Research is always a very necessary part of my process because all of my books to this point have been historical. Time spent in the library adds to one's wealth as a writer or artist.

I try to use models at least for the main characters because of the nature of my art. I tend to focus on the humanity of my subjects, the details of expression that add a certain reality to the work. Real faces = real art. That's the goal anyway.

Research is always a very necessary part of my process because all of my books to this point have been historical. Time spent in the library adds to one's wealth as a writer or artist.

My "mission", if you can call it that, is to connect with my readers on an emotional level and have them come away with a stronger impression of the basic message in the story I am illustrating.

My advice to writers is: READ! A lot. Then read some more. read, read, read, read!

I will always be an artist first. I see my writing as an extension of my illustrating.

The approach to "building" a story with words and phrases is no different than "building" a painting with brushes and pigments.