Aaron Hopkins has been drawing since his mother could remember. His mother can remember pretty far back so that’s much longer than Aaron who, for the most part, can’t remember what happened yesterday.
Aaron fell in love with comic books when he was very young and being drawn to titles like Groo and other such silly things made his early attempts at art …well, just silly.
Over time he excelled at drawing on the paper bag book covers they made him put over his textbooks in school, from there he graduated to doodling on the desks. Some of his work was so good that it almost kept him out of detention for defacing public property … whatever that means.
In high school, Aaron’s art path was set, as all his electives were art. In fact, he would cut gym class and many other classes,it would seem, to hang out in the art department finishing his masterpieces.
It was in these hallowed walls that he discovered the correct used of Sharpie markers.
He started giving tattoos at lunchtime, temporary of course. he would charge $5 for the easy ones and $20 for the really elaborate ones.
Business was booming … until enough letters and phone calls from parents of satisfied customers sent him once again to the principal’s office.
After a brief discussion about the minor consent laws and fascism, Aaron’s big business was shut down.
After high school Aaron went on to a number of fine established community colleges and held down a plethora of useless dead end jobs, until he met Trish, Then he was inspired to move on to higher paying useless dead end jobs. No longer would local band flyers, t-shirt designs and the sides of old abandoned buildings be enough to satisfy his art cravings.
Soon Trish and Aaron were married and Trish inspired Aaron to go back to college … a real college and study something that would take him to new heights that’s right criminal justice!
Having tried that for a few semesters he quickly realized he was far too squeamish and namby pabmy to deal with criminals on any level.
So, Aaron turned back to the only thing he was ever good at... eating too much ice cream and being depressed,until Trish, now a professional children's author, convinced him to get back into art.
Aaron jumped at the chance to further his art skills and, after completing a Bachelors of Art, he decided that more than anything he loves drawing for little kids... mostly because he loves to draw with his little kids who are brilliant and inspired artists , and his personal heroes.
Along the way he discovered that he was really just a little kid in a big boy body... probably something Trish had known all along.
With help from his family and friends, Aaron has become one of the most famous children's book illustrators he has ever met.
Moreover, he some day hopes to be the most famous children’s book illustrator that you have met, too.
