Arts and Crafts members experienced a rare treat on Monday, watching Angelo Lopez demonstrate how he uses the techniques of master illustrators of children's books.

Using Arthur Hackam, Charles Schultz, Maurice Sendak and Norman Rockwell are a few of his inspirations.

Angelo showed us how to draw a cartoon or picture with ink and put in cross hatching and black spot before letting it dry for a day.  He had a day old drawing and proceeded to paint it over with a mixture of ultramarie blue and burnt sienna acrylic, mixed with water, to produce a "watercolor effect."  That made the page look antique like most of the children's books illustrations. He used muted colors to paint the drawing and reinforced the shading.  The result looked like his fine art paintings.

Angelo works in a library and is primary caretaker for his father and mother-in law, but he is interested in teaching a class for Villages when he has time.

We could all learn something from him.