Q: Do your pictures always need text?

Zwerger: My pictures come from the text of the story; it is the way that I produce something. I need good text, so I have always produced pictures with text. I think it's an interesting thought, though. Perhaps pictures don't always need to have text. Maybe that way you could make up your own story.

Q: What makes a good story, and what makes a good illustrator?

Zwerger: That is a good question. I have read many good stories since I was a child. I think basic ideas make a good story. These kinds of stories give illustrators a lot of freedom, and this is important. With these stories, I can do whatever I want. I can let my imagination run wild.

Neugebauer: Some artists need suggestions or a general direction, but not Lisbeth. She needs a lot of freedom and we [her publishers] shouldn't try to manipulate her work. Lisbeth also prefers long stories for picture books, so we sometimes need to make the text longer. What is exciting is when she brings her illustrations to show me; it is always a special day. Her illustrations are always so different than I expect them to be. Her work is always so surprising to me!

Q: Are you a romantic person?

Zwerger: Yes, I think so. I think that many people would define romantic as something that has to do with love. But in my mind most artists are romantic; it comes from their imaginations. I am definitely very romantic.

Q: Are the artworks on display in their original size?

Neugebauer: Yes, they're the same size. Sometimes, we reduce the size by a few percent when we are publishing them. But what is really stunning is to blow up the artworks. The illustrations still look great. This shows the true quality of the work. Some artworks look pretty good when they are small, but when you make them larger, you will say: "Oh my God! This is truly exceptional."

Q: What are your upcoming projects?

Zwerger: I am making a 3D stop-motion movie.

Neugebauer: We are also working on an app to feature Lisbeth's work.

Q: Does this mean that you are anticipating the end of physical books?

Neugebauer: You have to differentiate books according to readers' age groups. I don't think picture books will disappear. But of course traditional books will lose some market share because of e-books. I am a traditional person. I love the feeling of touching the book. I love to turn the page, to go back and forth. And there is that old-fashioned smell. The more technical we get, the sooner people will feel nostalgic and will want to read a "real book."