Mary GrandPre: Deathly Hallows an 'intriguing' title
MuggleNet visitor Daniel recently had the opportunity to speak with Mary GrandPre (the US book illustrator) for his school. In the interview, which he's decided to share with our site, Mary talks about her thoughts on Deathly Hallows:
I'm anxious for this to be the last book as much as I've enjoyed the journey. It's nice to kind of wrap it up and celebrate it as a whole and to just kind of look back and take a deep breath and go, "Whew! That was quite a ride!," so you know...I'm excited for it to end and to find out how it ends and yeah, I might be a little sad about it, but generally I'll be really happy that this check's closing and that I can kind of go on to other things personally and creatively. Yeah, so I'm happy about it, I'm happy that it has come to this point.You can read much more (including Mary's thoughts on the title and the process of illustrating the books) at the link below! Thanks again to Daniel for allowing us to share this interview with our visitors.
Daniel: Who or what inspired you to be an artist?
Mary GrandPre: I don't know that anyone inspired me to be one; I've kind of always been drawing since I was about five. I think it was maybe who inspired me to be an illustrator, and that would be John Collier.
Daniel: How did you come about working on the Harry Potter series? And what was your reaction when you realized it was such a huge success?
Mary GrandPre: It started out like any job, it was just a call from another art director in New York and he wanted me to do a book cover, and at that time it was just one cover, so we had no idea how big it would be...and so it was just a call that came from some of my previous work and I guess when we realized it was going to be a big success it was just kind of disbelief on how big something could be and it's just amazing that it was getting that much recognition and becoming so big.
Daniel: Could you describe the process of illustrating for a Harry Potter book?
Mary GrandPre: Well, first they send the manuscript and it's just usually on typed sheets of paper on 8 1/2 x 11 sheets, and it's usually a pretty big stack. Then I just read through and highlight visual descriptions of people and places so that I know how to draw them. I make ideas for chapter headings and ideas for cover art. Then I sketch out all the ideas and send them to the art director in New York and he either approves or has me redo, and then it just kind of goes back and forth a little bit during the pencil stages. Then, after it's approved by the art director, the publisher, and J.K. Rowling, then I start the final artwork with pastels, and I just take that through final stages.
Daniel: Do you ever talk to J.K. Rowling about the cover? Does she make suggestions?
Mary GrandPre: I don't talk to her during the production of the book, but I have met her and talked to her on a more social level, but no. Publishers usually like to keep the artist and the author separate so that they can both kind of do their jobs.
Daniel: How does it feel to know that the books you have illustrated have been read by millions of people around the country, and maybe even the world?
Mary GrandPre: Kind of embarrassed (laughs). I guess, you know, I feel really fortunate to be part of it, and just really fortunate to influence young artists and meet lots of kids and talk to them about art and books and making pictures for books, so that's really great. But you know, really, when I think about the popularity of the book, it's more about the story than the pictures. I mean, I know people really get into the artwork and all that, but I think, you know, without the story, of course, there wouldn't be anything else. So I think the real craze is about who Harry really is and the story, and so that's, you know... J.K. Rowling really is the one who's made the book so popular, and so I just kind of feel like I'm along for the ride, and that's great, you know...
Daniel: Having their artwork featured on the cover of Time Magazine is quite the artist's dream, so what advice would you give to those magazine cover hopefuls out there?
Mary GrandPre: Just to keep trying and just to do your best. I would give the same advice to anybody who is just trying to be successful in their work whether they wanted to do a magazine cover or whether it was just to do gallery work or whatever. I would just say that you just have to listen to yourself about who you are as an artist and what makes you happy when you draw and when you paint and just try and work really hard and be true to who you are. Sometimes it's easy to do what's popular or to do what's really hot at the time, but if it's not who you are then it's not going to be your best work, and it's not going to go any farther than out the door. I mean, you just really have to find out who you are, just like you would have to do that if you were a singer or a musician or a writer, you just have to listen to your own voice.
Daniel: You have received national recognition through various prominent artistic awards; after graduating Minneapolis College of Art and Design, did you ever think you were going to be as well-known and successful as you are now?
Mary GrandPre: I never thought or gave it much thought about being well-known; all by itself I would be successful. But there are a lot of successful people who aren't well-known, so don't equate success with popularity, but yeah, I guess I always felt I'd be successful just because it's everyone's dream at some point in their life, but you know, if you believe in yourself you're going to be successful to some degree in something. So yeah, I did think that, I just didn't think I'd be that popular, I guess.
Daniel: Many people have described your artwork as "approachable," but how would you describe your artistic style?
