Suzanne Kaufman

Suzanne Kaufman

About Author

Suzanne Kaufman lives in Seattle with her husband Jonathan and two daughters. She has had a keen interest in children's books, animation and cartoons since she was a child herself. Over the years she has been an animator in special effects for Universal and Discovery, and an award-winning animator of video games. She has also illustrated several books for children including Naughty Claudine (Random House) and 100 Bugs (Farrar, Strous & Giroux). Suzanne is currently a senior lecturer for film and video game animation.

Interview

ALL ARE WELCOME

BLOOMSBURY CHILDREN'S BOOKS

JANUARY 2019


ALL ARE WELCOME is a joyous picture book that celebrates inclusion and diversity within a school community and family homes. With its inviting school setting, cheery colours and busy pages, ALL ARE WELCOME provides a wonderful and timely reminder of the power of community and the positive contribution of diversity.

We asked illustrator SUZANNE KAUFMAN to tell us more about how ALL ARE WELCOME was created:


Q: How did you train as an illustrator and what brought you into illustrating picture books?

A: I am self-taught but use my fine art training and animation background to tell my stories. I have always loved books and especially picture books. I still have my childhood collection and my husband and I would give each picture books while we were dating. My stories really came to life when I had my two daughters a long time ago.


Q: What drew you to illustrate All Are Welcome?

A: Originally All Are Welcome was a protest poster. Like many others, I felt helpless after the travel restrictions announcement (against imigrants from certain countries to the USA). My daughters' school Kimball Elementary is comprised predominately of immigrant families from all over the world, from many different religious backgrounds. That night I couldn't sleep. So, I decided to do something with the one thing I could freely give, and that was my art. That night I stayed up and made a poster to welcome all the kids to the school the next morning.

It still didn't feel enough...

The next day I posted it on social media, and it went viral. At the same time my Agent Alexandra Penfold was going through the same kind of feelings. She also lives in a wonderful diverse community.

One night she saw my poster on social media. It was one of the last things she peeked at before going to bed. She woke up in the middle of the night and felt a strong urge to put something out there that reassure these same kids and wrote what would become ALL ARE WELCOME. And the poster went full circle and now is a free poster on the back of the cover in the US edition.


Q: How many times did you read it before deciding what approach you would take to the illustrations?

A: All Are Welcome is the first book where I almost knew right from the first reading what the visual story would be. I felt like I was putting mine and the author's life onto the paper.


Q: Lots of picture books feature animals rather than children, why do children take centre stage in this book?

A: As cliche as it sounds, kids are our future. They are a better version of us. Kids embrace new friendships, cultures and stories more openly then adults. All types of kids, families and communities need to see themselves in books and most of the characters in the book are people Alex or I know.


Q: Was it more difficult to illustrate as the text is more suggestive than a detailed narrative might be, giving you a lot of freedom in what to illustrate?

A: Actually, it was a dream project and I loved illustrating text that was more suggestive. Alexandra is a great human and is an amazing writer who gives illustrators so much room to add to a story. Finally, my amazing writer Alexandra Penfold, my talented art director Martha Rago and a thoughtful editor Erin Clarke all gave me amazing ideas and so much freedom to make this book. Everything about it is a team effort.


Q: How did you decide on which style to use for the illustrations?

A: The style and color palette were inspired the painter Jean-Michel Basquiat. Honestly the style is way I view the world.


Q: How many stages do you go through when illustrating a picture book?

1. Brainstorm session with Author, Art Director, Editor about Visual Story
2. Breakdown text for page turn and write illustration notes
3. Designed main group of kids and their visual story of how and who they become friends with during the book.
4. Revise Sketch Dummy many times with the team to refine the visual story
5. Take a few to final color to approve style
6. Disappear into creative cave and paint the final art for the book.
7. Brainstorm and thumbnail Cover Ideas
8. Get even more awesome ideas from my art director Martha
9. Paint Final Cover


Q: Do you have a favorite spread?

A: So many but if I had to choose one it would be the kids drawing top down view.


Q: How do you go about creating your illustrations and do you work by hand or digitally? Is there anything you avoid drawing?

A: I work both traditionally and digitally. Sketches are a mix of both, and my final art is a collage of digital and traditional materials.

I use a lot of different materials combined with digital to create my collages.


Q: What are you working on now, can you describe your studio?

A: I just wrapped up a hilarious book Take Your Pet to School Day by Linda Ashman.

I am lucky to have my studio in the back of the house overlooking our backyard. It is piled high with pictures books, toys, sketchbooks and art supplies. Since I am always on the go, my studio is many times at gymnastics or soccer practice.


Q: What are your top tips for children who might want to be an illustrator?

A: Keep drawing because your stories matter to me and the world.

Author's Titles