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After starting out as a graphic designer and art director on both book and corporate projects, John switched to illustration. He feels that his "sort of cartoony and wise-guy" personality is reflected in his art. He uses an old masters' technique of layered colored glazes over monochromatic underpainting, and gets involved with extensive research for many of his projects, but then sometimes finds that the souls of his characters take over the drawings. Kirkus described his style as "madcap artwork" belying "a rigorous and elegant technique". A favorite subject is Sherman, his African Grey Parrot, who can converse in several languages, compose music and imitate the sound of a garbage truck backing up. Below are his most recent projects, The Adventures of Mr. McGuire and Friends by K.A. Yodock (Polliwog Press), The Navy's Night Before Christmas by Christine Ford & Trish Holland (Golden Books), P is for Pirate: A Pirate Alphabet by Eve Bunting (Sleeping Bear Press), Finnegan and Fox: The Ten-Foot Cop by Helen L. Wilbur (Sleeping Bear Press), Cowboy Christmas by Rob Sanders (Golden Books), Let's Have a Tree Party! by David Martin (Candlewick), Dear Tyrannosaurus Rex by Lisa McClatchy (Random House), Jack and the Giant Barbecue by Eric A. Kimmel (Amazon Children's Publishing), The Really Awful Musicians (Clarion Books), Pirates Go to School by Corinne Demas (Orchard Books), Henry & the Buccaneer Bunnies &Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates by Carolyn Crimi (Candlewick), The Famous Nini: A Mostly True Story of How a Plain White Cat Became a Star by Mary Nethery (Clarion Books), Where's My Mummy? by Carolyn Crimi (Candlewick), Santa's Reindeer Games by Samantha Berger (Scholastic), Pete's Disappearing Act by Jenny Tripp (Harcourt Children's Books), The Year Without a Santa Claus written by Phyllis McGinley (Marshall Cavendish Corp), and The Perfect Nest by Catherine Friend (Candlewick).
See more of John's art: PLAY Illustration
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