Teeny Tiny Book
It has been a busy September.
So busy in fact, that I completely and entirely forgot to post this. Whoops. But on with the post...
I must confess that when I'm traveling I have a terrible habit of not drawing. I do use my sketchbook for the usual silly characters and story ideas, but somehow, I rarely break out my pencils to draw on location. Without fail, after each trip/vacation/visit, I lament the lack of a hand-drawn visual record of the time. I vowed that my recent trip to Seattle would be different, and I knew that spending the time with two other illustrators would be an ideal way to do some serious city drawing.
Jessixa, Brooke, and I certainly made time for drawing, but sometimes it's all about the materials and the format you're working in. While we were exploring downtown Seattle, I bought a teeny tiny accordion-bound sketchbook. It was perfect... not too precious and just right for rambling, exploratory drawing.
I actually fell in love with the fluidity of the accordion format and have already started playing with a new one for a future project.
So busy in fact, that I completely and entirely forgot to post this. Whoops. But on with the post...
I must confess that when I'm traveling I have a terrible habit of not drawing. I do use my sketchbook for the usual silly characters and story ideas, but somehow, I rarely break out my pencils to draw on location. Without fail, after each trip/vacation/visit, I lament the lack of a hand-drawn visual record of the time. I vowed that my recent trip to Seattle would be different, and I knew that spending the time with two other illustrators would be an ideal way to do some serious city drawing.
Jessixa, Brooke, and I certainly made time for drawing, but sometimes it's all about the materials and the format you're working in. While we were exploring downtown Seattle, I bought a teeny tiny accordion-bound sketchbook. It was perfect... not too precious and just right for rambling, exploratory drawing.
I used it to draw all over the city--exploring Pike Place Market, picnicking, drinking tea, drawing chez les Bagleys, watching roller derby, lunching, touring the underground tunnels of Seattle... the list goes on. The accordion format let me to play with each page individually but also allowed for a fluid transition between images. This teeny tiny book turned out to be the perfect souvenir.
Summertime Magic
Hey folks,
I hope all of you have had your fill of watermelon, beach visits, outdoor movies, ice-pops, picnics and chasing fireflies across the lawn. It's the 1st of September, and fall is on it's way.
Enjoy your long weekend and soak up these last days of summer!
I hope all of you have had your fill of watermelon, beach visits, outdoor movies, ice-pops, picnics and chasing fireflies across the lawn. It's the 1st of September, and fall is on it's way.
Enjoy your long weekend and soak up these last days of summer!
Part II - SCBWI & West Coast Travels: Seattle
And for the second half of my adventure...
After the conference, Brooke (a new Mentee!!! as well as friend and critique partner) and I flew up the coast to visit the amazingly talented Jessixa Bagley (the third member of our critique group), for a little illustrator fun time. We stayed with Jessixa and her husband, Aaron, also an incredible illustrator. (While we were there, we got a sneak peak of Jessixa's forthcoming picture book AND Aaron's graphic novel. It was pretty magical.)
The Bagleys have a dreamy apartment with a breathtaking view of downtown Seattle, the space needle, AND Mount Rainier. (I don't know about the rest of you, but I am definitely not used to seeing a city surrounded by mountains... and we're talking serious mountains - Rainier, the Olympic Range, and the Cascade Range! WHAT?! Crazytown.)
We had illustrator fun times hanging at the table and working on our projects.
Brooke, Jessixa, and I spent the better part of the time bouncing between cafes, drinking tea, eating pastry, and drawing.
Jessixa played tour-guide and took us to some breathtaking spots in her neighborhood and around the city.
We did some picnicking.
And had a whole bunch of fun.
And finally after four glorious days, my fiancé, Ezra, arrived, and the two of us had a lovely long weekend of hanging out and exploring.
There was roller derby,
Sidewalk poetry,
And even a giant sandwich.
Seattle is a magical, wondrous place.
Fin.