Mary GrandPre: Well, right now it's going through some transitions, but the major body of my work, I would kind of describe it as probably representative of the subject at matter but still stylized, and I think "approachable" is a pretty good word, because I think I don't abstract something so much that people can't connect with it. I guess I'd describe it generally for maybe a younger audience and stylizing it a bit. Right now I'm experimenting and working on more personal gallery work, too, so... it's kind of hard for me to describe my work, because I'm working for something new.
Daniel: What do you think of the upcoming Harry Potter book's title, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"?
Mary GrandPre: I don't know, I think it's just going to unfold as we all learn about what it means. I think it kind of leaves you wondering what this is about. I think it's intriguing - an intriguing title. I don't know what it means yet, and it sounds kind of scary. I don't know... I hope it means good things (laughs).
Daniel: What are your feelings and thoughts knowing that "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is the last book in the series that made you incredibly popular?
Mary GrandPre: I'm anxious for this to be the last book as much as I've enjoyed the journey. It's nice to kind of wrap it up and celebrate it as a whole and to just kind of look back and take a deep breath and go, "Whew! That was quite a ride!" so you know... I'm excited for it to end and to find out how it ends and yeah, I might be a little sad about it, but generally I'll be really happy that this check's closing and that I can kind of go on to other things personally and creatively. Yeah, so I'm happy about it, I'm happy that it has come to this point.
Posted by Andrew on Feb 11th |
61 Comments
Visitor Comments
First comment. Gotta love Grandpre.
Nice. I love her art!
Does she get to read the whole book before she gets to the cover work?
cool! love the art! 3rd?
oo hope the art's good!
i love the artwork she does for the US books. if only there were more besides the chapter headings and the covers.
She´s excited that it´s the last one??? What an *beeeeeep*!! she must be the only one on earth who is happy that it´s soon over.
I love her work! But I can sympathize: It must be frustrating for an artist to feel like books made them famous rather than their own work.
lol ya I was reading her comments and she seems to talk a bit immature and odd what with "generally I'll be really happy that this check's closing " but I do like her art work and if I were her I'd actually be very sad to be doing artowork for whats going to be the final book.
I think that she should ask Jo for her opinion on what she should put as the cover. Even though she didn't do that in the past.
I think that she should ask Jo for her opinion on what she should put as the cover. Even though she didn't do that in the past.
I love the last two covers. I hope Deathly Hallows is one main color too.
Ah well, to each their own. Anyway, she's pretty good. For most part, the US covers are generally better than the UK ones. I've got both, so I should know (but still, it's my personal opinion). Also I believe her comment is made as the artist, rather than the reader. There's a difference there. I wonder though, who's going to be the one illustrating the deluxe edition? Also, to the person who asked if she reads the whole book: Yes, she does. She designs chapter pictures as well, and she also can't find a cover if she doesn't read the entire book to pick out a visual to put on the cover without giving away too much.
OH my gosh oh my gosh! This is blowing my mind
OH my gosh oh my gosh! This is blowing my mind
I love the illistrations she does
She is strange... She loves her own art, but she doesn't care much about the book, that has made her famous?
Nice interview, Daniel! I love her artwork.
I like the last 2 covers. It would be awesome if she re-did the all the covers and made them a solid color. I hope DH is either black or scarlet.
I can't wait to see her final work for this book. I'm extremely curious about her color palate (however that is spelled). I'm hoping for a clash of green and red... but that seems to be too garish for my eyes. Maybe she'll do it completely in shades of gray.
I think people need to realize that whoever made the cover art for Harry Potter would be well known. I'm sure she is just relieved that when she finishes this book, she can open a brand new chapter in her life. If it weren't for Harry Potter, not many people would know her name. It really is ashame too, but not very many artist are recognised unless its by other artists. I don't think she meant that she doesn't like the books, or that she doesn't like doing the artwork, I think she just knows that its not her thats popular, its Jo. Jo wrote the books, and its the story thats popular, not the artwork. Don't get me wrong, a lot of people love her artwork. I know that I do. But thats not why we by the books. On the other hand, when you choose to be an illustrator it kinda comes with the job. Unless you're doing a picture book.
a black cover would be pretty cool....a deep burgundy would be nice...but i think black would portray the mood of the book. i cant wait to see the cover! i'm guessing we'll actually see it the beginning of july....seems to close!
Ahhh! That's cool! I can't wait!
This is such a great interview, it's exciting to hear the thoughts on the title of someone connected to Jo and the publishing company!
