November is Picture Book Month, encouraging everyone to celebrate literacy with picture
books. (Click on the logo) Every day this month, there will be a new post from a picture book champion explaining why he/she thinks picture books are important.
Shhh... lets tiptoe inside the spooky old house...
~Terry Webb Harshman
Through my career as a children's book illustrator, I have worked traditionally with acrylics on Strathmore bristle board paper. In the last five years I've been mixing mediums by adding Photoshop to traditionally painted art. Recently, I've had a number of projects were I painted the art entirely in Photoshop.
I had read about a great digital painting class on Marion Eldridge's blog, NEW ART NEWS. I was too busy wrapping up a project to take the class, but signed up and planned to take the online course once my job was finished. I had sketches ready to paint for Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
I took Will Terry's Digital Painting and Photoshop Course. From his class I was able to get more of my traditional painting style into my digital work. Will shows his process for painting with textured brushes (you create) and layers. I highly recommend his class, I learned how to use layers and a whole lot more from Will's series. Here's my first illustration after his class below. At first I followed Will's technique but soon discovered another way to work in PS. I suppose the possibilities are endless.
©2011sharonvargo -Goldilocks with Papa Bear's Bowl
From the thumbnails, I selected the two spreads to illustrate and then move to a full size sketches.
I scanned the drawing and painted it in Photoshop using a Wacom Cintiq. The Cintiq is a tablet/screen that allows me to draw directly on the display surface.
It is always a treat to collaborate with my author/poet friend, Rebecca Kai Dotlich.
Almost 20 years ago I moved to Indiana and met Rebecca in a small critique group. We only live a few blocks apart and have been good friends since our first meeting. Her poem Mom's Lunchbox Love, was originally published in the Lee Bennett Hopkins anthology Valentine Hearts Holiday Poetry. Take a look at her website, RebeccaKaiDotlich.com, I know you, too. will fall in love with her poems and books!
Here's my holiday promo postcard. Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday!
Here it is ....
Here's a few close-up images from the cover art I did for the December issue of Highlights Magazine!
This part of the art is covered up by the blurb banner...
and the full image, Popcorn Tree!
Here's an illustration of my logo character, Art Hen, working in the studio. This art is on my new note cards and also sends THANKS to everyone for visiting the News from the Studio blog!
A BIG highlight of my year is the Highlights Illustrators' Party. It takes place over a Fall weekend in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Each year has a surprise theme that is introduced on the invitations. This years theme was, 'That's Silly' based on the That's Silly pages in Highlights High Five magazine.
The weekend takes a tremendous amount of planning by the Highlights staff. They truly stand behind their brand of wholesome family fun sponsoring such a wonderful party for illustrators and their families! The party started on a Friday evening with a barbecue at the Highlights founders home where the magazine was born. The event continues with a Saturday morning breakfast, speakers, portfolio sharing, and lunch. The annual costume party was held later in the afternoon at the Highlights editorial offices.
In keeping with the theme of the party, I went as a can of Silly String!
My cans of silly string were a hit with the kids.
Can you find me in the sea of wonderful costumes?
The picture book gals got together for a cover shot too!
The costume party was followed by dinner and square dancing in Beach Lake fire house. A mural of a 'That's Silly' page by illustrator Chuck Dillon was displayed at the front of the room. We had silly napkins and silly favors on the tables to add to the fun!
The weekend ends with a country brunch on Sunday morning at the Founders' home, nature walks, hayrides, and lots of time reminiscing about past Illustrators' weeke
I did character studies and interior sketches for a new book project this summer. My contract has a no-show clause, so I can not post the art till I get the 'OK' from the publisher, Little School House Books. Promotion for the first book should begin in the early part of 2011. Plans for DVDs of the character's adventure have begun too!
Each season we change the art images on the Picture Book Artists' website. For my fall post, I worked up a new image for an ABC book I'm writing. I don't have a title yet ... it's a book in progress. This is a sample of the 'A' page, showing a family on the Puffing Billy train. This is a historic steam train still running daily on its original mountain track near Melbourne, Australia. Now, I think I am going to redo this art... it REALLY is a book in progress.. ; )
The sketch was stitched together and colored on the Cintiq in Photoshop.
