Happy Birthday Beatrix Potter!

Hey all!
I've been spotty about posting the last few months but for two good reasons:

1) I'm working on my second picture book for Roaring Brook Press. It's called Before I Leave. I don't want to say too much about it other than it's a story about moving and parting from friends, and that it stars an anteater and a hedgehog. Needless to say I am IN LOVE with both animals right now and they have made a special place in my heart. The book is due out sometime... in the future. Maybe winter 2016? I'm not sure. All I know is I have an October deadline and reruns of Cake Boss are getting me through the fast paced crunch!

2) I am having a baby! Woo hoo!

So that is what I'm working on right now. I've been pretty occupied with both things, hence my blogging hiatus. I can't reveal much about the book now, but I have been documenting the process pretty well this time, so I'll be able to share more about it after the book is finished and I have the  go ahead.

So much to think about and to do over the next few months. 

In other news, I am supposed to get my proofs for my book Boats For Papa this week- AHHHH!!! So I will try to post at least a snippet of the cover when they arrive. I can't wait to see the book!!! So much work and so much love went into it, it will be magic to see it getting even closer to being published!

I have to get back to work but before I do, I had to mention that today is Beatrix Potter's birthday! She has been an inspiration for me since childhood and contributed to who I am as an artist today. I love her illustrations and stories so much- she was so good at creating a world for her creatures to live. My favorite Beatrix Potter story is the Tailor of Gloucester- which was Beatrix Potter's favorite story as well. I think that we could have been kindred spirits in another time! So happy birthday to a creative hero!

What's up 2014?

Hey everyone
Well, sadly I succumbed to the holiday madness and haven't posted since just before Thanksgiving! So quick catch up:

My lovely husband and I did our booth at Short Run just after Thanksgiving. Short Run is a local comics festival that features self-published works as well as comics and books from small publishers. It was our first time having a booth at the show and it was super fun. We both debuted our graphic novels at the show as well! When we do work together or print up our books, we do it under the name Gorilla House Press. We have a tumblr of joint work there. Aaron is insanely prolific, so a lot of the work on the tumbler is his, but it's sort of a catch all for all of our random work.

What else? I am nearly finished with the illustrations for Boats For Papa, which I am really loving working on, so a part of me will be sad to be finished. But it just means I'm that much closer to getting it finished in hand-which is AMAZING to me! This has been the best creative project I've ever got to do in my life and I've cherished every moment of it! And also once this book is finished I'm onto book two already! What??? How did I get so lucky?! I am so over the moon I still can't believe my dream has come true! So at least I have another awesome project to look forward to! I'll keep you posted as things come up.

But that is really the bulk of what I've been up to. That and juggling a million work and holiday things. So I'm glad to see the new year come around to allow for new things to unfold!

Also, here is the front and back of my promo card I sent out this year. It features my favorite twin badger brothers, Tic and Tac, being silly as usual. So happy new year to you all! I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store.

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!

A perfect Saturday morning

Happy weekend!
So far the weekend is starting off great: reading Little Women in bed, Market Spice tea, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, David Sedaris on This American Life and working on drawings for my picture book dummy of Drift. What a treat!

Now onto inking the final pages of my graphic novel before painting my Drift drawings. There will be a soup break somewhere in there too.

I hope you all are having as lovely a day as I.

Art spot!

Hey Folks!

It's been a busy past few weeks! I've been gearing up for the NY Conference- I was able to get into the illustrator intensive and the portfolio showcase- woo hoo! Also I am finally finishing up my first part of my graphic novel! I'll post some pages in the next few days but it's based off of my sketchbook journal Diary Of A Wiener. I'm pretty excited about it and have been working on it for several years. So stay tuned for that!

Also, I wanted to share my illustrations used in this month's SCBWI newsletter. They are of my little mole! Also, they gave a specific spotlight to me and my work in the new "Art Spot" section of the newsletter! Thanks to Sarah Baker and SCBWI!

Okay- that's all for now. I have to finish up my book dummy, edit my portfolio, finish my last graphic novel pages, layout the book, ready my postcards for the show, oh and breath!

More to come!

Jessixa

Happy New Year!

Hey all!

Just a quick note to wish you all a Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a great holiday season. Mine was out of sight and a blur of action. But I really miss it even though it was exhausting.  

I just have a couple of updates. My website has some new work up. Mostly work I've mentioned here on my blog, but hadn't made it's way to the site yet. But my wonderful husband has made it all shiny and current, so that is a good thing and I sooooo appreciate him for helping me with my website.

In some fun news, I'm featured in the January February issue of the SCBWI newsletter in the Art Spot as well as having a couple of illustrations dotting the issue. I'm very excited to get that shout our from SCBWI. Thanks again!

Also, I am officially signed up and attending the annual winter conference for the SCBWI in February. I'm VERY excited to get to attend that conference. Cross your fingers for me that I can get off the waitlist for the portfolio showcase as well as the intensives and workshops I want to take part in. Here's hoping!

