Pass the Syrup Please

I decided to illustrate a scene from one of my favorite James Marshall books. Can anyone guess what story it is? I took come creative liberties though and had the breakfast take place at the turtle's house instead of the moose. That way I could add the little "tortoise and hare" reference. I get a big kick out of adding little references and inside jokes to my drawings. I don't know why.

Booklet Sketches

I've been doing tons of these little BW booklets for Macmillan. They will eventually be taken home from school in little hands and used to teach lessons. I wonder who's backpack my drawings will end up in? Will it be colored accidentally with egg and cheese one early morning in a house in Chicago? How about San Diego? I wish I could put tracking devices on the final products--how fascinating that would be.

Books

The Dragon Story

Dr. Matin's Dyes/watercolors
Faber-Catell PITT artist pen M (not the brush pen)

Taste Testers Anonymous

Same illustration, two different styles..

Fishing

"The hook must be stuck."

Illustration Friday: Glamour

As long as your buddies don't see...

2nd Edit

Gimme A desk, An I.V., and some Paints

I can't stand days like today. I have to go out and do chores that have been piling up during the week and time away from my drawing table is like torture. At least I can entertain drawing and writing ideas in my head while I'm doing mindless things like grocery shopping and picking up dog food. :-P

Woops, I just realized I forgot to give the drummer bug in the sketch below a snare drum. Eek! Glad I caught that. Alright, on with the crumby (crummy?) chore day....

Sketch For Jazz Poem

This is one half of a double page spread - very rough still.

Jazz Club Waiter

I'm going to be submitting a poem/illustration to Ladybug Magazine. It's about an "underground" jazz club--the "underground" being literal of course as the band is made up of bugs. I haven't drawn many bugs in my career as an illustrator, so I'm figuring out what the characters will look like before I complete the sketch and send it along. This will probably be one of the waiters.

Also, since I like to read what others use on their illustrations, I'll do the same:

Inked w/ micron pen-#05
Bug colored w/ watercolors, background done with FW inks and Dr Martin's dye
Canson watercolor block hotpress

I'm waiting for my rotring rapidograph pen to come in from DickBlick. Also, a word to the wise. Their 'waterproof' ink is NOT waterproof (I found this out the hard way..). It bleeds w/ watercolors. I've been informed that you must buy the waterproof FILM ink.

More Sketches For Macmillan Mini-books

Jazz Bug

The tendonitis in my right wrist has been giving me trouble, so this was done left handed. I'm not naturally ambidextrous--when wrist pain kept me from my drawing board for months last year, I taught myself to draw left-handed so that my career wouldn't go down the tubes. This skill has served me well when wrist problems arrive in the middle of projects. And if I develop pain in my left wrist? Than I shall learn to draw with my toes ;-)

"Pied" Piper

Online Treasure

James Marshall is one of my biggest influences as a writer and illustrator. His work is just pure magic. In doing some research I found this quiet, unassuming web page tucked in a hiding place--you can't find it on any major search engines, which is a shame for such a diamond in the rough. It's created by his younger sister:

James Marshall

Illustration Friday: Cats

Royal Cats: 2
Flying Elephants: 0

Ice Hockey

Windy Day

Sketches For Mini-Books

These will be black and white line, no washes.

Lonely....

..but not for long.

The Owl and The Pussy Cat

The Owl And The Pussy Cat Sketch

Little Brother

Movies-Color

Going To The Movies

Illustration Friday:E Is For...... Escape!

Reading

Back In The Saddle

I don't know about you, but it takes me a while to get reacquainted with the life I had before the holidays. Most of January thus far has been spent catching up on stuff that fell by the way-side in December. Drawing even felt slightly awkward at first since I hadn't done it on a regular basis for a while and I found myself having to practice up to get back to where I was. The holidays are definitely a nice change, but at the same time it's great to get back to my job, and my regular work schedule.

Couple Of Tries: Same Subject

My First Hardback Book!

"My Eight Book" was originally a 70's book with 70's style illustrations. This is the remake. I'm absolutely ecstatic about the design, printing and overall quality of this Scholastic book. Wow, they did a great job. Nothing compares to the excitement of opening the box full of sample books the publisher sends after you've finished a project. Nothing...

Color

Illustration for a quirky, but charming poem about dinos doing the dishes.

Sketch

Illustration Friday: Flavor

The Ice Cream Store

Oh, the kids around the block are like an
Ice cream store,
'Cause there's chocolate and vanilla,
And there's maple and there's more,

And there's butterscotch and orange--
Yes, there's flavors by the score;
And the kids around the block are like an
Ice cream store!

--Dennis Lee