In my new book I’M GOING TO OUTER SPACE! I tell the story of a boy named Luis who tells us all about the exciting things he wants to do and see when he gets to outer space. I was inspired to write this book as an homage to all of the science fiction I’ve loved since I was young. I remember watching old B&W films like “This Island Earth” and “Invaders From Mars” on television and cartoons like “The Jetsons”. As I got older I would read books by Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury and Robert Heinlein and watch “Lost In Space” and “Star Trek”. I was already an avid sci-fi fan when “Star Wars” came out and my love for Science Fiction only grew further and continues to this day.
When I started to flesh out the illustrations for my story I decided to pay homage to the entire genre. I have a spread with spaceships from the 1930’s to now. I have a page of robots that I challenge any sci-fi fan to name them all. They are from movies, television, comics and even other picture books.
When it came time to draw aliens, I realized I had a problem. I love designing aliens, it’s one of my favorite things to draw. But I also wanted to have some classic aliens as I had done with the spaceships and robots. I decided to have one spread with recognizable aliens that kids and parents will have fun figuring out who they all are. For the rest of the book I put my own original creations designed just for this book…all except one.
Back when I was just out of college I was hired by a friend who was an art director at Doubleday Books. They needed an illustration of an alien artist. At the time I was creating sculptural illustrations, 3D models that were photographed for print.
I created a number of sketches for the alien and when one was picked I sketched the final scene. I then sculpted the character and built his props; the easel, canvas and box of paints he uses. Another artist built the landscape and a sky backdrop was rented.
Everything was brought together at a photographers studio in lower Manhattan and the photograph was then used as the cover of a catalog of Science Fiction Art Books.
So when I started drawing aliens for I’M GOING TO OUTER SPACE! I decided to include my first alien from one of my first professional illustration jobs. He appears a few times in the book including this spread with a bunch of his friends.
I’M GOING TO OUTER SPACE! released just a few days ago…on December 15, 2017 from Schiffer Publishing.
Thanks, Tim! This was like time-traveling through outer space!
You can go to outer space, too, because Tim is giving away a signed copy of I’M GOING TO OUTER SPACE…THIS WEEK.
Leave one comment below to enter! And good luck!
62 comments
Comments feed for this article
December 18, 2017 at 11:00 am
Andria Rosenbaum
Congratulations, Tim — from one Jetson fan to another!
December 18, 2017 at 11:05 am
supermario6
Can’t wait to read it!
December 18, 2017 at 11:07 am
laurie kaiser
I, too, loved the Jetsons and outer space movies during my ’70s childhood. This book looks like fun.
December 18, 2017 at 11:30 am
julielacombeauthor
I can’t wait to see how many spaceships/robots/aliens I can identify! What a great way to introduce the young to SciFi. Well done!
December 18, 2017 at 11:35 am
Angela Turner
I’m also a big Sci-fi fan and this book is going to appeal to so many parents as well as kids. I can’t wait to read it!
December 18, 2017 at 11:38 am
Kathy Farr
Your book looks like fun; I recognized Robbie the Robot from your line-up. And I’m glad you didn’t include that thing with pinchers from This Island Earth!!
December 18, 2017 at 11:47 am
Timothy Young
You’ll have to read the rest of the book to find out if he’s in there. 😉
December 18, 2017 at 11:39 am
Karen Paterick
Can’t wait to read it. Students are going to love this!
December 18, 2017 at 11:50 am
Christine McDonnell
It was so interesting to see your alien in 2D and then as you sculpted it.
December 18, 2017 at 12:07 pm
Penny
Thanks for sharing your process. I’m looking forward to reading it.
December 18, 2017 at 12:20 pm
Lauri Fortino
Love Tim Young’s work! Can’t wait to read this book!
December 18, 2017 at 12:22 pm
Lindsay Maeve
Sci Fi for little people! I’m all for it!
December 18, 2017 at 12:44 pm
Dina Hodara-Bono
I love the alien that looks like a stalk of asparagus! Great job with the illustrations!
