James E. Ransome is an award winning American illustrator of children’s books, with over 60 books — as well as murals, posters editorial illustration and gallery paintings — to his name. He has been awarded the Coretta Scott King and NAACP Image awards, and was named one of 75 authors and illustrators everyone should know by the Children’s Book Council.
Ransome studied illustration at Pratt Institute, and credits prior study of film making and photography with helping to shape his approach. His style is naturalistic, with a nicely fluid feeling to many of his figures. While at Pratt, he encountered well known illustrator Jerry Pinkney, who he now counts as a friend and mentor.
Ransome’s website has galleries of his illustration as well as other paintings and drawings. There are two process videos that show him working with watercolor and with a preliminary drawing. In addition, Ransome is featured in a series of Videos from KidLit TV titled Young at Art, in which he gives demonstrates fundamental art techniques for kids.
Ransome has prints of some of his pieces available on Etsy.
Ransome is married to author Lesa-Cline-Ransome, and has illustrated a number of her biographical children’s titles.
OKAY… virtue seen and smelt. Next.
FYI, I’m continuing to do what I always do — highlight art and artists I admire and find of interest. Any theme in relation to current events can be ignored if you choose to do so. All of the artists I’ve featured this week have been on my list for some time, and I’m writing about them in exactly the same way I would if I had posted a year ago, or would a year from now. For a case in point, see my several previous posts on Henry Tanner.
So talented…. so fortunate to have met you and Lesa. Continue success.