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Robert's Snow: Meet Snowflake Artist Carol Schwartz
For the past eight years, this book, illustrated by Carol Schwartz,
has been on display in my butler's pantry.
( MOTHER GOOSE COOKBOOK by Marianna Mayer,
pictures by Carol Schwartz, Morrow, 1998)
Its warm, cheery cover greets my guests and makes them feel at home.
I haven't tried any of the recipes yet; I bought this book because I loved the art.
(from MOTHER GOOSE COOKBOOK)
When Jules at 7-Imp asked us which illustrators we wanted to feature for Robert's Snow: Blogging for a Cure, I picked Carol. After all, we're practically family. I soon learned that Carol's work encompasses so much more than Mother Goose. She is, in fact, a consummate nature artist, whose illustrations startle the eye with rich, sumptuous jewel tones, extraordinary detail, and singular beauty. Her paintings of seahorses, whales, starfish, hippos, penguins, ants, whales, and dinosaurs invite us to take a closer look, marvel, and appreciate these fascinating creatures anew.
(from WILD FIBONACCI by Joy Hulme, pictures by
Carol Schwartz, Tricycle Press, 2005)
Carol has illustrated over 40 children's trade books, including the math-oriented picture books SEA SQUARES, SEA SUMS, and WILD FIBONACCI (all by Joy Hulme), and many titles in Scholastic's Hide & Seek Science Series and Hello Science Readers.Her most recent books are EMPEROR PENGUINS (2007), and BEST FRIENDS: THE TRUE STORY OF OWEN AND MZEE (2007), both written by Roberta Edwards, and part of Grosset and Dunlap's All Aboard Science Reader Series. Her work has been honored by the EdPress Association of America and is included in the Society of Illustrators permanent collection of Outstanding Female Illustrators of the Past One Hundred Years.
Carol always knew she wanted to be an artist, but it wasn't until she heard Chris Van Allsburg lecture at one of her RISD classes that she became excited about children's book illustration. For many years she worked for design firms in the Washington, D.C., area, creating art for newspapers, magazines,and advertising. Carol now lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she is working on a new book about fireflies.
Don't you just love these puppies?
(from a 35-piece Ravensberger puzzle)
Now, I'm beyond delighted to welcome Carol Schwartz to alphabet soup!
Carol sketching in Scotland this past summer
Jama: Your Robert's Snow snowflake for 2007 features a wonderful painting of an emperor penguin and its chick. What can you tell us about your latest book, EMPEROR PENGUINS?
Carol: EMPEROR PENGUINS took about 5 months to create. I checked out probably 20 books from the library, plus I used many books from my personal library to research penguins. Also, the Internet was very helpful in finding photos of various penguins and birds. When I am sketching and painting, I spread out many books and photos on my desk and on the floor around me.
"Penguins," by Carol Schwartz, will be featured in Robert's Snow Auction 2, Nov 26-30, 2007.
Jama: How did you create the snowflake?
Carol: I thought about what to paint for the snowflake and decided reproducing the cover of EMPEROR PENGUINS would work well. It was a book I had recently finished and penguins were on my mind. I first sketched the two penguins in pencil on the snowflake, then painted them in with acrylic. I was creating as I went along. I wanted something on the back, but not as complicated as the front, so I thought swirling snow would look nice. When I was done with both sides, I decided it needed a finish to the edge, so I added gold paint along the edge to make it shine. I worked on it for 2 days.
(from EMPEROR PENGUINS)
Jama: Your love of nature shines through in every book. Does this interest date back to childhood? Growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, what types of wildlife did you encounter?
Carol: I have always loved animals and nature and being outside. Growing up I spent a lot of time on my aunt's and uncle's farms and camping with my family. I was around a lot of farm animals. I always loved going to the zoo and looking at the many books my parents bought for me as a child. The nonfiction books about animals always stood out for me. When I was 9 years old, I entered a contest in Kansas City to draw a picture of my favorite place and I won. I drew myself and my friends sitting around a campfire in the woods.
Jama: Which books inspired you? Did you try to imitate any artists early on?
Carol: I wasn't an avid reader. I liked books, but I liked to draw more than I liked to read. Two books I loved as a child and still have are Marguerite de Angeli's BOOK OF NURSERY AND MOTHER GOOSE RHYMES and a nonfiction book by Maxton Publishers called CHILDREN'S GUIDE TO KNOWLEDGE. I never thought of trying to imitate an artist. I don't know why that never occurred to me.
Jama: Are there any other artists in your family?
Carol: My son is a graphic designer and my daughter is very artistic, but chose animal science as a career path. My husband is an Industrial Designer. We met in art school.
