Storybooky

Blog Moving Time

2011-06-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

Storybooky is moving to a new location. I'd love it if you'd update your links and follow me over there!
http://storybooky.wordpress.com/

Caricature

2011-05-18T15:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the Spouse's retirement party - those all require caricatures, don't they? He is an old-timey film-type photographer and enjoys darkroom work, and I forsee lots of that in his future.

I happen to know that he covets purple shoes, so I gave him some in this picture.

Trio #1

2011-02-13T09:14:00.001-08:00

It's nice to work in trios. Three pictures really tell a little story, and show the same character in different situation. The large image in this group was done some time ago. Then I decided to give the little rat a story - a daring nighttime foray into the kitchen...cooking a delicacy....

which is presented to a friend.

I'm not sure if the cat and the rat are already friends, or if our ratty buddy is trying to make nice with the cat. Maybe there's more to the story.

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T06:34:00.001-08:00

Wishing you all an abundance of joy this Christmas and hope for the new year.

Ghosts of Christmas Cards Past #3

2010-12-19T06:27:00.000-08:00

More of the dachshund cards from previous Christmases....

Merry Kissmas! Everyone likes a nice slurpy dog waiting for them under the mistletoe, right? This piece was done in a watercolor/Prismacolor mix. I like working this way, since the Prisma picks up the texture of the watercolor paper. You can get some lively color blends depending on what colors you layer.

My actual dogs, in festive finery. This was a Photoshop job, of course - time was short in 2006, no time to render! That is handsome Louie on the left, and soulful Moose on the right.

No card in 2007. I had a big job due and not even enough time to slap together a Photoshop job!

In 2008 the kiddie lit influence began to creep in. Loud zippy toys make for happy kids but annoyed old wiener dog. This piece was done in oil.

Last year's card was another oil. Santa better get to this house quick...those cookies ain't gonna last.

This year's greeting will appear later this week. Our tree is decorated and there's just a little shopping to do. Time to fire up the CD player, listen to some favorite Christmas music, and try to avoid the egg nog and baked goodies for another week!

Ghosts of Christmas Cards Past - #2

2010-12-09T15:27:00.000-08:00

I've always loved animal interlace patterns and the astounding Celtic gospel books ornamented in that style. Wiener dogs just naturally lend themselves to such a design. This is one of my personal favorites, because it comes the closest to being a successful combination of real Christian sentiment with the silliness of the dog designs. It seems like one ought to be able to be pious and have fun at the same time, but I found the combination very tricky to execute.Media for this design: gouache and digital manipulation.Walkin' in a Wiener Wonderland...an animal dressed up in people clothes + St. Nick + tacky snow globes. What's not to like? This piece was truly mixed media. Paint, photography and Photoshoppery were all combined. This was the year I abandoned the attempts to combine secular and sacred. Wiener dog nutcracker - another of my favorites. This design was rendered in Prismacolor pencil.

Are you getting in the mood for Christmas 2010 yet?

Ghosts of Christmas Cards Past - #1

2010-11-24T14:57:00.000-08:00

One year I will have the Christmas card finished before Thanksgiving. Not this year, but one year. This year I'll be spending the holiday before Christmas in the traditional way - in front of the drafting table wishing that I had done the card back in July.

For ten years now I have done dachshund-themed Christmas cards. I'm smitten with the little weiner dogs, and have enjoyed designing something every year that demanded no consistency of style or materials.

So here's a little trip down memory lane, starting with the first card.

This one was an unholy medieval/photo mashup. That's an ox and ass in the stable. Baby Jesus is represented by the yellow glow, in the same way that he's represented by a lightbulb in many Christmas pageants. This design was a combination of photography and some work in the late, lamented FreeHand, assembled in Photoshop.

The following year I was still doing a sacred/secular mix. Here we have the Adoration of the Wiener Dogs, with the happy dogs bounding in to greet the Holy Family with the shepherds.. I'm not sure whose image I borrowed for the base. I do apologize; this probably doesn't constitute "fair use" and I promise not to do it again. Next time I'll have to paint my own Renaissance master-esque scene. I dropped my dogs in with Photoshop.

Have you ever enjoyed a December afternoon wrapping presents and listening to the Wiener Knabenchor (Vienna Boys' Choir)? How about shattering the peace with the Howleluja Chorus and the Wiener Hundenchor? This year's card was rendered in watercolor.

