Portfolio
About
I am an illustrator, author, and automotive
engineer.
A picture book maker and an engineer may sound quite
different, but they have many similarities. Both require
writing and pictures to communicate ideas.
A Brief Biography
I grew up in the suburbs of Akron, Ohio and graduated from the
University of Toledo with a mechanical engineering degree. Then
I moved to the metro-Detroit area to work as an engineer in the
automotive industry, where I still reside today.
Drawing was always something I enjoyed and was fortunate to have
encouragement growing up. Cartoons, comics,
and the fantasy art were my
favorite subjects to draw, but I also enjoyed handwriting,
drafting, geometry and anything else that involved a drawing
instrument and paper.
My formal art training was K-12 school. Later, I attended some
art classes at community colleges, local art centers, and the
College for Creative Studies in Detroit. But I was always
reading books on drawing and trying to imitate artists that
inspired me. I kept finding ways to make use of my drawing
skills in whatever class, organization, or job I had, which
continues to this day.
I tried my hand at comic books and submitting comic strips for
syndication. At comic book conventions professional artists gave
me good critiques, which led me to take evening classes in
graphic design (where I met my future parter) and figure drawing.
Later, I joined the Ann Arbor Ad Club. Through that and running ads in The Big Idea,
a trade magazine for the Detroit advertising scene, I made some connections that led to
commercial illustration work and the need to learn Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
From my book collecting, I discovered (or rediscovered, I'm not
sure) Edward Gorey. He opened my eyes to how many ways words and
pictures can be combined into stories. Gorey led me to Edward Lear and allowing myself
to play with words and make nonsense.
Since then, I have been learning the picture book craft, joined
the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI),
and participate in a writers' group. It has been a great
experience so far.
I would be remiss to not say anything about my engineering career.
After college, I worked on clutch hydraulics, but the last twenty-five plus years have been
spent on electric powered steering.
The skills I learned through drawing, graphic design, and visualizing objects in three
dimensions, have helped my career immensely; sketching out ideas on paper or PowerPoint,
making diagrams, flowcharts, and graphs, creating attractive presentations, etc.
And engineering has given me confidence in problem solving, managing teams and projects,
improving my written and verbal communication skills, simplifying complex topics,
more comfort in speaking with groups of people, competence in MS Office apps,
and working with a diverse and global group of people.
There is always something to learn, and I look forward to what
comes next!
Interviews
SCBWI Michigan interviewed me for their blog, The Mitten.
https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2023/04/interview-with-illustrator-ken-eaton.html
Contact Me
You can email me at:
Ken [at] BigTallKen [dot] com