Jama: What is your favorite wild animal?
Carol: My favorite animals to illustrate are sea creatures and insects because they both come in many colors, patterns and shapes.
(from THE REAL THING: BEETLES by Mary Packard,
pictures by Carol Schwartz, Scholastic)
Jama: You have said that you enjoy researching each project. Does this mean that you sometimes go on exciting adventures, such as jungle safaris or treks in the desert?
Carol: It would be wonderful to be able to visit the many places and creatures which are the subjects of my books, but there is never the time or the money to make that happen. I go to these places in my imagination. That is one of the fun parts of my profession. Each book is a new experience.
Jama: This past spring, BEST FRIENDS: THE TRUE STORY OF OWEN AND MZEE, was released. Did you get to see Owen and Mzee in person? Describe the experience of working on a book based on the true story of a hippo rescued from the 2004 Tsunami, who befriends a 130-year-old tortoise.
Carol: I wish I could go see the real Owen and Mzee. I had to settle for the web blog about them. I had heard the story of them long before this book came my way and was thrilled to be the illustrator for the story. I did go look at the hippo at the National Zoo while there on a trip during the time I was working on the book. One of the challenges was making sure the animals looked like themselves and stayed consistent throughout the story. I didn't look at a lot of other hippos and tortoises.
Jama: What has been your favorite project?
Carol: SEA SQUARES, THE MAIDEN OF NORTHLAND, and WILD FIBONACCI are favorites of mine. I enjoyed the research on them.
WILD FIBONACCI by Joy Hulme, art by Carol Schwartz
(Tricycle Press, 2005)
Jama: Tell us about MAIDEN OF NORTHLAND, a folktale written by Aaron Shepard. This book showcases a different aspect of your skill and talent.
(from MAIDEN OF NORTHLAND by Aaron Shepard
art by Carol Schwartz, Atheneum, 1996)
Carol: I looked at a lot of Finnish folk art and designs from long ago which inspired me to create the border. I went to the Library of Congress because I lived in Maryland and I wasn't finding much in my local library. I enjoyed working on a folk tale and illustrating people. It was a nice change. The area of Finland where this story takes place was ruled by Russians at different times in history.
Jama: Can you briefly describe how you make your pictures?
Carol: I paint in gouache and use it in a combination of ways. I can paint in a transparent manner with the white of the paper shining through or I can brush it on as opaque color. It also works well in my airbrush which I use for large areas of color or for a smooth look.
Carol at work in her studio
Before I can paint with my airbrush, first I must cut a mask right onto the bristol board. This is done to cover the areas where I don't want the paint to spray. It's a tedious process of lifting the plastic mask, spraying paint, then putting the plastic piece back in place on the paper and lifting another one to spray a different color.
Many people ask why I continue to work this way when I could do the same thing in Photoshop much easier. I enjoy the painting process and working on a board with brushes much more than sitting at my computer. I also like having an actual piece of artwork rather than only a digital image.
Jama: Since I first saw your work in a children's cookbook, I should ask whether you like to cook. What do you usually eat for breakfast?
Carol: I like to cook when I have the time. We eat a lot of chicken and fish, and I have a small vegetable garden in my back yard where I grow tomatoes, green beans, peppers, and lots of herbs. I love cooking with fresh ingredients. I eat oatmeal a lot for breakfast.
Jama: If you were banished to a desert island, what one food item would you take along?
Carol: Dark chocolate!
Jama: Tell us something surprising about yourself.
Carol: I have a lot of collections. I have a collection of over 100 squashed pennies.
(from OVER IN THE ARCTIC, Scholastic 2003)
For more dazzling pictures, see Carol's website and portfolio. Her painstaking attention to detail and high level of technical accuracy will astound you.
And you, my friends, have a unique opportunity to own an original piece of Carol's art! Her snowflake will be featured in Auction 2, November 26 - 30, 2007. You can view it along with all the other snowflakes up for auction at the Robert's snow site.
Here are the other illustrators being featured today:
Carol Heyer at The Shady Glade
Joe Kulka at ChatRabbit
Steven James Petruccio at Blog from the Windowsill
For daily updates, direct links to illustrator posts, and a comprehensive list of all illustrator features, visit Jules and Eisha at 7-Imp.
Thanks for creating this beautiful snowflake, Carol!
**All spreads posted by permission, © 2007 Carol Schwartz, All Rights Reserved.
has been on display in my butler's pantry.
( MOTHER GOOSE COOKBOOK by Marianna Mayer,
pictures by Carol Schwartz, Morrow, 1998)
Its warm, cheery cover greets my guests and makes them feel at home.
