Thursday, May 16, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
City & Color studies
Hey all
I've been pretty busy with my current book projects as well as some personal things, but I've been wanting to explore some city images lately so I made some time this week to experiment. I've been doing some small sketches in my sketchbook of my little woodland creatures hitting the city. Here is an idea that I had of a city full of foxes. (Which is getting me thinking about a story of a city of foxes and perhaps a naive chicken wanting to make it in show business decides to head to the big city to get her start...hmm, perhaps there is something there!)
Anyway, I wanted to explore some variations on color within this theme. I think prefer the cityscape background a lot softer, with the light brown versus the blue. It feels more within my palette and feels more like it is a background instead of popping forward so much. Also, I should have toned down the green on the grass; it came out a bit brighter than I wanted. And I think in the next one, I will draw it larger so I can explore an even more complicated and chaotic scene. Then it will really feel like the big city!
I also wanted to see how it would feel in sepia and just black and white. I think these would be fun and worth exploring by painting some similar images just in these monochromatic tones.
I've been pretty busy with my current book projects as well as some personal things, but I've been wanting to explore some city images lately so I made some time this week to experiment. I've been doing some small sketches in my sketchbook of my little woodland creatures hitting the city. Here is an idea that I had of a city full of foxes. (Which is getting me thinking about a story of a city of foxes and perhaps a naive chicken wanting to make it in show business decides to head to the big city to get her start...hmm, perhaps there is something there!)
If you have any thoughts let me know! I have also been studying one of my favorite painters lately, Pieter Bruegel
The Elder. I LOVE his work and have always been very inspired by his
compositions, palette and details. As I study his work more, I hope to
be able to invoke and bring more of his elements of fun, depth, and
storytelling to my own work. Thanks for looking!
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Je rêve de Paris
It's been a fun and fast week in Seattle with visiting family and I'm just getting back into the swing of things.
I have been thinking about Paris a lot. After going there last spring, I am constantly reminded that a part of me is still there. So in line with my dreams of Paris, I thought I'd watch Midnight In Paris and paint a little picture of a un petit renard enjoying un café et des macaroons.
Le sigh...
I have been thinking about Paris a lot. After going there last spring, I am constantly reminded that a part of me is still there. So in line with my dreams of Paris, I thought I'd watch Midnight In Paris and paint a little picture of a un petit renard enjoying un café et des macaroons.
Le sigh...
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Little Golden Book score!
Hey all!
If you've seen some of my previous posts, I occasionally find a great score of the Little Golden Books. I'm always looking for the classic illustrators usually from the 50's and 60's. I was in great luck to find these treasures at a local antique mall while on a stay-cation with visiting family this week. I picked up some books illustrated by J.P. Miller and Art Seiden, and my favorites: Richard Scarry and Aurelius Battaglia.
Aurelius Battaglia had such a great style and talent for composition. He did some animation for Walt Disney Studios in the 30's and 40's among his other numerous illustrative endeavors. He even made his own animated short "The Invisible Mustache of Raoul Dufy" (which I couldn't help but hunting down on the Internet and buying many years ago). I really love the quiet depth to his work and his exciting unique style. Its so fun yet subtly sophisticated and full of fine art painting and design qualities. It's always a thrill to come across his work in books, and nearly impossible for me to pass up buying. So look him and up become a fan!
If you've seen some of my previous posts, I occasionally find a great score of the Little Golden Books. I'm always looking for the classic illustrators usually from the 50's and 60's. I was in great luck to find these treasures at a local antique mall while on a stay-cation with visiting family this week. I picked up some books illustrated by J.P. Miller and Art Seiden, and my favorites: Richard Scarry and Aurelius Battaglia.
Aurelius Battaglia had such a great style and talent for composition. He did some animation for Walt Disney Studios in the 30's and 40's among his other numerous illustrative endeavors. He even made his own animated short "The Invisible Mustache of Raoul Dufy" (which I couldn't help but hunting down on the Internet and buying many years ago). I really love the quiet depth to his work and his exciting unique style. Its so fun yet subtly sophisticated and full of fine art painting and design qualities. It's always a thrill to come across his work in books, and nearly impossible for me to pass up buying. So look him and up become a fan!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Picnics and paints!
Hey all! Happy Sunday!
