Bio

Amber is a “tradigital” children’s book illustrator living in Michigan, USA. Her past career in California was in swimsuit design - directing the design and a team of designers and merchandising the lines. This gave her a keen eye for color palettes, surface patterns, interesting compositions, and taught her the nuts and bolts of how to produce a product. During her much more challenging career of being a stay-at-home mom, Amber got into the minds of kids, their humor, and interests. She has been illustrating books for the past nine years.

Amber draws notes for her kids’ lunchboxes (daily), collects original movie posters, and loves making Halloween costumes.

Her work includes illustrating four picture books, two middle grade stories, one novel, and one cover. Although her background is in art, she also writes picture books.

Hello Friend That’s New To My Website-

You’re wondering why on earth there are so many tabs featuring different samples and styles, right? I think of illustrating books like making a pizza. And I love pizza. Pizza has a standard base – dough, sauce, cheese. Knowing who’s coming to the party helps you decide what to top the pizza with. Kids get only cheese. A fancy group of friends will have the mushrooms and olives. A Superbowl party equals meat lover’s. 

My standard art “base” is interesting detail, big action and expression, and a strong color sense. 

Depending on who’s “coming to the party” or the demographic of my reader, will help me decide the style art and the brushes I use – my “toppings”:

• Board book for babes? I’ll use acrylic paint and make it bold. 

• Funny picture book for littles? I will make it naive, cartoony, bolds outline with a minimal color palette. 

• Standard Picture Book for kinders? Full color and whimsical style it is, more detail.

• Middle Grade for excited young readers? Expressive faces, detailed line work – lots of black and white and cool hand lettering.

• Nonfiction Picture Book for teachers to use in the classroom? Then it might be realistic, a muted color palette, historically accurate objects, people, fashion.

I couldn’t eat the same kind of pizza every time. And I don’t want to only draw one specific genre of book for the rest of my life. Working on a variety of different projects keeps me fresh and excited, learning and adding new strengths and abilities to my pizza making/book illustrating.

Award/Acknowledgments:

Honorable mention for “compelling use of image and typography, and engaging designs,” from the New England Museum Association (NEMA) https://www.longyear.org/a-home-for-spike/

Published Book Illustrations:

“The Purple Dancing Triceratops” by Kimmie Gotch

“A Home for Spike” by Heather Vogel Frederick

“Spamly Warthington: (almost) Secret Agent: A Royal Mystery,”

“Spamly Warthington: (mostly) Secret Agent: The Plot Tick’ns.”

“The Last Leaf” by Bartholomew Tosch

“No One Has More Than Me” by Bartholomew Tosch

“Unbothered: What I Learned the Hard Way About College, Job Hunting, & How to Make Your 20s Suck (a Little) Less” by Rebecca Stow

Some clients include Google, Longyear Press, Gotch Media, & Wright Wind Press.

Amber is currently self-represented and takes clients on a limited basis. She loves a challenge. Inquire about her availability.