Matt McElligott

Illustration has been my job for about fifteen years now, but I've been drawing for as long as I can remember. I grew up outside of Albany, NY. and I live not far from there today. I went to college at Alfred University, then graduate school in Buffalo. I have a studio in my home which I share with my wife, Christy (a dynamite web designer) and several animals, including two horses, a dozen or so chickens, a pair of barn cats, and a dog.

When I'm not working on illustration and children's books, I spend my time teaching as a professor at the Sage College of Albany in Albany, NY. I'm a past president of the Albany chapter of the Graphic Artists Guild, an organization which has been a tremendous help to me through my career.

Below are some common questions I get about my work and my books.

Where do you get your ideas for your books?
That's a tough question. Often, an idea will come to me from something I read, or maybe a movie I saw. It could be from a conversation I had with someone, or from someplace I visited on a trip. (In other words, the ideas can come from just about anywhere.) But most of my ideas seem to have one thing in common: at first they don't work. Usually, I'll be very excited about a new idea, and I can't wait to get started on it. About halfway through something will happen-I'll lose interest, or maybe confidence-and I'll put the whole project aside. If the idea was any good, it will reemerge somewhere down the road, maybe in a few weeks, maybe in a few years. Somehow, the truly good ideas always float to the surface eventually.

What tools do you use to draw your pictures?
I like to experiment with different media. My first book, The Truth About Cousin Ernie's Head was all acrylic paintings, and Uncle Frank's Pit was done entirely on the computer. The Spooky Book was a combination of the computer and watercolor paint, as is my latest, Absolutely Not. I've found that that mix seems to work for me.

What do you enjoy drawing the most?
I've always liked to draw buildings and machines. Whenever I travel, I bring along a sketchbook. By the time I get home, it's usually filled with pictures of churches, castles, bridges, and landscapes. I like to try to see if I can create a convincing space on the page.

Who are some of your favorite authors and illustrators?
Probably my favorite illustrator is Winsor McCay, an illustrator and cartoonist from the early part of the twentieth century best know for his strip, Little Nemo in Slumberland.

 As far as children's books go, I grew up reading Daniel Pinkwater and I never stopped. His books had a big influence on me. I really like William Joyce's drawings, and Quentin Blake's illustrations for Roald Dahl's books can't be beat. Lately I've spent some time studying Arnold Lobel's drawings from his Frog and Toad books and Mercer Mayer's illustrations for the Great Brain series. There's so much good work out there.

Did you write or illustrate Harry Potter?
No.

Do you make a lot of money writing children's books?
Not so far, no. (See the previous question for clarification.)

If you don't make any money at it, why do you do it?
Because I really enjoy it. Being an illustrator, especially, is hard work. But in spite of the difficulties, there are days when I know there's nothing I'd rather be doing.

For more information, visit my website at www.mattmcelligott.com