Here's a quick shot of my holiday card I sent out this year featuring my badgers Tic and Tac!

Here's to a great 2013

Illustration Friday: Explore

Hey all
For this week's theme, I'm furthering my exploration of black and white. This little guy is certainly about to explore this whale, hopefully the whale will be kind to his new visitor. He's gently going in but there is still something unsettling about his adventure and the atmosphere.

Thanks for looking!

Illustration Friday: Tree

Hey all
I've been bad about my IF posts the last month or so. I am currently working on new picture book project though staring my precocious badgers, Tic and Tac so I decided to do some practice sketches of them based on recent IF topics. I've done a couple for this week's "tree" theme as well as the catch up entries. Enjoy!

Weekend sketching

Howdy folks!

This weekend has been jam packed with inspiration and drawing! Two of my favorite things. First it started off with attending Short Run. The Seattle small press show featuring mostly comics and some zines. I was there for over four hours and it wasn't enough time to see it all. I love making comics and have had a long break from making minis due to trying to devote all my comics time to my graphic novel. But I was sooooo inspired to get back into making smaller one off comics that I've got some big ideas hat I know I won't be able to shelf for long. My goal for 2013 is to have a table at Short Run with a some new comics and perhaps even segments from my graphic novel. I'm thrilled. I just need to find about 20 more hours a week to get all my stuff done! No problem though, right?

I've also been making some preliminary sketches for an illustration I'm submitting for the Tomie dePaola competition through SCBWI. This award includes a full paid trip and entrance to the winter conference in New York. I REALLLLLLLY want to go to this and would be so honored to win the award. So I'm going to try very hard to submit the best illustration possible. 

Lastly, I've been working on another picture book concept. I'm in the early stages of re-writes and thumbnails, but it feels good to be writing stories that really connect to my visual language, which I've had trouble doing in the past. I'll post more on that as it comes but I will just say this, it involves my two favorite badger brothers Tic and Tac!

I know all of this sounds like a lot, but I just can't pass up inspired ideas when they present themselves to me. I also think adding more fun and unrestricted comics work is just what I need to help with my storytelling and illustration with my picture books as well as my graphic novel. 

So much to do! But so excited to do it all!

Illustration Friday: Book

Tic and Tac are back for this week's IF challenge. They are taking a mischief break and enjoying some reading time in their library!

Illustration Friday: Imagination

 

Hey everyone!

I haven't done and IF in a few weeks due to some other projects that have been taking up my time (to which I will post about soon) but here is my latest piece that I've created. I am not sure where this idea came from, but its my own sort of take on Little Red Riding Hood. What if it was all a game in the wolf's mind and these where just his play things? Or maybe in his reality, people are not more threat than just bugs? Either way, I think this little bad wolf is using his imagination. That is to say if he is bad at all...

I forgot to mention I've been watching all lot of Twin Peaks lately and I think its creeping into my children's books illustration. I'm taking it as a good thing- and perfect company for my Woodland illustrations! Thanks for looking!

jx

Camping Adevnture!

Hey everyone!
Here is a piece I made based on a recent camping trip I had with my friends and my husband. The animal representations are oddly very accurate. I am the squirrel with all the marshmallows and my husband is the otter with the hotdog on a stick. We even had lanterns like the ones pictured, only ours were paper with glow sticks in them. I would love the see if the lightning bugs in a jar work though. I hope to do more pieces based upon this trip!

Illustration Friday: Freeze

What's the first thing you do after the first winter freeze? Well this little guy goes ice skating on the pond!

Illustration Friday: Lonely

This little guy got trapped in a bell jar when he was running through the field. I'd say he feels pretty lonely right about now.

Saturday thumbnails

Hey everyone
Here are some thumbnails for my latest book project! I'll post more final drawings as I make them!

Illustration Friday: Carry

For this week's theme, I thought I would post a mini book that I created to send out as promotion for my illustration work. It all starts off with Tic and Tac (my precocious badgers) carrying some items, so I thought it fit perfectly. Enjoy!

Illustration Friday: Lost

I'm a little late this week with my IF piece, but I'm really quite happy with how it turned out. It's my mole that I've been playing with. It appears that he is looking for a way to get to somewhere very important...or maybe just a way out of his house?

Illustration Friday: Refresh

Hey All
Here is my illustration for this week's IF theme. My little tapir needs to freshen up his patch of grass with a nice cool drink!Thanks for looking!

Drifting part 3

Here are a couple more little studies for my latest picture book. These are a couple of boats that the little beaver made. One one would be a basic boat that he made when he was younger the other is a barge that he is painting. Any thoughts?

Driftwood boats: Part 2

Hey all!
I posted yesterday some sketches for a new picture book idea I have. Well here is a little painting I did last night to go help develop the idea. This little beaver is playing on a rug with some driftwood boats. The rug came out a bit too blue, so I lightened it. Thoughts on which one you like better?