Craig White Illustrator-Behind the Author-An Interview
Craig White-Illustrator
Have you ever wondered who designed and illustrated some of your favorite covers?
The Reading Cafe would like to present CRAIG WHITE, an illustrator and artist. You will be surprised at the number of covers that you will recognize.
CRAIG WHITE Illustrator-BEHIND THE AUTHOR
NOTE: All cover photos and pictures posted throughout the interview were designed and/or illustrated by Craig. All pictures are copyrighted to Craig White. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
TRC: Hi Craig and welcome to The Reading Café. As part of our new series featuring the people “behind the authors”, we are talking to publicists, agents and illustrators, and we are pleased to talk with the illustrator of some of our favorite covers including Lothaire by Kresley Cole, Lover Avenged by JR Ward and Beast Behaving Badly by Shelly Laurenston.
TRC: WE would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?
Craig: I’ve been illustrating book covers since 1997 and been a freelance illustrator since 1993– wow, that’s a long time now that I think about it.
TRC: As a child, where you always interested in art and drawing?
Craig: Yes, I have a twin brother, Brian who is also an illustrator and we were both always interested in art– or at least as long as I can remember. We were always doing crafts of all kinds when we were young. Our dad made us this cool low craft table that had red sides and a glittery formica top… we would sit at that table for hours creating stuff.
TRC: Many children and young adults like to draw, but few show a real talent. Did your talent come naturally, or did you have to work to perfect your art?
Craig: I guess it came naturally, but certainly not easily. Brian always seemed to have an easier time with it– and I had to work at it more. I’m still working at it to this day. 😉
In the first grade I remember doodling in class while my teacher was lecturing. I was copying a cover of a joke book of all things, when my teacher, who was walking between the rows of desks, stopped beside my desk. I thought I was in big trouble, but she reached down, picked up the book and my drawing and showed it to the class and commented how closely I had copied the cover… I think that was life changing for me. It was that encouragement that made me realize it was ok to keep trying at it. Of course, I put my drawing away after the incident and payed attention to the teacher (finally). Now that I think about it, I guess that was my first “unpublished” book cover. Ha!
TRC: Did you parents support your interest in the art field?
Craig: Yes, but not at first as a career. Brian and I convinced my parents that “commercial art” was a legitimate profession and that we weren’t planning on being “starving artists”.
TRC: What type of education and training are involved in the field of illustration?
Craig: When I was in art school in the mid 1980’s, desktop computers where in their infancy. We did everything by hand. When the Macintosh’s became usable as a tool, it changed the commercial art community forever. There were some who resisted this computer age, but like most of my colleagues, I happily gave up my supplies for a keyboard and Wacom tablet.
I assume now, that computer courses are the majority of what is taught in art schools. Hopefully they still teach the basics with pencil and paper, but there are some amazing illustrators working today who never touch paper and just “draw” or “paint” right in the computer– and you’d never know otherwise. Truly amazing artists using 21st century tools.
TRC: Please describe what an illustrator does for the author/covers?
Craig: We draw or paint or photo-manipulate (or all of the above) the cover art for the book. Hopefully we help the author sell the book with our associated imagery. We don’t do the type for the covers. That is handled by the art director and / or designer.
TRC: As an illustrator becomes well known in the industry, do you have your choice of various covers or assignments, or are you contracted to specific authors etc?
Craig: I’m not sure…. I’m not that well known. I’m not really contracted to specific authors, but if I did a cover and it does well and the cover is well received, the publisher usually hires me to do the next in the series. I LOVE working on book covers, and I’m always interested in doing different styles– luckily, my clients usually like my work and give me more work in return. Also my agent is the best salesman in the world. 😉
TRC: Was there ever a cover that you disliked and refused to illustrate and why?
Craig: I’ve done covers that I wasn’t that thrilled with in the end. I’ve certainly had my share of failures, but I try and give 100% to each job I take. Sometimes the idea or concept provided is just not that great or weak. My least favorite covers are the ones where there is just too much information on the page. I try and limit the subject elements to no more than 3 (for example: Hero, sword, castle background), but sometimes the publisher thinks it’s necessary to add more and the imagery suffers (for example: Hero, heroine, antagonist, castle, animal in sky, etc.– yikes!). In my opinion, less is better when it comes to book covers.
TRC: Do you receive any information about the premise of the storylines, as motivation or direction for your illustrations for covers?
Craig: Yes. Sometimes I get an art sheet, which has a synopsis of the story, character descriptions and a scene the author likes. 99% of the time, the publisher supplies the concept they want me to illustrate. Sometimes I’ll receive a manuscript. If I do receive a manuscript the publisher usually wants me to pick a scene or come up with a cover concept, so I’ll read it and try and create a concept that is simple, and effective.
