Inspirations: Jim Harris, Illustrator from Rocky Mount

I can’t think of a better way to start this series than with Jim Harris. Our styles are really different, but his art has inspired a lot of what I do. You can check out his “Tips for Illustrators” here. Jim is originally from my hometown of Rocky Mount, though he now lives in New Zealand (yes, Middle Earth).

I’m not sure who likes his work more, me or my kids. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read “Ten Little Puppies” aloud or how many times I’ve flipped through “Ten Little Dinosaurs” and attempted to pronounce their names. We also have “Ten Little Kittens,” though I couldn’t find it when I was taking these pictures.

But my real love is “Petite Rouge.” The color scheme in this book is probably my favorite ever and I love the sketchy feel of the drawing. You can see the influence of this book if you look through the Acrylic paintings in my portfolio.

Jim’s illustrations are complex and fun and I notice something new every time I look at them. He has a little signature mouse that shows up in every book and my kids love finding him.

They also love the moving, googly eyes in these.

Comment below and tell me about your favorite book illustrator.