An Introduction to Sarah Pecorino

Hi there.  I am Sarah Pecorino, the newest member of Smells Like Crayons.  I'm so happy to be part of a very talented collective of artists.  Since this is my introductory blog post I think it suits the event to give you an introduction to Me.   (Thanks to the illustrators group We Love to Illustrate for the great bio questions).

1. What’s your illustration background?

I have a BFA in Studio Art from Endicott College.  I have been working on my illustration career since second grade.  I declared in the "about the author" section of one of my self-published duct-tape-binding books that I would become a children's illustrator. 

2. Where do you live?

A little town called Auburn, New Hampshire.  Thirty minutes from the seacoast, forty-five minutes from the mountains, and fifty minutes form downtown Boston.  I can't really complain.

Home Sweet Home, 2007

3. What are your sources of inspiration?

My one year old son, nature, and all of the other amazing illustrators out there. 

4. What are your favorite techniques?

My style has made a gradual progression to its current state.  For a long time I worked with Prismacolor colored pencil, and then added Prismacolor markers to fill in ground.  I would use the blender to bleed the markers and make a smoother transition between colors.  When I illustrated "Ugly as a Toad" I drew my sketches on one sheet of paper, then on my light board placed a sheet of marker paper over it and made the color elements.  I then combined them digitally.  Since then, and with the purchase of a used Wacom tablet, I have scanned my original sketches, edited them as needed in Photoshop, and colored them digitally.  I love being able to adjust colors and "UNDO" as often as needed (which is a lot).

5. Do you have a favorite food?

I love a big plateful of grilled veggies with pesto, but I have a severe soft spot for good 'ole creamy ice cream, preferably with home made hot fudge.  (One of the best places ever for ice cream is nestled in the woods of Granville, MA, The Gran-Val Scoop.  I highly recommend it.  Also, I'd recommend Captain Dusty's in several locations on the North Shore of Boston, including my favorite spot - see #7).  Oh, and sushi.  I L-O-V-E sushi.

 

6. What’s your most productive time of the day?

Since I have a full time job, and a little guy, I work between 8pm and 12am, so those HAVE to be my most productive hours. 

7. Do you have a favorite place?

Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA.  My husband and I lived in town and I would run to the beach nearly every morning.  It's also there that he proposed to me!  It you ever want to live in the cutest most warmhearted town, I would send you to Manchester-by-the-Sea, but be sure to bring a big check with you.  The houses are enormous, beautiful, and mighty expensive.  If I ever, or should I say WHEN, I make it big we want to move back there. 

8. What are your future illustration goals?

I plan to break into freelance illustration full time and illustrate more children's books.  I'd love to come up with my own story and illustrate it. That would be pretty cool.

You can find me on my website sarahpecorino.blogspot.com, Flickr, or Facebook.

from "Sadie & Rosebud" by Mary LaFleur Langdon