By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 3/1/2016
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Illustrator and Writer
March 1 is the exciting day! In The Wind is released. Here is my third and final speedpainting recording that I did from the book.
You can see the other two paintings on these posts.
And you can buy the book by following this link.
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By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 1/20/2016
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Illustrator and Writer
Last week I had a chance to go see the Norman Rockwell Exhibit at the BYU museum of art. I went with friends from my critique group. It’s so much fun to go to things like this with other artists. We had a great time analyzing the paintings together. This post is about some of the things I learned by staring at the awesome art.
Triple Self-Portrait
For example if you look at this painting called Triple Self-Portrait you can see how the man’s trousers are the same color as the canvas. In the original painting there isn’t a line to distinguish the two elements. Your brain fills that line in all on it’s own. Pretty cool.
Christmas Homecoming
See in that image how the three jackets are all the same color. Tan, tan, and tan. They are three separate elements but since the value/tone and color are similar your brain can read them as one. This is a busy picture full of lots of people and things. The color grouping really helps lead your eye through the image.
Here is another example of color grouping.
After The Prom
Another thing Norman Rockwell did all the time is harder for me to explain, but this image illustrates it very well.
Brass Merchant
See how that lady has a white dress on. See how the background is white. If I was painting this painting I probably would have made her dress purple or blue. White would have been out of the question. I would have been too afraid of her blending into the background and the image being out of balance. But Norman did it here and I think it’s working. I’m excited to start trying to do more of this type of thing in my paintings.
Soda Jerk
To see more of his photos into paintings you can check out this blog post.
But it wasn’t just that he took a lot of photos. He did drawings and color studies and more drawings and more color studies until he got what he needed.
Checkers
This is one of my all time Norman Rockwell Favorites. It is 35×39″, and is typical of many of the paintings I saw at the museum. It’s not a mural by any means but it’s much bigger than the sizes I usually work at. He was able to get a lot of detail into the art at this size. I’ve been working the size of my scanner. I think I’m going to try some larger stuff so I can get more of the effects that I want.
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By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 10/13/2015
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Illustrator and Writer
I went to the thrift store and found some fun picture frames. This one is one of my favorites. It’s just so darn cool looking, despite the fact that it’s actually made of plastic. The red velvet was a little worn but some fabric paint took care of that.
Then I took some time and painted this blue wing fairy to fit in the frame. I’m really pleased with the result.
Here’s a video of my painting process.
I plan on selling the original art with the frame at a Christmas Gift and Craft show in a few weeks. Hopefully I’ll have some more fun framed art to share with you then as well. In the meantime if you really like this painting you can buy a print of it in my shop.
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By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 1/20/2015
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Illustrator and Writer
At the beginning of December I wrote this post about sketchbook inspiration. In December I committed to draw a sketch every day, and I sketched with a theme. This is me checking in to tell you how it went.
December Sketchbook Favorites
First of all I have to give a shoutout to my friends Jen and Shawna. They were my accountability partners for this project. We texted or email every day to make sure we were all sketching. This was really helpful for me. I hope it was for them as well. If you take on a project like this I recommend getting some friends involved to keep you on track.
I picked the theme fantasy land creatures and wanted to work on my gestures and expressions. I also ended up making some of my sketches into watercolors. It was a fun way to practice keeping my watercolors loose and free. I goal I also had when I was making my Six Swans illustration.
Mostly though, I just kept to old fashion sketching. The image above has a few of my favorite sketches from the month.
I put all of my December sketches plus a few bonus images which fit the theme into a downloadable 15 page PDF. It’s $1.99 to download in my store. If you are one of my patrons you can download it for free by following this link. Just a small way for me to say thanks for your support.
Dragon walk and Napping Fawn are some of the watercolors I did during the month. They are available as a prints. If you’d like to hang one on your wall you can order one by clicking on the image.
Overall I think the project was a success.
The post December 2014 Sketchbook appeared first on Manelle Oliphant Illustration.
By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 7/18/2014
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Children's book illustrator and writer
This week’s coloring page is a Robot for you. Isn’t he cute.
First the bad news: This is the last coloring page (sort of). I’ve had a lot of fun doing it and it’s been a good experiment for the last couple years but it’s time to put my focus other places. There will still be pages in the future, especially when books come out, they just won’t be every Friday anymore. Don’t be too sad, the old pages will still be up and available to download.
That being said the tone and direction of this blog is going to change. There probably won’t be as much stuff for kids but there will still be some, and I hope to be posting a lot more art and fun stories.
