About the Illustrator

If someone asked you to draw a pirate, what would you think about?  Would you imagine a captain on a boat?  A hook?  A sword?  Heiner Hertling is the amazing artist who painted the images for A Pirate’s Quest, and when the authors first approached him about painting pirates, he didn’t think about those things.  He thought about . . . light and shadow.  “Imagine an image at night, with lantern light casting a glow on the pirate’s face, and the lights and shadows dancing on the pirate’s weathered sleeves.  It would be beautiful,” Heiner said.  He was right.

Heiner is known for creating art inspired by nature, and adding a pirate was a great challenge. “I want this book to be something that children will love for the story, nature lovers will love for the nature, and artists will love for the art.”  

Heiner spent half a year painting over 50 original paintings for the book.  He used photographs of Robert in pirate costume as reference.  When the book was nearly finished, Heiner said, “I can paint Robert with my eyes closed, and I'm seeing pirates in my sleep.”

 

 

When not painting pirates, Heiner hosts the PBS television show Your Brush With Nature.  He is the author of his own book called Your Brush With Nature, an instructional painting guide for artists of all levels.  Heiner received formal training in Hamburg, Germany and immigrated to the United States in 1965.  He now lives in Milford, MI, where he teaches art classes in his quaint hometown studio.  Visit his own web site at www.heinerhertling.com.

 

 

Click below to watch a behind-the-scenes clip of Heiner painting the book!  This is a short scene from The Making of A Pirate's Quest, a special feature on The Riddle in a Bottle DVD.

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