Interview with Rob Peters, Illustrator
We’re so thrilled to introduce Rob Peters as the latest fantastic illustrator to join the Dunham Literary family, represented by Anjanette Barr. Read on to learn more about Rob, his inspirations, and his work!
How did you initially get into illustration?
I always wanted to be an illustrator. I majored in “Visual Communication” in college, which combined illustration and graphic design classes. After college, I got a job working on school yearbook covers. I gravitated towards the illustrated covers, especially the ones where I could get a bit of a story going on the yearbook cover. In my free time, I continued to work on my illustration portfolio and sending out samples. Eventually, I landed paid illustration work and left the yearbook covers behind.
Who are some authors and illustrators who have inspired you?
I’m inspired by illustrators and cartoonists like TS Sullivant, Richard Scarry, Dr. Seuss, and Walt Kelly. Artists who both drew engaging characters and could tell a story in a single image.
What does your working space in your studio look like?
My space is in a big room that’s full of bookshelves. My computer desk is by the window with a drawing table next to it. Hanging on the walls are prints from artists I admire like Don Rosa and Kazu Kibusishi as well as some of my own art. I also have an original page from the graphic novel Creeps by Chris Schweizer.
What is your creative process?
After I get a story idea or a manuscript, I’ll just start sketching on either paper or my iPad. I’ll work my way back and forth through the story, trying to find the right way to tell it. Usually, I’ll find my hook somewhere in the middle of the story and then work outwards until I have the whole thing roughed out. Then, depending on the project, it’s a matter of getting out the paper and ink or iPad and beginning work on the finished pieces. I usually begin with black and white linework. When I’m satisfied with the linework, I’ll add color.
Do you have a favorite medium?
I love pen and ink. There’s something about the simplicity of a drawing that works in just black and white that’s really appealing.
Do you mix mediums? When and why?
I use whatever mediums work best for the project. Sometimes I’ll use watercolors, markers, or colored pencils or whatever seems best for the story I’m illustrating. When I’m working digitally, as I have for many of my current projects, but try to incorporate watercolor textures and brushes to maintain that physical art look.
Are there art mediums you’ve tried that you ended up not liking?
I used to love oil painting in college, but it takes forever for the paint to dry. I can’t wait that long when I’m working on a picture book.
What do you get most excited about when starting a new illustration project?
I love reading a new manuscript and discovering new characters, new settings and new situations. That initial burst of creativity keeps me up at night.
What is your favorite part of storytelling – either visually or with words?
I love getting into a story, figuring out what the characters are like, what they’re feeling and how their journey is going. I love putting little details into the background that add another layer to the main story.
What research do you do before illustrating a new book?
Research is vital for any of my illustrations. Depending on the project, I can spend a lot of time researching online before I begin drawing. If the story is rooted in something real, I need to make sure that I’m drawing it as recognizably as possible. On Mizzou ABCs and 1-2-3s, for example, I wasn’t able to visit the University before I began on the book, so I relied on the reference photos I could find online and those my publisher sent me. I knew that the people reading the book would have been to the buildings and seen the objects I was drawing. I wanted to make it as authentic as possible for them. The same goes if I’m drawing a dinosaur or a historical figure. There are experts out there and I want respect that.
What stages of children’s book projects are hardest and smoothest for you?
When I have a deadline looming, ending a project is always the hardest. At the end of nearly every project, I wish for another week or even another day to tweak the art a little more.
Do you have bucket list projects you hope to complete, or a specific kind of story you’d love to illustrate?
I have more ideas than I have time to work on them. I’d love to do both picture books and graphic novels. I want to draw everything from robots and dinosaurs to cute jungle animals and cranky kids.
Do you have any other fun facts to share?
In the last few years, I have read nearly all of the Caldecott Medal winning picture books. I’ve only missed reading 12 books, mostly earliest ones and those from the early 70’s.
Head on over to https://rob-peters.com/ to check out more of Rob’s fantastic illustrations!
