I have always been drawn to traditional methods of painting and illustration. Since this is my first book and is meant to be a memorial to Charlie, I wanted the pictures to be realistic. After poring over art portfolios from many illustrators, I made a short list of my favorites. I sent query letters and received a few replies. Finally, I found an illustrator with whom I’m excited to collaborate. Patrizia Donaera uses traditional watercolor and pen and ink drawings, which is exactly what I was looking for. She is wrapping up a previous project and will begin working on my book in earnest.
The “test” illustration she created convinced me to work with her. She really captured the spirits of Charlie and Sophie. I can’t wait for the illustration phase to begin!