Video summary
Paige Mason, the illustrator behind the book *I Grab the Mic* by author Malik 16, shares her enthusiasm for joining this creative project. Although she typically works with watercolors, she embraced the opportunity to challenge herself by creating the entire book using full digital tools. She found the transition easy because the story features a diverse cast of children and adventurous imagery that aligns perfectly with her artistic interests.
One of Paige's favorite pages depicts the future possibilities of one of the main characters, showcasing her in various dynamic viewpoints such as looking up expressively or seen from behind at a higher elevation. This specific artwork reflects her deep appreciation for Sunday comics and concept art, creating a visual experience that feels almost animated as the reader moves their eyes across the page. By drawing the character in different positions, she encourages readers to look up and down while reading, which effectively brings the narrative to life.
The illustrator expresses profound gratitude for being part of this project and highlights how the book incorporates many elements she enjoys painting. Her approach blends her love for sequential storytelling with her skill in digital illustration to create an immersive experience for the audience. Through these artistic choices, Paige aims to inspire readers and demonstrate the potential of combining traditional illustrative styles with modern digital techniques.
Ultimately, Paige looks forward to everyone having the chance to read *I Grab the Mic* and experience the story she helped bring to life. Her passion for capturing movement and expression in her art serves as a testament to her dedication to making the book engaging and visually exciting. She hopes that the final result will resonate with readers just as much as it did during the creative process, fulfilling her excitement about seeing the project completed.
Read the full video transcript
[music]
Hi, my name is Paige Mason and I'm the
illustrator of I Grab the Mic written by
author Malik 16. When Malik had found me
to be illustrator, it was not hard for
me to decide that I wanted to be part of
this project. It included many elements
that I enjoy to paint when I illustrate.
I usually work with watercolor, but I
was excited to challenge myself in using
full digital to create I Grab the Mic.
But it was fairly easy because the
subjects included lots of different
types of children and wild and
adventurous imagery, which I love to
paint. And if I had to choose one of my
favorite pages, it's based off of one of
our main characters,
and it shows the possibilities of her
future. I also grew up really enjoying
the Sunday comics. So I think some of my
artwork also reflects this idea of
sequenced illustrations and I've also
had a love for concept art. So this
particular page is one of my favorites
because I think it's almost as if you're
watching the page come to life as if
it's animated.
So it shows her here in different
viewpoints. We have her expressive
looking up. We see the back of her.
she's up higher and I just really enjoy
drawing her in all these different
positions. So, the reader is having to
look up and down as they're reading
across and I think that really brings
this book to life. So, I'm really
grateful that I was able to be part of
this project and I can't wait for all of
you guys to get a chance to read it.