About Me

April Hartmann

Author and Illustrator

Designer and Animator

Elementary School Presenter

As a little girl, I was always drawing, and I dreamed of making books. I earned my BFA in Illustration at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, and I have been illustrating books for more than 25 years. The Dream Keepers is my first book as a published author.

In addition to creating stories, I also enjoy visiting schools and libraries to share my work. We discuss the creative process and the importance of storytelling. It's always an honor to see the joy and excitement my stories bring to the students. My mission is to inspire kids to dream big and find their own unique paths.

I love to draw playful characters and imaginary worlds that inspire young minds. My illustration style can be described as textural. I begin with rough sketches and plan out my designs, and then I use real paint, pastel and natural elements for texture, and bring it all together in Photoshop.

My illustrations can be found in children's books, magazines, games and toys, and even some children's packaging like Hyland's cough medicine.

I think it's important to continue to learn new things! Learning how to animate my illustrations was a lot of hard work. But it's so much fun seeing my characters come to life. My favorite project has been creating a YouTube channel for "The Dream Keepers."

I enjoy lots of other creative activities too, like decorating, cooking and gardening. But this might seem weird for an artist - I love numbers! I especially like to do Sudoku puzzles, with a cat snoozing on my lap. My favorite food is peanut butter… for snacks, desserts and even in my salad dressing. I am obsessed with that stuff! So it’s a good thing that I also enjoy running, rock climbing, gymnastics, dancing and hiking!

My writing inspiration comes from my constant questioning about creativity and purpose. These are the things I wonder about. Where do ideas come from? How can I take a good idea and put it to work? What gets in the way? (Usually it’s me. Or peanut butter.)

I currently live in Raleigh, NC and I am a member of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators. Please feel free to say hello through my contact form or one of my social pages!