Illustration Process, or the Blogging Tour

I was asked by illustrator Jessica M. Lopez to take part in a form of artistically-blogged round-robin, which involves artists providing details regarding their creative processes and so forth. Jessica is a fantastic illustrator of ink, water-colour, and goodness knows what else. She specialises in themes of nature, tranquility, and all things magical.

Q: What am I working on right now?

I'm currently working on the third book in a series I’m illustrating for Boyd’s Mills Press called “Thor Speaks!” by Vicky Alvear Shecter. I unfortunately cannot provide any images of the work in progress, but I can present the cover of the previous title I did for the series which is “Hades Speaks!” due out this October.

Q: How does my illustration process work? 

I start out with various rough and ridiculous sketches and eventually narrow them down and fine-tune the ones I believe are in the right direction. If I’m illustrating for someone else’s work then I submit several sketches for them or their editors to examine and they will critique the ideas and let me know which direction they prefer and offer suggestions for things they wish to see in the illustration. We continue in this fashion until the final composition is equally accepted on both sides. Occasionally, if preferences begin to foreshadow an impasse, one of the party may offer salty language or throw a shoe.

Why do I illustrate what I illustrate? 

Because if I illustrate anything else I’ll turn into marzipan.



Nearing a week from now look for a continuation of this theme by another artist named Karla Giguere, who has an amazing imagination filled with vast, silent landscapes and peculiar individuals with questionable dispositions.