Kristi Valiant - Illustrator

Sometimes when I am checking the blog traffic I will find a site that interests me. This is how I came across illustrator Kristi Valiant. Her art was brilliant, so I asked her for an interview. As it turns out, Kristi has a recent picture book out that she illustrated, Cora Cooks Pancit. I give you Kristi Valiant.

When and why did you start illustrating for children?

When I was little, I was fascinated with the illustrations by Janet & Anne Grahame Johnstone in Dean's Mother Goose Book of Rhymes. God gave me the talent to draw, and those Mother Goose illustrations gave me the desire to work in children's books.

While I was in art school, I had an internship at a small children's publisher. Then during my senior year, I won an illustration contest to illustrate a leveled reader by Seedling Publications. Those were my first steps into children's books.

What is the most valuable advice you can give to a newly published illustrator?

Keep improving your artwork and experimenting, whether you're published or not, and be active in organizations like the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators ( www.scbwi.org <http://www.scbwi.org/>  ).

What is one of your favorite children’s books that you'd like to recommend?
Usually I follow the rules, but I'm going to list waaaay more than one:
Pssst! by Adam Rex
Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
LIttle Hoot by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace
The Toot & Puddle books by Holly Hobbie
Flight of the Dodo by Peter Brown
Big Sister, Little Sister by LeUyen Pham
The Great Fuzz Frenzy by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel
No, David! by David Shannon
Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin
Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball by Vicki Churchill and Charles Fuge

What are you working on now?

I have a picture book coming out in a couple weeks (!) that I illustrated called Cora Cooks Pancit <http://www.shens.com/cora_cooks_pancit/> . I just finished illustrating two chapter books. And now I'm illustrating a sketch dummy of a picture book manuscript I wrote with dancing penguins in it. I hope to be submitting that this summer.

What is your favorite dessert and why?

I really don't do well with listing one favorite, so again, here's a list:
Creme Brulee from Handke's Cuisine ( http://www.chefhandke.com/desserts.htm  <http://www.chefhandke.com/desserts.htm> )
Chocolate Lava Cake or my husband's Black Chocolate Magic Cake
Coconut Chip ice cream from Graeters ( http://graeters.com/flavors.aspx )
York peppermint patties
My mom's pumpkin pie

Bio:

Kristi Valiant has illustrated over 30 children's books. Her illustrations have also appeared in magazines, on greeting cards and in educational materials. Kristi grew up in Wisconsin, graduated from Columbus College of Art & Design in Ohio, moved to Texas, spent a summer in China, and now lives in Indiana with her husband Casey and a guest room full of hippos and monkeys.

http://www.kristivaliant.com
http://kristivaliant.blogspot.com

 

Comments

[Kristin Tubb]

I love Kristi's artwork! Thanks for the interview, Tina!

[Kristi Valiant]

Thanks Tina!