It’s an accomplishment for an illustrator to get a deal to illustrate a book right after graduating college. However, it is another thing for a student coming straight out of high school to get to illustrate a book. Aysen Gerlach, a 2014 graduate of Haddonfield Memorial High School, did just that.
When Gerlach ran into a family friend, Beth Levin, at the summer Haddonfield Crafts and Fine Art Festival, she introduced Gerlach to Trudi Clark, who had a booth next to hers. Clark told Levin she was working on a children’s book for which she needed an illustrator. When Levin recommended Gerlach, she and Clark spoke about the book and her vision, and the rest fell into place.
“I was incredibly excited, a little overwhelmed,” Gerlach said.
Gerlach illustrated for Clark’s book “Willy The Bully,” which came out in early October. “Willy the Bully” is about a young bully named Willy who meets a boy who wants to be a bully like him. In the end, the boy teaches Willy a lesson instead.
“I hope many people get a chance to read ‘Willy The Bully!’ It’s a very sweet story with an important message for children,” Gerlach said.
Gerlach has always been into art, coming from a family of artists. She has been drawing for as long as she can remember.
“I’ve always loved the experience and gratification of creating something. Visual art just be It’s an accomplishment for an illustrator to get a deal to illustrate a book right after graduating college. However, it is another thing for a student coming straight out of high school to get to illustrate a book. Aysen Gerlach, a 2014 graduate of Haddonfield Memorial High School, did just that.
When Gerlach ran into a family friend, Beth Levin, at the summer Haddonfield Crafts and Fine Art Festival, she introduced Gerlach to Trudi Clark, who had a booth next to hers. Clark told Levin she was working on a children’s book for which she needed an illustrator. When Levin recommended Gerlach, she and Clark spoke about the book and her vision, and the rest fell into place.
“I was incredibly excited, a little overwhelmed,” Gerlach said.
Gerlach illustrated for Clark’s book “Willy The Bully,” which came out in early October. “Willy the Bully” is about a young bully named Willy who meets a boy who wants to be a bully like him. In the end, the boy teaches Willy a lesson instead.
“I hope many people get a chance to read ‘Willy The Bully!’ It’s a very sweet story with an important message for children,” Gerlach said.
Gerlach has always been into art, coming from a family of artists. She has been drawing for as long as she can remember.
“I’ve always loved the experience and gratification of creating something. Visual art just became my most preferred outlet for doing that. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I began pursuing it more seriously,” Gerlach said.
At the beginning of high school, Gerlach had no idea what direction she wanted to take her life. However, at Haddonfield Memorial High School, in Karen Acton’s art survey class, Gerlach became heavily immersed in art and realized she wanted to pursue it.
“I owe almost all of my artistic career to my teacher Karen Acton. She’s an incredibly encouraging and inspirational teacher. My teachers Allie Westerside and Floyd Hughes were also important influences on me; they both kept me pushing myself past where I thought my limits were,” Gerlach said.
Gerlach has stretched herself by illustrating this book, as she had a lot to learn. Gerlach first had to work on communication and compromise with Clark so both of their artistic ideas could shine through. The artists want to, of course, satisfy their client, but also keep true to their art and style.
Another thing Gerlach learned was illustrating a book is quite different than most visual art. Rather than thinking of the illustrations as 16 individual pictures, they really are one connected piece.
“It’s a lot of work! There’s a lot of things to take into account, such as where the text goes on the page, how to make what you’re trying to communicate most clear to readers, keeping things visually appealing to children, etc. All of the pages have to have a harmony between them that keeps them linked. Seeing the finished product is incredibly gratifying,” Gerlach said.
She is excited that her work will be experienced by a large audience. Rather than just family, friends and teachers, children and their families can now experience her work.
Gerlach is attending the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where she majors in illustration. She is also working on Clark’s second book called “Baby Fat.”
To find more of Gerlach’s art, visit www.aysengerlach.tumblr. com. To get a copy of the book and keep up with her and Clark’s future works, go to Willy the Bully and Friends Facebook page.
