Books build brains. Magnify yours...READ!

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The books I illustrated showed up in Targets Dollar Spot this week! Always fun to bump into your work out in the real world!

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Haven't done illustration friday in awhile. On Sunday, as hubby and I drove to meet the in-laws and retrieve the kids from the long weekend spent sledding, I had time to catch up on reading and the article with Penelope in Home Companion caught my eye, and was once again inspired to participate.

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Here are some scratch and sniff books I illustrated earlier this year that have finally arrived in stores. Always great to see things in print.

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Sunday I attended NJ SCBWI's First Annual Illustrator's Day.
This is the final art for the assignment we were given. (My first sketch and feedback are posted below.) I received feedback from AD Laurent Linn. He was kind and supportive of all the artists in our group. I later had a portfolio review with Patrick Collins. Look for coming posts about "eyes". I seem to have two extremes too big "shocking", and the dreaded "dot" eye. He recommended I play a bit with the eye to find a compromise. He also recommended dividing my portfolio, trade in one area and educational/mass market in another area. I also have to beef up my narrative. I have a bunch of what amounts to spot illustrations. I look forward to taking the information I received and using it to build a stronger portfolio.

I want to thank the NJ SCBWI for hosting this wonderful event. A special thanks to Leeza Hernandez for doing an amazing job coordinating the event. She also headed up a session that did a pretty kickin 10min. exercise that really got you to speed through thumbnails and see your story quickly. Leeza, you rock!

Karen and Lori were my travel buddies this trip. We had a good time...even if my driving made Karen a bit ill.

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The 12th Annual Rochester Children's Book Festival was this past Saturday. Forty four authors and illustrators from in and around NY participated.
Thanks to all those who planned, worked, attended, and purchased.
It was another wonderful event that I was happy to be a part of.


Authors: Lina Sue Park, Rafe Martin












Room was packed the entire afternoon.





I also wanted to post this butterfly from my new friend Hayden. She drew this following my direction in the "Read to Me Corner". It looks great, I especially love the way she made the wing look like a smiling face. Thanks for being a part of the festival!

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Paul O. Zelinsky also presented to RACWI Thursday night. Can you say "Caldecott"?
Always fantastic to hear someone speak who has a received such an honor, has studying under Maurice Sendak and has had a career that has spanned 30 years. Not too many of those floating around. A humorous tail he shared was about the mouse he got to study anatomy while doing Ralph S. Mouse...how would you get a real mouse to ride a toy motorcycle...not so easy. He also shared with us school photos that Beverly Cleary sent with the Ralph S. Mouse manuscript that were photos fans had sent to her. These faces were the inspiration for certain characters.
Here are some other points I jotted down:
~Copying existing art, is a good exercise to "see what is there"
~Action is the page turner
~illustrate the words that aren't there
~Jumping the shark...a Happy Days reference, to when we have gone to far.

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Can I start by saying, "I love this guy".
There I said it.


I have been a fan for a while now and wasn't the least bit disappointed by the presentation he did for RACWI members Thursday night. He was charming, funny and just plain cute.



The list below are just some of things he shared:

~a graduate of SUNY Oswego
~often works 10hrs a day
~studio in old Yankee Candle factory
~worked as a portrait copier
~also worked at FYE, a job that didnt' last long
~he likes to paint standing up
~media of choice: acrylic paint on #180 lb hot press
~applies varnish to surface of board to create a smooth surface
~mixes "Golden" faux finish medium into paint
~it take about 2-3 mo. for him to complete a picture book
~he used to wear tube socks! (even provided photographic evidence)

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I have signed up to attend NJ SCBWI's 1st Annual Illustrator Day on November 9th. You can read more about it here, click on events. Twenty-two illustrators will spend the day at Princeton's Theological Society with art directors Laurent Linn (Simon and Schuster) and Patrick Collins (Henry Holt). We have been splint into two groups. Each group was given six manuscripts. Each illustrator could then select a text to work with, and from that illustrate a two page spread. Once we completed a sketch for selected text, we email them off and waited for art director feedback. Above is the spread I sent and below is the feedback:

I love the creative way Brenda is depicted here and especially how the
bed's headboard morphs into the fence, blending
reality with Jessica's dream state. Also, the characters are very
sweet and distinct.

I think, though, that the sketch feels too stiff too posed. Both
Jessica and the Brendas would feel younger and more
caught in a moment if they had more energy and looseness. For
having a nightmare about Brenda, Jessica seems too
content. How would a kid really look when sleeping? Also, the bed
sheets, etc., are too composed looking I think.

I would also recommend flopping the image so that the action goes from
left to right, which is how we want the energy of a
book to flow, to take the reader to the next page.

