Desirous of Everything has posted their “first first” interview with me. That one’s from a while ago, I think, but it’s nice to see it online. Here’s a sample:
Question: I personally, loved Pig. I love how much expression he portrays before he even speaks. And then when he spoke for the first time, I think I was just as surprised as Mirka was! Can you talk about your process of creating him?
Answer: I knew that I wanted the witch to have a familiar, an animal friend. But it took me an amazingly long time to decide on a pig! I went through so many ideas… a cat, a ferret, a goat. In retrospect, it seems silly, because a pig is so perfect.
Because the pig is Mirka’s antagonist for so much of the story, I knew right away the pig had to be sort of prickly and easily annoyed. More of her personality came out as I sketched and wrote for her.
When it came time to draw the pig, I was so intimidated! It’s hard for me to draw a pig well. What helped me a lot was buying a half-dozen little realistic pig toys that I could hold in my hand and use as models for the character.
I have a vague memory of arguing you out of a different kind of animal for the familiar… and linking to this as part of the process: http://www.redwombatstudio.com/wpg2?g2_itemId=348
I can’t think of the right words to turn up the conversation (though I know we at least talked about it), but my gchat search *does* prove that we use the word “goat” in IM with each ohter much more often than I’d have thought.
I remember that a little (and that drawing, too). In retrospect, it’s amazing that I didn’t settle on pig immediately.
Found it! Or at least the second half of what looks like it was an ongoing conversation.
Barry: Does raccoon seem too stereotypical for a witch’s helping animal?
Rachel: No. Though if you really want to avoid cliche… (link to Vernon pic)
Barry: I really like the idea of a large and unlikely companion animal now.
me: LOL. I like the raccoon. I was mostly being sarcastic.
Barry: I know, but I’m being serious. A raccoon is much more catlike than a pig.
Plus, if it’s a pig, then it’s in an odd gray area — is it a companion animal, or is it food? (I could do a cow, but a pig would be much more fun to draw.) It’s just a much more arresting image.
(brief pause)
Barry: Either a pig, or a hugely oversized chicken.
Hm. I forget the environment that Mirka lives in. Is it mostly Jewish, or is her family a local minority. I”m wondering about a pig living in the area. Jewish farmers don’t raise pigs, I shouldn’t think.
Ron, I’m assuming you either haven’t read the book, or read it but forgot it. :-) But it’s an all-Jewish town, and the pig being there is indeed very unusual (and the characters comment on this).
Mandolin, thanks for digging that up! I love the idea of a giant chicken. Maybe I’ll use that in some future book.
I read it, but it’s been a while. Too long, I guess!