December 18, 2017 at 12:47 pm
pamzollman
Oh my goodness, I love this book! I’m such a huge fan of science fiction! I grew up in Houston, home of Mission Control, went to school with astronauts’ children, married into a family that worked for both NASA/JSC and Boeing Aerospace Company, later worked there myself. I helped with the building of the first Shuttle (by locating parts from other missions to be used on the prototype). I got to go see it up close and personal at Ellington Air Force Base. I’m a space junkie and so are my children and grandchildren.
So I just ordered a copy from Amazon for the grandkids. But I would love a signed copy! Thank you for writing this awesomely fun book!
Live long and prosper, and may the force be with you!
Pam Zollman
December 19, 2017 at 7:01 am
Timothy Young
That is so cool that you have done all those things! If you don’t win the signed copy email me (it’s on my website) and I’ll send a signed bookplate.
December 18, 2017 at 1:40 pm
Gregory E Bray
It appears we grew up watching the same shows Timothy. Congratulations on your book. Looking forward to Storystorm Tara. =)
December 18, 2017 at 2:20 pm
chardixon47
Congrats, Tim! I’ve been a Sci Fi buff all my life. I’m looking forward to reading your book and coveting those creative illustrations 🙂
December 18, 2017 at 2:20 pm
Gabi Snyder
Congrats, Tim! I love the spaceship homage spread. Can’t wait to read this one with my sci-fi-loving kids.
December 18, 2017 at 2:56 pm
storyfairy
Great post. I especially loved reading how you would sculpt and photograph your aliens. Sculpting and photographing anything sounds like a fun, non-standard way of illustrating books.
December 18, 2017 at 3:26 pm
meg3450
Such a neat story. I don’t know of any kid who wouldn’t love it.
December 18, 2017 at 3:35 pm
Judy Sobanski
Wonderful illustrations! Can’t wait to read the story!
December 18, 2017 at 3:36 pm
danielle hammelef
I love space and the idea of alien life interactions one day (peaceful of course). The alien painting is just awesome. This will be fun to read and study the illustrations.
December 18, 2017 at 3:53 pm
KimGJolly
Great work! I too want to be a picture book author and illustrator. How common or uncommon is it to both write and illustrate?
December 19, 2017 at 6:58 am
Timothy Young
I don’t know the statistics but there are a lot of us. I personally know dozens.
December 19, 2017 at 11:03 am
Kim Jolly
Really- lots? Can you give some offline advice on how to get started? I love really old, Scholastic, Inc. books buy illustrators/authors but not sure that’s where newbies can succeed.
December 22, 2017 at 10:29 am
Tara Lazar
Kim, join SCBWI and attend their events 🙂
December 22, 2017 at 10:46 am
Timothy Young
Tara is right, SCBWI is the best resource for finding out everything you need to know to get into children’s book publishing. Anyone can join.
Also, go in to book stores and look at the incredible wealth of current children’s books and all of the different styles of illustration. We are in a new golden age of picture books.
December 18, 2017 at 5:02 pm
Eileen Meyer
Fabulous picture book illustrations! I love that your original alien makes a repeat appearance in the cast of this new book. Well done – can’t wait to read this one!
December 18, 2017 at 5:18 pm
Michelle Howell
What a fun book! Congrats Tim! Can’t wait to read it.
December 18, 2017 at 5:21 pm
Kathy Doherty
Wow! I want to meet all those aliens!
December 18, 2017 at 6:16 pm
Jeanine Brown
Hey Tim,
I love the thought process and history you poured into this book. I think it will make the reader connect on a deeper level and it’s always so much more interesting to hear what the writers intentions were.
Great artistry!
December 18, 2017 at 7:03 pm
colleen kosinski
Love all your books!
December 18, 2017 at 7:11 pm
lillyarts
omg, Love your alien designs!! Thanks for this great article!
December 18, 2017 at 7:23 pm
Johnell DeWitt
Awesome! My kids would still have fun with this even though they’re not PB age anymore.
