Illustrator Saturday – MaryJo Scott

MaryJo is the illustrator of Sleepyheads Snooze by Carolyn Arden Malkin and the author of a Corduroy Books collection. Sam and Lucy is the very first picture book that she both wrote and illustrated. She lives in the hills on the Connecticut coast with her family, one little brown-eyed dog, a found cat and a flock of talkative hens. If you can’t find her in her studio, she’ll be on a coffee break hanging with her hens in the garden, or maybe swimming in the sea.

HERE IS MARYJO DISCUSSING HER PROCESS:

Below are the steps taken for one of my illustrations from SAM AND LUCY. It was featured on Writing and Illustrating last Tuesday. Click this link if you want a chance to win a copy of the book.

I always start with rough sketches on tracing paper, and am always thinking of where the type will fall.

Then I begin playing with color.

 

I make a color key so as to remember color combos.

Finished piece for Sam and Lucy.

And this is how I feel when I’ve finished, joyful. One of my favorite places to be is floating in the sea.

Interview with MaryJo Scott

When did you realize that you had a talent for art? 

I don’t think there was ever a time I “realized” I had a talent…I remember always loving to draw and color, and my mom saved some of my drawings from when I was 3. My mom always had paper and supplies to draw and paint and cut and tape. I used to spend hours under the desk in my Grandma’s house with paper and a bucket of crayons. And I still have the wooden duck I “won” in Mrs. Hughes’ first-grade class for coloring the best picture!

What was the first thing you created where someone paid for your work?

It was an advertisement spot for my father’s store that ran in the local paper. It was hand-lettered and had an attached drawing! My brothers and sisters and I all grew up working in the store, and this was another “to do” on my list of chores. I took it very seriously, and at that time, I worked with flair pens!

Did you grow up in the New England area?

I was born and raised in upstate NY, right on the Vermont border. My dad and mom owned a coffee shop/gift shop, and we all grew up in the family business. I loved growing up there, and was surrounded by aunts and uncles and my grandparents lived right up the hill.

How did you decide to attend the Rochester institute of technology to get you, BFA in 1988?

Well…I had my sights set on travelling to Australia when I graduated high school in 1984! But, my mom had another idea, that I would be going to college. And New York State has a wonderful selection of colleges, so I applied to one college, RIT, because it had a great graphic design program and I loved typography. I told my Mom if I didn’t get in, I’d be going to Australia. Luckily, I did get in, and had the best professors and made great friends. But when I graduated in 88’ without a job in the industry, I worked all summer at a restaurant and saved every penny so I could backpack through Australia with a friend!

What did you study for your BFA?

I studied 2-D and 3-D design, typography, figure drawing, and art history. I had a minor in English Literature, and also took classes in animation and illustration.

What were your career goals when you started at Rochester Institute of Technology?

My number one career goal was to see the world! And, I really wanted to work for Hallmark Cards or Walt Disney. I sent both companies my portfolio when I graduated and was rejected, nicely rejected though!

What was the first job you did right out of RIT? 

Well, after coming back from Australia and New Zealand, one of my professors from RIT contacted me because he needed someone immediately to go on the Queen Elizabeth II to work in the Print Shop onboard. So I packed my bags again, and boarded the ship in NYC. I worked with a crew printing the daily newspaper and menus and shipboard news.

What inspired you seven years later to return to school and attend University of Bridgeport to get your master’s in education? 

I wanted to combine two of my favorite things, art and children! Being around children, one learns as much as one teaches…all the important things in life…to be kind, to share, to listen and to be there for each other. I taught kindergarten and art.

Did you take any art classes while attending either school?

At RIT, I took figure drawing and illustration classes, and I always kept a journal and continually sketched and doodled on the side and practiced. At the University of Bridgeport, I took classes that involved teaching the concepts of art.<

When did you start doing freelance artwork?

I really can’t remember when I started doing freelance, because it seems I always had it as a side gig…I would draw a picture of someone’s pet or their boat, my friend and I made t-shirts…then I started doing baby announcements for friends, and word spread, and it just grew from there!

When did you decide you wanted to do illustrations for children’s books?.

My Aunt Carm gave me 2 beautifully illustrated books when I was little, they were printed in Italy! And I aspired to do that kind of art but I really never knew how to get there, if that makes any sense? I have a library full of children’s books, so I have always studied layout, the picture book form and art styles my entire life. But I met Patricia Reilly Giff in 2002, started taking her Children’s Writing Class that she held here in CT, and my life was forever changed.

Can you tell us a little bit about the Corduroy Books? Don Freedman started writing and illustrating those books, but he died many years ago. It looks like you wrote four Corduroy’s books. Were these the first children’s books that you wrote?

These were the first books that I wrote that were published! I have drawers of stories that are not so lucky! And yes, there is a set of four.

How did Viking Books find you to write those?

I happened to be in the right place at the right time! Pat Giff heard that they needed a poet, and with the help of another friend Erica who was in charge of the project, I was able to get my poetry in front of an editor at Viking who was working on these concept books! I was lucky.

You illustrated Sleepyheads Snooze by Carolyn Arden Malkin for Highlights. Was this a book or part of their magazine?

Sleepyheads Snooze was a book that came with a “gift item” that you could buy through their site. I was able to work on this project because of my friend Susan Hood, who has been one of my “you can do it” fellow writers in this business. She opened the door for me! You can see the pattern of my trajectory! Many friends who have believed in me, have helped me in so many ways!

