Today IF MY LOVE WERE A FIRE TRUCK illustrator Jeff Mack takes us on a whirlwind ride through his creation process.
Jeff, when you first read a manuscript, how do you begin generating the style and vision of what the art will look like?
I start by making some really rough scribbles on the paper. I don’t think too hard about it. I just sketch whatever first comes to my mind. The sketches suggest the general shapes of the things in the picture because, at that point, I have only a vague idea of what the picture might look like. Some of the scribbly marks may serendipitously give me ideas for details that I didn’t think of at first. So I stay open to those possibilities as I redraw the picture over and over. Then I start adding a range of values in black and white.
For FIRE TRUCK, I used a combination of watercolor, cut paper, and digital to get the style I wanted. So my next step was to create the characters in watercolor and cut paper. Then using my computer, I added the background colors. On some of the pages, such as the lion image, the cut paper really stands out. On other pages, like the dragon image, I used the computer to blur the edges a bit.
FIRE TRUCK went through many versions in the sketch stage. For instance, I considered animating each of the vehicles that the characters rode on. I also created a version that included lots of different fathers with both sons and daughters. But, in the end, I decided that one father and one son was the best way to lead the reader through the story.
For IF MY LOVE WERE A FIRE TRUCK, you insert surprising moments of humor, such as the scene where the small dragon’s fire enables the young boy to toast his marshmallow. How do you arrive at funny additions like this?
One of the things that drew me to the story was how Luke Reynolds’ text leaves plenty of room for visual interpretation. In the best picture books, where the text and images support each other, leaving this kind of space for the illustrations this is the mark of a highly skilled and clever author. Overall, FIRE TRUCK has a perfect little story arc. At the same time, each of Luke’s rhymes suggests a story of its own. So when I was thinking about each image, I wondered what else could be going on in the scene. What details could I add to make the scene spin off into its own story? What will give the readers something extra fun to talk about? On the dragon page, it’s the marshmallows. On the elephant page, the monkey has swiped the dad’s watch and hat. On the whale page, they’ve hooked a giant blue whale from their tiny fishing boat.
How do you decide what projects to work on, and how long does it take for you to craft the art for an entire book?
I take on few stories by other authors because most of the time I’m working on projects I have written myself. So I have to really love a story to illustrate it. When I’m considering a manuscript, I ask myself “What job does this story do?” or “What important thing will this book add to a young reader’s life?” I ask the same questions of my own stories.
Here’s what I wrote to my editor at Doubleday, Frances Gilbert, about the FIRE TRUCK manuscript:
“Have I mentioned how much I love this book? When I took on the project, it was Luke’s clever, lyrical, emotionally rich poetry that sold me on it. I love that this is about fathers and sons expressing their feelings for each other. Too many guys grow up in our culture with pressure to be tough and to hide their emotions. Luke’s story encourages them to communicate their feelings starting at an early age. He’s given kids and parents something they can really share and connect over. And the wild range of vehicles and animals make it so much fun! I imagine some parents will get a little teary over the ending too.”
It takes me about a month to make the dummy. That’s the process of drawing and redrawing and re-redrawing the sketches. The finished color pictures usually take me between two to three months depending on the style and the amount of detail.
What do you hope readers remember from your artwork in FIRE TRUCK?
When I was young, there were often odd little details that stuck with me about certain illustrations. For example, I loved the way H. A. Rey drew donuts in one of the Curious George books. Do I know why I became fixated on his donuts? I do nut. But I do know that I tried to draw donuts the same way. It got me practicing and working on my own drawing skills. So I guess I hope readers notice and remember some of the little details in the illustrations and that those might inspire them to make their own drawings. By the way, my three favorite images in FIRE TRUCK are the rocket page, the parade page, and the dragon page. But I’m sure readers will have their own favorites different from mine.
What’s your favorite snack while you work?
Coffee, Mint Chocolate Brownie Cliff Bars, more coffee, Skinny Pop popcorn, and then a lot more coffee.
Thanks for the fascinating inside look at your illustration process, Jeff!
Blog readers, leave one comment below for a chance to win an original sketch by Jeff Mack.
I’m overdue selecting winners for many giveaways, so I will announce them all next MONDAY, just in time to give as holiday gifts!
Jeff Mack studied art at SUNY Oswego, Syracuse University, and Scuola Lorenzo De Medici in Florence, Italy.
In 2000, he moved to NYC to try to sell his stories to publishing companies. He didn’t have much luck at first. After a few more years of practice and persistence, he became a published author in 2008.
Since then, he’s written and illustrated a long list of picture books, chapter books, and early readers. And his book GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS, which has only four words in it, has been published in twelve different languages!
Learn more about Jeff at JeffMack.com.
41 comments
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November 20, 2017 at 1:26 pm
Katie Giorgio
What fun…thanks for sharing!
November 20, 2017 at 1:27 pm
tiffanydickinson
Thank you, Tara. This has good insights into how the illustrator approaches the given text, as well as what’s helpful for the illustrator.
November 20, 2017 at 1:28 pm
Deslie English
Leaving space for the illustrator seems clearer to me now! Thank you. What beautiful work.
November 20, 2017 at 1:40 pm
Kassy
I love seeing thumbnails!
November 20, 2017 at 1:42 pm
Tim Canny
What a great look into the process! Thanks, Jeff and Tara!
November 20, 2017 at 2:04 pm
Lynn
This was very interesting. As a writer I appreciate seeing more from the illustrator’s perspective. Thank you, Tara and Jeff for a great interview. (I’ve put Good News, Bad News on hold at the library.)
