Illustrator Saturday – Jan Dolby

Jan Dolby is a freelance children’s illustrator and graphic designer based in Aurora, Ontario Canada. Jan is internationally published and has a vast amount of technical and graphic design experience. She has illustrated over 35 books for children and is incredibly grateful for her creative life and is delighted to be illustrating for the children’s industry. Seeing her work in bookstores and online is a dream come true.

Her first Canadian picture book, ‘Gabby’ written by Joyce Grant won the Rainforest of Reading Festival Award – Montserrat in 2015. Since then she has illustrated Gabby: Drama Queen, Gabby: Wonder Girl, Lucky Me, The Cold Little Voice and But Why? A Virus Story About Feelings. She has illustrated children’s books with authors Joyce Grant, Alison Hughes and Jackie Azua Kramer to name a few.

She is a Fine Art graduate of the University of Guelph and holds an Arts Administrative Certificate from the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Prior to freelancing, Jan worked at Young Peoples Theatre, London Children’s Museum and the Quinte Arts Council. Jan was born in St. John’s Newfoundland and has lived in many towns and cities across Ontario.

Currently, Jan is an art instructor for the Aurora Cultural Centre and Southampton Arts Centre and she is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), The Canadian Children’s Book Centre, Illustrators for Hire and ChildrensIllustrators.com.

Jan and her family live in a home with 47 steps and spend their summers surfing in Lake Huron.

Represented by Dan Cramer at Page Turner Literary Agency.

HERE IS JAN DISCUSSING HER PROCESS:

Curlilocks Transformation from my new book CURLILOCKS AND THE THREE HARES:

When I first read Andrew Hacket’s manuscript for Curlilocks and the Three Hares I made the assumption that Curlilocks was a rabbit. This is my first original pencil sketch of Curlilocks. Watch the eyes transform into the final character as you read on.

Curlilocks is still a rabbit at this stage. I moved to my iPad Pro at this point to try different colours and work on her curly hair. The ‘C’ for Curlilocks on her shirt developed from here. I’m trying a few fashion styles here as well. I think at this point I am enjoying the thickness and texture of the black lines because they carry on to the final illustrations.

Still a rabbit here. The curly hair, the simplicity of the drawing and spots of colour plus the textured black lines are working for me. I sent these sketches to my publisher.

My assumption of Curlilocks as a rabbit was incorrect. So we turned the rabbit into a human using the previous drawings. And voila, she became Curlilocks. Her hair wasn’t big enough at this point so I developed more curls.

Curlilocks the character. She truly transformed into a wonderful little girl.

INTERVIEW WITH JAN DOLBY BELOW:

What was the first thing you illustrated that you were paid for?

My first illustration project was for a Canadian brewery. I created images for their draft beer specifically tap levers for local bars.

Have you always lived in Canada?

I have always lived in Canada. I was born in St. John’s Newfoundland and I have lived in Ottawa, Oshawa, Belleville, Whitby, Guelph, London, Unionville, Stouffville, and now Aurora, Ontario.

What made you choose to attend The University of Guelph and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity?

The University of Guelph has a beautiful historical campus which was quite appealing and their art history and fine art program at the time had a very strong faculty of professional artists. I studied under Harold Klunder (one of Canada’s most acclaimed painters), Susie Lake, and Rick Pottruff.

I attended The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (another school that was visually appealing…Rocky Mountains) during my first career job as an art intern for a community arts council. I received a scholarship to the program which was specifically for arts administration. Well worth the trip to Alberta.

What were your career goals when you entered The University of Guelph and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity to study Fine Art?

At the University of Guelph, my goal was to dive deep into painting and drawing and learn how to think creatively and practice my techniques. Art history holds a warmth in my heart. I truly loved this program at the university and I include it in my adult and children’s art classes. I took a business minor as well and hoped that this would guide me to a career in arts administration. Which it did.

My career goal for the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity was to understand all of the components of arts administration.

Did your University offer any illustrating classes?

No, it did not.

Did you do any freelance art while getting your degree?

No time for that.

What classes did you enjoy the most?

Totally enjoyed my drawing classes. Life drawing in particular. Art history classes were also my favorite.

Did your University require you to do an art exhibit?

No.

What was the first job you took after graduation?

After graduation, I worked for a large photography studio in Toronto, then moved on to a community arts council. My arts administration career also took me to a Children’s Museum in London, Ontario, and a professional theatre company for children in Toronto.

How did you take any illustrating classes after graduating?

After graduating, I took a few watercolour and drawing classes through a local gallery.

What inspired you to start illustrating children’s books?

I always created fun whimsical images even before university. After all of the technical instruction and graduation, I decided to shift back to the fun stuff. I had my first art exhibition which consisted of whimsical illustrations about entertainment. It nearly sold out. After my children were born, I joined a local studio tour and exhibited my children’s illustrations and had a great response. And so began my children’s publishing journey.

Was Gabby by Joyce Grant published in December 2012 the first book you illustrated?

Gabby was my first Canadian children’s picture book. The first book I illustrated was Jig, Jiggle, Sneeze by Joy Vitalis, Magic World Media USA in 2009.

In 2017 you illustrated Lucky Me by Lora Rozler for Fitzhenry & Whiteside. Are they a Canadian publisher?

Yes, Fitzhenry & Whiteside is a Canadian publisher. They published all three of the Gabby picture books.

How did that opportunity come about?

I happened to be at the Fitzhenry & Whiteside offices one day and the publisher Sharon Fitzhenry asked me to come to her office. She offered me the opportunity to illustrate Lucky Me.

In 2017 you illustrated The Nifty Thrifty by Sandy Ferguson Fuller MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing. Was this a two-book deal?

No, just a one-book deal at the time.

Were you working on Be Happy to be You by Diane Hull 2018 MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing while working on Be Proud to be Blue?

I think I was working on Be Happy to be You while just completing Nifty Thrifty.

The Cold Little Voice by Alison Hughes 2019. Do you think you have built a niche of illustrating books with health issues and self-acceptance?

Yes I think I have. The Cold Little Voice by Alison Hughes is a very good example of that. The niche that I have built also includes Willa the Werewolf, Curlilocks and the Three Hares and a few coming down the pipe.

Be Proud to Be Blue by Diane Hull 2021. After seeing the bird in Be Happy to Be You, did Diane asked to have you illustrate this book too?

Yes she did. Be Proud to be Blue needed the little Baby Bird who I must say is one of my favourite characters. Always fun working with Diane Hull.

You illustrated in 2023 Just My Mama and Me by Maggie Ford How did that opportunity come about?

Maggie Ford inquired about my illustration process through social media and we hit it off. This self-published picture book is about her journey to becoming a mother through IVF. She now has a beautiful daughter. A wonderfully warm project for me.

Roar! Dinosaurs! by Rebel Williams 2022. I love your dinosaurs in this book. Did you do a lot of research before starting?

Thank you. Dinosaurs are new for me. I had to do a lot of research for this project which I love doing. Any project outside of my comfort zone is a great challenge.

The Planets and Me: Astrology for the Wild Child by Lady Samantha 2022. Did Lady Samantha want to guide you with the illustrations since she is an astrologist?

Yes, Lady Samantha guided me with the illustrations. The little girl is her daughter. Once we nailed that character it was smooth sailing. Another great self-published picture book.

 

In 2023 you illustrated Part of Your Pack by Luisa Lloyd. How long did it take you to illustrate that book?

Part of Your Pack took about three months to illustrate completely. Once again, a great partnership producing a self-published picture book dear to the author’s heart.

In 2023 you illustrated Willa the Werewolf by Michele McAvoy, the first in a three-book series with Little Press Publishing. Did you know this was going to be a three-book series?

At the time, no I didn’t know it would be part of a three book series. I’m glad it is!

Willa the Werewolf was 2023 Winner – Early Reader / Chapter Book Category Northern Lights Book Award. Can you tell us a little bit about that award? Did you have to submit to be considered?

