I could not have asked for a better illustrator. Her talent and imagination have made it a pleasure and an event to open new e-mails from her, telling me that she has completed a new drawing. Each one I open sends chills down my back to think that what she captured in an amazing illustration came from something that I wrote!
I felt it very important to let Lauren have free reign on what she has drawn for each chapter. Having a professional illustrator such as Lauren draw an image that sticks in her noggin after reading a passage was very important to me because she now knew EXACTLY what to draw and how it should look.
If I'd tried to tell Lauren what to draw, it would have made the process very difficult on her, especially since she would have been trying to draw something that I pictured. I'm sure it's very hard to try to guess what someone else might be creating in his or her, mind.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Ms. Lauren Gallegos:
Mark: When did you know you wanted to be an illustrator?
Lauren: Growing up, I always loved drawing and creating. In college I decided to take the Graphic Design route of creativity, considering my attention to detail and order. However, after taking an introduction to illustration course I realized how much I missed traditional drawing and was introduced to the world of children’s books. Thinking back to my childhood, I realized how much the books I read as a little girl had stayed with me throughout my life. They were an important part of my growth, my beliefs, and my behavior. The idea of telling a story with my art from which children would read and learn important life lessons gave me a way to make a mark in this world, and I couldn’t just ignore that calling.
Mark: How long have you been drawing professionally?
Lauren: I have been doing freelance illustration for almost two years after spending most of my college years mainly focusing on developing my drawing skills and learning how to survive the business side of illustration. Although I am still quite new to the field, I feel I have had some great opportunities to learn from veterans in the field who have been generous enough to pass on their wisdom. I’m still waiting for that big Publishing House to let me know they want to publish my book, but until then, I am willing to take on projects I haven’t done before so I can be challenged, grow, gain experience, and find my niche.
Mark: What was your first professional job in illustration?
Lauren: While I was in college I was blessed to have the opportunity to do an internship at Piggy Toes Press/Intervisual Books, a small children’s book publisher in Santa Monica, California. (Most publishing houses are located on the east coast; there are very few in California) When my internship was done I was offered a job as their freelance illustrator. I couldn’t believe it! While I was there I learned a lot about the publishing industry, the process that goes into making a children’s book, and I was able to develop my storytelling skills with professional, smart people who could point me in the right direction. I am so thankful for the time I had there to learn and grow.
Mark: Many illustrators take on multiple projects to get experience, jobs, and credentials. I'm sure that there are many projects, though, that you may turn down because of one reason or another. What made you to decide to take on the Mahogany Door?
Lauren: Every offer to work on a children’s book project is enticing, but I have learned to approach these offers with caution, especially when there are so many people who want to get into publishing without doing their homework or having any understanding of what it takes to make a quality book. I decided to take on “The Mahogany Door” because it seems like a book with the potential to last. The book also has a certain feel to it that fits the kind of art I love to create -- the feeling of adventure, mystery, and drama. The characters drew me in and I wanted to make drawings that would draw in the readers even more.
Mark: So Lauren - what gave you the inspiration to draw Michael on the throne for Chapter 17?
Lauren: Michael is a character that grabbed my attention from the start. I wonder about his motivations and what’s going on in his mind. He must have a lot of internal struggles, and we see some of his emotions come out throughout the book. It’s quite a journey. I wanted to explore him a little more for this book and encourage the readers to ponder Michael a little more by showing some of his big or significant moments throughout the story. I thought the image of Michael on the throne was a good opportunity to expose some of Michael’s hidden motivations. His actions effect all the other characters and events that take place. That’s a lot of influence for one character to have!
Mark: Can you expand on the process you use to draw an illustration?
Lauren: Most of my illustrations are inspired or based on some kind of text that I have read, or song or story I have heard, or maybe even another image I have seen. I always try to incorporate some kind of symbolism within my illustrations that might seem normal and insignificant, but a lot of thought goes into what I put in my drawings. For “The Mahogany Door,” I read through the book, taking note of important moments, emotional moments, thoughtful moments, and tried to make images that either helped build the mystery of that chapter, or emphasize a significant event, or show an important moment to encourage the reader to pay close attention. Once I have sketched out the main idea of the drawing, I’ll revise it, clean it up, and make adjustments to be sure everything is proportional and makes visual sense. Then I make a value study so I know where light and shadows go. If the image is in color, I will do a few color studies as well. Once all of those parts make sense and fit together nicely, I can make my final drawing.
Mark (shameless promotion): All things being equal - and the book becomes a success - are you looking forward to drawing for the next book in the series?
Lauren: I’m very excited! I want to explore more of the characters and see the things that motivate them. The style of the book and my art seem to fit together quite comfortably, so it’s really fun for me to create images that go along with the text. I’m excited to see what happens with this book. My hope is that there will be such a demand for the next book that we can start working on it right away!
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You can find Lauren Gallegos on the web at www.LaurenGallegos.com and on Facebook.
To see a few drawings for "The Mahogany Door" go to Lauren's blog @ http://artbylauren.blogspot.com/
The following is the before to final drawing for Chapter 17. It depicts Michael's introduction to Kali and JT as King of Godwin, First from Eden.
Notice the size of Michael's crown, as it is much too large for his head. This represents the fact that what Michael has taken on, in becoming a king, might be too big a task for him to handle. It is my experience that, sometimes, we have leaders in our own world who try to take on way too big of a job without weighing the consequence.
It's the attention to detail that Lauren brought to these illustrations that take the writing and the story to a whole different level!
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