December 18, 2017 at 7:50 pm
Wendy F Doxey
Fantastic looking book! Can’t wait to read it. Thanks for your hard work in developing and sharing your talents.
December 18, 2017 at 7:58 pm
Kathryn Jean Hagen
The book looks (and sounds) amazing! Congratulations.
December 18, 2017 at 8:44 pm
Sylvia Mary Grech
Love the concept!!! And drawings! I recognized some of the old robots. 🙂
December 18, 2017 at 9:06 pm
Michelle O'Hara Levin
my own kids AND the students in my library LOVE books by Tim Young – I cannot wait for this awesome book
December 18, 2017 at 9:35 pm
Krista Maxwell
Can’t wait to read it! My boys love reading anything about space.
December 18, 2017 at 9:37 pm
Candy
I’m ready. Let’s go!
December 18, 2017 at 10:04 pm
seschipper
Both my husband and son are avid space adventure junkies! They have drawn me onto that realm! Congratulations! May the force be with you!
December 18, 2017 at 10:53 pm
Susan Twiggs
Tim,
I love knowing more about your illustrations. Can’t wait to read your book.
December 19, 2017 at 4:42 am
Linda
I love the illustrations in this book. My son would love it.
December 19, 2017 at 7:07 am
Timothy Young
Thanks for all the comments so far! I did have a lot of fun writing and illustrating this book. It’s so exciting when it finally comes out and starts to find it’s audience.
December 19, 2017 at 7:51 am
Kim Reber
So happy for this release! I love your books, Tim! They not only tell a story but there is always something else to do (recognize the robots)! My 6th grade enjoyed I Hate Picture Books! They poured over the illustrations! My students are just loving all the books I bought for my library at NJASL! I would love to add this to the collection!
December 19, 2017 at 11:42 am
Cheryl Kula
I love the illustrations – they really bring the story to life.
December 19, 2017 at 12:55 pm
Darcee Freier
Tim, what fun to use space ships, robots and aliens from throughout the sci-fi genre. I thought I knew quite a few of them, but looking at these illustrations, I realize that there are so many more than I knew. Thanks for the insight into your book and illustrations! Wishing you the best! And congratulations!
December 19, 2017 at 2:05 pm
Lynne Marie
What a fun book. I hope to take a trip to Outer Space, soon!
December 19, 2017 at 2:41 pm
mariagianferrari
Congrats, Timothy & happy book birthday! I’ve been enjoying following your alien creations on Instagram 🙂
December 19, 2017 at 3:37 pm
Stephen S. Martin
Lots of Fun
December 20, 2017 at 10:57 am
Jenna Woloshyn
What a fun idea!
December 21, 2017 at 12:43 pm
kcareywrites
I love all the references to spaceships and robots! A fun trip down sci-fi memory lane for the adult reader –
December 21, 2017 at 11:11 pm
Joannie Duris
From one science fiction fan to another…thank you! Had a blast with your sneak peek at a couple of spreads, finding robots and space ships from old favorites. Happy book birthday! On my must-buy list to encourage the next generation of dreamers.
December 24, 2017 at 10:14 am
Lauri Meyers
I love this! We need more Sci Fi in pictures books.
December 24, 2017 at 10:39 pm
Moderator
Reblogged this on Young People's Pavilion.
December 27, 2017 at 2:38 am
LeeAnn Rizzuti
May you and your love of science fiction live long and prosper, Tim. And with a book like this, that won’t be illogical.👾
December 29, 2017 at 10:22 pm
Karen Lawler
My grand sons would LOVE this book!!!! Can’t wait to read it to them. What awesome illustrations !!! 🙂
January 1, 2018 at 2:23 pm
jeanjames926
Love everything about this!
January 2, 2018 at 1:11 pm
Kassy Keppol
So fun!
January 3, 2018 at 2:55 pm
susankorchak
Such a cool idea!
January 3, 2018 at 7:34 pm
Erin Forrester
My comment for Mike before I go “get visual.”
Thanks for the picture book puzzle game to get us going!
Erin
January 9, 2018 at 7:29 pm
April Scott
Great post!!!