This week we bring you part 1 of our interview with John Maslen, Bob Books illustrator. John and Bobby Lynn Maslen are currently retired and living in Portland, Oregon. We spoke to him via phone last week.
Q: How did you get started illustrating the Bob Books?
A: It wasn’t until Bobby had already written 12 of the Bob Books that I was asked to do the illustrations. Things were busy in the house. We were raising 4 children. I was working as an architect. Bobby was teaching and creating the Bob Books. One day I came home and Lynn, our eldest (and now author of the My First Bob Books series) was doing the lettering on one of the books. I think she must have been in high school at the time. I saw the book “Ten Men Went to the End of the Land” and the pictures just started popping up in my head, so I did a few drawings. Bobby saw my illustrations and she was so pleased with them, she asked me to redraw all of the illustrations.
Q: What direction were you given?
A: Bobby was very specific about the drawings being line art without color. That way the children could color their own books. The style and approach was to be very simple, non-intimidating and non-distracting for the reader. We added color in 2006, but we wanted to keep that simple feeling so we only added one color per book.
Q: What was the process like?
A: Well, Bobby was and still is my wife, so the process was not without a few discussions. But I always thought of Bob Books as her project so I took her direction. The illustration process was fun. Bobby would write the stories. In the beginning I demanded that I have the freedom to illustrate any way I wanted. She could then accept or reject my art and I would listen to her reasons.
Q: How often did she reject your work?
A: Not very often; maybe not ever. If she didn’t like something, it was usually very subtle. Like the way the eyes or noses were drawn. We can still look back at parts of Set 1 and tell who drew the eyes, nose or mouth on a particular character in a particular book.
Q: How did you develop your style?
A: I think I intuitively knew that I wanted to do the illustrations loose, fast and sketchy. Not drawn too carefully – not as if I were doing an architecture drawing. I used a Sharpie pen and computer paper. I couldn’t slow down—otherwise the lines would get too fat in some places. When I was ready to create the final drawings, I’d put the paper on a light table and create the illustrations there until I achieved the right effect.
Q: Of all the Bob Books illustrations, which ones are your favorites?
I think my favorite is still Ten Men Went to the End of the Land. And I’ve always liked Mat, Sam and Dot – those are the original characters that I really enjoy. Peg and Ted as well– they really have an ability to catch kids’ eyes.
Next week: Learn more about John’s architecture, illustration and watercolor painting career in part 2 of our interview.
