Kinuko Y. Craft
Born in Japan, Kinuko studied art at the Chicago Art Institute. She arrived in the U.S. in 1960 and considers herself a Rennaissance woman - an artist for all seasons and a true connoisseur of art.
While she has published a little over half a dozen children's books, a perusal of any will show why she only does two a year. The detail, color, and artistry are breathtaking. She also does book jackets (about two a year) since two books a year would not generate sufficient income.
Kinuko decided that she really didn't want to teach, so she quit working on her Master's degree. For the next three years, she worked in a studio and then decided to go out on her own as a freelance artist.
Her love is science fiction and fantasy which provide for an escape from reality. That can be fun in books such as Cupid and Psyche and Pegasus.
Because Kinuko does not like the smell of acrylics, she uses oils over watercolors. She begins with a sketch, and produces a full size black and white drawing to which she applies the watercolors. This is then followed by a working of the picture in oils. Interestingly, she always does the cover first. That takes 1 to 1 1/2 months. It sets the mood and tone of the book. For Cinderella, she only did the front cover to save time. Also Kinuko feels that if she has a better idea she will change the art - even if the sketches have been approved bu the publisher. For example, in the Cinderella book, she moved the carriage from the ground into the air. One problem, of course, is that she has trouble meeting her deadlines.
Her husband has become a collaborator and has helped expedite the process by laying out the text and repeating design elements that Kinuko has created. Kinuko also creates the lettering to go with the story and he can carry it through. She also hires models to help her get the anatomy and body positions correct. While Kinuko paints in different styles and spends time studying to get that feel, certain styles are not part of her repertoire - for example, she would not paint in the style of Norman Rockwell.
At the moment, Kinuko works with one publisher, and she does have an agent. If the book business were to dry up, then she would go into limited edition prints. Her most recent book is Tom Thumb and at the time of our conversation she had just completed the cover for Sleeping Beauty.
Contributor: Marilyn Courtot
For more information visit K. Y. Craft at her own site.
Reviews
Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the BraveRetold by Marianna Mayer
Illustrated by Kinuko Y. Craft
Interesting new children's books based on traditional tales made me realize you can begin a casual course in comparative literature and art with children as young as six. In the past year I have seen at least four new children's picture book versions of the Russian folktale of Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga is the famous Russian witch who lives in a hut with chicken legs and loves to eat children. In this book, my favorite new traditional version, Mayer honors magic, mystery, and words in telling this tale of Vasilisa, a Russian Cinderella, who faces the impossible with pluck, courage, and creativity. Craft's detailed illustrations give us a horrid Baba Yaga for young girls to detest and a glowing, romantic Vasilisa for them to adore. 1994, Morrow, Ages 4 to 9, $16.00. Reviewer: Susie Wilde
Cinderella
Illustrated by K. Y. Craft
The familiar tale is retold in elegant language, and with great detail. Here, a bird she has earlier nursed becomes Cinderella's fairy godmother. The traditional pumpkin "blossomed into a splendid gilt coach lined with rose-pink satin," and the other transformations are as elaborate. The glass slipper is lost after two balls, the repentant stepsisters are pardoned, "And when they inherited the kingdom, Cinderella and the prince became known far and wide as the kindest rulers the people had ever known." From the jacket/cover Baroque-stylized portrait of Cinderella in a ball gown in an elaborate frame, we are presented with a series of framed text pages with illuminated capital letter, and facing oil and watercolor scenes of exquisite detail. Three double-page spreads with no text carry the drama powerfully forward. Voltaire's seventeenth and eighteenth century France inspired the lush imaginary settings, which suggest the costumes and palace gardens of the court paintings of the time. They reflect the romance and the tradition of the famous story. 2000, SeaStar Books/North-South Books, Ages 3 to 8, $15.95. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz
Cinderella
Illustrated by K. Y. Craft
If you like more traditional versions of fairy tales and Cinderella in particular, then this is a book not to be missed. It is sumptuous. Cinderella, an orphan, lives with her wicked stepmother and her two haughty stepsisters. She does all of the housework and is treated very badly, but always seems to return their unkind treatment with kindness. Her good deeds are finally rewarded and in the end she does get to marry the prince, live happily ever-after, and she even forgives her wretched step-family. Craft has chosen to set her story in a time reminiscent of seventeenth and eighteenth century France. The gowns are elaborate, as are the hairstyles. The jewels sparkle almost as much as the candles in the royal ballroom. Cinderella is, of course, breathtakingly beautiful with cascades of blonde hair and a flawless complexion. The prince is a handsome figure who, while attracted to her physical beauty, also recognizes her goodness and humility. Yes, it is a fairytale, but the stuff of wonderful daydreams. 2000, SeaStar Books/North-South Books, Ages 5 and up, $15.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