I haven't tried any of the recipes yet; I bought this book because I loved the art.
(from MOTHER GOOSE COOKBOOK)
When Jules at 7-Imp asked us which illustrators we wanted to feature for Robert's Snow: Blogging for a Cure, I picked Carol. After all, we're practically family. I soon learned that Carol's work encompasses so much more than Mother Goose. She is, in fact, a consummate nature artist, whose illustrations startle the eye with rich, sumptuous jewel tones, extraordinary detail, and singular beauty. Her paintings of seahorses, whales, starfish, hippos, penguins, ants, whales, and dinosaurs invite us to take a closer look, marvel, and appreciate these fascinating creatures anew.
(from WILD FIBONACCI by Joy Hulme, pictures by
Carol Schwartz, Tricycle Press, 2005)
Carol has illustrated over 40 children's trade books, including the math-oriented picture books SEA SQUARES, SEA SUMS, and WILD FIBONACCI (all by Joy Hulme), and many titles in Scholastic's Hide & Seek Science Series and Hello Science Readers.Her most recent books are EMPEROR PENGUINS (2007), and BEST FRIENDS: THE TRUE STORY OF OWEN AND MZEE (2007), both written by Roberta Edwards, and part of Grosset and Dunlap's All Aboard Science Reader Series. Her work has been honored by the EdPress Association of America and is included in the Society of Illustrators permanent collection of Outstanding Female Illustrators of the Past One Hundred Years.
Carol always knew she wanted to be an artist, but it wasn't until she heard Chris Van Allsburg lecture at one of her RISD classes that she became excited about children's book illustration. For many years she worked for design firms in the Washington, D.C., area, creating art for newspapers, magazines,and advertising. Carol now lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she is working on a new book about fireflies.
Don't you just love these puppies?
(from a 35-piece Ravensberger puzzle)
Now, I'm beyond delighted to welcome Carol Schwartz to alphabet soup!
Carol sketching in Scotland this past summer
Jama: Your Robert's Snow snowflake for 2007 features a wonderful painting of an emperor penguin and its chick. What can you tell us about your latest book, EMPEROR PENGUINS?
Carol: EMPEROR PENGUINS took about 5 months to create. I checked out probably 20 books from the library, plus I used many books from my personal library to research penguins. Also, the Internet was very helpful in finding photos of various penguins and birds. When I am sketching and painting, I spread out many books and photos on my desk and on the floor around me.
"Penguins," by Carol Schwartz, will be featured in Robert's Snow Auction 2, Nov 26-30, 2007.
Jama: How did you create the snowflake?
Carol: I thought about what to paint for the snowflake and decided reproducing the cover of EMPEROR PENGUINS would work well. It was a book I had recently finished and penguins were on my mind. I first sketched the two penguins in pencil on the snowflake, then painted them in with acrylic. I was creating as I went along. I wanted something on the back, but not as complicated as the front, so I thought swirling snow would look nice. When I was done with both sides, I decided it needed a finish to the edge, so I added gold paint along the edge to make it shine. I worked on it for 2 days.
(from EMPEROR PENGUINS)
Jama: Your love of nature shines through in every book. Does this interest date back to childhood? Growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, what types of wildlife did you encounter?
Carol: I have always loved animals and nature and being outside. Growing up I spent a lot of time on my aunt's and uncle's farms and camping with my family. I was around a lot of farm animals. I always loved going to the zoo and looking at the many books my parents bought for me as a child. The nonfiction books about animals always stood out for me. When I was 9 years old, I entered a contest in Kansas City to draw a picture of my favorite place and I won. I drew myself and my friends sitting around a campfire in the woods.
Jama: Which books inspired you? Did you try to imitate any artists early on?
Carol: I wasn't an avid reader. I liked books, but I liked to draw more than I liked to read. Two books I loved as a child and still have are Marguerite de Angeli's BOOK OF NURSERY AND MOTHER GOOSE RHYMES and a nonfiction book by Maxton Publishers called CHILDREN'S GUIDE TO KNOWLEDGE. I never thought of trying to imitate an artist. I don't know why that never occurred to me.
Jama: Are there any other artists in your family?
Carol: My son is a graphic designer and my daughter is very artistic, but chose animal science as a career path. My husband is an Industrial Designer. We met in art school.
Jama: What is your favorite wild animal?
Carol: My favorite animals to illustrate are sea creatures and insects because they both come in many colors, patterns and shapes.
