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Showing posts with label Children's Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Children's Books. Show all posts
Monday, April 10, 2017
Monday, July 21, 2014
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.
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,
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.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
From my Sketchbook II
Here, the final painting, which, I believe I have posted before. (for sale on Etsy)
Happy Summer!
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Friday, January 10, 2014
Miss Maple's Seeds
I've been on a serious holiday brake from blogging, but, I am back now. I 'm wishing everyone a wonderful 2014, and I want to ring in the year by sharing one of my very favorite books of 2013, and that is:
Miss Maple, a sweet older lady, takes in orphan seeds of all kinds, and tucks them in cozy beds for the cold winter. She reads flower tales to them by firefly light! When spring finally comes around, she carefully helps the seeds find a good place for each them to grow. Miss Maple has given them guidance and love, and now her part in their story comes to an end. Then in the fall the cycle starts again.
Not only is the art more than gorgeous, see for yourself.
But, the story is beautiful and very sweet. This book is ideal for telling little ones about the seasons, the cycles of live, and to teach reverence for nature around us.
If I had anything to say, everyone should have the privilege to own a copy of Miss Maple's Seeds.
Congratulations Eliza, you made a masterpiece.
Miss Maple's Seeds
Not only is the art more than gorgeous, see for yourself.
If I had anything to say, everyone should have the privilege to own a copy of Miss Maple's Seeds.
Congratulations Eliza, you made a masterpiece.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Duck Tents
Our newest picture book acquisition happens to be Duck Tents, by Lynne Berry, illustrated by Hiroe Nakata. Five little ducks go on a camping adventure in the backyard. 
They each set up their own colorful tent, grab their poles, tramp through the woods, go fishing and toast marshmallows. These ducks are going for the whole camping experience. When the owl starts the nighttime sound symphony with a loud 'Whoo-whoo' five little ducks change their tune.
They each set up their own colorful tent, grab their poles, tramp through the woods, go fishing and toast marshmallows. These ducks are going for the whole camping experience. When the owl starts the nighttime sound symphony with a loud 'Whoo-whoo' five little ducks change their tune.The cover of this book immediately caught my eye, brick red with a plaid spine surrounds a charming watercolor painting. They story is cute although somewhat predictable. The inside illustrations however, completely live up to the beautiful cover. Nakata's use of color is superb, her details super cute without getting too sweet, and her page layouts are refreshing. A welcome addition to our picture book library.
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