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Update

Good morning to you. I'm glad to see that you are doing well.

It has been a very long time, and much has happened...

I have been working non stop on my next book, a graphic novel called LINT BOY, published soon-ish by Clarion Publishing.

Lint Boy is getting nearer to completion  Nearer but not there yet. 

All of 128 pages will be painted in water colors, and I have many more to do.

Here a detail of page 21.

I will keep you posted.

Wishing you a wonderful Holiday Season!

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Author/Illustrator Blog Tour

First, I want extend my thanks to Johanna Wright for asking me to participate in this wonderful Blog tour. I met Johanna quite a few years ago at the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn. She had a table full of magical little paintings, and I immediately fell in love with her work. 

When her first picture book, The Secret Circus came out, it was clear that Johanna had some great stories up her sleeve as well.
I am looking forward to see her newest book, The Orchestra Pit, soon.

What am I currently working on?

I am (and have been for a while,) working on a big graphic novel project called Lint Boy. (Clarion 2016). I'm excited to be working on a book for ages 9-12, It gives me more freedom to make the story and characters darker, with a pinch of wicked.  

How does my process differ from others in its genre?

I'm not sure what other peoples processes are like, so it's hard to say how mine differs. I love to work in different media, try different papers, paints, crafts, work with wool and fibers, learn new skills, take classes, and spend hours in my studio making things. 

So far, for each of my books I have worked in a different way. Lint Boy will be water color with inked lines, not unlike the process for Hugging Hour, but it has a very different look. Bella & Bean, I drew on paper, scanned and painted digitally, and City Hall, I painted with acrylics. In my near future I'd like to illustrate a book with my needle felted figurines.

Why do I write what I write?

My stories mostly evolve from characters. The characters in turn are born from doodles, sketches, or dolls I make. In the case of Lint Boy, the character and story idea came about when I was making one of my first dolls. I was surprised how much stuffing it took to fill a small fabric creature.  I was looking around for stuffing material when the dryer chimed it's done signal. A full load of bath towels creates a whole bunch of lint, problem solved. My little guy was going to be stuffed with lint and named Lint Boy, all kinds of images and scenes exploded in my brain. I'm also inspired by settings, locations, and objects I like to draw.

How does my individual Writing and Illustration process work?

While I'm sketching characters, or making them out of fibers, ideas for stories grow in my mind. I go with the flow, sleep on it, before I start writing. I write a couple of hours a day, until the story has it's first solid form, then put it away for minimum a week, while I work on something else. I need to do this to get some perspective and to see what I wrote with a more critical eye. Then, that process repeats itself while I rewrite and revise. The story has to be close to finished before I start drawing again. I have learned my lesson the hard way. If I start drawing too soon, I tend to get attached to certain images, I then try to incorporate those into the story, often at a cost.
As for my illustration process. I first do a thorough study of each character, sketching front back and side views, plus expressions and emotions, I also write down a little background story for them, to understand their motivations better. After I'm satisfied with all the characters,  

I sketch out the story in large thumbnails. Then, I go page per page and refine the sketches. I sometimes scan the drawing into photoshop to work on the layout. Finally, I do the finished drawing on the appropriate (water color) paper. I always scan the final drawing before I paint, so I can do color studies in photoshop. 
Then, over a couple of days I make the water color painting.
Bella & Bean I painted digitally.

Who am I tagging?

I haven't found the right people yet, sorry. I have a couple of emails out and I'm waiting to hear back. So, please be patient, I will announce my Author and/or Illustrators in my next  post.

From my Sketchbook II

On this page I was sketching different positions for a painting.

Here, the final painting, which, I believe I have posted before. (for sale on Etsy)

Happy Summer!

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From my Sketchbook

When I'm jotting down ideas, or scribbling away at a friends house, people often ask to see my sketchbook. And, I understand. I am always curious myself when I see someone drawing on the subway or on the street.  Sketchbooks are where the raw ideas are born.

Today I'll be sharing the fist of a random page from my current dirty smudgy sketchbook.

Happy Summer

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Quote of the week

‘Today you are you, that is truer than true.  There is no one alive who is youer than YOU.’  - Dr Seuss

SCBWI Bulletin Cover

I was very excited to be invited to illustrate the cover of the SCBWI Bulletin. The painting is on this months publication, which just arrived in the mail today. 

Here is the painting.

 As I mentioned in the interview (one always accompanies the cover design), I often scan my illustration before I start the watercolor painting. I use the scan of the illustration to do a detailed digital color study. Once in a while it may occur that I like the study better than the watercolor painting itself. 

The watercolor painting made it as the final this time.

I included the digital study below.

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Fairy Pair

These two are ready for Spring.

Are you?

Painting II

Here is the second painting for the auction at the Westside Waldorf Fundraiser.

Painting I

My daughter's school, the Westside Waldorf School, is having it's annual fundraiser.
Here is a painting I made for the auction. Gouache, crackle, ink and varnish on Bamboo.

Mousie

Look who I found wandering between our plates and cups this morning.

Turns out he preferred to recite his poetry outside between my succulents.

Mushroom Children IV

A little darker.

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Mushroom Children III

Going to school. 

"Don't forget a kiss goodbye."

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Mushroom Children II

More mushroom Children.

I might just turn this into a larger series. I am really enjoying drawing and painting these.

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Mushroom Children

New Illustration, 1 of 2.

Illustration #2 to follow shortly.

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Fashion Fairy II

Fashion Fairy I

I am working on a series of fashion fairy designs.
My intention is to post a new one every other day or so.
Here is Number I

Bicycle Girl

New Painting 

Graphite line drawing

Digitally painted

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Moon on a String

New painting

Even the moon on a string wasn't enough for her.

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Mushroom Land

Here is my latest painting.

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