The Children’s Book Review | September 24, 2019
Allison Steinfeld obtained a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She loves to create fun and playful work that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. She lives in North Carolina.
I make art because …
It is a way for me to recreate the magic I felt studying illustrations in books I grew up with. I love getting lost in the process of drawing and creating my own version of the world.
My latest published book is …
Kid Activists written by Robin Stevenson for Quirk Books. I absolutely loved working on this book, it’s a great introduction to some important figures in history and will hopefully empower kids to stand up for what they believe is right.
Art medium used …
I draw and ink everything by hand using felt-tip markers and brush pens. I color my drawings digitally using a basic Wacom tablet.
Artistic process …
I start by compiling reference photos and drawing rough thumbnails. Once I have everything pretty much mapped out I go to my final sketches and then ink. I scan the line art then edit and color the finals in Photoshop.
I am inspired by …
We recently moved to a new city and our neighborhood is a great source of inspiration. I love taking walks to get some fresh air while looking at the beautiful trees that line the sidewalks.
My favorite place to create & illustrate is …
My cat Amelia very graciously shares her room, our second bedroom, with me. I have my studio set up in there and it is the first time I have so much space to work. I’ve been really enjoying the slow process of decorating and I’m appreciative that my cat only sometimes knocks my pens off my desk.
My most used art supply or tool is …
My light blue Prismacolor Col-Erase pencil. I use it for most of my rough sketches and all of my final sketches before inking. It was a game changer when I started drawing with colored pencils and I finally realized that I hate working with graphite pencils. I still try drawing with regular pencils every once in a while for a change but I always go back to my blue pencil.
Illustrator idols …
There are so many! To narrow it down a bit I’d say three that come to mind who inspired me a lot when I was a kid: Richard Scarry, Shel Silverstein and Ludwig Bemelmans.
All-time favorite children’s book I didn’t illustrate…
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
A literary character to create art with …
Frog and Toad, that’s two but they come as a pair. I don’t know how good the art would be, but I think we would probably have a nice day drawing next to a pond and then have a picnic together.
Currently working on …
I’m currently working on some personal art that has been put on the back-burner as I’ve worked on other projects. I will be starting the next book in the Kid Legends series at the beginning of the year, which is going to be so much fun!
For more information about Allison Steinfeld and her work, you can visit: allisonsteinfeld.com and Instagram (@allisonsteinfeld)
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Kid Activists: True Tales of Childhood from Champions of Change
Written by
Publisher’s Synopsis: Moving, relatable, and totally true childhood biographies of Martin Luther King Jr., Susan B. Anthony, Helen Keller, Malala Yousafzai, and 12 other inspiring activists.
Every activist started out as a kid—and in some cases they were kids when their activism began! But even the world’s greatest champions of civil liberties had relatable interests and problems–often in the middle of extraordinary circumstances. Martin Luther King, Jr. loved fashion, and argued with his dad about whether or not dancing was a sin. Harvey Milk had a passion for listening to opera music in different languages. Dolores Huerta was once wrongly accused of plagiarizing in school. Kid Activists tells these childhood stories and more through kid-friendly texts and full-color cartoon illustrations on nearly every page. The diverse and inclusive group encompasses Susan B. Anthony, James Baldwin, Ruby Bridges, Frederick Douglass, Alexander Hamilton, Dolores Huerta, Helen Keller, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Iqbal Masih, Harvey Milk, Janet Mock, Rosa Parks, Autumn Peltier, Emma Watson, and Malala Yousafzai.
Ages 9-12 | Publisher: Quirk Books | September 24, 2019 | ISBN-13: 978-1683691419
Available Here:
Discover more illustration inspiration and books like Kid Activists: True Tales of Childhood from Champions of Change, written by Robin Stevenson and illustrated by Allison Steinfeld, on The Children’s Book Review by following along with our Illustration Inspiration series and articles tagged with Books With Activism, Illustrated Chapter Books, Kid Legend Series, Middle Grade Books, and Non-Fiction.
