Posts Tagged: childrens book illustrator

Flickr Friday with Robert Dunn

26 Feb, 2010 by in robert dunn 4 comments

Today’s Flickr Friday artist is Rewedagain –Robert Dunn

His whimsical watercolor-like illustrations called to me. And, I so want to travel to Scotland so when I found out that’s where he is from it made him even more cool! Here’s our interview:

Where were you born?
Paisley, Scotland. I wouldn’t stop there if you’re ever driving by…

Did you graduate from college, if so from where and in what major?
I have a complicated history with the education system. It wasn’t until the late nineties that I realised I had no interest in studying or painting fine art. I quit art school after three days and ended up studying illustration in Glasgow… Having an interest in what I was doing made all the difference and I ended up doing quite well in that little class.

What are your hobbies?
Ha! You’re assuming I have time for hobbies… everything at the moment is wrapped up in drawing and being a dad. Go back in time three years and ask me the question again…

What are your favorite all-time books?
The New York Trilogy (Paul Auster)… Lunar Park (Brett Easton Ellis)… Bukowski, Hunter… you know – cheery stuff.

Who is your hero/ mentor?
My wife keeps me in check…. She takes b.s. from nobody. Everybody should have one.

What suggestion would you give young writers?
Ask yourself why you’re doing it. Is it a need? A compulsion? How dedicated are you… I’d suggest people should weigh up in their heads exactly the lengths they’d be prepared to go to to succeed.

Do you have another day job?
I am the sixth worst civil servant in the Scottish Land registry… It’s straight out of Brazil. (WOW!!!!)

Favorite music? Does music or art inspire your work?
Of course. I like bleak nosiy music that accurately recreates the sensation of screaming in a coffin… Art – I mostly just like Illustrators. Arthur Rackham, Ian Miller, James Jean, Ray Ceaser, Laurie Lipton, Derek Hess, Chris Mars… Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro are obvious influences…

Are you working on any books right now?
If I was foolhardy enough to brave crawling through the work, folios, papers and writings that hide in the empyreal that is my attic, then I could pull out at least three for you…

What is your all-time favorite children’s book?
George’s marvellous medicine… maybe it was Rick Mayall narrating it on Jackanory when I was young that added to the madness associated with that book…

What are the names of your published works?
Presently it’s all magazine work…

How did you find an agent?
I had a few names to check out… I picked the ten best pics from the forty or so pieces I’d done in the previous six months and emailed them. I got a reply a day or two later and that was that…

Where did the inspiration for your book come from?
I have a large queue of images in my head that form when I’m not looking. I don’t use source material or particularly seek out inspiration… although in saying that, words are great stimulus. I love the Illustration Friday challenge… one word and bam! – another headfull…

Check out Robert’s amazing photostream here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39662690@N08/ Go forth and comment!

Introducing Illustrator Asja Boros

18 Feb, 2010 by in photography 13 comments

Our spotlight today is on Children’s Illustrator Asja Boros. I found her art on Flickr where she posts book pages and photos as part of the 365 project to post a photo a day. It is whimsical and detailed…I would love to live in her imagination for a day because her work is stunning



Here’s what she had to say in our interview...

“I was born in Vukovar , small town in eastern Croatia.
I’ve graduated from Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, Croatia, and I majored in animation.
Right now, I don’t have much time to pursue any hobbies, but I love being outdoors , so whenever I can, I go hiking or at least go for a long walk.
I know this is not a very original answer but my all-time favorite book would probably be The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.
I started drawing more seriously when I was 18, and I first got published when I was 21, one of my illustrations was published in Croatian daily newspaper, Jutarnji List.
Some suggestions I would give to young illustrators are to draw a lot, whenever and where ever they can, not to be too critical of themselves and to have as much fun as possible.
I’ve been full time freelance illustrator since the beginning of this year, although I occasionally work as a photographer. too. So I guess photography/photo retouching is my another day job 🙂
Alternative rock would probably be my favorite music genre , although I enjoy all kinds of music. I love both music and art but I find the biggest inspiration for my work in nature , in patterns and shapes occurring in nature and since I love drawing animal characters, in animal world.
Currently I’m working on a picture book about a little fox and his friends.
My all time favorite children’s book would be Ježeva kućica by Branko Ćopić. It’s a story about a hedgehog who loves his home. I learned how to draw by practicing a lot”

She asked us to donate four 4×6 autographed prints of the seasons to one lucky blog reader.

To enter to win: leave your name and email address in the comments

+2 for visiting her photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/25102254@N03/and commenting below your favorite photo
+2 for visiting her blog at http://threelittlecameras.blogspot.com/
and becoming a follower
+3 for sharing this contest on facebook-leave the link
+5 Share this contest on your blog
+3 Tweet it on twitter- leave the link
+5 add our button to your site
+3 become a fan of Fire and Ice on Facebook
+2 for following us on Twitter @fireicephotos
Total your entries and leave them in the comments below

Giveaway ends March 5th, 2010 and is Open internationally