November 20, 2017 at 2:23 pm
Lori Alexander
What a sweet idea for a picture book. Thanks for the peek inside your process!
November 20, 2017 at 2:37 pm
chardixon47
“What job does this story do?” or “What important thing will this book add to a young reader’s life?” Thank you, Jeff, for these questions. Thank you, too, for sharing your process for creating these amazing illustrations. Your books always bring fun and adventure to the reader.
November 20, 2017 at 2:41 pm
Cathy Ballou Mealey
Wow – packed with little stories on every page! A delight for the eye and ear together. Can’t wait to read this book! Enjoyed the sneak peek.
November 20, 2017 at 2:42 pm
Kathy Doherty
Such talent! And such a visual treat!
November 20, 2017 at 2:44 pm
Kelly Vavala
Thank you for sharing such wonderful insight! Amazing work..,Keep doing what you are doing because you do it very well!
November 20, 2017 at 2:47 pm
claireannette1
Thanks for this wonderful post about this wonderful book. It’s on my gift giving list for the kids in my life.
November 20, 2017 at 3:09 pm
Shirin
This is wonderful and inspiring. Jeff makes it look so easy. I feel I shall start drawing donuts in the hope that one day I will be a PB writer and illustrator:) Thank you for sharing this. Happy Thanksgiving all ❤
November 20, 2017 at 3:38 pm
carmelamccainsimmons
Thank you for this piece. How wonderful to see how artists’ view writers’ words and then add their visual gifts! I never really understood it before, but now I would compare artists’ work to adding harmonies to our melodies. I used to be possessive of the verbal images painted by my words, but I can leave room for this!
November 20, 2017 at 3:43 pm
swimwarrior60 (Mary Rudzinski)
Since I am not an illustrator, hearing about the process ( and being reminded to leave “room for visual interpretation”) was very helpful. Thanks!
November 20, 2017 at 3:51 pm
danielle hammelef
I adore the idea of this book and will love reading it. This would make an excellent gift for new dads especially on Father’s Day.
November 20, 2017 at 3:53 pm
Rebekah Lowell
Love seeing this process!
November 20, 2017 at 4:14 pm
karaskeans
Thanks for letting us take a peek inside your process. That rocket picture is awesome!
November 20, 2017 at 4:33 pm
Shannon Benish
Thanks for the behind the scenes look!
November 20, 2017 at 4:36 pm
Kaye Baillie
A pleasure seeing inside the processes. Thanks Tara and Jeff.
November 20, 2017 at 6:02 pm
Bev K. Taylor
Very cool tips from Jeff Mack, about leaving room for illustrator so he can add another story with pictures. It is so awesome that he can illustrate his own books.
November 20, 2017 at 6:03 pm
Stephan Stuecklin
Very cool art and fascinating process! Thanks for the glimpse behind the veil.
November 20, 2017 at 6:10 pm
Carole Swain Stedronsky
Thank you so much for sharing your process!
November 20, 2017 at 8:13 pm
Mary Warth
Thanks for the great interview! I appreciate the look into the process.
November 20, 2017 at 8:41 pm
Stephanie Geckle (@SPGeckle)
I loved seeing all the scribbles! Thanks for sharing.
November 20, 2017 at 9:11 pm
Judy Sobanski
I love hearing about the process that an illustrator uses to produce their work. Thanks for sharing, Jeff!
November 20, 2017 at 9:34 pm
denitajohnson
Thanks for sharing, I love seeing the process.
November 20, 2017 at 11:57 pm
Carol Gordon Ekster
I loved reading this and can’t wait to get this book for my grandson who is completely crazy in love with firemen and firetrucks! Thank you!
November 21, 2017 at 1:28 am
Charlotte Offsay
Thank you, this is wonderful insight!
November 21, 2017 at 1:41 am
Sandy
Thanks for sharing about your work! I really love your illustrations!
November 21, 2017 at 8:29 am
Michelle O'Hara Levin
OH man. I was already excited for this book and now I’m doubly so!
November 21, 2017 at 8:55 am
Lucky Jo Boscarino
Little kid & little dragon toasting marshmallows = delightful.
November 21, 2017 at 9:25 am
Shutta
I LOVE seeing the process–esp. as I am not an illustrator. Thank you so much or this!!
November 21, 2017 at 9:47 am
David McMullin
Fun learning his process. Looks like if you want a great artist like Jeff for your book, you really need great text to attract them to the project. Yet one more reason to keep writing and working on craft.
November 21, 2017 at 11:48 am
Damon Dean, SevenAcreSky
Wow… an amazing creative process. I’m always astounded at the “links” between one stage of a project, image, and piece lead to the selection of the next link… and how that chain progresses. I suspect a lot of us write that way too.
November 21, 2017 at 12:53 pm
Myra
Interesting and I can’t wait to give my interview.
November 21, 2017 at 3:12 pm
Gloria Amescua
So delightful! I enjoyed reading about and seeing your process.
November 21, 2017 at 5:42 pm
Kathryn Jean Hagen
Great insights into the world of illustration. Thank you!
November 21, 2017 at 8:47 pm
Jenna Woloshyn
Thanks for sharing your process.
November 28, 2017 at 9:56 am
laura516
My kids and I are great fans of Jeff’s books. Can’t wait to read this one.
January 28, 2018 at 9:25 am
Rebecca Sheraton
Great story boards