Meet the Illustrator: Steve Breen
by the Brightly Editors
Steve Breen is the author and illustrator of A Perfect Mess, a fun, lighthearted picture book about a little rhino named Henry. Henry usually doesn’t mind getting messy, but it’s class picture day and he’s determined to keep his outfit clean. Throughout the day, he avoids anything that might make a mess — mud puddles, jelly donuts, grape juice — yet somehow manages to leave chaos in his wake. Children will love following along as Henry discovers that despite his best intentions, messes tend to follow him wherever he goes. In this installment of Meet the Illustrator, we talked to Steve about what he learned from the classic The Snowy Day, his dream work space, and how he gets his six kids excited about art.
What first made you excited about art?
I guess the first thing that made me excited about art was discovering that I had the ability to look at cartoon characters and copy them. This led to discovering that I could get attention for copying and drawing things from my classmates and teachers. This, of course, led to me to creating drawings from my weird imagination to generate laughs from the content and not just “oohs” and “ahhs” from the art. I think a desire to create is fueled by a desire to get a reaction from others.
What illustrated book from childhood has stayed with you over the years?
So many have stayed with me and have influenced me in both obvious and subtle ways. One that sticks out from when I was very young is The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. Form doesn’t have to have outlines! Snow doesn’t have to be colored white!
Where do you find inspiration for your illustrations?
It’s a cliché but I find inspiration for my illustrations all over. God gives creative people certain kinds of brains. We filter thoughts as well as things we see in the real world through our imaginations and out come these neat pieces of art.
What does your workspace look like?
My workplace is messy with lots of pens and paper and eraser crumbs strewn about. I use a standard drafting table and a light box. I have a Mac.
My dream work space would be an old, converted barn with high ceilings and lots of natural light. When I envision the barn, it has an awesome Mac with all the software I need. It’s got cabinets filled with art supplies and all kinds of paper. It’s nice but not fancy so if I spill paint or ink, it’s no big deal. It’s in my backyard so I don’t have to drive to it. It’s got big windows with inspiring views. It has a big comfortable couch where I can rest and read art collections and children’s books by people I admire. It’s got several guitars hanging on the wall I can pick up and play to take a break from drawing. It has a cozy bed for a dog who hangs out and keeps me company. Oh, and I guess the dog and I would need a fridge filled with snacks.
What materials do you most like to use?
I wish I had time in my life to take art classes and explore the use of other mediums like oil and pastel and sculpture. But I basically just ink my work, then color things in with watercolor. I sometimes touch things up with colored pencil. I draw on a regular Bristol board.
What design resources would you recommend to young artists?
I recommend book collections of illustrations and design, SND annuals, and children’s books.
How do you get your kids excited about art?
With six kids of my own, I’m somewhat of an expert on this question. The best way to get kids excited about art, I find, is to give them some tool — a piece of chalk, a brush with paint on it, scratchboard, whatever — and show them a little example of what’s possible with it. Then let them have at it. They feel so empowered that they usually create something really cool right off the bat.
What have your kids taught you about books and reading?
My younger kids in particular have shown me that with picture books, there’s a lot of power in simplicity and repetition.
What’s the best name for a color that you’ve ever heard?
I don’t know about a new color name. But I’d love to do a book using nothing but various shades of my favorite color: purple.
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Books by Steve Breen
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Violet the Pilot
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Steve Breen is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for the San Diego Union Tribune. He has also written and illustrated several popular picture books, including Pug and Doug, Violet the Pilot, and Stick. Steve lives in San Diego, California, with his wife and six children.