Today I have the pleasure of welcoming artist Peter Emmerich. As part of the Blogging for a Cure effort, Peter agreed to answer questions about his art and the snowflake he created for the Robert’s Snow fundraiser.
I worried about this interview because, well, I am an art dummy. Seriously. And Peter is an artist of such skill that I was sure I would be a disappointment to him. But while poking around Peter’s website, I discovered that his favorite book of all time is Helene Hanff’s 84, CHARING CROSS ROAD. I adored this book, and its sequel, DUCHESS OF BLOOMSBURY STREET, and knew instinctively that Peter and I would get along just fine. (Books are the ultimate connection!) I started our interview by asking about Peter’s experience with Helene Hanff’s books.
I was excited to read that you are a fan of Helene Hanff’s books, Peter. I am too! I read and blogged about all three of them last summer as I prepared for a trip to London.
My first exposure to 84, CHARING CROSS ROAD was through the film as a child. I remember it being talked about on Entertainment Tonight in 1986- I was thirteen, at the time I didn’t think I was a child of course! It was being produced by Mel Brooks’ (Bancroft’s husband) new production company. My mother is a HUGE Bancroft fan so I saw it…….I have been in love with it, the story, the characters and the performances ever since. When I finally got the books it was like visiting an old friend and being happily surprised that they are “still there” as Helene says to Frank. My first trip to London brought me excitement to know I was walking the street where it all took place and had me looking for the London of my dreams like Helene does in the book.
I loved what you wrote about the books, Loree, and I completely relate to all that you feel about them.
My blog readers are into kids books. Do you have a favorite book for younger readers, either from your own childhood or that you are a fan of now?
When it comes to children’s books I do have many favorites now, but not all from my childhood. This is terrible to say, but I don’t remember liking a lot of children’s books when I was young. My biggest influence was Disney whether it was the films or Golden Books of the films. I do remember responding to Maurice Sendak as a child with his book “Chicken Soup with Rice” as well as “Where the Wild Things Are”, but that is about it. Today of course I buy TONS of children’s books. When I was at Disney my Art Director exposed me to Hilary Knight and I have become obsessed with anything and everything he has put out. The “Eloise” books are what he is known for the most, but his “Cinderella” is so elegant and sophisticated. Other favorites are The “Toot and Puddle” books by the genius Holly Hobbie.
My last exposure to Holly Hobbie was as a child, Peter, but your comments inspired me to rediscover her. LET IT SNOW (Little, Brown, 2007) is a big favorite in my house now. Thank you for the tip!
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your art?
This is a loaded question because every day would yield a different answer. My work for Disney has been such an enormous driving force in my life and has taught me to be a storyteller which is primarily what I like to do. I am always trying to create images that people can connect with. Lately I am trying to push myself to keep adding energy to my work and trying very hard to draw personalities and emotions, not just people or animals. I want someone to look at the work and recognize something in it, whether it is themselves or their feeling for a particular person.
Let me say, Peter, that to me, emotion and personality are effortless in your work. I am thinking of the incredible caricatures on your website. It is hard to choose a favorite, but the drawing of Condoleeza Rice leaps to mind. I was struck by how you managed to get her on the page … not her likeness, but her aura. For the non-artists among us, can you share some insight as to how you approach a subject and transfer likeness and essence onto the page? Do you have to research a subject before you tackle a caricature? Or are you able to draw from images alone?
I have gotten SO much response from that image. When I approach a person to draw it really involves any number of things including their personality and look. I have to admit I do not usually respond to people who tend to be generically pretty. Condoleeza is an attractive woman but not a grand beauty. She has that long elegant neck and those piercing eyes. It would be easy to go in for the gap in her teeth, but why? She is chock full of other stuff to respond to. The hair alone was enough to want to put it on paper! I really shoot for the personality by gathering several photos of my subject and doing my best to combine the images to create something new and not copy a photo exactly. After the pictures I put in a little bit of my interpretation of who I feel the person is on the inside.
Your work for children includes many projects with Disney, including the newly released The Art of Disney: Magic stamps. How do you bring your own style to characters that are so well known?
This is always a challenge but it really means knowing the characters inside and out. At Disney we were always taught to approach our characters as if they were actors who we helped to speak through our images. Like any actor who has to become intimately involved with their character to give the most honest performance, we as Disney artists take on the same responsibility. I know how Mickey would act, walk, talk, sing, smile, frown, etc. With that information I can help to bring him to life. Lending bits of myself to the interpretation just happens naturally after that. This lesson into characters is invaluable to me in my career.
Do you have other Disney projects in the works? How about children’s illustration work outside of Disney … any desire to illustrate children’s trade books?
There is one project I just finished up that I can’t talk about right now, but it really turned out beautifully. I will post the images on my blog once I get the OK from Disney! I am developing a project right now with an editor/writer friend that we are turning into a children’s book we are preparing to shop around. Children’s book illustration is the natural next step for me in my career and I am so excited to be working on a new kind of storytelling. Disney has kept me very busy for the past eleven years! I am really excited to start working on books and break out of my comfort zone.
How did you come to create a snowflake for Robert’s Snow? And what inspired the “Shh! Don’t Tell” theme? (Perhaps because my older children are pushing the “Is Santa Real?” envelope, your design resonated with me. The twinkle in your Santa’s eye, to me, is all about keeping the magic alive. Tell them you’re a myth? Not a chance, Santa!)
I came to Robert’s Snow through my friend and illustrator Scott Bakal. He suggested that I see if they might want me to illustrate a snowflake and the folks there were kind enough to say yes immediately.
I drew out several images for the snowflake and felt so much pressure to try and utilize the space properly. I kept trying to do something that had a great deal of design to it and I was getting nowhere. I write lists when I am having trouble with an idea or if an idea is SO open that you can do anything that I want. I came up with the expression of “Shh!….Don’t Tell” first and then the image just formed immediately. I have always been an admirer of the Santa by Haddon Sundblow (he designed the Coca Cola Santa we are all familiar with) and I wanted to find a little of that energy and fun in a character that we ALL know so well. In fact it relates back to the lessons I learned at Disney- How do you do something new and different with a beloved character. That was the biggest challenge.
I told you when we first spoke that I was a bit anxious about this interview because I am an artist of a completely different ilk. I deal with words and, on a good day, create mental images. You deal with canvas and color and create visual images that, frankly, blow me away. I worried about us connecting, Peter, but am happy to say I was wrong.
Well I think our art is not all that different. In fact they support each other tremendously when it comes to children’s books. It is the job of the illustrator to fill in the gaps that the author cannot do with the text. I can add an expression or a look on a character’s face that will only enhance the text. I think the two are very similar in a lot of ways. The actual process of creating an image is technique and flair, but storytelling is king.
What a perfect sentiment upon which to end this writer-to-illustrator interview, Peter. Storytelling IS king.
To learn more about Peter, visit his website or his blog. If you would like to bid on his snowflake, visit the Robert’s Snow online auction. Bidding begins November 19!
