4 books within the last year--must faster to create on the computer.
He likes to put dimples on his characters’ chins.
His father-in-law says his mind feels like scrambled eggs watching him sketch on the computer. He dedicated a book to his in-laws and now he’s in!
He likes to draw eyeballs. Funky teeth are fun -- it’s so much easier to draw a funky guy than a cute girl!
Can add texture with various brushes; also makes the surface textured because it makes him feel better about using the computer
People expect artists to be able to draw anything--eg. Tasmanian Devil
Jackie Urbanovic
Jackie has always been fascinated with passage of time, time travel, Jules Verne, wrestles with concept of time, why am I always late? constant reminders to finish projects..
Practical jokesters in her family; cultivated her sense of humor
Grandfather entranced neighbor kids with stories told in Lithuanian language
Immigrated from Lithuania in early 20th cent.--door to another world
Mother tried out for Vaudeville acts, father in motorcycle gang in 20’s and flew bi-plan
Mother loved movies on TV; urban background of 30s and 40s
Animal lovers; lived on narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie; Lonely life so she made up stories and escaped from angry and disapproving father
Absorbed other author’s stories--Uncle Scrooge
Hyperventilated when bookmobile came around because she was so anxious to borrow different books.
Tried hand at comic strips;told her jokes and stories on paper since she was shy.
Max the duck resulted from friend Susan sharing stories about Irene’s menagerie.
Duck at the Door appeared--rescue, compassion and humor are her theme
Art does not happen overnight; process similar to dog lying down, trying to find right spot; gestation not procrastination--pacing, pouring coffee
Ideas ruminating in back of her mind; deadlines create anxiety--renewable resource; eg. solar energy; Go with the flow, light up!
Writing process allows ideas to deepen or resonate
Artists capture moments in time--what was funny and important; cultural footprints for the future.
The alligator loves to eat and Max loves to cook--those are her alter egos because she likes to do both.
She added Julia Child in her book as the chef on tv.
The detective came out of Dragnet.
Her book Duck Soup borrows its name from the Marx Brothers.
Memories from babysitting ran through her mind while she was doing Duck Soup.
Stories tell us where we belong, where we’ve been and where we might go. They represent our ability that does not exist and make it into magic.
One of her favorite books is The Tale of Despereaux.
We need stories to understand and live through the darkness we face. We need them to inspire us throughout the future
Carol Heyer
Carol's mother was an amazing artist.
One of her favorite books is Once Upon a Motorcycle Dude. Carol did the princess part of it. She thinks Kevin O’Malley is brilliant.
Scott Dodo did the motorcycle part of the book. The contrasting styles worked!
August 31: sequel comes out--Once Upon a Royal Superbaby.
Princess is now a queen and she has a baby.
The baby’s super power is that he can talk to birds--the baby is from a picture of her nephew.
She uses models for her book.
Carol loves to paint faces. Problem is that bald men want hair, old ladies want to look young. So doing it for a book works b/c she can make it how she wants the character to look.
The night before the photo shoot, they ordered pizza and they didn’t have a Robinhood so the pizza man was perfect and agreed to do it! She tells everyone that Robinhood is her pizza delivery guy
She’s done a lot of retelling of stories. Humphrey is very special to her.
She loves to paint camels. She went to Jungleland to sketch camels so since she knew how to previously draw them so well, she got the job. None of the camels ever spit on her!
Humphrey comes out this fall.
She gets started with books by doing a book map. Then, she sends to the publisher and if they don’t like the layout she re-does it. Then, she sketches each layout and adds the text
She paints with her dogs right in front of her because they don’t want to be away from her--Peanut and Cashew. Cashew is the intelligent one who watches her paint. Her friend told her she’s a nuthouse for allowing her dogs beside her while she paints and types. She clips their bed to her easel.
She’s done books with Henry Winkler.
In a year she does 2-3 picture books, around 50 angels for collector cards and creates puzzles.
She does a lot of sci fi and fantasy--online magazine covers, baby book covers, mystery covers.
She paints on a watercolor canvas and mounts it to the board because most publishers like them flexible so it can be scanned.
She uses acrylic paint because it dries faster, layer by layer goes from dark to light and blends. It’s similar to an airbrush technique look.
*My Mother the Detective
Sometimes the publisher typecasts and they don’t always want to change their formula.
She started with cartoons and now she’s going back to them again.
She used to teach art which she really misses--had students still come to her house.
Something Fishy Down on the Farm--project she’s working on.
She drew a man in the moon so she’s keeping it for a future project.
She’s working on a retelling of the African Folktale--How the Frog Lost His Tail.
As a reminder never to be horrible people, frogs grow up and lose their tails.
She started an illustration group--so it’s not so isolated they work in a room together. She brings in other artists and talk and give each other critiques.
Wag more, bark less--her motto that she found in dog food.
At the end of the day, take the time to devour a book!
She’s dedicated many books to her parents becaus they always stood behind her and loved her unconditionally.
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