Mary GrandPré,
the illustrator for the Harry Potter books, has been drawing
since she was five years old. She went through a Salvador
Dali stage when she was ten or twelve and later graduated
to copying black-and-white photos out of the encyclopedia.
However, she really grew into her own while attending
art school in her mid-20s. There, she developed her love
of pastels and "soft geometry."
She has tried other media, but she always comes back to
pastels, especially in her children's books. She enjoys
working on children's books because she can focus on a
big project for a long time, using brighter colors to
create larger, simpler pieces. And it allows her to indulge
in her love of magic, fantasy, and whimsy.
Recently, Mary was featured on the cover of
Time magazine for her work with the Harry Potter series and she
also worked as a visionary in the environment/scenery development
in DreamWorks' animated film
Antz. Looking at life
from an ant's point of view is not the sort of assignment
that comes along every day and Mary enjoyed the great fun
of looking at ordinary things through a magnifying glass.
But what was most rewarding was being appreciated as an artist.
When she saw the finished film, complete with her landscapes,
she saw her work on the biggest canvas to date.
Mary has illustrated six beautiful children's books and
is at work on the seventh. She also works in other genres,
including advertising, corporate art, and editorial. Her
reputation is world renowned for her delightfully stunning
illustrations. You can see her work and learn more about
her on her Web site at
www.marygrandpre.com.