Episode #158: Have you ever changed the words in a story to make drawing the pictures easier? with Fabio Napoleoni
Welcome back! We have a very clever and insightful kid question on today’s episode: “Have you ever changed the words in a story to make drawing the pictures easier?” Hear Grace Lin and Fabio Napoleoni answer!
TRANSCRIPT:
Grace Lin: Hello. I'm Grace Lin, children's book author and illustrator of many books including the middle grade novel, When the Sea Turned to Silver, and the picture book A Big Mooncake for Little Star. Today I'm here with Fabio Napoleoni, the author and illustrator of the picture book series featuring Dragonboy. Hi Fabio.
Fabio Napoleoni: Hello.
Grace Lin: Thank you for joining me today.
Fabio Napoleoni: My pleasure.
Grace Lin: Are you ready for today's kid question?
Fabio Napoleoni: I think I'm ready.
Grace Lin: Okay. Today's kid question is from a kid named Masha, and Masha asks, "Have you ever changed the words in a story to make drawing the pictures easier?"
Fabio Napoleoni: I can't honestly say that I have done that. Personally for me, I try to go with what the best story fits, and if it's challenging to me to draw that specific scene or capture possibly what my editor is asking me, I will take that challenge every time. I'd rather take the hard road sometimes than go the easier route.
Grace Lin: That's so interesting because I have done that before. Usually I change the words if there's not enough room in the pictures because I'll be like, "I don't want to sacrifice space in the picture," so I'll be like, "I'll just make that sentence shorter."
Fabio Napoleoni: Well, it's weird because I've had an art career in the fine art world for 14 years, so this is my first venture into children's books. So it was a little hard for me to paint something and then realize that I have to blank out areas or void certain areas in a painting for words to fit in. So that's where the challenging part came for me.
Grace Lin: Yeah, I find that very challenging too, because I want the picture to look good, even without the words. And so that's why I always end up taking words out because otherwise it's just such a big blank space, and without the words it looks so weird.
Fabio Napoleoni: It does.
Grace Lin: Though I have to admit, sometimes I might change story ideas when I realize, oh, I don't want to draw 500 cars and 300 people.
Fabio Napoleoni: Oh, that's a good point. That is a great point. Yeah. You know what though? I might have to take that back a little bit because there was a couple in this Dragonboy book where I draw a lot of trees in my artwork and that had to be changed, and I found that challenging. And you're right, I did have to change some words to, because I think the trees were more colorful and I think things were changed to fit more of the scene than it was the words. In thinking back, I think that it's a 50/50 really.
Grace Lin: Yeah. Especially when it's not really important to the story. You realize, oh, he could be in a pond with 10 fishes, not in a pond with 5 million fishes.
Fabio Napoleoni: That is true. That is true.
Grace Lin: So I admit I have taken the easy road a couple times. But I do agree. I do admire your tenacity of rising to the challenge.
Fabio Napoleoni: Yeah, I enjoy that. I have a fear of always finding things if they're too easy, that I'll get comfortable in that and I think I've had that in me since I was probably in my teens.
Grace Lin: Especially with art. You never want it to be too comfortable because what's the fun in that, right?
Fabio Napoleoni: Exactly. Exactly.
Grace Lin: Well, awesome. Well thank you so much, Fabio, for answering-
Fabio Napoleoni: Thank you.
Grace Lin: ... Masha's question. And Masha,-
Fabio Napoleoni: My pleasure.
Grace Lin: Thank you so much for asking such a great one. So we'll say goodbye now, and thanks, Masha. Thanks, Fabio.
Fabio Napoleoni: Bye-bye.
Grace Lin: Bye.
Today’s KID BOOK REVIEWS come from Dalton and Pierce! Dalton is reviewing Dragonboy and Pierce is reviewing Dragonboy and The Wonderful Night. They are both by Fabio Napoleoni.
Dalton:
The book I'd like to talk about is Dragonboy by Fabio Napoleoni. This book is about Dragonboy and his friends when they explore the night. A sloth named Simon got scared. I like this book because it shows that you don't have to be scared of the dark. I also like that the friends are stuffies because I have a bed full of them.
Pierce:
The book I'd like to talk about is Dragonboy and The Wonderful Night, by Fabio Napoleoni. This book is about a kid that wears a dragon costume that has a sleepover with his stuffed friends, except for Unicorngirl. Then he goes with his friends to explore, though a stuffed sloth gets scared and Dragonboy helps him. Then Dragonboy helps him see how good the night is. Then they find some dragonflies and shooting stars, and so they all make a wish. But Unicorngirl doesn't want to let go of her dragonfly. But at the end of the book, Dragonboy convinces Unicorngirl to let go. And then they all talk about how nice their sleepover was.
Thank you Dalton and Pierce!
More about today’s authors:
What the heart wants and the heart needs can be found in a Fabio Napoleoni painting. Nostalgia, sorrow and moments that lift the soul are all there for the world to see and experience along with him. The vivid colors and captivating character invite you into and emotional ride that is welcomed by the mind and the heart. Simple landscapes set the stage to the value of emotional attachment that can be compared to no other. Influences from some of this century's greatest artists are hard to find in his pieces, but are drenched deep in the fabric of what puts a Napoleoni painting together. It all started in Ponce, Puerto Rico 1972...Every child loves to spend time playing outside, but this was not an option for Fabio. From birth the artist suffered from asthma so horrific that several times a week he needed allergy shots to prevent severe asthma from consuming him. Many days and weeks were spent on the family sofa surrounded by art supplies given to him by his mother. An artist herself, she noticed that creating art came much easier to her son than it did for her. So, during the times that asthma overwhelmed him, she felt compelled to supply his creative side with the tools needed to flourish.
Many events influenced Fabio's artwork but none more than the traumatic events that followed the birth of his second child. His daughter, born with major heart abnormalities, had to face several surgeries to correct issues that could prevent her from having a future. Overwhelmed with his daughters issues and surrounded by an emotional sea of sorrow from other parents in the same situation, Fabio grew. While his wife and daughter slept, Fabio wandered the halls of the childrens care unit looking for a spot where he could sketch out his personal thoughts. From these thoughts a new form of creativity was born. The doors to Fabio Napoleoni's heart were opened for the world to experience.
It took a traumatic experience for Fabio to realize what he was missing in his work, and it was emotion. He had all the ingredients to create but none that captivated the soul. With his new ideas and old sketches in hand Fabio added the last ingredient needed...Emotional Experience. With his vibrant and bold use of colors along with many of his characters, Fabio has managed to create an emotional value to his art that had been missing. His paintings could have a thousand titles, and every one would be fitting for the image he has created; but one thing is for sure, you will always find a beautiful heart in every piece of his work. A symbol of his love for his daughter...she lives today and will forever in his art...
Grace Lin, a NY Times bestselling author/ illustrator, won the Newbery Honor for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and her picture book, A Big Mooncake for Little Star, was awarded the Caldecott Honor. Grace is an occasional commentator for New England Public Radio , a video essayist for PBS NewsHour (here & here), and the speaker of the popular TEDx talk, The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child’s Bookshelf. She is the co-host of the podcast Book Friends Forever, a kidlit podcast about friendship and publishing (geared for adults). Find her facebook, instagram , twitter ( @pacylin) or sign up for her author newsletter HERE.