But a very creative solution overall!

Now that we have received feedback we are to make corrections and arrive that day with both sketches and mounted final art. I participated in a similar format at a workshop hosted by Central New York SCBWI, with work being critiqued by Tim Gillner (AD~Boyd's Mills Press) and loved it. The benefit was not only having your work seen and critiqued, but being present as others go through the process taking all that feedback and also being able to apply it to your work.

It's back to the drawing board. I'm excited about this trip and that I will traveling with two of my illustrator pals. Karen has posted her composition sketch here, go and check it out :)

I hope to post the revised sketch sometime this week.

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4 year old artist...not a bad skeleton if I do say so myself.
This child draws constantly, he is well beyond what is considered "developmentally age appropriate". This led my husband and I to ponder whether it has been all the hours he has put in or if it is natural ability. Chicken or egg? Did Rembrandt have the ability to stay focused and on task at his drawing table for hours? It's curious. Maybe it's the apple and the tree?

On another note, Blogger ate my template yesterday. I don't think they meant too. When I updated, I saved my original html but when I put it into the editor it gave me an error message. How did a template that worked just fine before somehow become so error filled it was branded useless? After several hours I am starting to look like my old self again....now I need to get my favorite links up...

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As cousins from near and far gathered for a recent wedding one common thread was woven.
A unanimous love of the iPod touch. Couldn't have staged a better photo.

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Yesterday the family and I went to the launch party for my friend author/illustrator Sheila Jarkins new book Marco Flamingo. The kids had so much fun. Above is one of the fuzzy little birds that made their way home with us.





One activity that I thought was particularly clever was the "Flamingos on Ice". Sheila had frozen dozens of flamingos in an ice block and the kids poured hot water over the block to free the birds. Bookmarks, pink shaving cream, lots of tasty goodies, display of original art and live music, all made for a great event. The turnout was impressive. The afternoon culminated in Sheila reading to the kiddies. I can't wait till Marco's next adventure.

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Summer fading, winter comes-
This is the first line of the poem Picture-books in Winter, by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Our illustration group will be doing a panel discussion for Octobers RACWI (Rochester Area Children's Writers and Illustrators) meeting, and this the text we selected to work with. Seven illustrators will present how they would deal with the text as though we were handed the assignment from an art director.

As I approach the text the view out my window, is grey and rainy, with leaves shedding, fading, wanting to reveal the bones that have held them threw the heat. Tired they will wither, their last burst of energy is yet to be revealed in a vibrant show we call autumn, or fall. It is palpable.

So I thought that I would share, this first image. It will be p.3 (or the real p. 1 where the story begins). It is incomplete. I am wondering what the boy is holding in the other hand, what says summer that he doesn't want to let go, baseball, bug jar, butterfly net.... I have yet to decide. I think I have to spend sometime getting to know my main character.

I have heard writers say they know things about their characters that they keep to themselves, things they don't reveal to the reader, they are intimate with these characters, and keep their secrets. I'm guessing with picture books that have both author and illustrator, the characters have multiple identities, that which the writer holds, and that which the illustrator holds. Fascinating stuff!

More to come.

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My husband ran his first marathon the Rochester Preferred Care Marathon on Sunday. He has been running for about a year now, so this is a huge accomplishment. He did awesome. Finishing with a time of 3:28:25, he came in 22nd overall, 4th place in his age group, 1st in my heart.

Unfortunately he missed qualifying for Boston, mother nature had her hand in that. As the runners were finishing temps were in the mid 80's and it was very humid. Overall times were much slower then last year. The elements are just something you have no control over. For those runners out there, conditions were very similar to Chicago, where they stopped the race because of heat and humidity, actually they did end yesterdays race at some point at mile 20 but, if you had past that you were allowed to finish.


I had never been at the finish line of a marathon before, it was a powerful experience. The first female, who was also last years winner, was overtaken with emotion. Several runners collapsed and need medical attention. The finish line arch collapsed and runners scurried to get under before it landed, luckily another was quickly erected. Just the knots in my stomach as I waited for John to finish, was enough to make me almost pass out. It was some event.










The kids were so excited and proud of their dad. We had fun making signs the day before. We also picked up some pom-poms at the dollar store.



Because the race is 26.2 miles we were able to see dad a couple of times along the way before heading to the finish line. Here he is at mile 15 running along the Erie Canal through Pittsford. There was a good crowd there lending their support. John you were brilliant, congratulations on this monumental accomplishment!


What does a marathoner do afterward? Attend a party in his honor of course :)
Thanks to all family and friends who were able to attend the post-marathon party, and for those who couldn't attend but sent along well wishes and congratulations, thank you, they were greatly appreciated.