Cupid and Psyche
Retold by M. Charlotte Craft
Illustrated by K. Y. Craft
Love for Cupid and Psyche seems impossible when the goddess Venus requires three impossible tasks. The labors - and the book - are accomplished with magic and mystery. An extraordinary picture book, this classic love story of faith and courage is retold with stunning beauty. The full-page paintings possess a tapestry quality that draws in the readers. The language is magical-lyrical and challenging for a picture book. 1996, William Morrow, Ages 8 to 12, $16.00. Reviewer: Deborah Zink Roffino
Cupid and Psyche
Retold by M. Charlotte Craft
Illustrated by K. Y. Craft
The retelling of this Greek myth is overshadowed by the stunning paintings. Each spread contains two frames with a full-page painting on one and the other split to contain the text and a half page picture. The marble floors look so real you want to touch them. The richness of the oil over watercolors makes the paintings gleam. In this version, Psyche falls in love with a man she has never seen, but betrays his trust. To win back Cupid's love she must perform three impossible tasks. She succeeds because Cupid helps her, and eventually they are united forever. 1996, William Morrow, Ages 10 and up, $16.00. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
King Midas and the Golden Touch
by Charlotte Craft
Illustrated by K. Y. Craft
For those of us who have always felt superior to the legendary king and his lust for gold, this book is our comeuppance. Even as the king begins to realize the foolishness of his obsession with gold, readers are mesmerized by the luminous illustrations that reveal the beauty, allure, and irresistibility of the gleaming metal. The story is well told. The king, despite his preoccupation with gold, is not a bad man, and we do cheer with him as his redemption becomes our reality. But, the show here belongs primarily to the illustrations. Oil over watercolor paintings not only fill the pages, but seem to leap off them and fill the reading room with the gleaming brilliance of the gold and the story. The technical quality of the illustrations is apparent to even unschooled observers as reflections dance upon the golden floors of the castle and the shadows cast by the light of golden statues reflect both the beauty and sorrow the king's wish has wrought. An elegant edition of a most worthy tale. 1999, William Morrow and Company, Ages 4 and up, $16.00. Reviewer: Judy Katsh
Pegasus
by Marianna Mayer
Illustrated by K. Y. Craft
Bellerophon has been sent on a quest that will surely mean his death. However, he consults a soothsayer who advises that he can succeed if he can convince the winged horses Pegasus to carry him on his back to do battle with the Chimera. Pegasus is a solitary steed who has never allowed any man to be his master. Trust was what held them together and with this trust, and their superior skills, they overcame the evil beast. Bellerophon eventually married the princess and ruled the kingdom, but whenever he could, he slipped away to soar in the heavens on the back of his trusted friend. The beautiful detailed paintings by Craft look like they should be hanging on the walls of a museum. 1998, Morrow, Ages 7 and up, $16.00. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
The Adventures of Tom Thumb
Retold by Marianna Mayer
Illustrations by Kinuko Y. Craft
From written tales and folk tradition, Marianna Mayer has fashioned her retelling of the Tom Thumb story, first recorded in the 17th century, although originating much earlier. Various cultures have been fascinated by the idea of a tiny boy and his adventures, but this Tom Thumb is the English version with links to King Arthur. Bold and adventurous, Tom encounters the Fairy Queen, is eaten by a cow, carried off by a raven and swallowed by a fish. In the end, the resilient youth defeats a fearsome giant and is knighted by King Arthur himself. The text is lively, with just enough formality to let readers know it is a traditional tale. Kinuko Craft's oil and watercolor paintings have a magical blend of humor and wonder, enhanced by borders based on 12th-century illuminations. The author's historical note will add to its usefulness in an exploration of English folklore, where it could be compared with Richard Watson's shorter tale or even Felix Hoffmann's retelling of the Grimms' German version with his modern, slightly sinister pictures. Another good partner is Margaret Hodges' Saint George and the Dragon , where Trina Schart Hyman has also used English flora and fairies in her illustrations. But Mayer, interpreter of numerous other myths and wonder tales, has come up with a marvelous Tom of her own to delight readers of many ages in this handsome edition. 2001, SeaStar/North-South, Ages 5 up, $17.50 and $15.95. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Retold by Marianna Mayer
Illustrated by Kinuko Y. Craft
This is a retelling of the well-known fairytale, accompanied by splendid illustrations that draw the reader in with their lush beauty. They reveal the atmosphere of enchantment that falls over the princesses, turning their hearts to ice and forcing them to dance every night in a semi-twilight world. The humility of the hero, a common gardener, finally manages to win over the youngest princess, and their true love breaks the chain of magic that enslaves everyone. Imaginatively written and finely illustrated, this is a picture book sure to be enjoyed by everyone who loves fairytales. 1998 (orig. 1989), William Morrow & Co./Mulberry Books, Ages 5 to 10, $17.00, $15.93, and $5.95. Reviewer: Nancy Partridge
Added 2001
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