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Thank you so much. How could anyone read this post and not be inspired?

Like the blog! And very interesting post, thank you

Thanks, Ivan. I’m glad you enjoyed the post and wrote in!
-Mark

[...] Spend a moment watching award winning children’s book illustrator E.B. Lewis demonstrate painting some watercolor scenes for the Austin Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (Austin SCBWI) back in February and read more about the work and ideas of this New Jersey based fine artist in the latest post on How To Be A Children’s Book Illustrator. [...]

Great post, Mark. And congratulations on your award! You do so much for the art community!

Thank you, Laurie! I’m so glad you liked the post. Hey, anytime you’d like to write about something related to children’s books, illustration, art or your own projects as a writer or illustrator — in other words, do a guest post here (including an image or two) and link to anything meaningful or related that you want, please let me know. I love it when students post — especially when they’re already writers, like you are. And I do offer a bit of payment when I accept an original piece.
-Mark

Thank you, Elizabeth and/or Lynette! Your blog is charming.

Mark

Wonderfully informative interview. Always love seeing the process behind a successful and brilliant work of art.

Thank you Mark for interviewing Terry Widener here on this latest book. It’s so good to hear Terry say, that if you want to learn to draw, you need to practice, practice, etc. And to go to your local education area and take a life drawing class or two, or as many as you can. He is so right that the people who stylize their drawings can also draw the traditional way. I don’t know if many people realize that today, who do not follow art or illustration. It’s so fundamental to just sketch every day. I also appreciated his comments about the old wool uniforms and the baggy pants, socks, etc. Also how he makes smaller drawings of different scenes, and slips them under the work he’s doing to see if he will change it – or not. One of my profs taught us how to make our own graphite paper by rubbing a thick graphite stick solidly on vellum paper, and then taking rubber cement thinner on a cotton ball all over it, smear it up, let it dry, and then you’ll have any size graphite tracing paper you want. Glad to see Terry from your photos also. He’s a favorite illustrator of mine. Thanks again for taking the time to do this interview.

Thank you, Theresa. You’ve written some wonderful things and done some great process posts for this blog, too!

Virginia, I was struck by the same points Terry made as you were! So basic. So “where the rubber meets the road. Terry is such a great role model for practice, due dilligence, patience and creating true beauty in his work.