Lisa  McCue

Drawing has always come naturally to me, and I've enjoyed drawing pictures of Animals for as long as I can remember. In elementary school, my teachers all told me that my work looked like the pictures in children's books, so I guess it is not a surprise that I became a children's book artist. When I went to college, art seemed the natural thing for me to study. At first, I wanted to illustrate greeting cards. Then one Christmas vacation, Loek Kessels, a friend of the family came to visit us. Loek was one of the most famous people in Holland. She had her own radio show and newspaper column-and she wrote novels and children's books as well. Loek looked at my portfolio and suggested I send it to her publisher. They liked my work and asked me to illustrate Loeke's book. I did the illustrations during my senior year in college, and the book was published in Holland in 1980, and in 1982 my first book was published in the United States. When a publisher sends me a manuscript, I take it upstairs to my third-floor studio. There, I sit at my drawing table overlooking the Chesapeake Bay and read the story. Soon the author's words turn into pictures in my head and the characters take on a life of their own. Then comes the work of translating what I envision into pictures that others can see and enjoy. The neighborhood pets serve as models for the characters in my books, and so do my children and their friends. For props, I use everything from my teacups to my washing machine. I start with pencil and tracing paper to make the sketches. After the publisher has reviewed them, I use a light box to transfer the sketches to watercolor paper or Bristol board. I use a variety of mediums for the finished art, for the animals' fur liquid acrylics or colored inks, work best. Sometimes I will add fine touches with colored pencils. I also like the big tubs of watercolors used by kindergartners because the colors are so nice and bright. Working with children's books is great. It is a way to share my ideas with others, and it is incredibly satisfying to see children enjoying my books. I get real kick out of watching them get all excited when they notice the extra little details-like butterflies playing among the flowers in a garden or tiny little bunny slippers peeking out from under a bed. In fact, I have started hiding my name, "McCue" in the illustrations so that children can find it. I cannot imagine doing any other work that would be nearly as fulfilling-or as much fun!