About the Illustrator
Bruce Potter
Bruce Potter has illustrated over 100 books - mostly educational books and children's picture books.
Speed is a feature of Bruce's art. He selects models, and photographs them in poses. He does pencil sketches and emails them to his publisher and author. If they like them, he paints straight onto the same sketch. Some pictures are completed in less than a day.
Bruce learned to work quickly when he worked for the NZ Herald in his younger days, creating caricatures of politicians etc.
Bruce paints with ink goache because it's easy to apply, the colours are strong, dry quickly and don't change when the book is printed.
His other interests and hobbies include weightlifting and music; he has sung in choirs, played the cello in orchestras and sung in and directed musicals like Les Miserables.
Bruce lives with his wife and children on a small lifestyle block in Tuakau, South Auckland.