Interview & ORIGINAL Sketch Give-Away with Illustrator, Jim Paillot!
by Trudi Trueit
One of the luckiest things that ever happened to me in publishing? That's easy. Being paired with the incredibly talented, supremely generous, and always-a-hoot illustrator, Jim Paillot!
Four years ago, much to my delight, Simon and Schuster gave Jim the assignment of illustrating my Secrets of a Lab Rat series. I was absolutely blown away by how he captured the spirit of the characters so vividly in his drawings. Three books later, he is still making me laugh. So let me introduce you to the four-leaf clover in my meadow of moss (I do live in Seattle, after all). Please welcome to the blog the incomparable, the extraordinary, the fastidiously punctual, Jim Paillot, And stick around, because at the end of the interview you can enter to win an original signed sketch from Jim (told you he was generous).
Trudi: Jim, when were you first drawn to art? (Sorry about the bad pun).
Jim: I remember the exact moment I decided I wanted to be
an artist. In kindergarten - Salinas, California. A boy next to me named Arthur
was doing a really cool drawing and all of us crowded around to see it. Since I
also loved to draw it occurred to me that being an artist would be really fun.
Normally, in kindergarten when something occurred to me it usually involved
toys, candy or throwing rocks so that was a break-through moment for me.
Trudi: So how did you go from kindergarten artist to illustrating books?
Jim: After college and a few years as a designer and art
director for various companies I finally felt I might be able to make a living
as a freelance illustrator. It was working out pretty well and I was creating
artwork for lots of game companies, newspapers and magazines. Many of my
favorite illustration heroes are book illustrators. I love books and I love
illustration so it seemed natural that I should try my hand at illustrating
books. Like many illustrators, I sent out promotional material to lots of
publishers and then finally I got a small break. Dan Gutman had written
"Miss Daisy Is Crazy" - book 1 of the My Weird School series. An art
director for HarperCollins called and asked if I would like to work on it. Yes!
We had a contract for only four books but because the series has been a success
we are now working on book forty. Since then, I have been SO lucky to work on
other book series including Secrets of a Lab Rat!
Trudi: Forty books! Wow! What I love is the way you can take an author's text
and create an illustration with a fresh, new angle. An illustration you did for
Secrets of a Lab Rat 3: Scab for Treasurer? comes to mind. In the text, I described
Scab's nasty art project (a box filled with dead bugs), but rather than showing
the art project you drew the teacher's horrified expression as she peered into
the box. It was brilliant! The illustration left everything to the imagination
and was hilarious. When you are coming up with ideas for an illustration,
what's your process?
Jim: Thanks, Trudi! There are two ways I approach an
illustration project. Am I going to draw exactly what the text describes or am
I going to enhance the text by giving the illustration a distinct point of
view? The second approach is usually better. I love to illustrate the text and
help give the reader a unique point of view on the text. I try to stay true to
the text - hey, the story matters!- but I also try to nudge the reader into a
place where he/she feels their imagination is also an important part of making
the story a success. The nasty art project illustration you described is a good
example of that. No art I could have created would be as alarming as what the
reader's minds eye could come up with. So I left the actual art project a
mystery for the reader and focused on the horrified expression of the teacher
as she looked at the ghastly piece Scab had created for his project.
Trudi: You've done so much, creating books, comics, food
packaging, and even games! Is there nothing you can't do? What would you love
to do, as an illustrator, that you haven't yet done?
Jim: Aw... thanks again, Trudi. The list of things I can't
do is long. I spend part of each morning in my sensory deprivation tank (that I
keep stocked with carpet remnants and lunchmeat) adding more things to the
list. For instance, I have never created a line of clergy-friendly tattoos.
That idea may be before it's time. I have also never designed/illustrated a
country's national flag. I am itching for a chance at that. I am seeing
something universal and patriotic like a tiger or shark driving an 18 wheeler
over a gorge of some kind.
Trudi: What are you working on now from the depths of your
underground secret lair in Gilbert, Arizona? (I guess I shouldn't have
mentioned the location, huh?)
Jim: My underground secret lair - the art bunker- has a
mailing address of Gilbert, Arizona. But it could be anywhere. It's very
mysterious. The only reason I have a mailing address is so that my "Crocheted
Mammal Sweater of the Month" gift is always on time. I am working on art
stuff all the time. I am writing and illustrating a book I hope to have
completed this spring. Also, I continue to illustrate for the My Weird School
series. Plus, you and I are working on a double, top secret book idea that may
change the face of publishing as we know it. Or it may just make lots of
readers laugh. Either one is ok. Also, I am part of a group show at a gallery
in New York in August so I have to have a bunch of art ready for that. In
between all that I have to play, hike and goof around with my wife and kids.
Trudi: Thank you so much, Jim, and best of luck with your show this summer in NY. That's pretty exciting!
Jim: You're welcome!
*** SKETCH GIVE-AWAY DETAILS ***
What a FANTASTIC giveaway! Thanks, Trudi and Jim!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWe love ALL of Jim's work..scary thought..and his amazing Mammal Sweater collection.
ReplyDeleteThanks Trudi, for the great reads..the Secrets of a Lab Rat are some of our faves!
Aw, thanks! And I'd like to apologize for Jim's mammal sweater collection, especially the possum fur.
DeleteAnd, of course, you're entered in the contest, too!
DeleteWowza! A wonderful giveaway from a talented team. I'm a fan of both Trudi and Jim's work. The art and text are a perfect match.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joan! That means so much coming from a stellar writer like you!
DeleteBig fan of both of you! !
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kevan! You're entered in the contest!
DeleteWhat fun to see that you caught the feral recluse for an interview, Trudi! I'd love to hang Mr. Paillot's work in my school library. Or maybe hide it in MY secret lair. You guys never fail to make me smile.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Val! I know, we ARE trouble, aren't we? You're entered in the contest! Wahoo!
DeleteIs this where we win a clergy-friendly tattoo? Love Jim's work, thanks for such a fab give-away! : )
ReplyDeletea : )
It is, Andi! (I'm scared to ask Jim what he considers clergy-friendly).
DeleteHi Trudi,
ReplyDeleteYou know I adore the Lab Rat series so I'm super excited to see you and Jim are working on another project together.
Thanks, Cheryl!!
DeleteOh my goodness, this is a fabulous post! I think you and Jim are the tops, Trudi!!! You both deserve such good things..it's a perfect pairing I must say. : ) Thanks for the chance at an original Jim Paillot! : ) (sketch, not the real Jim...we need him at his lair creating more brilliance of course!)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Shirley! You are too kind. I agree - Jim's pretty talented!
DeleteLove the post!!!! Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThank you, Shawn!
DeleteCongratulations to our winner of the original Jim Paillot sketch, Valerie. S!
ReplyDelete