Illustrator Study David Wiesner “A regular guy who happens to be a genius” – Carol Goldenberg, Art Director

Quote  "I think early on it was clear that my interest was telling stories with pictures, not just painting a picture. To me, it was more interesting to actually do a series, because if I came up with a character or place that I liked, I wanted to spend more time either in that place or with that character. So actually, telling stories with pictures was very appealing." David Weisner

Biography Info  Born: February 5, 1956 of Bridgewater, New Jersey  The fifth child of the Wiesner family  Played outside in the neighborhood and in the woods. Creative play fostered an imaginative and role playing world  Wife: Kim Kahng, surgeon.  Two children: Son and Daughter

Influences of his Artistic Style  Television art teacher: John Nagey. As a child, David would watch his shows.  Comic books created his interest in storytelling through pictures  Classic artists: Da Vinci, Dali, De Chirico, Brueghel and Durer from his childhood home Time-Life Books of Great Artists  High School Art Teacher: Bob Bernabe  Field Trips to Museum of Modern Art, NYC

Influences of his Artistic Style  1974: Rhode Island School of Design. To study illustration  Professor Tom Sgouros helped build his technical and conceptual skills.

Wordless story books were inspired back when he was in Rhode Island School of Design. He saw Lynd Ward’s Mad Man’s Drum and was amazed by the possibility of the book. While he worked as an illustrator for other author’s books, his goal was to publish wordless picture books of his own. Free Fall was a result of his inspiration.

David focuses on making fewer books but crafted with care. He takes his time to create his award winning books with his blended surreal sense of exact style and humor.

Photorealistic images in a surreal style. Described as Cinematic, symbolic, and gripping and allows readers to use their own imaginative interpretations.

Flying lily pads instead of magic carpets, this amazing book got it’s inspiration from a cover design that Cricket Magazine in 1979 had commissioned David to illustrate.

David doesn’t force his artistic style. He lets it flow naturally to create his unique images that are both life-like yet fantastical.

“…. David Wiesner’s creative journey may not be a straight path, it invariably takes him to the right place…” Dinah Stevenson, David Wiesner’s Editor

Work Cited  Caldecott acceptance speech." Horn Book Magazine 68.4 (1992): 416. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 Oct  Erbach, Mary M. "Illustration as Art -- Composition." Book Links 17.2 (2007): Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 Oct  Evans, Dilys "An extraordinary vision: Picture books of the nineties." Horn Book Magazine 68.6 (1992): Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 Oct  Gralley, Jean "Liftoff: When Books Leave the Page." Horn Book Magazine 82.1 (2006): Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 Oct  Hancock, Marjorie R. "Art Styles in Picture Books: A Window into Visual Literacy." Book Links 17.1 (2007): Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 Oct  Macaulay, David "David Wiesner." Horn Book Magazine 68.4 (1992): 423. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 Oct  Silvey, Anita. Horn Book Magazine, Jul/Aug2002, Vol. 78 Issue 4, p , 5p. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web 15, Oct  Stevenson, Dinah "David Wiesner." Horn Book Magazine 83.4 (2007): Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 Oct