'After high school I studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design and School of Visual Arts in New York City. The following is an excerpt from his website outlining his interesting career path. He has led a very interesting life working with some of the most creative people in the entertainment industry. In preparation for this post I did some research on John Rocco.

This project had a special interest for us because we had just worked on an exhibit for another celebrated chlldren's picture book illustrator, Ezra Jack Keats, for the Jewish Museum in New York. We first met with the OMA last winter to discuss the frames for this project.

Rocco will appear at the OMA’s opening on July 14 at noon for a presentation and book signing. The exhibition will feature more than 60 preparatory drawings and finished illustrations by John Rocco, and will be on view through October 28, 2012. This exhibition is the eighth in the Orlando Museum of Art's (OMA's) Art of the Picture Book Series. John Rocco is an award winning author and illustrator of children's picture books. The show will include examples of the cover art Rocco created for the bestselling Percy Jackson series and the Kane Chronicles as well as a selection of illustrations from his popular children’s books Blackout, Moonpowder, Wolf! Wolf! and Fu Finds the Way. Cover image by John Rocco for The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) written by Rick Riordan, published by Disney Hyperion Books.

Blackout rocco