After the conference, Brooke (a new Mentee!!! as well as friend and critique partner) and I flew up the coast to visit the amazingly talented Jessixa Bagley (the third member of our critique group), for a little illustrator fun time. We stayed with Jessixa and her husband, Aaron, also an incredible illustrator. (While we were there, we got a sneak peak of Jessixa's forthcoming picture book AND Aaron's graphic novel. It was pretty magical.)
The Bagleys have a dreamy apartment with a breathtaking view of downtown Seattle, the space needle, AND Mount Rainier. (I don't know about the rest of you, but I am definitely not used to seeing a city surrounded by mountains... and we're talking serious mountains - Rainier, the Olympic Range, and the Cascade Range! WHAT?! Crazytown.)
We had illustrator fun times hanging at the table and working on our projects.
Brooke, Jessixa, and I spent the better part of the time bouncing between cafes, drinking tea, eating pastry, and drawing.
Jessixa played tour-guide and took us to some breathtaking spots in her neighborhood and around the city.
We did some picnicking.
And had a whole bunch of fun.
(photo of Seattle shenanigans courtesy of Brooke Boynton Hughes)
And finally after four glorious days, my fiancé, Ezra, arrived, and the two of us had a lovely long weekend of hanging out and exploring.
There was roller derby,
Sidewalk poetry,
And even a giant sandwich.
Seattle is a magical, wondrous place.
Fin.
Part I - SCBWI & West Coast Travels: LA
Hey there blog readers,
It occurred to me today that August is nearly over. WHAT?! That's preposterous. I don't understand where the time goes. I had hoped to get this post up earlier, but between life, work, and wedding, things have been busy.
In any case, I spent two weeks on the west coast - one in LA for the annual SCBWI conference and one in Seattle, spent partially with my critique group and partially with my fiancé. The conference itself was a sleepless few days of information, inspiration, seeing old friends, and making new friends.
The weekend began with the inimitable Laurie Halse-Anderson, who said one of my favorite things of the whole weekend: "Books are proof that humans can do magic." YES!
From there, the four days passed in a whirlwind of words and pictures and creative inspiration. There were so many great moments, but here are just a handful of highlights.
I met Bruce Degen, who wrote one of the foundation picture books of my childhood. I don't know how many times my mother read it when my sister and I were little. Honestly, I can probably still recite most of it by heart.
Mac Barnett talked about a whale; David Weisner talked about process and finding your stories with a sneak peak of his new picture book, Mr. Wuffles; my amazing agent, Joanna Volpe had brilliant things to say on the agent's panel; the fantastic Carson Ellis talked about her work; and Jarrett Krosoczka gave a light-the-fire-under-your-pants ending keynote. (I actually had the privilege of working at Jarrett's table during the autograph party. His work is super great, and you should absolutely check it out... he has a graphic novel series about a secret agent lunch lady!)
I got to spend some quality time with fellow Mentees--my tribe, and an unending source of support and inspiration--
And with my oldest SCBWI conference buddy, the inimitable Kathy Ellen Davis and Singe Singe.
It was an amazing bunch of days, and I'll end the post with words that I've held on to since coming back to NY. I seriously want to carve them into a wall in my studio... this is really at the heart of what I do. Jarrett Krosoczka concluded the final keynote of the weekend with these four words: Make magic. Preserve wonder.
It occurred to me today that August is nearly over. WHAT?! That's preposterous. I don't understand where the time goes. I had hoped to get this post up earlier, but between life, work, and wedding, things have been busy.
In any case, I spent two weeks on the west coast - one in LA for the annual SCBWI conference and one in Seattle, spent partially with my critique group and partially with my fiancé. The conference itself was a sleepless few days of information, inspiration, seeing old friends, and making new friends.
The main conference room
(photo courtesy of Debbie Ohi)
From there, the four days passed in a whirlwind of words and pictures and creative inspiration. There were so many great moments, but here are just a handful of highlights.
