Shaun Tan Information
Shaun Tan is an illustrator and author born 1974 in Fremantle, Western Australia. He studied in
‘Balcatta Senior High School’ and was known there as the ‘good drawer’ and ‘the most talented
artist’. He wanted to become a genetic scientist but after enrolling in a special art program for
talented and gifted students, he decided on pursuing a career in arts. He completed his graduation in
1995 from the ‘University of Western Australia’ where he studied English literature, fine arts and
history.
When he was young he drew pictures of robots, spaceships and dinosaurs. In his teens Tan started
painting and drawing illustrations for science fiction magazines and horror stories. Finally, after
facing some rejections, Tan got lucky and his first illustration got published in 1990 in a magazine
called ‘Aurealis’.
Shaun Tan mostly worked in black and white because he says that the images would be printed that
way. The mediums he used for his works were inks, charcoal, photocopies, pens, acrylics and
linocuts. With a graphite pencil he draws his sketches on ordinary paper. Then he repeats his works
many times adding and subtracting different parts of the work. Tan also uses collage work with
various types of materials like metal, glass and cuttings from books. He even used dead insects for
this purpose.
From 1992 to 2011 Tan has been honoured with 45 awards and prizes He has received the ‘Notable
Book’ award by ‘Children’s Book Council of Australia’ for ‘The Playground’, ‘Writing for Young
Adults’, ‘Ditmar Award’ and ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Lost Thing’, ‘Children’s Book Council of Australia
Picture Book of the Year, Honour Book’ for ‘Red Tree’, ‘Children’s Books category winner in the
Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards’ for ‘The Arrival’ and the ‘Adelaide Festival Awards for
Literature, winner of the Children’s Literature Award category and the South Australian Premier’s
Award’ for ‘Tales from Outer Suburbia’.
There is also an award named after him by the City of Subiaco and children with excellent artistic
skills are open for this award.
1. Read the information on Shaun Tan above.
2. Highlight the key information.
3. You now need to write SIX questions for the next group based on the information.
Write these on the back of this sheet and in your book.
Questions about Shaun Tan
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