A thrill to have Willa the Werewolf win this award. The Northern Lights Book Awards considers children’s books to be an art form and honors books that excel in aesthetic and literary qualities with an emphasis on permanency. I believe you have to submit to be considered.

Our Alphabet Roller Coaster by Marg Rogers 2023 was published by the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research. How did it find a home there?

The Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research with the assistance of Queen’s University are the publishers of Our Alphabet Roller Coaster. A great privilege to illustrate this picture book. Currently, we are working on a French version of this alphabet book.

Last week I featured the second book in the Little Press Publishing series, Curlilocks and the ThreeHares. The illustrations are so much fun. Is that how you felt while illustrating the book?

This book in particular was a joy to illustrate. Andrew Hacket’s manuscript created vibrant visuals for me prior to beginning this project. The rabbits, their chairs, and Curlilock’s hair. I love squiggles and Curlilock’s hair has many of them. The book also allowed me to try a simpler style of illustration which I really like. I had so much fun playing with this book. 

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How did you connect with Represented by Dan Cramer at Page Turner Literary Agency.? How long has he been representing you?

Dan Cramer has been representing me for over a year now. My family and I call him “Agent Dan”. After Willa the Werewolf was released Dan noticed that I was unrepresented and we had a chat.

Would you like to write and illustrate your own picture book?

Funny, Agent Dan has asked me to send him some of my picture book stories. I have many. I’ve hesitated to do this. It’s pretty hard to write a picture book. It’s easier for me to illustrate the stories. I probably need to revisit this and do both, write and illustrate.

What do you think helped develop your style? Has it changed over the years?

My illustration style definitely has changed over the years. Moving to digital illustrations opened up opportunities to tweak my illustration style and allowed me to experiment and offer many different styles.

Are you open to illustrating a book for an author who wants to self-publish?

Yes. I offer my services of illustration, book, and cover design to authors who wish to work with me and self-publish their books.

Do you think your style has changed over the years?

It has definitely changed….for the better. My early work was mainly acrylic paintings. I do love to paint. However, the medium didn’t serve me well on a smaller scale. So I changed mediums, added digital aspects, and created a few new styles that I like. I still prefer to draw with a pencil.

Do you take pictures or do any research before you illustrate a book?

I try to limit my research a bit in order to keep my “fun” mind actively figuring out things for the project. Less is better for me.

What do you think is your biggest success?

My biggest success in life is my family. Artistically my biggest success would be my illustration career and studio business.

What materials and/or tools do you use to create your work?

I use acrylic and watercolor paint to create textures and then scan to my computer. I use markers, graphite and Photoshop and Illustrator to finish my illustrations.

Do you own or have you used a Graphic Drawing Tablet when illustrating?

Yes, I use a Wacom tablet with my computer and I use an iPad Pro as well.

What are you working on now?

Currently, I am finishing illustrations for Digital Red by Kim Delude the third book of the modern fairy-tale series for Little Press Publishing. As well, I’m also completing a French version of the Alphabet Roller Coaster, beginning illustrations for a non-fiction book for a Canadian publisher, and illustrations for a super fun musical picture book. In the fall of this year, I will be illustrating a colouring book for Crayola Canada.

Do you have any material-type tips you can share with us? Example: Paint or paper that you love – the best place to buy – a new product that you’ve tried – A how-to tip, etc.

Because I go through a lot of paper during my initial drawings, I use children’s art newspaper pads from dollar stores. They come in large sizes and don’t break the bank.

My Tip – draw every day. Your next drawing is always better than your first drawing.

Any words of wisdom for new illustrators?

Try to be different. My motto has always been “Just do what you do”. When you do this, art comes naturally.

Jan, thank you for taking the time to answer the interview questions and sharing your process with us. It was a wonderful way to get to know you. I’m sure your illustration will make everyone smile. Please let me know when your next book comes out and I will share it with everyone. You can visit Jan using the links below:

WEBSITE: https://www.jandolby.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/jandolbyartist

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jandolby_artist/

X: https://twitter.com/jandolby

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy