Tom Shannon
Children's Illustrator
Who or what made you want to become an illustrator?
My great grandfather was an illustrator, hence it’s in my DNA. Family encourangement and my love for sequetial art made me want to become an illustrator very early on. I was born to be an illustrator, I adore picture making to no end!
Pictures of my great grandfather at work.
Did you attend art school or undertake any other formal artistic training?
I attended art school for two years at Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, Oregon. Graduated from Western Washington University, Bellingham Washington, with a BFA, concentration in illustration / graphic design.
Where do you currently live and where did you grow up?
Currently living in Silverdale, Washington, a quick ferry ride away from downtown Seattle. Born in Portland, Oregon and I grew up in Vancouver, Washington.
Who or what have been some of your major artistic influences?
The world of comic book art is my first artistic influence. John Byrne, Michael Golden, Frank Miller, Jack Kirby, Steve Diko, Author Adams, and Barry Smith are among my top favorite artists. I'm amazed at their ability to draw literally anything. For sure, their world building skills are a powerful influence!
How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way by Stan Lee and John Buscema was a huge artistic influence. My twelve year old mind couldn't get enough! To this day, I will reference this book to brush up on my basic drawing skills.
How and why did you decide to pursue illustration as your career?
I love picture making and it allows me to pay the bills. Win/Win situation! I don’t believe you can “decide” to be an illustrator, per say. It’s part of who you are and what you’re born to do. It gives me purpose in life and I’m loving every minute of it!
Do you keep a sketch book?
Yes, I keep a sketch book. Having one is vital to ensure my work has the opportunity to level up. I like to work in b/w, keep my focus on shape design, narrative, character design, etc. In terms of working on my basic drawing skills like antomy and perspective, I mostly work digitally with my iPad.
Left: Self-promotion comp for Spider Magazine, short story entitled Dragon Games. "When he hears that tasty PLOCK-ing as the paddle whacks the ball, dragon thunders to the table with his fiercest battle call."
Right: Story about a little ghost living his best after life at his haunted house.
Was creativity part of your childhood?
Yes, for sure, creativity was a big part of my childhood. I learned early on, making art gave me positive attention and that built up my self-esteem. I can’t see myself doing anything else professionally.
Have you always loved to draw?
Yes, I’ve always loved to draw. I thoroughly enjoy the picture making process. I get a “runners high” from drawing. It’s good for my health and I'm thankful it was given to me!
What makes a good children’s book?
Great illustration is a must have! A well written story will not resonate with a large audience if the artwork fails to prop it up.
What are some of your favourite subjects to draw?
I love drawing Halloween imagery. Growing up, I was a huge fan of the Universal Classic Monster movies. (Wolfman, Dracula, Frankenstien, The Mummy, etc.) It's fun to be scared :-)
Illustration I created for the Society of Visual Storytelling
Prompt: "Everyone was having a great time at the Halloween feast until..."
Are there any children’s classics you’d love to illustrate and/or re-tell?
I love Roald Dahl stories. I illustrated a series of self-promotion pieces for James and the Giant Peach.
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl, artwork by Tom Shannon
Animals feature heavily in children’s books – do you have a pet?
I have a dog and cat. Below is an illustration of my dog Kona. (Shh, don't tell my cat!) This was a gift for my wife, she wanted our pup to be depicted as a renaissance queen.
Illustration of my dog Kona.