Now the Good News: Just in Time books is hosting a fun contest this summer. The Utah history hunt. It’s for Utah residences only but maybe if it goes great we’ll be able to do it in other states later on. You can win prizes including sets of the books and lunch with the authors. Click the photo for more information.
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By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 5/23/2014
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Children's book illustrator and writer
We’ve had a lot of fun this week with the Just in Time book 3 launch. To see some of the fun photos check out the Just In Time facebook page. And don’t forget to get your copy of The Wizard of Menlo Park New Jersey!
Click the link below to download.
The post Free Coloring Page Friday: Thomas Edison appeared first on Manelle Oliphant Illustration.
By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 5/16/2014
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Children's book illustrator and writer
As I mentioned last week Just in Time book three is coming out this month. (Get your copy!) To celebrate we have another just in time coloring page. This one is Crowe the villain who plays a pretty big role in this book.
Me the authors and the publishers all have fun talking about how we make the books in this interview. http://www.fromthemixedupfiles.com/tag/the-wizard-of-menlo-park/
The Address is: 58 North State Street Orem, UT 84057
The authors and I will be there from 6:00 to 7:30 and it’s going to be a fun party with cake and candy and some book giveaways!
We’ll be signing books at 6:00 p.m!
330 East 1300 South
Orem, UT 84058
801-229-1611
Hope to see you there.
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By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 5/9/2014
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Children's book illustrator and writer
Just In Time Book Three is being released this Month. You can get your copy on Amazon. And while you are anxiously waiting to read it enjoy this coloring page download.
Along with the book release we have some fun events coming up. The one I have the most info on is May 20th we’ll be signing books at the Orem public library in the Storytelling Wing.
The Address is: 58 North State Street Orem, UT 84057
The authors and I will be there from 6:00 to 7:30.
Hope to see you there!
The post Free Coloring Page Friday: Bird Gracie appeared first on Manelle Oliphant Illustration.
By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 5/2/2014
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Children's book illustrator and writer
This week I’m finishing up the sketches for Just in Time book 4. I took a break to make this coloring page of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Have fun with it.
Click the link below to download.
Just In Time Book 3 is released May 20. Pre order your copy today.
The post Free Coloring Page Friday: Three Bears appeared first on Manelle Oliphant Illustration.
By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 4/25/2014
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Children's book illustrator and writer
Hello guys. It’s been two weeks since my last coloring page. Last week I was at Salt Lake Comic Con Fan experience selling prints. It was a fun weekend talking to everyone, and the don’t blink coloring page was a hit, as you can imagine. I also almost got ran over by Patrick Stewart riding on a golf cart, which I have to say pretty much made the weekend for me. I had no idea I’d be that giddy about being 8 ft away from Patrick Stewart but apparently I am. I always imagined I’d be cool and collected around celebrities, but really what I do it stare quietly and then freak out afterwards.
It’s good to know these type of things about yourself. Don’t you think?
This week’s coloring page is a Sloth.
Click the link below to download.
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By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 4/11/2014
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Children's book illustrator and writer
It’s been great weather here, and my husband and I had fun buying fruit trees for our backyard. Comic con fanX is next week and I’m almost ready, and Illustrations for Just In Time book 4 are getting into full swing. There are also some fun events planned for the launch of book 3. More info below.
This week’s coloring page is the Easter bunny. 
Click the link below to download, print, and color!
Mark your calendars May 20th we’ll be signing books at the Orem public library in the Storytelling Room.
The Address is: 58 North State Street Orem, UT 84057
The authors and I will be there from 6:00 to 7:30.
Hope to see you there!
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By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 4/4/2014
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Children's book illustrator and writer
March went out like a lion here. We had about six inches of snow. Luckily it melted in just a few days and according to the walk I took today we are onto spring. With spring comes Easter.
Click the link below to download print and color
There are lots of other fun things going on around here. One of them is this interview I took part in. It’s about the Just in Time books and working with a small press. If you want to know more about working with a small press, or just more about the books head on over. Me, the authors of the series, the designer, and the publisher all take part. I enjoyed reading it.
The post Free Coloring Page Friday: Easter Eggs appeared first on Manelle Oliphant Illustration.
By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 3/28/2014
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Children's book illustrator and writer
If you were unaware I’m now informing you that Doctor Who is my favorite TV show. Sometimes I forget because I don’t get to constantly indulge my thirst for new episodes… but then I remember. 
I am aware that the show is pretty ridiculous and nothing really makes sense but when I’m watching an episode it doesn’t really matter. Since Salt Lake Comic Con FanX is just around the corner, and they just announced Karen Gillian as one of the guests I’ve created this little baby for you to color. I’ll probably have some to give away at the show too. I’ll be at artist alley table D2.
