Author Biography | Interview | Books by this Author | Readalikes
Bagram Ibatoulline was born in Russia and educated at the Moscow State Academic Art Institute. His first book was Philip Booth's Crossing, named a 2001 Best Book by Publishers Weekly. He is best known for his books with Kate di Camillo, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and Great Joy. Ibatoulline lives in Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania.
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You change your style dramatically with each children's book you illustrate,
like an actor
who never plays the same role twice. You've paid homage, always brilliantly, to
Dutch
masters, American realists, primitive folk art, Chinese scrolls, and more. Which
style do
you most enjoy using? What kind of research do you do for each book?
I enjoy any style—it is never my intention to copy a particular look or
aesthetic. Instead I
do a lot of groundwork and extensive research on the time period in order to
come up
with my own approach or style for a book that I can relate to and use naturally.
I have a
big reference library, and when that's not enough, I turn to public libraries
and private
sources, which was the case for Edward.
Do you use models or photographs for the people in your painting? How about
the
rabbit—did you see Kate DiCamillo's big rabbit or invent your own?
Usually I create sketches and work off of them to create the final image.
Sometimes I take
inspiration from people and faces in old photographs or pictures of a specific
time period
in order to come up with an idea of what a certain character might look like.
Although
Kate sent me photos of her rabbit, I...
David Almond, in his own words:
I was born in Newcastle and I grew up in a big Catholic family in
Felling-on-Tyne. I had four sisters and a brother and lots of relatives in the
streets nearby. My dad had been in Burma ...
(more)
If you enjoyed:
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Try:
My Dad's A Birdman
by David Almond
Birdsall was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in the suburbs. She decided to become a writer at the age of ten - but she didn't start until she was 41. She worked first on other jobs, most notably as a ... (more)
If you enjoyed:
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Try:
The Penderwicks
by Jeanne Birdsall
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