Eleven years ago, Chuck Richards’ elementary-aged children were bringing home some books from the school library that he thought were “kind of lame.”

“If the stuff I thought was lame could get published, then I might have a crack at it,” said Richards, associate professor of art and design.

Richards got into writing picture books more than a decade ago — influenced by David Wiesner, author and illustrator of “Tuesday” and “The Three Pigs,” and Chris Van Allsburg, author and illustrator of “Jumanji” and “The Polar Express.”

Now, after three years of work, Richards has released “Critter Sitter,” his second children’s book.

Richards said “Critter Sitter,” a picture book, is about a child who babysits a number of pets, and it is taken from a firsthand experience.

“My daughter was sitting for the neighbor’s pets while they were on vacation. They had a dog and a tree frog. They eat live crickets and can jump amazing distances,” Richards said. “We had the tank open and the frog shot out and started jumping around the kitchen. That was the seed for the idea that became the book.”

Richards said he gets his ideas from a number of places — he said he can’t just sit down and come up with an idea. Usually, something he sees on TV or a real life experience becomes the germ of an idea. When he writes and illustrates his picture books, he tries to put himself in a child’s shoes — not the parents picking it out — because he wants a story a kid can have fun with.

Richards’ work is highly respected amongst his fellow co-workers.

“Chuck’s illustrations are beautifully rendered, complex compositions that draw the viewer into it again and again to make more discoveries,” said Arthur Croyle, associate professor of art and design. “He is a master of the colored pencil and revels in the details of each and every setting.”

Richards’ ability to write and illustrate a picture book comes from more than drawing talent. In high school, he used to make silent films and wanted to pursue a career in filmmaking. Although he ended up studying drawing at the University of Illinois, he said his amateur filmmaking still influences him.

“When I illustrate them, I think of them the same way that I would if I were to compose a frame through a camera lens,” Richards said. “You stage a scene, light the scene and you think about what your camera angles are going to be.”

Richards initially began his work by making dummy books — a beginning prototype to show interested clients. Not knowing how to get his ideas out, he asked Joy Tweedt, a sixth grade teacher at Ames Middle School, for guidance because of her experience in the field. She agreed to be his agent and saw a lot of talent in his work.

“I remember the first time I walked into the studio,” Tweedt said. “I was so excited and thrilled about his work. It’s beautiful and I was literally speechless. His characters are extremely detailed and irresistible.”

After two years of rejection, Richards came into contact with an ISU alumnus who had put out a number of children’s books himself. With his help, Richards started to see some success and it’s now paying off.

Currently, Richards is working on his Web site and in the process of writing a number of short outlines for his next book, including one about a squirrel. Even though it takes about two years to do a children’s picture book, Richards said, the wait will be well worth it.

Other works by Chuck Richards:

Chuck Richards, associate professor of art and design, has also published “Jungle Gym Jitters” and “Author Day for Room 3T,” a book he illustrated for writer Robin Pulver.