Thanks for visiting, News from the Studio and Happy Fall!
I spent last week at the OBX with my family (and pugs.) We had a great time together and the weather was wonderful. Here's a great photo of Duck, NC by my son, Ryan.
With my trusty traveling watercolor kit I painted every day and had a little gallery display on the windowsill of our beach house. Most of the watercolors were small quick studies, postcard or trading card size.
Here I captured the pugs on the beach. Many family members became inspired to picked up a brush and have a hand at watercolors too. Great fun! Until next year ... I have these little studies to remember our week at the beach! Now back to illustration work.
Then I added color in Photoshop.
Join us for two sessions: Children's Picture Books:
When Text Meets Art
Monday, June 14 & Thursday June 17 6:30-8:30 p.m.
The Writers' Center of Indiana!
Instructors: Rebecca Kai Dotlich & Sharon Vargo
When text meets art, it creates a new world on the page—an expressive balance where each complements the other. Join poet/author Rebecca Kai Dotlich, and illustrator Sharon Vargo for a hands-on workshop in which participants will experience writing from an illustration, and sketching an illustration from a poem or prose quick-write. This is a great workshop for both writers and illustrators. No previous drawing experience is needed.
Back in 1996 a parent from Open Fields School, a small non-graded private school in Thetford Hill, Vermont, offered the school 100+ blown goose eggs. She thought the children could use the eggs for projects. But the late Trina Schart Hyman, (April 8, 1939–November 19, 2004), an American Illustrator of children's books and friend of the school, suggested that the eggs be used for a fundraiser instead. Her idea hatched a bi-annual fundraiser where artists decorate the eggs and send them back to the school for an online auction.
Various types of eggs – goose, quail, hen and emu – are sent to artists all over the world. They return transformed with paint, ink, pencil, gilded, sculpted, cut, collaged and otherwise incredible eggs. Trina's "eggstraordinary" art event has become the school’s biggest fundraiser - The Great Goose Egg Auction.
Despite skepticism at first, the eggs returned were great "Egg Art", and raised over $5,000 that first year. Since then, the school has held the auction every other year, and has raised as much
as $21,500 (2006 auction, honoring Trina's memory). Over the years, the eggs have been donated by a dozen Caldecott Medal & honor recipients and four Macarthur Fellows. Other contributions have come from alumni of the school, local artists, and volunteers from around the world.
I am excited to be a part of this great fundraiser that Trina Schart Hyman began. My goose egg arrived, neatly bubble wrapped in a brown box, back in November 2009. I unwrapped it and left it positioned on my drawing table for inspiration. It didn't take long and an image came right to mind of a baby goose sleeping. I did a sketch with a baby goose in a stroller. I pictured the baby goose on either side of the egg, in a night and day version. By night, sleeping. By day strolling
Here is a step-by- step diary of how I painted, "Hello Baby Goose".
There are two stages in my art process - line art and full color painting.
Once the Line Art is approved, I can begin painting. 
I use the Photoshop software on the Cintiq. I may do a little color testing in pencil, but I usually have the colors in mind before I begin painting. I'm hoping to load Corel Painter soon and start using (learning) that progam also. Here's a closer look at the art...
"Hopping" to another example of a work in progress. Here shows
It's cold and snowy outside ... but warm and cuddly
in the studio creating new sketches using the Cintiq!
I'm redoing parts of my website.
I've updated my art page and I'm now working
on the book page. I found a robot I illustrated in
1999 for Make Yourself A Monster
A Book of Creepy Crafts written by Kathy Ross.
The original robot is holding the craft supplies
needed to make the Alien Necklace and the
other illustration was transported into
the future with a little Photoshop.
Happy New Year!
Twenty ten is the year of the tiger and things are starting
with a roaring workshop at the ...
The Writers' Center of Indiana!
I've been busy with holiday
promo art and a NEW logo!
Will it be Art Hen...
#1,#2,#3,or #4?
Thanks for your help
Abby !xxx
Life's been busy for months with graduations, a wedding, moving kids, traveling, the Highlights Illustrators Party, a book signing and our IN-SCBWI conference! I'll fast-forward to November with a few posts & photos!
