Our friends at Redflu.com in Argentina have published an exclusive interview to Dolores Avendano, who is the illustrator of the Spanish Harry Potter books. Here is that interview, translated into English from Spanish by Martin of RedFlu.com:
Q. How much time do you spend creating the cover illustration?
Without counting the time that the publisher spends in accepting the sketch or the part doing the colouring, I spend a week or a week and a half. During that time, I’m not constantly working on the cover, that time includes moments of moving away from the picture so I will be able to view it in a more objective way.
Q. How do you think doing the last book will be? Would you rather that the book was published and illustrated, or do you prefer to wait because everything would then be finished to soon?
I have worked on Harry Potter covers since ’97 or ’98 (I can’t remember now) Anyway I will be sorry when it is finished. It’s the same when someone reads a good book, you want to finish it, but you are sorry when you finish it. I sincerely don’t know how doing the last book will be.
Q. What is the best thing about being the Harry Potter illustrator? (and the worst if there is any)
In the first place, the best is that it is a job I enjoy very much! I already enjoyed it before it was a famous book. And on the other hand, thanks to the interviews that the books have gotten me, I could get sponsors for my runs.
Q. What can you tell us about the book which was written and illustrated by yourself about a run in the Sahara?
I am still working in it. I would love it if it were published this year!
Q. Which other book would you like to illustrate besides The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien?
A film I saw when I was younger, which was based on a fairy tale, called Ruso, Rufflan and Ludmila.
Q. Gastan Galante (14 years old) from Argentina asks: Do you feel intimidated about the responsibility of having to satisfy the hope of Harry Potter fans who anxiously look forward to the cover with the same expectancy that they have for the book’s contents?
I try to not think about that because it would be impossible to satisfy everybody’s expectations! There would always be someone who won’t like it and someone who will love it.
Q. Maricel Barrios from Argentina asks: Who are the artists who have influenced your work?
The artists who inspired me to become a children’s illustrator are Arthur Rackman and Edmund Dulac.
Q. Javier Tortasa (16 years-old) from Spain asks: What inspired you when you drew Harry Potter’s face?
I got my inspiration from the text and from my imagination.
Q. Pablo Blanco (18 years-old) from Mexico asks: Have you ever been recognised in the street for being the Harry Potter illustrator?
Hahaha, what a question, Pablo! Yes, I have been recognised in the Supermarket! But it’s not anything usual. Generally, people don’t recognise me visually, although they know about me.
Q. Guillermo Scornick from Argentina asks: When you read the book, do you imagine Harry as you have illustrated him or do you imagine him in a different way?
I imagine him as I have illustrated him, the unique difference is that I don’t imagine him as an illustrated Harry, in pencil and paper, I imagine him real.
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