What do nightmares,Valentine’s Day,snowmen, bubble baths,appointments at thedentist, monsters underthe bed and puppies allhave in common? Theyare very important life-lessons for kids, and thesetopics are among manythat have been addressedby Mercer Mayer in hiswonderfully illustratedchildren's books.

"The world is a very strange and mysteriousthing, full of anything possible," reflectsMercer. "To a child, their imagination isreality. To them, whatever they imaginecould be real. Learning to deal with things inlife - friends, pets, monsters, whatever… is ahard thing."

Helping kids learn to dealwith the possibilities lifeholds, and discover therealities life brings, all in afun and engaging manner,is a talent Mercer has beenexpressing since he beganillustrating children'sbooks in 1966. Since then,he has written andillustrated over 150 books,and although his tools havechanged over the years, hisprocess remains fluid.

Usually an idea will ruminate in the backof Mercer's mind for a period of timewhile he works on other projects. Hemight make a quick sketch or jot downsome notes, but he allows the story toform on its own in its own time.

Mercer Mayer :Mercer Mayer :The Reality of ImaginationThe Reality of Imagination

"Stories are almost like independent beingsthat wander around out there," Mercermuses. "You have to stay out of their wayand they come in."

After his story idea solidifies, healternates sketching with writing, allowingit to flesh itself out as he works. Often hediscards large parts of what he's created,as the flow of the story moves him ontosomething else, something better.Fortunately, technology allows Mercer aneasy way to make changes to his work,without losing everything he's done orstarting over from scratch.

"One thing people assume when usingtechnology for creating art, is that the computercan help you become an artist. That is not thecase. What it can do is help you with themedium. The paint won't dry out, you can zoomin, you can use brushes that are finer than in reallife..." Mercer continues, "but the results aresometimes too slick - too perfect. I have to add"grit" to make it more real."

Mercer works exclusively on Apple Macs,with several G5s and 21" and 23" CinemaDisplays spread through his home and studio.In the beginning, he would start with a pencilsketch, scan that into the computer, and then"paint" in Photoshop using a Wacom 18"tablet. In 2002, when computers got fastenough to give him the same instant responseas pencil and paper, he began drawing andconceptualizing right on the Mac with aWacom Intuos 18" tablet. This removed a fewsteps and made the creative process easier.

Because of the need for a more ergonomicwork environment, inDecember 2005 hepurchased a Cintiq 21UXfrom Wacom reseller SafeHarbor Computers. Thismonitor functions as adrawing tablet, allowingMercer to draw right on thescreen. The pen that comesbundled with it allows him touse the custom brushes he setup in Photoshop.

One of his favorite features of the Cintiqis the TouchStrip controls, which camepre-programmed for various functions inPhotoshop.

"I love the TouchStrips," says Mercer. "Theyallow zooming and selecting with justthe tap of my finger."

Since most of Mercer's illustrationsare delivered near or above 500dpi,the very high resolution of the

screen (1600 x 1200) is an addedbenefit. It allows him to work insizes far larger than printresolution, giving him the meansto create much finer details than

he could otherwise.

He has also found that Cintiq provides betterpainterly effects - the tablet is veryinteractive and the brushes feel morerealistic. The portability is a boon as well;

Three stages of an image from “The Little Drummer Mouse.” Mercer begins with a rough sketch usingCintiq and Photoshop’s conte crayon and pencil brushes. Then on separate layers he lays down thecolors, with the finished image shown on the far right.

oftentimes, an idea will strike and he'll plopthe monitor on his lap and start sketching,just like paper and pen.

Drawing with the monitor on his lap is verycomfortable, but does lead to the one thingMercer would change about it - the weight. At19 pounds, Cintiq is one hefty pad of paper!

"I think the most important feature, whichreally sums it all up, is that whether I'm usingCintiq on my desk or on my lap, I can reallyfall (maybe dig is the word?) into the artworkI'm doing. I can't explain it beyond that… it'sjust way cool."

Fortunately, Cintiq has provento be worth its weight in gold.The illustrations in his newestbook, The Little DrummerMouse, were created almostentirely using Cintiq over a 6+month process. The LittleDrummer Mouse, slated to bereleased this year in time forChristmas, features a littlemouse who is scorned andchided by the other animals inthe forest because of theconstant racket he makes withhis little acorn drum. But he

follows his heart, and ends up playing for thenewborn King.

Mercer also followed his heart decades agowhen embarking on a career path that hasbrought inspiration and knowledge tochildren on a level they can relate to. Perhapssomeday he'll pen a tale about the wonders ofcomputers and the boundless possibilitiesthey offer, as he continues to open up newdoors to creativity and expression. After all -imagination IS reality!

by Tiffani BanaszakSafe Harbor Computers

Above: After creating the initialsketch on the Cintiq, colors are

blocked in with rough brushes onseparate layers in Photoshop.

Right: Finished image - a busyspring day.

Of all the sounds in the stable, thenewborn king loves the little drum

the most.

A winter celebration in the forest.

Above: Playing for the stars above.

Right: The little mouse meetsthree strangers with camels

packed with treasure, looking forthe newborn king.

Art from The Little Drummer Mouseby Mercer Mayer

Copyright 2006 by Mercer Mayer Published by Dial Books for Young

Readers, a division of PenguinYoung Readers Group