What is the first thing you remember drawing?
Hmmm...if it wasn’t a rainbow, it was probably a house. I loved drawing houses. I even made them with two sheets of paper glued to one another and I would cut some holes into the top sheet so the windows and doors could open and close. I guess I liked collage (cut paper artwork) even then.
Are you allowed to eat at your desk? I’m not allowed to eat at my desk
because my mom says I will make my work messy.
because my mom says I will make my work messy.
Because I am older now and make my own lunch and pay for my own desk, I get to eat at my desk. Besides, my mother is a million miles away, in the Philippines. She will never know that I eat at my desk...unless you tell her. Please do not tell her. I really enjoy eating at my desk.
What types of materials do you like to use for your illustrations?
I love this question. Because I make some artwork in collage (a composition made with various materials glued to a surface), I use anything and everything that looks interesting to me—the insides of envelopes, ticket stubs, wallpaper, origami paper etc... One time, I even used the fabric of one of my favorite dresses for a book! I can’t wear that dress anymore. Just kidding! I scanned the fabric into a computer and printed the fabric onto paper. I can’t wear that dress anymore because I have grown to wide for it.
Does your mom still pay for your art supplies? If not, who pays for your art
supplies and where do you buy it?
supplies and where do you buy it?
When I was a student she did! My dad bought me some really good ones when he came home from business trips too. They no longer pay for my art supplies now that I am and adult. I have to do it myself. My favorite store for art supplies was called New York Central. It had loads and loads of interesting paper. Sadly, it is closed now, so I have to buy my materials from DickBlick, which is an okay place for art supplies...but NY Central had so much more character because it was old, scruffy and one-of-a-kind.
If I am just sketching, I can draw a few characters quickly, especially worms. They are the easiest things to draw! I bet YOU can do it under 3 seconds. When I am making art for a picture book, or a comic though, it takes me AGES. One artwork can take up to THREE DAYS! Especially when I am making the drawing with cut paper. It takes a very long time to make a book. Maybe I should make a book about worms.
What is your favorite animal to draw?
Oh, this is a tough one. I mean, there are SO MANY awesome creatures to choose from! Giant Squid are quite superb, so I like to draw them. I also love drawing pigeons and snails. If I were to pick a creature that represented myself I would choose the snail because I like to take my time doing things. Did you know that snails cannot move backwards?
How do you think of what to draw and write? Which one comes first?
It depends. Sometimes the scenes come to me through images so I draw the idea then add the text later. Sometimes though, I write the dialogue or the idea of the scene, then dream up the images later.
Do you listen to music when you draw?
YES! I also love to listen to audiobooks and podcasts. Other times, when I need a little peace and quiet I play tree.fm It’s quite wonderful. You can pretend you are in a forest in another part of the world. It’s very relaxing. Sometimes making books can be stressful, so it is good to have ways to calm yourself.
What is the first book you ever read?
The first book I remember reading by myself is a collection of poems by Shel Silverstein called A Light in The Attic. It made me laugh. There was a poem in there about a homework machine that gave wrong answers! I thought that was very funny. I think it also had a sad poem about a snowman who wanted to live to see July. I loved that poem so much that in Team Pom 1, the first swim routine that the girls do is called Snowman in July: A Tragedy in One Act. It was my way of honoring that poem and Shel Silverstein—this is called a tribute.
What is your favorite color?
ORANGE. I don’t know why...I wear a lot of black, but like to draw with orange. When I was little, I used to pretend my orange crayon had arguments with my blue crayon about where to stand in the box. It took forever to organize my crayons so I put them in a bucket instead.
Have you invented a color that doesn’t exist yet?
I don’t believe I have, but that is a very good goal to work toward.
Readers of Team Pom sometimes send me questions through the team pom website: teampom.team and those are pretty great as well! Here they are in case you are curious:
What does the name C.A.O.S. stand for? Is it Chaotic. Association. Of. Shadyside?
Agnes asks the very same question in Book 2! This is a very good guess, but C.A.O.S. actually stands for: Criminal Agents of STEVE.
If you got stuck inside your book who would you be?
Cyd the squid. I would like to experience having eight arms and two tentacles.
Will Cyd come back in a future book? How is he doing now?
Yes, Cyd will be back in book 3. He is very well and happy that you asked about his wellbeing.
(Book 2 spoiler alert!) Who will buy the lair?
They are still taking offers in case you are interested.