Meet Joy Chu––former art director, graphic designer, and educator. She’s going to be here next week, on Wednesday, April 20 for a special art/editorial event at our monthly meeting alongside two editors. For the full description of her visit details, click here.
1.
As an art director and educator you have devoted many years to books
for young people. What was your road to working with children’s books?
As an art director and educator you have devoted many years to books
for young people. What was your road to working with children’s books?
I’ve
been working steadily in the book publishing field since college,
always with trade books. It wasn’t until I worked my way up to my fourth
in-house publishing job that I began working exclusively on children’s
books.
been working steadily in the book publishing field since college,
always with trade books. It wasn’t until I worked my way up to my fourth
in-house publishing job that I began working exclusively on children’s
books.
From
a very young age, I had every intention of becoming a children’s book
illustrator myself! When I got my first library card, I’d grab as many
juicy picture books as I could muster. Story-telling images paved the
way to becoming a voracious reader. Thank you, Wanda G’ag, Marcia Brown, and Eleanor Frances Lattimore, for enriching my childhood!
a very young age, I had every intention of becoming a children’s book
illustrator myself! When I got my first library card, I’d grab as many
juicy picture books as I could muster. Story-telling images paved the
way to becoming a voracious reader. Thank you, Wanda G’ag, Marcia Brown, and Eleanor Frances Lattimore, for enriching my childhood!
Being
a visual person, I also coveted books that invited me to read its pages
with greater eye ease — and noticed that certain publishers provided
this consistently.
a visual person, I also coveted books that invited me to read its pages
with greater eye ease — and noticed that certain publishers provided
this consistently.
Immediately
after art school and college, I spent a year organizing my portfolio.
It was made up of 50% illustration, 50% mechanical skills (ruling pen and French curve exercises; numerous paste-ups — anyone remember those?). I went to my very first interview through a NY Times
ad — and nailed my first job on-the-spot! It was for the Knopf
division of Random House. What luck, to land at a house that prized fine
typographic design, illustration, and bookmaking!
after art school and college, I spent a year organizing my portfolio.
It was made up of 50% illustration, 50% mechanical skills (ruling pen and French curve exercises; numerous paste-ups — anyone remember those?). I went to my very first interview through a NY Times
ad — and nailed my first job on-the-spot! It was for the Knopf
division of Random House. What luck, to land at a house that prized fine
typographic design, illustration, and bookmaking!
I progressed to two more publishing houses. Then I craved change. Relocated to San Diego.
Coincidentally,
Harcourt uprooted and moved there a few months later, so I applied for
work. It was like working for a start-up with a great backlist.
Harcourt uprooted and moved there a few months later, so I applied for
work. It was like working for a start-up with a great backlist.
At
that time, the children’s list was tiny, so adult and children’s titles
were worked on simultaneously by the same design department, an
atypical set-up. This was also the period computers elbowed into the
publishing landscape. Color printing became both gorgeous and affordable!
We took on greater risks by publishing new talent alongside
award-winners. During the years I was at Harcourt, we went from printing
25 children’s books a year to 250 a season!
that time, the children’s list was tiny, so adult and children’s titles
were worked on simultaneously by the same design department, an
atypical set-up. This was also the period computers elbowed into the
publishing landscape. Color printing became both gorgeous and affordable!
We took on greater risks by publishing new talent alongside
award-winners. During the years I was at Harcourt, we went from printing
25 children’s books a year to 250 a season!
I discovered that I loved working
with artists! Coaxing the best out of them. Being their tech support.
Artists sensed that I empathized with their process. And although I am
not a book editor per se, I can think like an editor, and work well with
them. It’s like a beautiful dance ensemble, when you have artist, art
director, and editor, moving in sync to the same melody!
with artists! Coaxing the best out of them. Being their tech support.
Artists sensed that I empathized with their process. And although I am
not a book editor per se, I can think like an editor, and work well with
them. It’s like a beautiful dance ensemble, when you have artist, art
director, and editor, moving in sync to the same melody!
Thanks
to telecommuting and fax machines, I was able to start my own business
from home, while raising my son. I’ve done free-lance work for 20
publishing houses — a smooth transition, since everyone used the same
book printers and binders, the same computer software, and everyone in
the business knew each other. Today those 20 houses are now 3 huge
conglomerates.
to telecommuting and fax machines, I was able to start my own business
from home, while raising my son. I’ve done free-lance work for 20
publishing houses — a smooth transition, since everyone used the same
book printers and binders, the same computer software, and everyone in
the business knew each other. Today those 20 houses are now 3 huge
conglomerates.
2.
Your talk will reflect the structure of a picture book and show how you
organized an exhibit of illustrator artwork. How did you come up with
this idea and how does it relate to an author or illustrator approaching
their own work?
