What helped you decide to become a Children's Book illustrator?
It has been a life-long passion. As I child I would write and illustrate stories whenever I could. (Often in class to the dismay of my teachers.) I loved books and I loved drawing. It just seemed like a natural thing to do.
Did you have formal art school training, or are you self-taught?
I’m self-taught and proud of it. I tried taking a drawing class once in college. On the first day of class there was a bowl of fruit on the table. Ever since fourth grade I had drawn a bowl of fruit on the first day of art class. I was already working as an artist and I certainly didn’t want to draw any more bowls of fruit. So I changed to a business class and started learning more about drawing and art on my own.
How did you go about breaking into Children's Book Illustration?
I knew I wasn’t going to just jump into freelancing and become a children’s book illustrator right away. I knew I was going to have to prove myself, so I started out by doing art for children’s magazines and other publications and eventually started submitting samples of my work to children’s book publishers. My first book assignment was about postal workers. Not the type of first book assignment that I had dreamed of, but it was a start.
Have you been published? If so, where can we find your books?
2 Comments on Mark Hicks Author/Illustrator, last added: 6/11/2010
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Great post!
Great stuff Mark!!!! And one last thing__ "No fruit for you!!" :o)