Have fun coloring.
Click the Link Below to download, print and color.
The post Free Coloring Page Friday: Don’t Blink appeared first on Manelle Oliphant Illustration.
By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 3/21/2014
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Children's book illustrator and writer
Today I felt the need to draw a troll. Here it is. I hope you feel the need to color it.
Click the link to download, print and color.
It’s been a crazy few weeks. Mostly because I broke my tooth, which wasn’t real, and had to get it replaced. It’s not my favorite thing to go around with a missing tooth for a week but I survived.
This week I’ve also started on Just in Time book 4. The manuscript is great fun and I’ve started thumbnail sketches for the cover. It’s gonna be good.
I’ve also made progress on my broccoli story and will be ready to submit soon. (I think I said that last week. It’s still true today) I plan on creating a post about what and how I submit it. Then I can tell you all about how great it is to get a manuscript accepted… or not. It should be fun.
The post Free coloring page Friday: Troll appeared first on Manelle Oliphant Illustration.
By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 3/7/2014
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Children's book illustrator and writer
In like a lion out like a lamb is the saying but our March is turning out to start more like a feisty cat than a lion. Either way enjoy downloading and coloring this new page.
Click the link below to download, print, and color.
This week had been a full week as I’m getting my broccoli book nearer to submission ready. I have the sketches done and now I need to finish a few illustrations before I start the submission process.
I’ve also been planning for Salt Lake Comic Con FanX. I’ve got a better plan for what I’ll be selling at my table. I hope if some of you are there you will stop by my table and say Hi. I plan on having some fun free stuff too.
One last thing that’s happening is WIFYR. I’ll be teaching an afternoon session on building websites. There is so much great stuff that happens at this conference. If your interested in writing or illustrating for kids or teens go sign up for it. You can sign up for the whole conference, the afternoon, or a mini session. It’s one of my favorite conferences.
The post Free Coloring Page Friday: March appeared first on Manelle Oliphant Illustration.
By: Manelle Oliphant,
on 2/28/2014
Manelle Oliphant Illustration - Children's book illustrator and writer
Things are feeling decidedly spring-y here. I saw tulip spouts in my flower bed outside and even though there are some weeks to go before they bloom I wanted to post this coloring page. It could still snow here at any time but for now I’ll enjoy the warmness.
I spent last weekend in New York attending the SCBWI winter conference. I learned a lot and have spent this week refining my broccoli book. I’m now almost at draft 70 with the writing and feeling pretty good as it just keeps getting better. The manuscript is around 350 words now. I often think it’s as good as I can get it but then I learn something new and revise it and it just gets better. I hope to be ready to start submitting soon.
I also have a few other things in the making. I’ll be selling books and prints at Salt Lake Comic-con FanX so if you are attending look for me. I’ll be at table D2 with my friend Kim.
And soon I’ll be starting illustrations for Just in Time Book four. Book three is scheduled to come out in May. You can visit the Just in Time website and keep an eye out for those.
Have fun coloring.
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By: Jill,
on 7/16/2008
What's Going On? by Elena O'Callaghan, illustrated by Africa Fanlo
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Kane/Miller Book Pub (March 1, 2008)
ISBN-10: 1933605650
ISBN-13: 978-1933605654
Source of book: Review copy from publisher
After I had my daughter, I suffered from serious "baby brain." I remember taking a shower one day and putting shampoo on my face instead of my hair and then doing it again right after I washed it off, and I once even went to the grocery store, filled up my cart and only realized at the checkout that I had left my purse at home. So, when I read What's Going On? , I completely sympathized with the mom in the book who used to be neat and put together who now looks frazzled and disorganized and is spraying bug spray in her hair, the eight-armed father who is juggling all kinds of stuff and wearing mismatched shoes, and even the child narrator in the story who realizes that things just aren't the way they used to be.
Told in a lighthearted manner, the book is presented in "then" and "now" scenarios (i.e. "This was my mom then. This is her now"). Something strange is going on in the house, and young kids will have fun trying to guess what has caused it all.
I really like this book because it helps kids prepare for a new baby in a fun way and lets them know that things will be different for a while...and that's perfectly okay. It will also help kids who may be experiencing some of the upheaval feel reassured that what is happening is normal and to make the best of the changes that are occurring.
Oh and for the record...a couple of "hopefuls" have been suspicious about me dedicating a week to books for expectant siblings, and sorry to disappoint you, but my daughter will be an only child for the foreseeable future. ;) 
I was wondering...
Rebecca...ha! You weren't the only one. No news here unless I don't know myself ;)
Jill - I have an only child too and adore this book for the same reasons you do!