Despite a recent heat wave, the streets of New York are thrumming with activity—and, as the magazine’s latest cover suggests, not all of it is human. With only slight exaggeration, Peter de Sève depicts the life of a pet-walker. We recently talked to the artist about the creatures in his own home.
Strange things always happen in the city—and, perhaps, especially in Brooklyn, where you live. Is this image based on something you’ve seen?
Like most of my covers, this one has a grain of truth. There’s nothing like the spectacle of a dog-walker being dragged down the street by clients of every size and shape. And anyone who strolls through Prospect Park, on any given summer day, will likely see someone with a ferret, iguana, or other unusual critter perched on their shoulder. I just mashed both ideas into one picture.
You love drawing animals, and you give them a lot of personality. Do you ever incorporate the traits of people you know?
I’ve drawn very few animals—or humans, for that matter—that my wife, Randall, hasn’t looked at, shaken her head, and said, “That’s you.”
What pets does your family have? And are there animals your daughters would love to have, if only you’d let them?
At the moment, we have two pets in the house, whom we absolutely adore: Henry Biscuit, our black lab/hound mix, and Cleo, our self-important, long-haired cat. Both are featured on the cover and are the only two creatures breaking the fourth wall.
As for what additional pets Paulina and Fia would want—a box of kittens or puppies would do nicely, thank you very much.
This isn’t your first cover featuring tattoos. Have you ever drawn a tattoo for a real person?
I’ve never drawn one for anyone in particular. But, years ago, I designed a character called Scrat, for the movie “Ice Age,” and he became very popular. A Google search for “Scrat tattoo” will reveal a shocking number of people who now live with him permanently.
See below for more covers about animals in the city:
