Kevin Hawkes
Fun Facts
Q. How do you get ideas for your books?
A. My best ideas start with a childhood memory and morph into something weird but cool.
Q. How do you get better at drawing?
A. Find somebody who knows how to draw better than you do and learn all you can from them. Practice, practice, practice. Drawing is like playing the violin; it takes awhile to get good at it.
Q. Why does your art style change from book to book?
A. I believe every book deserves its own style of art. I experiment with new techniques and materials so I can make a style of art that fits each story.
Q. What was your favorite book as a child?
A. I love books about animals. I loved Robert Lawson’s drawings in The Story of Ferdinand. His shadows and beautiful clouds made me feel like I was outdoors on a sunny, summer day. Favorite chapter books were the Freddy the Pig series by Walter R. Brooks. Freddy was clever, liked to eat and wanted to be brave - just like me!
Q. Do you have any pets?
A. I have had lots of pets (hamsters, iguanas, fish, lizards, guinea pigs and dogs). A few have made their way into my books.
Q. How did you decide to become an illustrator?
A. I loved to draw and make messy art projects and I loved to read so I put those 2 things together and became an author and illustrator. Besides, my idea of becoming a cowboy didn’t work out since I didn’t own a horse.
Q. Who are some of your favorite artists?
A. Maxfield Parrish, Arthur Rackham, P.J. Lynch, Brian Froud, and Thomas Fluharty.
Q. What story have you always wanted to illustrate but haven’t yet?
A. Someday I would love to illustrate Hansel and Gretel and I'm a big fan of modern fairy tales. Anything based in the woods.