More to come!

Werewolf Club #1

2010-11-17T15:16:00.000-08:00

These are a couple of sketches for some samples I'm planning based on The Werewolf Club #2 - The Lunchroom of Doom by Daniel Pinkwater.

Mr. Pinkwater used to review children's books on Weekend Edition on NPR. It's been a long time since I've heard him, though, so I wonder if that feature has been discontinued.

The first book of his that I read was the wonderful Lizard Music. I love it when a book surprises me, and this one had something unexpected on nearly every page.

Recently I picked up this second installment in The Werewolf Club at Half-Price. Even though this is a book for a much younger reader, and the story is pretty simple, it is still delightfully unpredictable and a fun read. It's unusual for a book that is supposed to be funny for 9 year olds to also be funny to someone...um...a bit more mature. Just the idea that a school would have a werewolf group along with Spanish club and chess club makes me smile. Lucky for this school, they had a werewolf teacher to act as faculty sponsor. I even enjoyed re-reading this story, and think that it's entertaining enough that young readers would want to look up some of the longer, unfamiliar words. The others in the series are going on my Amazon list, unless I'm lucky enough to find more of them at Half-Price.

One of the speakers at the last SCBWI conference I attended suggested that illustrators expand their scope beyond picture books and consider chapter books as well. Werewolf Club came to mind instantly as a story I'd like to tackle.

There's not a whole lot of character development in this story, but Billy Furball stands out as the comic figure within the comedy. The other kids are united not only in lycanthropy, but in their revulsion over Billy's lunches and hygiene. The villians are evil space aliens, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance!

No spoilers yet. More to come.

Plein-ish Air

2010-05-19T16:34:00.001-07:00

Since the spouse is a serious photographer and I make pictures the really old-fashioned way, it seemed like a really good idea for me to work up some plein-air skills so we could go to locations together and both have some artsy activity once we got there. Last year I acquired a super cute little pochade box to help with this, but we still haven't done too much art travel.

Last week, while on a stay-cation, we meant to put our plan into practice.

We visited three state parks, but the wind was so fierce that doing actual plein-air work was out of the question. So I ended up using the camera, too, and working up a few views from my photos. This particular view was from Mother Neff State Park.

I purposely shot landscapes without distinguishing features or dramatic scenery. Not sure where I'm going with that, but I do know that I want my landscapes to be quiet and the opposite of exotic: something anyone in this part of the country might see any day.

Hmmm. Those Texas cedars look like they owe a bit to Van Gogh's cypresses!

Pictorialism

2010-05-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

"Wappping"
Alvin Langdon Coburn, 1904

Last week the spouse & I travelled to San Antonio to visit friends & family, and to take in a couple of exhibits at the McNay. TruthBeauty was a collection of photographic pictorialist work, and Impressionist Sensibility featured American impressionist painters. This was supposed to be a “something for everyone” trip, since the spouse is a photographer.

While the painting show was most definitely worth the visit, it was the photography that taught me the best lessons that day.

Pictorialist photographers were active in relatively early times for that medium. They sought to elevate photography from a mechanical, documentary form to art. To do this, they turned away from sharp focus, suggesting atmosphere and mood more than recording particulars. With such a lack of detail, shape and value become the important elements in their compositions.

This is a worthy goal for me, too. Much contemporary illustration seems to be heavily influenced by animation. Not just cinematic compositional sensibilities, but the hyper-realistic detail that’s made possible by digital processes. Yes, the look is new and (sometimes quite literally) shiny, but say an illustrator wants to stand out from the trend, and produce something that the digirati do not. Maybe said illustrator could take a look at the pictorialists.

"Spring Showers"
Alfred Stieglitz, 1901

"Kelmscott Manor: Attics"
Frederick H. Evans, 1898

The Undersecretary of the Underpants

2010-03-06T07:53:00.001-08:00

This is another page from The Emperor's New Clothes, in which the Emperor dispatches the Undersecretary of the Underpants to check on the weavers' progress.