I met Bruce Degen, who wrote one of the foundation picture books of my childhood. I don't know how many times my mother read it when my sister and I were little. Honestly, I can probably still recite most of it by heart.
Bruce Degen showing original art from Jamberry!!!
Mac Barnett talked about a whale; David Weisner talked about process and finding your stories with a sneak peak of his new picture book, Mr. Wuffles; my amazing agent, Joanna Volpe had brilliant things to say on the agent's panel; the fantastic Carson Ellis talked about her work; and Jarrett Krosoczka gave a light-the-fire-under-your-pants ending keynote. (I actually had the privilege of working at Jarrett's table during the autograph party. His work is super great, and you should absolutely check it out... he has a graphic novel series about a secret agent lunch lady!)
I got to spend some quality time with fellow Mentees--my tribe, and an unending source of support and inspiration--
Cozy Mentees around the fire.
Lunch time with the new Mentees! Congrats new Mentees!
(The new Mentees are amazing. You should definitely check out their work - Brooke Boynton Hughes, Andy Musser, Corinna Luyken, Linda Dorn, and Rodolfo Montalvo.)
(The new Mentees are amazing. You should definitely check out their work - Brooke Boynton Hughes, Andy Musser, Corinna Luyken, Linda Dorn, and Rodolfo Montalvo.)
(photo courtesy of my lovely mentor, Pat Cummings)
The Gala - pictured with Mentor, David Diaz; AD, Laurent Linn; and loads of fab Mentees
(photo courtesy of Debbie Ohi)
And with my oldest SCBWI conference buddy, the inimitable Kathy Ellen Davis and Singe Singe.
It was an amazing bunch of days, and I'll end the post with words that I've held on to since coming back to NY. I seriously want to carve them into a wall in my studio... this is really at the heart of what I do. Jarrett Krosoczka concluded the final keynote of the weekend with these four words: Make magic. Preserve wonder.
Oof July...
Hey there blog readers!
It's been ages, I know. Things get all kinds of crazy around here in the summertime, and this year is no different. July was particularly nutty, filled with personal-life things—a dear friend's wedding, the birthday of my spouse-to-be, a full-day illustrator boot camp (this one, not as an attendee... I planned this particular mini-conference), going-away lunches, a couple of visits to friends and family in other states, and, of course, looooads of work - hand-lettering, wedding invitation design, new paintings, manuscript edits, book dummy revisions, book designs, and sketch after sketch after sketch. Whew. I'm tired just thinking about all of it.
Most of the book-related work, as has been the case for the last two Julys, was prep for the annual SCBWI Conference in LA. You remember which one.
So, with the clock ticking down, I'm adding finishing touches, printing the last pieces out, and dusting off my portfolio.
Time to put that best foot forward.
It's been ages, I know. Things get all kinds of crazy around here in the summertime, and this year is no different. July was particularly nutty, filled with personal-life things—a dear friend's wedding, the birthday of my spouse-to-be, a full-day illustrator boot camp (this one, not as an attendee... I planned this particular mini-conference), going-away lunches, a couple of visits to friends and family in other states, and, of course, looooads of work - hand-lettering, wedding invitation design, new paintings, manuscript edits, book dummy revisions, book designs, and sketch after sketch after sketch. Whew. I'm tired just thinking about all of it.
Most of the book-related work, as has been the case for the last two Julys, was prep for the annual SCBWI Conference in LA. You remember which one.
So, with the clock ticking down, I'm adding finishing touches, printing the last pieces out, and dusting off my portfolio.
Time to put that best foot forward.
Yep, more chickens...
It seems that we're starting to hit critical mass. This isn't just a handful of chickens anymore, so let's recap...
Thus far, we've seen a coopful, a sketchbookful, and a yardful of chickens.
Now, what would you say to a bedful?
Thus far, we've seen a coopful, a sketchbookful, and a yardful of chickens.
Now, what would you say to a bedful?
