Is There Only One Way to Tell The Story?

I’ve always loved telling stories. Whether it is with a nice watercolor painting or as I create characters for children’s books, it’s the telling of the story with art that I love. I’ve bounced back and forth between the two. The children’s book illustrations have detail. The watercolor paintings can be big enough to allow freedom of brushstrokes. It’s a good combination.

The one has influenced the other. When I’ve been working on a picture book, things seem to come into my life that have an influence on the book. The elements and principals of art can improve both children’s book illustration and watercolor paintings. Things learned in a watercolor workshop end up influencing my illustrations. Imagination is used for both. It’s very satisfying to start with a picture you see in your head and watch it appear on your sketch book and become refined with watercolor.

Detail from illustration of Baby Bear