It's days like this that make me love living in Seattle and living a stones throw away from the water! My husband and I celebrated our first picnic of 2013 with egg salad sandwiches and pink lemonade! I'm topping it off with a little painting and reading. Ahhhh... I could get used to doing this everyday!
Happy weekend!
It's days like this that make me love living in Seattle and living a stones throw away from the water! My husband and I celebrated our first picnic of 2013 with egg salad sandwiches and pink lemonade! I'm topping it off with a little painting and reading. Ahhhh... I could get used to doing this everyday!
Happy weekend!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Exciting updates!
Hey folks!
So it's been about a month and a half since the NY SCBWI conference, and a lot has been happening. I had the flu right after so was knocked out of commission for a while, then I've been in the throws of some really fun freelance work which has been keeping me quite busy. The most exciting news just happened within the past week. Some of you might know, but I just signed with Upstart Crow Literary with the super awesome Alexandra Penfold! I'm so honored and thrilled that she will we representing me! I got the privilege to attend Alexandra's workshop at the NY conference and was very connected and impressed by her experience and her dedication to children's books. Alexandra has a great energy and a LOVE of picture books. I'm still pinching myself! I'm so excited about getting to take this next great step with her! Thanks again, Alexandra if you are reading this!!!
So this is a little plug for all of you who haven't:
A) joined SCBWI-do it. It will change your life if you are serious about children's books.
B) gone to the conferences before- they are right- magic can happen there
So after all that awesomeness, today is the first day where I've got a moment to breathe and do a could of short quick illustrations for fun. Here is one below that is a little painting of Tic and Tac hanging out in an abandoned boxcar.
I think they had a plan of going on an adventure on a train and got so caught up in the preparing for the adventure that by the time they got to the train, they just wanted to have lunch. And not really paying attention to the fact it was a non-moving train car, they called it a successful adventure, then went home! I told my husband this is something I've always wanted to do- well, jump on a train while it was moving with a bindle like a hobo- but I think the same thing would happen to me where I get so distracted with lunch I don't even mind that we didn't really go anywhere. All in all, it would be a good day.
Anyway, I'll post some work, if I can, about my freelance project I am doing. It's sort of a dream, so maybe I won't post until I'm finished- then I can wake up from the dream. Other than that, look for more little paintings of Tic and Tac and other picture book ideas!
Hope you are are doing well, and drawling lots!
jx
So it's been about a month and a half since the NY SCBWI conference, and a lot has been happening. I had the flu right after so was knocked out of commission for a while, then I've been in the throws of some really fun freelance work which has been keeping me quite busy. The most exciting news just happened within the past week. Some of you might know, but I just signed with Upstart Crow Literary with the super awesome Alexandra Penfold! I'm so honored and thrilled that she will we representing me! I got the privilege to attend Alexandra's workshop at the NY conference and was very connected and impressed by her experience and her dedication to children's books. Alexandra has a great energy and a LOVE of picture books. I'm still pinching myself! I'm so excited about getting to take this next great step with her! Thanks again, Alexandra if you are reading this!!!
So this is a little plug for all of you who haven't:
A) joined SCBWI-do it. It will change your life if you are serious about children's books.
B) gone to the conferences before- they are right- magic can happen there
So after all that awesomeness, today is the first day where I've got a moment to breathe and do a could of short quick illustrations for fun. Here is one below that is a little painting of Tic and Tac hanging out in an abandoned boxcar.
Anyway, I'll post some work, if I can, about my freelance project I am doing. It's sort of a dream, so maybe I won't post until I'm finished- then I can wake up from the dream. Other than that, look for more little paintings of Tic and Tac and other picture book ideas!
Hope you are are doing well, and drawling lots!
jx
Illustration Friday: Eye Glasses
Hey all!
I've been out of the IF loop for a while. I've had SOOOO much going on lately, but I needed to get back into quick illo mode so I wanted to get back on the horse this week. Here are a couple of takes on this week's theme; one in black and white that is about eyeglasses, the other in color about glasses of lemonade-the word "glasses" inspired it even though it's about a different kind of glasses. Enjoy!
I've been out of the IF loop for a while. I've had SOOOO much going on lately, but I needed to get back into quick illo mode so I wanted to get back on the horse this week. Here are a couple of takes on this week's theme; one in black and white that is about eyeglasses, the other in color about glasses of lemonade-the word "glasses" inspired it even though it's about a different kind of glasses. Enjoy!
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