art center Archives - Joan Igawa

I am so proud to have illustrated this wonderful children’s book, written by Stacey Gates. Illustrating a children’s book had always been a dream of mine since my Art Center days. I remember taking several children’s book illustration classes taught by Kathryn Wirch. I remember being taught to come up with a children’s book idea, write it out and create a book dummy. I did the children’s nursery “Months of the Year” showing various cartoon animals enduring and enjoying all kinds of weather that each month would bring. I also remember sending copies of my book dummy to different large publishers, only to be rejected–which was to be expected.

I finally got my chance when Stacey approached me–a resounding yes! Although my illustrations are more realistic and not the typical whimsical, cute style that I see that dominate the world of children’s books, I enjoyed the creation and learned about the process at the same time.

It wasn’t until I saw the end product–the actual, beautifully printed hardcover book that I realized how spectacular this project turned out! Both Stacey and I hope to get this book and future books in this series out to the world.

You can purchase the book on Amazon or on the Dream Traveler website.

I had the privilege to take Burne Hogarth’s anatomy drawing class during a term at Art Center. I didn’t know who he was until he had everyone in the class buy his book Dynamic Anatomy. He also told us about his Tarzan comic days and would begin each morning with his personal musings. He’d then lecture us with the anatomical part of the day. The foot one day, the head the next. He knew human anatomy like the back of his hand, but done in his style. Conte crayon drawings. His bark was far worse than his bite. We’d be sitting in a huge circle on our drawing benches around the model and he’d go around yelling at us. “Drawn the peanut, dammit!!” and “No. no. no. not like this, like THIS!”. His technique was to start with the human torso in the shape of a peanut. Arms, legs, head were to follow. He forced all of us to draw his way, his style. You could hear his booming voice down the halls, forcing us to draw the Burne Hogarth comic style. I enjoyed his class and learned quite a bit. He’d bring in his original Tarzan art work and other pieces which were all amazing.

I remember one day we had a female model who was obviously a body builder with an impressive physique. He went off on her, saying that those muscles and that type of physique did not belong on a female. He was old school for sure. Despite that, we’d sit with him during breaks in the cafeteria and talk with him–which he’d lose his mean, junk yard dog demeanor and he’d be his normal, sweet self. I think his classroom persona was just a way of keeping us in line. I miss those days.