In my book, the Emperor has a costume change for every scene. And yes, I'm thinking of this as a staged piece. In this scene, I was inspired by some particularly aesthetic photos of Oscar Wilde

for the Emperor's get-up. So here he is, filled with ennui, and longing for his new clothes. Exit the Undersecretary, stage right. (is that right?) Umm, make that stage left.

The Weavers' Fabrication

2010-02-27T10:47:00.000-08:00

Even though it's been a long time since I've posted here, I have been working. I did another job for the Nazarene Publishing House, and a spread for a story in Red River Kids magazine.

For the New York trip, I wanted to take a book dummy, so I firmed up some ideas for The Emperor's New Clothes that I had been kicking around for awhile. I rewrote the story, laid out all the spreads, and did a finished painting for a couple of the pages.

This one here shows the rascally weavers whispering to the Emperor, "We weave a cloth so light, so fine, so incomparably delicate, that no one has ever seen anything like it." No one has ever seen anything like it, indeed!

THE GOLDEN ARMADILLO!

2010-02-27T10:31:00.000-08:00

Long time...no blog.

There's nothing like winning an award to make you want to brag, or blog, or get the word out to people who really should be informed. Yeah, that's the ticket!
I won an award. At the local SCBWI conference, my portfolio was judged the best from among a bunch of other excellent portfolios. This was a huge thrill and honor. My prize was this lovely statuette and "tuition" to the big SCBWI conference in New York.

The trip to New York was exhausting yet energizing. Time to start blogging and posting new work again!

Abducted by Aliens - The End

2008-08-05T16:12:00.001-07:00

Interplanetary relations have been established in time to get tomorrow's homework done.

Abducted by Aliens - Chapter 4

2008-08-05T16:07:00.001-07:00

The aliens offer their friendship and a tasty treat.

Abducted by Aliens - Chapter 3

2008-08-05T16:03:00.000-07:00

In the zero-g environment of space, our hero is observed and examined.

Abducted by Aliens - Chapter 2

2008-07-27T05:40:00.001-07:00

In which our hero, avid for adventure, is transported to an unknown destination.

Abducted by Aliens

2008-06-09T16:21:00.001-07:00

This is the first picture in a little story without words.

The beginning is finished.

The end is finished.

The middle is not! My original idea just didn't work very well without words to explain the action....so it's back to the drawing board.

Tune in again next week for the next exciting chapter!

And now for something completely different.....

2008-05-20T15:12:00.001-07:00

No, that's not my artwork!

My friend, Maria Zannini, is published today! She writes titillating (ooh!) science fiction. If that's your bag, you need to visit Maria's blog at http://mariazannini.blogspot.com/ and buy her book!

Maria & I have been cheering each other on as we both pursue dreams outside of the day jobs. Well done, Maria! You got a sequel ready yet?

The Girl Wonder

2008-04-22T17:28:00.001-07:00

Shh! Her secret identity is Martina.

Switching from color to b&w was not easy! When I'm working in a more painterly style, it's just so natural to think in terms of warm/cool, rather than gray values. Practice, practice, practice!

Gerald

2008-02-03T14:11:00.001-08:00

Now we're getting somewhere. I kind of like this one.

Renee

2008-01-26T15:31:00.001-08:00

Another nice, normal kid.

Maybe I've left the bad seeds behind? Nah, they're too much fun. They'll be back.

Toby

2008-01-21T16:37:00.000-08:00

Charles

2008-01-20T14:03:00.001-08:00

Now here's a nice kid.

Terry

2008-01-19T11:01:00.000-08:00

Where are all these defiant children coming from?

Leonora

2008-01-13T11:25:00.001-08:00

Grrrr! Rowr!

Rosamund

2008-01-12T15:11:00.001-08:00

Ooooh. A little scary, this one!

Gus

2008-01-09T15:21:00.000-08:00

I thought I could benefit from doing some quick - like 15 minute - character studies. Here is Gus, he's the first. I hope to do more of these on a regular basis throughout the year. Good discipline, and good fun!

Latest Project

2008-01-09T15:07:00.000-08:00

These are two pieces from a book I just completed for the Nazarene Publishing House. The book describes the activities of their missionaries in Haiti.

Angel Book

2007-08-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

Another current project involves a whole passel of angels. Lots of skies, clouds, and drapery....and a good reason to get out some of those old masters and study them. Fra Angelico has been most helpful. (Go figure!)