Here are a couple of links to articles:
13 wham news-Heat, Humidity Force Early End to Marathon
Democrat and Chronicle- Thousands finish Rochester Marathon, despite searing heat by Kate Perry
also D&C about Rochester Marathoners run into unbearable weather by Jim Castor

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Two of my local critique/support buddies have recently started blogs. I love these gals. They are both so talented and just so wonderful in general. I hope you can take some time to visit, also~ I will be adding them to my links on the right so you can easily check back:Karen Pasquarette Karen is just starting out and has a great style. I love the way she is incorporating mixed media into her art. I also love her use of color. You can read about our trip to New York for the Illustrator Conference.

Shelia Jarkins Sheila is about to launch her first book "Marco Flaminco" published by Raven Tree Press. She is planning a great launch party at the end of the month. I will be sure to post about. Lots of pink, fun stuff planned. I feel a bit connected to this book, as Sheila works in acrylic, last summer I helped her with some digital stuff she needed to get this project off to the publisher.

We have a great group, and have some exciting things planned for the near future....I don't want to spoil the surprise, so I'll leave it at that :)

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In July, I was contacted by Susan at Burnavon Arts & Cultural Centre in Northern Ireland asking if they could use my Jack & the Beanstalk image for the promotional materials for a panto the Stewartstown Amateur Dramatic Society was going to preform in January. After checking out their site and information, I happily agreed. I was so impressed by their credibility. In this digital age it can be easy for art to be snatched. For them to use this image on the other side of the globe could have easily gone unnoticed by me. I know in a perfect world this wouldn't be surprising, but sadly it is. I'm grateful for their honesty and professionalism and am honored they wanted "My Jack". You can check out their online brochure here (Jack is on p.29): Burnavon Brochure PDF
Best of luck to the Stewartstown actors may you have a wonderful preformance, glad I could do my part.

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Just a sketchbook image. I really want to focus on faces that aren't full and straight on. I work on the head and face first with most figures, when they are straight on I don't have a problem. but for some reason, if I struggle with the face, it is more difficult to draw the rest of the body. Wonder if I'm the only one with this problem. I think it's a confidence thing.

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The Rochester Children's Book Festival is approaching. Taking place the first Saturday in November, the program booklet is going to press soon. This is the first year that they have had ad space available. With a distribution of nearly 10,000 and being sent to local schools and libraries, I thought it may be a good opportunity to seek out some school visits. I really enjoy doing these. Preparation is always a good time to focus a bit on what illustration really adds to a book. I also just love interacting with the kids. I will let you know how things go!

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Another kid picture. This one done by my oldest.
Cute hah?

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Greetings! Sorry it has been awhile since my last post. It was a busy end of the school year and first weeks of summer. Although I can't share a current project with you, I can share an illustration my 8 yr. old did while she worked along side me today. Actually it was a bit of a collaboration. She did the sketch, and I scanned and colored it. We are pleased with the results. Perhaps sometime soon I will share more work of my own, if not maybe more from the kids.

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I realized today how long it has been since posting something.
Not being able to do new art for illustration friday, I decided to upload an oldie.
This weeks topic is baby...here she is!

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Don't you just hate when something gets in the way of a good trip!
That is a pet peeve of mine, this little guy is having the same problem.


Here is a bit of the detail~

I have decided to get a new portfolio for the trip in April. Who know this decision would take so much time. After shopping in the real world, I turned to cyberspace. Isn't it pretty? I hope to be in equally in love when it arrives. I'll let you know! Other then quality, which I wasn't impressed with in most I saw, I had a trouble deciding on a size and have ultimately settled on the 11X14, it was that or 8.5X11, the later just seemed too small. Does anyone know what is the currently the "popular" size?

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This little guy wasn't expecting to find company up in space!
Trying to add narrative pieces to the ol' portfolio. I did however picture a huge fly swatter coming out of the ship and taking a swing at this pesky guest, but he seems so happy to have a companion, I didn't have the heart.

Also, I had a chance to update my favorite places to visit. Please check out the links on the right. I have added the following blogs:
Adam
Alicia
Andy
Anna
Crystal
Dani
Gina
Kathleen
Sarah

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SCBWI was looking for an "unlikely" winner for a race. Here is what I ended up with, one unlikely winner, an elephant, two unlikely supporters. The mouse is there to help facilitate, and the hare is there for encouragement. I tend to not read a lot into most of the images that flow from my pencil, but after adding the hare, I couldn't help but think that this seemed to be somewhat symbolic on a personal level, things accomplished and a distance to go. Here I have started to add color and bring it to life!

I think this is the final, I will let it sit a couple of days and take a look...

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