Marc Martin is an artist, illustrator and author. He is the author-illustrator of internationally award-winning books, including A Forest, A River, and Everything & Everywhere. His picture book A River was named a Best Illustrated Picture Book by the New York Times. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.
Today, Mark Martin is on the blog to answer some of our questions about his new picture book, Masters of Disguise. Read on!
Marc Martin (Photo by Timothy Herbert).
Please tell us about your book, Masters of Disguise!
MM: Masters of Disguise is a book about animal camouflage. Featuring twelve different animals from around the world, each page is filled with colourful illustrations and information that explains how and why these camouflaging creatures blend into their habitat with such ease. From leopards, sloths and polar bears, to orchid mantis and mimic octopus, each section also features a seek-and-find activity of the animals hidden within their natural habitat – the perfect pursuit for eagle-eyed readers!
Where did the inspiration for this book come from?
MM: I’ve always been fascinated with animals and natural world, and as a child I loved reading books that kept me engaged with lots of things to look and find, so writing and illustrating a book about animal camouflage seemed like the perfect melding of those interests. A book that not only informs the reader about nature, but entertains and keeps you coming back for more.
When you’re working on a picture book like this one, do you build the story around the illustrations or is it the other way around?
MM: There’s not really a story with Masters of Disguise, it’s more of a fact book built around seek-and-find activities, so in that way it’s not like other books I’ve done. Usually I’ll build a story around an illustration I might have drawn in my sketchbook, but with Masters of Disguise it was more a case of having to do a lot of research and use reference images to make sure I drew the animals accurately.
Can you tell us a little bit about your illustration process?
MM: My illustration process varies depending on what I’m working on, but with a book like Masters of Disguise, I usually start off by doing a very rough pencil sketch of what I’m going to draw and where all the elements and animals are going to sit on the page. That way when I’m working on the final illustration I’ve got a rough idea of where to put everything. From there it’s really just a process of drawing lots and lots of different things like the background, the trees or plants and animals – whatever is going to go into that illustration. With Masters of Disguise I hand-drew everything with watercolour paint and pencil, then scanned and pieced everything together on the computer. Putting things on the computer can be really handy in case I need to move things around to accommodate for text or changes in layout. I like to think of my illustrations as one big collage – I just use the computer to assemble everything together.
‘If it inspires someone to become the next David Attenborough or Jane Goodall then I’ll be more than happy.’
Your picture books are often about animals and nature. What do you love so much about using them as subjects for your books?
MM: Animals and nature are part of our world, but unfortunately we often forget that fact, especially when most of us live in an urban environment. I love using nature and animals in my books because I want people to connect with that, so they can gain a better understanding of just how wonderful (and fragile) these animals, ecosystems and our planet is.
What’s your favourite thing about being an illustrator and book-maker?
MM: It’s nice to read emails and letters from people who have been inspired by what I do. There are times when being an illustrator and author can be a lot of work, but reading a letter from someone who has read one my books makes me inspired and energised to keep making more.
What’s the nicest thing that a reader has ever said about your books?
MM: Someone once told me that I was good at keeping inside the lines when colouring-in my books 🙂
Who do you most admire in the world of illustration?
MM: Oh there’s just too many people to name – I like a lot of illustrators from the ’60s like Bruno Munari, Charley Harper, M. Sasek and Dahlov Ipcar, as well as illustrators from my childhood like Jenny Baker and Paul Jennings.
What do you hope young readers will discover in Masters of Disguise (apart from the animals, of course)?
MM: I hope Masters of Disguise sparks a sense of curiosity and wonder about the natural world – if it inspires someone to become the next David Attenborough or Jane Goodall then I’ll be more than happy.
And finally, what’s up next for you?
MM: I’m currently working on a few books at the moment – but it’s all top secret so you’ll just have to wait and see!
Thanks Marc!
—Masters of Disguise by Marc Martin (Penguin Books Australia) is out now.
Masters of Disguise
Camouflaging Creatures & Magnificent Mimics
Now you see them, now you don't! Cloaked in a riot of colour, pattern and texture are a dozen animals - from chameleons and polar bears to Gaboon vipers and mimic octopuses - that have mastered the art of fading into the background.
Fact-packed pages segue into clever and beautifully illustrated seek-and-find spreads that put readers' newfound knowledge of each creature and its ecosystem to the test...
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