IF: Discovery

2007-07-15T14:59:00.001-07:00

Discovering the PERFECT Ingredients.

Introducing the Emperor

2007-05-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

A project that I've set for myself is a re-write and full dummy for the story The Emperor's New Clothes. This piece was done as a warm-up and possible spot illo for the front of the book. Now I'm thinking it looks as if the page is making a grab for the imperial hiney...however, I decided to post now, and fix later if I decide to use the image.

Next step - paginate and lay out the book so I can get started with sketches.

Project Hamster part 2

2007-02-04T15:50:00.000-08:00

I am near the end of the hamster book - only 2 more illos left to go, once the client decides exactly what he wants. Seems like it is high time for a project update, since it's kept me so busy that I can't even play the Illustration Friday game! So, here's a sample....

IF: Trouble

2006-10-06T16:12:00.000-07:00

High noon...
Wimberly wasn't looking for trouble, but trouble was sure looking for him.

IF: Quiet

2006-10-04T14:37:00.000-07:00

Not my usual style, but it's nice to have a change now and then, isn't it?

The girl has had a long illness. Although she is confined to the dim and quiet sickroom, she makes her world vast and exciting by making up stories which she confides in whispers to her cat.

Project Hamster

2006-09-30T15:31:00.000-07:00

Here is the main character for a project that I am just beginning. I just love doing the rodents....it must be the beady eyes. This one is always looking forward to his next meal, so a deep and meaningful connection exists between us.

Do you think he's cute enough?

IF: Farm

2006-09-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

Finally, I can use a current project for Illustration Friday! The young man in the picture is perfectly happy working on the farm with his dad, but a few pages later in the book, he will be thinking about joining the circus!

IF: Skyline

2006-07-10T18:26:00.000-07:00

Skyline

I was working on this for another challenge and didn't finish on time. Lucky me, it fits for this week's IF!

This is the flying car they promised us back in the 50's. I'm still waiting.

IF: Sticky

2006-07-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a situation that's about to become very sticky.

I was happy to see the changes at Illustration Friday - very handy to have things divided up by style.

IF: KARMA

2005-07-20T14:56:00.000-07:00

KARMA - Young Ronald didn't know what karma was, but it was coming to get him anyway.

This is just a colored sketch... I may work it up more later.

IF: METROPOLITAN

2005-07-14T14:25:00.000-07:00

METROPOLITAN - The Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts have brought high drama and high Cs into the living rooms of America for 74 years. Yes, it is the fat lady singing.

IF: SPORT

2005-07-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

SPORT - I finished this one too late, but I'm posting it anyway. Here's the world's most famoust croquet game, which all Alice fans will recognise.

2005-07-04T12:10:00.000-07:00

Summer Job
This one is for the SCBWI -- the given subject was kids running a summer business. So here we have a young executive-to-be, striving to keep her team on track. There's one of those darn weiner dogs again.

2005-07-04T12:02:00.000-07:00

GIGI
Well, inspired by Gigi, anyway. Boring older person, teenager rolling her eyes. Some things never change. I used to be one of these characters. Now I fear I am the other. C'est la vie.

2005-06-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday: Hero
Wonder Worm -- Standing up for the spineless everywhere! My first IF submission and my first fully-digital illustration, too. Not my usual style, but the Caped Crawler needed a more graphic treatment. This was a fun exercise.

This is a character I began thinking of awhile back. I thought the worm would be interesting to develop because it would be a challenge to see how much action and emotion you could pack into a character that is, after all, essentially a line. Until now, I had never gotten around to drawing him; so he owes his more concrete existence to Illustration Friday.

2005-06-25T05:47:00.000-07:00

Pangolins is a really old piece, a good indication of where I started illustration-wise.

Chef Rat is a relatively recent. Anyone for a midnight Cheese Souffle?

Louie, Louis...this is one of my dogs. There's not a whole lot to figure out about Louie. Suffice it to say he is a sublimely happy dog. The other dog, Moose, is a more complex creature; he is given to self-doubt and anxiety. I haven't made a true portrait of him. Too painful.

I've created this blog in order to join in the fun on Illustration Friday, and this is my very first test post. Since I was a fervent journaler in my youth, this feels like one of those full-circle things. Except for the fact that this is like, public, you know.