November IN -SCBWI news to come soon!
In October, I had a fun fall weekend at the Highlight's Illustrators Party!! This years theme was 'Pick a Day." Any DAY in the year that inspired you to create a costume for the party. I was Lost Sock Day (who knew there was such a day?) My costume was a laundry basket/skirt with every lost sock I could find. Thank you, friends and neighbors for all your contributions! My get-up was sort of a tribute to the game, Sock Hunt, I created/illustrated for Highlight's High Five Magazine.
Pictured below, left to right are a group of PBAA gals, Rebecca Thornburgh, Emilie Boon Sheila Bailey, Sharon Lane Holm and me!
The Beach Lake fire hall is where the dinner and big shindig/square dancing takes place.
In September, I was one of many authors and illustrators at the Reach out and Read -Indiana, fundraiser. We spent the evening reading and singing books in the Indianapolis Children's Museum atrium.
I did an animal drawing lesson and had some great artists participate!
The kids loved the book cake!
We have completed our contribution to the global "Hope Card" effort to support those effected by the Australian fires and flooding this past February!
If you are interested, here are the specifications of our card.
Illustrators and authors create ONE HOPE card
a.. with drawings from your illustrators
b.. words and/or signature by your authors
c.. to the Australian KIDS and FAMILIES
d.. sending love and hope
We received 16 submissions from IN SCBWI and I have found a great way to display ALL 16 in a single card. Please take 17 seconds and watch this clip. You will see a demonstration of the "map book" card which I have come up with to make this a fun thing to read.
By taking an 18X18 piece of colored paper, I was able to get 9 individual 6X6 squares totally 18 individual mounting sides. I added a cover with a title, Hope Card from Indiana USA SCBWI. When folded, just right, you have a single 6X6 hope card - tied with a bow!
Although it took a while to come up with a suitable way to include everyone's effort, I think we will have done it! Thanks to all that took the time to help make the IN SCBWI Hope Card a success!
Back in February, Australia was hit very hard with devastating fires and flooding. In response to this tragedy, chapters from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) have made donations and are still in the process of creating Hope Cards. Many chapters from around the world will feature their local artists and authors on their cards. Our Indiana chapter asked me to create art for our card. I based my illustration on an anonymous quote:
I'm a member of Picture Book Artist Association (PBAA)
and our Spring Promotional Poster is on our blog-
The Dust of Everyday Life!
Please visit The Dust of Everyday Life to see the wonderful
poster created by our PBAA Promo Committee!
Can you spy my Green-House art in the poster? GO-GO GREEN!
The weather outside is still cold and wintery!
But spring has officially arrived in the studio with
this new painting (just completed) for a custom invitation.
Please respect the © Thanks! Happy Spring!
As the last of the snowflakes were falling ... dumping more than a foot of snow on Indianapolis, (marking the city's biggest snowfall in 13 years) I was chatting on the phone with my friend, poet and author (and neighbor)Rebecca Kai Dotlich. We caught up on news and discussed plans for a Bella & Bean Valentine's Day Party - and Book Sale at the Simply Sweet Shoppe in Carmel, Indiana. 
Our beautiful, turn-of-the-century neighborhood candy store has every type of confections one could imagine. The Valentine's Day Party will take place February 14 from 2:00-4:30 pm on the second floor of the shoppe, which is the home to the Second story Playhouse, a performing and visual arts studio for young people.
There will be a book signing by "Bella & Bean", author Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Valentine cookie decorating, and Valentine card craft with the help of Rebecca and myself. Bella and Bean is illustrated by Aileen Leijten who has a wonderful sneak-peek website with links to the characters, activities, and reviews!
I hope you can join us in this magical place, for a Valentine's Day filled with friends, FUN, and hopefully NO snowFLAKES!
A portion of the proceeds from this book sale on February 14 will go to Best Buddies Indiana.
The theme of Flakes, Friends, and Fun inspired me to post an illustration I did for one of Rebecca's poems titled, What Is A Snowman Made Of? 
1 Comments on New Digital Art, last added: 5/5/2011
wow! it looks great! wonderful art-love it!! how is it going? yuk here.