All Categories
Author One-on-One: Jerry Pinkney and Andrea Davis Pinkney Andrea Davis Pinkey: Jerry, let me say right off that I was delighted to be asked to have this dialogue with you. Even as your daughter-in-law, I'm still one of your biggest fans. Although we talk frequently, it's hard to keep up with all of the wonderful things you're doing. So the chance to take a moment to connect is a true pleasure. Jerry Pinkey: Thank you, Andrea. I’ve been a fan of yours as well. You’ve added your own unique voice to this magical publishing world. Andrea: In the time I've known you, I've marveled at your creative process, which, over the course of your fifty-year career, seems ever-evolving. Is there a "typical" time frame for illustrating each of your books? How long does it take to create all of the art for a story? Jerry: In the past, most of my projects took about six months from start to finish. However, these days it’s much harder to stick to that time frame because of the nature of the books I’m focusing on. I strive to select projects that offer that “mysterious something” that gives the book the potential to grow and evolve during the creative process, while I’m trying to find the right direction for it. I initiate many of my new book projects by working with my editors, which provides me with more room to stretch ideas. I’ve discovered that it doesn’t necessarily mean more time at my drawing board, but more time for concepts to percolate and take shape. As a result I’ve been completing about one book per year. Andrea: One of the aspects of your books that I love is that they