Your talk will reflect the structure of a picture book and show how you
organized an exhibit of illustrator artwork. How did you come up with
this idea and how does it relate to an author or illustrator approaching
their own work?
Leah Goodwin, education director of the Museum of the California Center for the Arts
in Escondido knew that there was a throbbing network of published
picture book creators in the immediate vicinity. She needed someone to
bring the right ones together with a theme. But how? Janice Yuwiler, SCBWI San
Diego RA, knew I was the consultant behind bringing both the traveling
component of The Society of Illustrator’s Original Art plus works by 26
local illustrators to the William Cannon Gallery
in Carlsbad, California. She suggested approaching me as Guest Curator.
Assisted by her amazing museum team, we filled a 9,000 square foot
space with pure magic!
in Escondido knew that there was a throbbing network of published
picture book creators in the immediate vicinity. She needed someone to
bring the right ones together with a theme. But how? Janice Yuwiler, SCBWI San
Diego RA, knew I was the consultant behind bringing both the traveling
component of The Society of Illustrator’s Original Art plus works by 26
local illustrators to the William Cannon Gallery
in Carlsbad, California. She suggested approaching me as Guest Curator.
Assisted by her amazing museum team, we filled a 9,000 square foot
space with pure magic!
A
picture book is like an intimate play. It opens with a setting, a main
character, and supporting players. It highlights a premise with a
beginning, middle, and ending. Putting together a museum exhibition
featuring picture book makers is like setting up the most amazing
chapter book you’ll ever encounter.
picture book is like an intimate play. It opens with a setting, a main
character, and supporting players. It highlights a premise with a
beginning, middle, and ending. Putting together a museum exhibition
featuring picture book makers is like setting up the most amazing
chapter book you’ll ever encounter.
Ours began with an introduction — Marla Frazee’s kids from her not-yet-released book Is Mommy?
running towards the grand exhibition hall , and throughout the
exhibition space — and capped at the other end by a room featuring book
trailers and interviews. And in-between, a story wall filled with
illustrated stories by young students inspired by the show.
running towards the grand exhibition hall , and throughout the
exhibition space — and capped at the other end by a room featuring book
trailers and interviews. And in-between, a story wall filled with
illustrated stories by young students inspired by the show.
Every
author and illustrator I contacted brought their own back story behind
what they produced. I worked with them, allowing them to curate what to
share with viewers.
author and illustrator I contacted brought their own back story behind
what they produced. I worked with them, allowing them to curate what to
share with viewers.
In
one section, we’d show one author’s inspiration, or “aha moment” and
the resulting prose verse. Then the illustrator’s enactment, in the form
of initial character sketches. Some worked with photo as reference;
others created clay models. Others de-constructed the art layers from
double-page spreads. A few even shared their works-in-progress. Having
character studies up, midway through their project, became part of their process!
one section, we’d show one author’s inspiration, or “aha moment” and
the resulting prose verse. Then the illustrator’s enactment, in the form
of initial character sketches. Some worked with photo as reference;
others created clay models. Others de-constructed the art layers from
double-page spreads. A few even shared their works-in-progress. Having
character studies up, midway through their project, became part of their process!
I will share examples at my presentation!
3.
How did the Children’s Book Illustration and Writing extension program
come to be at UC San Diego? Tell us a little about the program and your
role in its design.
How did the Children’s Book Illustration and Writing extension program
come to be at UC San Diego? Tell us a little about the program and your
role in its design.
It
evolved as the local SCBWI membership grew, as did the process behind
creating the picture book. Program advisor Annika Nelson saw I was
bringing something far more comprehensive, adding on real-life
experiences from the publisher’s perspective to children’s book
illustration instruction. Up until that point, it had always been taught
purely from an art standpoint. My class has become the foundation class
for children’s book illustration at UCSD Extension. It set the
groundwork for forming the Certificate Programs in Illustrating and
Writing Children’s Books. Two dedicated programs that overlap each
other. As of this writing, they are adding intermediate art media
classes just for illustrators, plus additional writing classes,
including one for nonfiction picture books. It’s all very exciting!
evolved as the local SCBWI membership grew, as did the process behind
creating the picture book. Program advisor Annika Nelson saw I was
bringing something far more comprehensive, adding on real-life
experiences from the publisher’s perspective to children’s book
illustration instruction. Up until that point, it had always been taught
purely from an art standpoint. My class has become the foundation class
for children’s book illustration at UCSD Extension. It set the
groundwork for forming the Certificate Programs in Illustrating and
Writing Children’s Books. Two dedicated programs that overlap each
other. As of this writing, they are adding intermediate art media
classes just for illustrators, plus additional writing classes,
including one for nonfiction picture books. It’s all very exciting!
(Interview by Tina Hoggatt.)