TRC: What is the most difficult aspect of being an illustrator?
Craig: Hmmmm. I guess the business part of the business is a drag– being self-employed is a blessing and a curse– but more of the former which is good! I love EVERYTHING else about my job.
TRC: Are you involved in the video promotion and illustration for the commercial release of the book?
Craig: I made some video promos for some of the covers I illustrated as an experiment to see if I wanted to get into that as well. I think they were pretty successful, but we didn’t get a big response and it kind of fizzled. Some of the video promos I’ve seen are really amazing… like a movie promo. How they can make them without having a “Hollywood” budget is beyond me.
However my agent and I are still working on an economical method of creating video promotion. Hopefully soon we’ll be presenting it to the publishers.
NOTE: If you would like to watch Craig create this fantastic cover click HERE. Watch the amazing video as Craig illustrates this cover.
TRC: Would you please tell us about some of your other work as an illustrator ie magazine, video, commercial ads?
Craig: When I first started out freelancing I did trading card art for Fleer and Marvel. Sports cards and comic book cards. Then I met my agent and did a series of “Give Yourself Goosebumps” by R.L. Stein. Over the years I’ve done lots of magazine work in a more traditional style– not photo manipulation that I do now.
NOTE: These R.L.Stein covers are only a few that Craig has illustrated.
TRC: What would you say or recommend to the young adults, hoping to enter into the field of illustration?
Craig: Learn to draw well. Learn to draw everything. Perspective, composition, and form are things I use everyday– and I learned all of that in the beginning by drawing.
And… it’s so amazingly easy to do… all you need is a pencil, paper and determination. You can draw almost anywhere at anytime–and it will only make you a better artist. How great is that?
I always recommend one book to anyone wanting to learn to draw– it’s “Drawing the Head and Figure” by Jack Hamm. Originally published in 1963! To me it is one of the best figure drawing books available. I think I have two copies. And it’s only like $8 I think. Cheaper than two non-fat latte’s at Starbucks!
TRC: *thinks to self*..I need a Starbucks run!!
TRC: Do you or have you ever mentored a new illustrator in the business?
Craig: Unfortunately no. Maybe someday.
TRC: Have you ever had an art showing?
Craig: Not yet. 😉
TRC: How old where you when you sold your first artwork?
Craig: Wow, probably in high school.
TRC: In which medium do you prefer to work and why?
Craig: I prefer to use my Mac for work… because it’s what I’m best at and what I can sell commercially. Last year I started painting with alkyds (oils)… which I loved. Nothing quite compares to putting brush to canvas– seeing form materialize before your eyes with just a brush stroke is amazing… also quite frustrating at times… but I love it all the same.
TRC: What are you working on today?
Craig: Today I’m woking on a highlander type romance cover… it’s not going well. 😉 But also a great sci-fi cover that is coming out great! Space suit, big weapon, futuristic city and space background… really cool.
TRC: Would you like to add anything else?
Craig: One more thing to add to aspiring artists– don’t ever give up on your abilities. Even pros who have be doing this for years have trouble realizing their vision every day. I can’t think of a single illustration I did that didn’t frustrate me at some point. So just keep at it and realize it’s not easy for anyone.
LIGHTNING ROUND
Favorite Food
Tex-mex! (I’m originally from Houston)
Favorite Dessert
Boston Cream Pie
Favorite Movie
That’s a tough one… Star Wars
Favorite TV Show
Right now it’s The Walking Dead (gross! I know, but I can’t stop watching it)
Last Movie you saw
The Artist
Last Book that you read
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (great!)
Dark or Milk Chocolate
Dark
TRC: Thank you Craig for taking the time to answer some of our questions about the life of an illustrator. Please keep us informed to any new cover illustrations you are working on….maybe we can get an early scoop 😉
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DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CRAIG? Post a comment and ask Craig about his amazing covers.
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BIO
Link: Craig White Illustrations
Since 1993 Craig White Illustrations has been providing illustration services for the media industry. Craig’s work has appeared on the covers of best selling authors such as: Carrie Vaughan, Ellen Byerrum, Marjorie Liu, Glynnis Campbell,Robert Ludlum, Vince Flynn, Clive and Dirk Cussler, Laurell K Hamilton, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Shelly Laurenston, Shannon K Butcher, Jacquelyn Frank, Kresley Cole, Thea Harrison, Christina Douglas and Erica Hayes. Craig’s work has also appeared on national magazine advertisements, packaging, outdoor and online media.
An avid snowboarder, surfer and musician, Craig lives in Southern California with his wife, daughter and faithful pug.
SHANNON K BUTCHER-covers
