Scott Gustafson facts for kids

Scott Gustafson (born December 7, 1956) is an American artist and illustrator. He lives and works in Chicago, Illinois, USA. For over 25 years, he has created amazing artwork. He has worked as a freelance artist and made illustrations for many magazines and children's books. Later in his career, he wanted to write a longer story. In 2011, he published his first novel, Eddie: The Lost Youth of Edgar Allan Poe.

His art style is inspired by the "Golden Age of American Illustration." This means his work often looks like it comes from a fairytale. Many of his illustrations show fantasy characters and scenes from classic stories or the Bible.

Becoming an Artist

Scott Gustafson grew up in Marengo, Illinois. As a child, he loved to draw and dreamed of becoming an artist. By the time he was in eighth grade, he knew he wanted to work in animation. He remembers watching the movie Pinocchio. A scene where Honest John sings "an actor's life for me" really inspired him. He watched the movie twice, thinking, "I want to do animation like that!"

Around this time, he also found two books about the famous artist Norman Rockwell. These books made him even more interested in illustration. In high school, he read articles about other great artists like N. C. Wyeth and Maxfield Parrish. He said these articles "introduced me to a whole new world." He tried to copy their styles in his own drawings. He was also inspired by the cartoons of Walt Disney and Warner Brothers.

College and Art Materials

Scott went to the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. He focused on animation classes there. The school later closed, so he moved to Columbia College Chicago. He still studied animation but also took a class on illustrating children's books. This made him think about a career in children's books.

Scott Gustafson first used paints like gouache, acrylics, and watercolor. He mostly used acrylics because they dried quickly. This helped him finish his work on time. When he started his first big book, The Night Before Christmas, he began using oils. He had more time for this project. Once he learned how to use oils well, they became his favorite type of paint.

A Career in Illustration

Scott graduated from college with a degree in animation. But he decided to work as a freelance illustrator instead. He found that working in animation was more limiting. He explained that as an animator, you might only work on one character. But as an illustrator, you get to create everything! This includes the places, clothes, props, lighting, and even the mood of the painting. He believes it's "about the best job there is."

Early in his career, he illustrated for small publishers and magazines in Chicago. Later, he got a call from New York. A few months after that, he started working on a storybook version of Clement Clarke Moore's famous poem, The Night Before Christmas.

Writing His Own Stories

Scott Gustafson had many story ideas over the years. But his editors often felt these ideas were too long for typical children's picture books. He then realized he needed to write longer stories. This led to his idea for Eddie: The Lost Youth of Edgar Allan Poe. The idea was approved, and the book was published in 2011.

When he wrote Animal Orchestra, Scott wanted it to be fun and educational for kids. With Eddie: The Lost Youth of Edgar Allan Poe, his goal was to introduce young readers to the works of Edgar Allan Poe. He hoped they would then want to read more of Poe's writings.

Books Featuring His Art

Scott Gustafson's art can be found in these books by other authors:

• The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore
• Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
• The Nutcracker

His Own Books

Scott Gustafson has also created his own books:

• Alphabet Soup
• Animal Orchestra
• Classic Fairy Tales
• Favorite Nursery Rhymes from Mother Goose
• Eddie: The Lost Youth of Edgar Allan Poe

Awards and Recognition

Scott Gustafson has won several awards for his work. He received a Chelsea Award from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. He also won an Independent Publisher Book Award for Best Children's Picture Book. Other awards include a Chesley Award (2005) for Best Interior Artwork and a CA Illustration Award.

Scott is married and has a son. He works from home with his wife, Patty. She helps with the computer and digital parts of their business. Scott focuses on his studio work and has said he is not very good with computers!