Chickens... again
Hey folks,
I've been working on a handful of new pieces. A while back I posted a painting with a whoooole bunch—let's say a coopful—of chickens. You can't tell in these particular sketches, but I've been drawing (and painting) chickens again. I like to work on the images even as I'm still playing with text (this story is still in the works), so I started doodling and sketching a few new characters based around that very first painting.
Prep sketches from my sketchbook:
Stay tuned for the finished painting...
I've been working on a handful of new pieces. A while back I posted a painting with a whoooole bunch—let's say a coopful—of chickens. You can't tell in these particular sketches, but I've been drawing (and painting) chickens again. I like to work on the images even as I'm still playing with text (this story is still in the works), so I started doodling and sketching a few new characters based around that very first painting.
Prep sketches from my sketchbook:
Character Development
Hey there blog readers,
I've been working on some character designs for a new story. I know I frequently say this, but seriously, this is the best part of the process. Character development is one of the earliest (and most fun!) parts of my process, during which I get to experiment and create the initial visual designs. It's a lot like a kid playing dress up, but instead of costumes, I'm trying different faces and bodies on all of the various characters in the story. I usually have a vague idea about the main character when I start writing, but there are always supporting characters that require hours of quiet doodling.
This first sketch was one of my initial concept designs, but it's followed by a number of new sketches.
Until next time!
I've been working on some character designs for a new story. I know I frequently say this, but seriously, this is the best part of the process. Character development is one of the earliest (and most fun!) parts of my process, during which I get to experiment and create the initial visual designs. It's a lot like a kid playing dress up, but instead of costumes, I'm trying different faces and bodies on all of the various characters in the story. I usually have a vague idea about the main character when I start writing, but there are always supporting characters that require hours of quiet doodling.
This first sketch was one of my initial concept designs, but it's followed by a number of new sketches.
Until next time!
Forward in 2013
Heya blog readers,
I realize that it's been a while since I've posted any of the freelance work for the Forward's column, InsideOut.
There have been some excellent articles by the prolific, Judy Brown, in recent months. Some of them are tough reads but absolutely worth it. Judy covers it all, from larger themes about body image and fear and the pressure to bear children to the more personal childhood fear of dogs, buying bras, and the devastation of miscarriages.
It's been extremely satisfying to work on a series where every illustration is entirely different. Each month is a new challenge; sometimes the images are more narrative and others more editorial.
You can check out the most recent articles here:
From February: An Old Dog's New Tricks
From March: Cracks in a Holy Vessel
(The March article sparked a heated debate, and Judy issued a response here.)
And from April: Are You There Hashem? It's Me, Judy.
I realize that it's been a while since I've posted any of the freelance work for the Forward's column, InsideOut.
There have been some excellent articles by the prolific, Judy Brown, in recent months. Some of them are tough reads but absolutely worth it. Judy covers it all, from larger themes about body image and fear and the pressure to bear children to the more personal childhood fear of dogs, buying bras, and the devastation of miscarriages.
It's been extremely satisfying to work on a series where every illustration is entirely different. Each month is a new challenge; sometimes the images are more narrative and others more editorial.
From February: An Old Dog's New Tricks
From March: Cracks in a Holy Vessel
(The March article sparked a heated debate, and Judy issued a response here.)
And from April: Are You There Hashem? It's Me, Judy.
I'm currently working on the illustration for May's article, which is going to print after Memorial Day.
Tying the Knot
Hey there blog readers,
So, I haven't been talking about it much because it's still a ways off. And truthfully, every now and then, life gets crazy, and you (and by you, I do mean I) forget that there are awesome things coming up... like less than 6 months, coming up...
But then I start thinking and grinning, because I remember that there were balloons.
And it occurs to me that this fall,
So, I haven't been talking about it much because it's still a ways off. And truthfully, every now and then, life gets crazy, and you (and by you, I do mean I) forget that there are awesome things coming up... like less than 6 months, coming up...
But then I start thinking and grinning, because I remember that there were balloons.
And it occurs to me that this fall,
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