The Illustrator’s Role

By the illustrator, Lisa Mertins


Jim’s offered the back story – I’ll continue with how our collaboration works from my end.

I received the story and Jim’s photos and ideas for the illustrations via email and I was delighted that it was something I could relate well to.

For me, that’s the first step in conceptualizing how I will illustrate a project — finding my connection or my way in to the story.

Jim’s photos of himself at his elementary school reminded me of Ramona elementary in Alhambra where I was a student.  His school is old-fashioned, like Ramona was and it’s a K-8 which isn’t very common these days.

Ramona School as I remember it in Alhambra, CA

The hierarchy of children from kindergarten to 8
^th
grade is unique, for example, I remember vividly how the Kindergartner’s were separated from the other classes by a fence.  The older kids would tease; “Kindergarten babies, born in the navy (whatever that means…),” That was scary for me!

When I realized JAOS was about speech difficulties, I felt a twinge at my own memory of the lisp I had while young – lisping Lisa.  Although I don’t remember anyone calling me that, when I think of little me, I imagine it was easy to tease me about it and being singled out as a child can be mortifying.  While I don’t have as clear a memory as Jim does of how it affected me, I do remember it was embarrassing to be different.

That said, I feel lucky to be a part of trying to articulate those uncomfortable feelings children can have and how overcoming them feels too.