(from THE REAL THING: BEETLES by Mary Packard,
pictures by Carol Schwartz, Scholastic)
Jama: You have said that you enjoy researching each project. Does this mean that you sometimes go on exciting adventures, such as jungle safaris or treks in the desert?
Carol: It would be wonderful to be able to visit the many places and creatures which are the subjects of my books, but there is never the time or the money to make that happen. I go to these places in my imagination. That is one of the fun parts of my profession. Each book is a new experience.
Jama: This past spring, BEST FRIENDS: THE TRUE STORY OF OWEN AND MZEE, was released. Did you get to see Owen and Mzee in person? Describe the experience of working on a book based on the true story of a hippo rescued from the 2004 Tsunami, who befriends a 130-year-old tortoise.
Carol: I wish I could go see the real Owen and Mzee. I had to settle for the web blog about them. I had heard the story of them long before this book came my way and was thrilled to be the illustrator for the story. I did go look at the hippo at the National Zoo while there on a trip during the time I was working on the book. One of the challenges was making sure the animals looked like themselves and stayed consistent throughout the story. I didn't look at a lot of other hippos and tortoises.
Jama: What has been your favorite project?
Carol: SEA SQUARES, THE MAIDEN OF NORTHLAND, and WILD FIBONACCI are favorites of mine. I enjoyed the research on them.
WILD FIBONACCI by Joy Hulme, art by Carol Schwartz
(Tricycle Press, 2005)
Jama: Tell us about MAIDEN OF NORTHLAND, a folktale written by Aaron Shepard. This book showcases a different aspect of your skill and talent.
(from MAIDEN OF NORTHLAND by Aaron Shepard
art by Carol Schwartz, Atheneum, 1996)
Carol: I looked at a lot of Finnish folk art and designs from long ago which inspired me to create the border. I went to the Library of Congress because I lived in Maryland and I wasn't finding much in my local library. I enjoyed working on a folk tale and illustrating people. It was a nice change. The area of Finland where this story takes place was ruled by Russians at different times in history.
Jama: Can you briefly describe how you make your pictures?
Carol: I paint in gouache and use it in a combination of ways. I can paint in a transparent manner with the white of the paper shining through or I can brush it on as opaque color. It also works well in my airbrush which I use for large areas of color or for a smooth look.
Carol at work in her studio
Before I can paint with my airbrush, first I must cut a mask right onto the bristol board. This is done to cover the areas where I don't want the paint to spray. It's a tedious process of lifting the plastic mask, spraying paint, then putting the plastic piece back in place on the paper and lifting another one to spray a different color.
Many people ask why I continue to work this way when I could do the same thing in Photoshop much easier. I enjoy the painting process and working on a board with brushes much more than sitting at my computer. I also like having an actual piece of artwork rather than only a digital image.
Jama: Since I first saw your work in a children's cookbook, I should ask whether you like to cook. What do you usually eat for breakfast?
Carol: I like to cook when I have the time. We eat a lot of chicken and fish, and I have a small vegetable garden in my back yard where I grow tomatoes, green beans, peppers, and lots of herbs. I love cooking with fresh ingredients. I eat oatmeal a lot for breakfast.
Jama: If you were banished to a desert island, what one food item would you take along?
Carol: Dark chocolate!
Jama: Tell us something surprising about yourself.
Carol: I have a lot of collections. I have a collection of over 100 squashed pennies.
(from OVER IN THE ARCTIC, Scholastic 2003)
For more dazzling pictures, see Carol's website and portfolio. Her painstaking attention to detail and high level of technical accuracy will astound you.
And you, my friends, have a unique opportunity to own an original piece of Carol's art! Her snowflake will be featured in Auction 2, November 26 - 30, 2007. You can view it along with all the other snowflakes up for auction at the Robert's snow site.
Here are the other illustrators being featured today:
Carol Heyer at The Shady Glade
Joe Kulka at ChatRabbit
Steven James Petruccio at Blog from the Windowsill
For daily updates, direct links to illustrator posts, and a comprehensive list of all illustrator features, visit Jules and Eisha at 7-Imp.
Thanks for creating this beautiful snowflake, Carol!
**All spreads posted by permission, © 2007 Carol Schwartz, All Rights Reserved.
(Anonymous)
Kris/Paradise Found says
Re: Kris/Paradise Found says
Edited at 2007-11-08 12:14 pm (UTC)
(Anonymous)
And that illustration for the Maiden of Northland is gorgeous.
I love reading about all these illustrators and how they work. Thanks for such an informative interview!
Jules, 7-Imp
(Anonymous)
Jules, 7-Imp
(Anonymous)
Mary Lee
A Year of Reading
Laura