I honestly can't wait to see it. I bet there are going to be so many theories once that cover is released. Mary GrandPre' is amazing. I love how she portrais the carachters and I have personally always thought that is how they really look like. Perhaps they're are a little different from what JKR had in mind , but for example when I saw Hermione on the back of HBP, I thought "that's what Hermione 'really' looks like..." :)
Random question. How do you download the new countdown? I can't find any countdown options for it...I really want it on my desktop. Whoever the mod is, please help me!
She is soooooooooooooooo lucky to get the manuscript before its even published. OMG i wish i had her job!!!!!!!!!!
Then again, I'd love to read with the rest of the fans all over the world. (:
I love Mary Grande Pre's drawings. They're really great. Minnesotan pride!!
coolio. I love her art too! she does a really nice job.
go Mary GrandPre!
Yeah! Hope the cover has Harry and Voldemort on it....in bright turquosie or pink......and Hermione and Ron on the back of the book holding hands
The UK books don't have chapter art. I was just looking at the US ones and they are very cool. They do give alot away though...
i love Grandre. i do- as somebody who does the art for my favorite books && as an artist.
They need to unveil GrandPre's cover art soon. I am psyched to see it
Does anyone know where MuggleNet got the cover on the countdown from? Was it from the HBP cover art contest or something like that? I think it actually looks pretty cool.
that's what i want to know, ninja58! i can't tell from the article if she's gotten the manuscript for Deathly Hallows, much less final drawings for it.
i love her artwork! she's an amazing artist. but i must say that it's kind of annoying me that all the people involved with the production of harry potter are glad to see the end (jkr, grandpre...) i KNOW its hard work and stuff, but still...
her drawings make the american editions what they are! i mean, the british editions look so blah and they dont have an illustration at the beggining of each chapter... i much prefer her covers for the books than anyone else's, so yeah....hope the cover is totally kick ass!!!!
Mary Grandpre is the best artist ever!!!
i hope jamie's on mugglecast today....and i hope it comes out *somewhat* early...
Hey, um I'm new here so I don't know if anyone noticed this before but..... Have you ever noticed that in the sixth HP book that the note that, Harry found in place of the locket has the anitioals RAB.....Sirius said in the fifth HP book that he had a brother named Regilous.......R.B. would be his anitioals. Sirius also said that Regilous used to be a deatheater, but got killed on Voldemorts orders.....Also in the Fifth HP book, Wile everyone was cleaning Grimald place, they found a heavy Locket that none of them could open. I think that Regilous Black took the Locket from Voldemort and hid it in Grimald Place, and voldemort killed him because of this. If this subject has already been brought up then I'm sorry for waisting your time......By the way, I'm not good at spelling..so, sorry if you can't read this.
She's very right about the title: It is intriguing. I cannot wait for July. I wish the months would hurry up.
That was nice. I really like her. But...............I am getting really impatient for something Harry Potter to placate me.
Kinda of topic but... I wish the staff could be more considerate of places other than America. They are always going on about how good this summer's going to be, they even put it on the countdown! But it won't be summer everywhere in the world. I understand that they live in America (well most of them do) but I think they should at least have countdowns for different places.
i love her cover art for the hp series. i can't wait to see what she does for the cover colors. i hope she sticks with the color themes like in ootp and hbp - those books are my favorite covers! i'm thinking that the dh will probably be black and white or grey. i really don't care though - it's most definitely the actual book that i care about!
HA! she didnt graduate from Minneapolis College of Art and Design! granted she went here for a few semesters, but she never graduated, they gave her an honorary degree! I go to MCAD, i know. and she doesnt like talking about her work for harry potter at all, shes actually a bit bitter...haha that said, i love her illustration style and i attribute her going to MCAD to my being here rigth now (funny, if mugglenet hadnt had an article about here a few years back i probably wouldnt know that there was such a place) she is an inspirational artist and i hope that someday i can be as successful as her!
This is really cool, I'm really excited to see which color she chooses for HPatDH. Where's MuggleCast?
Yeah, I do wonder what color combination will be used in this book. Hm. Although this has nothing to do with anything: How can I change the old OotP countdown timer to the knew, and improved, OotP and HP DH countdown??
Cate: I know what you mean, but I was listening to a Mugglecast episode a few days ago.... you see the new countdown at the top? It's Deathly Hallows and OotP all in one right? The reason they did that is because there's not enough room on the page to put more than one countdown. They need that space for advertisement to keep the site going. And because most of the vistitors of the site are American, and live in America, they choose to use the American dates for the one countdown they can fit in. Anyways, I think black will definately be one of them (and by "one of them" I mean the two different colours when you pull off the cover of the hardback - one on the spine and one on the face/back). I dunno, I think I like the idea of a black face/back and - not navy- but just a really deep blue on the spine, deeper than the OotP blue. ~ Kimberly Cheesepuff
Back to Top