I noticed you illustrated The Curious Adventures of the Lemon Drop Kids by Craig Honeycutt in June 2022. Was this a self-published book?

Yes, this is a self-published book that my nephew Damien wrote with his grandfather Craig! It is a fantastic adventure story, and I am so happy to have been part of it…and I think they are writing 2 more installments, so stay tuned!

 

I noticed you are represented by Upstart Crow. Are they representing your writing and illustrating? Who is your agent?

Yes, I am represented by Upstart Crow, and my agent is Alexandra Penfold.

She represents both my writing and illustrating!

 

I just featured your wonderful book Sam and Lucy published by Sleeping Bear Press. Is this the first book you wrote and illustrated?

Yes, Sam and Lucy is the first book I both wrote and illustrated! It was a dream come true, and the process of working on that book with the people at Sleeping Bear Press was just lovely!

How long did it take you to write and illustrate Sam and Lucy?

Hmmm… I wrote it in 2018, and Alex started sending it out just before COVID hit, it had many rejections, and then was bought by Sleeping Bear Press in 2022. I worked on words and layout fall of 2022, then the art spring/early summer of 2023, and then it came out March 2024. Sounds like a long time…but there is “a lot of living” going on between those start and end dates!!!

Do you have any desire to write and illustrate more picture books?

Oh yes! Please!

Would you illustrate a book for an author who wants to self-publish?

If I loved the project, of course! They would have to contact my agent Alex!

Do you have an art studio in your house?

Yes. After many years of working at my kitchen table, my husband has built me my own special studio space, right off the kitchen. And I love it. And I love him for doing that for me! : )

Do you think your style has changed over the years?

That is a good question…I don’t think it has changed much but it has evolved over the years because of  the number of hours I have put into my craft. So I am more free with my watercolor, and quicker with pencil sketches, and I love trying out new art materials. I do have other styles that incorporate collage and block printing!

It looks like you sometimes use cut paper in your illustrations. Is this something new?

I have drawers of art which incorporate cut paper and collage, so it’s been a style I love, adding cut paper and collage to pieces…I just haven’t been able to showcase that in the publishing world (yet)!

What is your favorite tool or medium to use when creating your illustrations?

I love pen and ink and watercolor and/or gouache and colored pencil! I just love the feel of a good brush filled with just the right amount of paint, as it moves along a fresh piece of Arches paper.

Has that changed over time?

I also work in acrylics, but the technique with acrylics for me, involves a different thought process than watercolor, so it is hard for me to bounce between the two. My first love is watercolor and gouache.

Do you try to spend a specific amount of time working on your craft?

Every day, in some way, I am working on my craft, or “playing” with materials in my studio!

Have you done any illustrating for children’s magazines? Which ones?

I have not done any work for children’s magazines…I have done portraits in pen and ink, using a stippling technique for a book journal about type designers for RIT.

Do you take pictures or research a project before you start?

Always….my research involves sketching around the idea of something, making color samples, taking photos and going on nature walks to find the actual things I may be drawing…all kinds of research.

Do you think the Internet has opened doors for you?

I think the internet has helped to facilitate connections I have with other people in the business for sure! And it is a great tool for learning. Sometimes I search for “how to” videos if I’m learning a new drawing or painting technique!

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

I do not have a drawing tablet. My son has one and he does amazing things on it!

Do you use Photoshop, Painter Procreate with your illustrations?

I do not! My art is all hand drawn…I went to school back when we had to hand letter type, so I am most comfortable just sitting down and working the paper! But Photoshop and Procreate are on my list to explore. When I was a graphic designer I used Photoshop and Quark Xpress (does that program still exist?), extensively.

Do you have any career dreams you want to fulfill?

My career dream is to continue doing exactly this, writing and drawing picture books.
I love children’s books!

What are you working on now?

I am working on a couple of picture book ideas that are close to my heart, both center around a love of nature…and I have one book that Alex is shopping around for me, that I hope gets picked up!

Besides that I am reupholstering some old footstools and making some art for family and friends…

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.

Let’s see…my favorite paper is Arches, and my favorite pencil is a prismacolor turquoise B and 2B. These particular pencil choices are now only sold in sets. Which is upsetting because I love that pencil! I don’t want the other pencils in the set, like H, 2H, etc., so now I am trying out a Staedtler pencil. Which leads me to one tip, don’t get married to one kind of pencil! : )

I buy my supplies from Blick or Jerry’s, and I buy my paper in bulk so that the price is discounted.

I also like to try out new papers, like Twinrocker Handmade Paper…they have beautiful paper. : )

Any words of wisdom on how to become a successful writer or illustrator? 

Well, my words of wisdom would be, join SCBWI, go to the SCBWI conferences, and learn the industry.

But most of all, write and write and write and join a writer’s group so you have a close, near and dear, community. Build up some stories! And once those stories are in good form, you’re ready for the next step, to send them out into the world. As my friend Pat would say, “send it out! You’ll never get published if it sits in a drawer.” She gave the best advice, always.

MaryJo, thank you for taking the time to answer the interview questions and sharing you process with us. It was a wonderful way for everyone to get to know you. I’m sure your illustrations will make everyone smile. Please let me know when your next book comes out and I will share it with everyone.

You can find more of MaryJo’s work at: 

WEBSITE: http://www.maryjoscott.net/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mjscott16
X TWITTER: https://twitter.com/mjscott1416
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/maryjo.scott.35
AGENT: https://www.upstartcrowliterary.com/authors/mj-scott

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy