The art of a book, whether a children’s story with watercolor paintings or a coffee table book about Patagonia, may be as important as the words of the book. Book artists include traditional hand illustrators, graphic designers, photographers or mixed media artists whose work appears primarily in published books. Some specialize in cover design, some work on interior art and some do both. The bio of a book artist may appear on the cover of the book and in press releases and other promotional materials for the book.
Instructions
1. Conduct an interview of the artist, even if you are the artist. Take notes and ask questions about the artist’s motivation, inspiration and influences. Ask about the creative process the artist uses and what he hopes to accomplish with his art. Find out if there were any obstacles the artist faced in becoming an artist. Make a list of the words and phrases the artist would use to describe her art. Finally, write down biographical and family details as well as details of previously published works and upcoming work.
2. Compose a first sentence that including the author’s first and last name, the type of artist he is and one of the most interesting details that emerged from the interview. If possible, also include the name of the book’s author and the title of the book. For example, "Painter Julie Ortiz first sketched Olly, from Billie Finkle’s ‘The Day the Rain Talked,’ on a scrap piece of paper as she waited to pick up her son from school during a storm." Just as in the example, all of the bio should be written in third person.
3. Write out the body sentences using the information from the interview. The body of a book artist's bio is normally between four to eight sentences in length, in either one or two paragraphs. Choose details that are interesting and add context to the work of the artist. For example, specific education details are not usually important unless they translate into a greater understanding of the artist. Incorporate some of the language in the list the artist composed in the interview. Condense information about previously published work and use previously published works to illustrate the artist’s development. Do not overstate work history or success in the bio and do not make unsubstantiated claims about the artist.
4. Include direct quotation from the artist in the body of the bio, if desired. Use an expressive quotation that demonstrates that character and outlook of the artist. A quotation is the only text that should appear in first person. For example, "Of the book’s cover, Clark says, ‘I saw the characters as so many tiles in a mosaic, separate and yet reliant on one another.’"
5. Draft a final sentence relating to the artist’s current life and upcoming projects or plans. If the title and publisher of an upcoming work have been finalized, include them; otherwise, write about the project in general.
6. Edit the draft of the artist’s bio. Replace dull, broad words with more vivid, specific words. Remove any clich s. Check to ensure that the bio is an accurate reflection of the artist.
7. Allow the artist to read and approve the content of the bio before proofreading it for grammar and spelling.
