Cover Idea

Haha I Redid this Picture..Again

Ok this is my fourth (and final) version and definitely my favorite.  This was done in carbon pencil-- very similar to charcoal, and watercolors.

Illustration Friday: Swarm

I'm very drawn to French themes in my art sometimes.  Probably because I lived in Belgium for two years when I was little.  I knew important french words like frites (french fries) and gaufre (waffle--they used to sell delicious Belgian waffles from street vendors--YUM!).

Alligator Book Sample Page

 

*Edit* I was a little unhappy with the paleness of the colors, so I added some more watercolor layers to make them richer.  I also added some pink flowers to the bushes on the left.

Piggy Band

Baby Moose Visits/Illustration Friday: Layer

This is a spread for "Baby Moose Visits" that won't be used, so I thought I'd go ahead and post it.    Though this would be perfect for Illustration Friday since they are layered in mud!

And Meanwhile...

The new Baby Moose character sketches have been emailed to the art director at Dutton, so now while I wait for their response I'm going to work on my super-secret alligator story/book dummy over the weekend.   I'm also snowed in, so guess I'll just have to stay in my house and draw.  What a bummer right? :)

Thank You!

Thanks so much to my wonderful fellow artists who left feedback on the Baby Moose sketches!  When working so closely to something, a fresh eye and perspective is needed - your thoughts and opinions have definitely made a big impact on the book.

Friends of mine have asked how competitive the children's illustration world is - I tell them it's VERY competitive in terms of the talent out there- but you won't meet a kinder group of people.

Final Decision

After much trial and error (and worry) I think I've arrived at the final character designs for "Baby Moose Visits" :-))

Illustration Friday: Dusty

A sudden gust of wind kicked up dust, leaves and sprigs of grass. There was something strange in the air.

Characater Sketches Color

I painted these right in my sketch book, which is definitely the world's worst paper for watercolors. 

Sketches

Getting a little closer to my goal with these characters. :)

'Moore Moose'

Character Sketches/Style Test/Pencil

 

Many thanks for the comments and opinions on these character sketches.  It's VERY helpful!

Character Sketches/Style Test

Raj the Bookstore Tiger

Raj is now prowling around and waiting to pounce this February!   The very talented Kirsten Cappy has created a book trailer for the release, check it out!

Illustration Friday: Chicken

Elvira was not too chicken to follow her dreams.

Wow It's A Cow has won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award!

Oh my goodness, I'm so glad to be back in the saddle again!  The holidays have come and gone, and it's now time to sharpen those pencils, and tackle my current projects head-first!  What's on my plate now?  Dutton has responded with sketch notes for "Baby Moose Visits" including some text rewrites.  I'm still not a hundred percent happy with my character designs and still trying out some art styles.  I really want this book to sing, and for the relationship between the boy and moose to be believable and palpable in my drawings. 

I just finished up final art for the touch-and-feel book for Guidepost, "One Night In Bethlehem" - I can't wait to see it in print!  

With the end of the holidays I also have more time to check out the blogs of my readers (with a cup of hot tea in tow of course).

Also, thought I might include a bit of news:  my book "Wow It's A Cow" has won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award!!  Whooo hooo!!!


 

Spread from Babybug Magazine

I've updated my website with tons of new sample pages from my books!  Take a short break from the holiday rush and check it out :) Paige Keiser Illustrations

Motor Duck with More Detail

I felt like the motor duck illustration was a little too sparse so I added some brighter colors and more detail and exchanged my Illustration Friday image for this new one.

Illustration Friday: Mail

Same idea in a couple different styles:

One Night In Bethlehem - Promotional Spread

From the touch-and-feel book "One Night In Bethlehem"- release date to be announced!  For this book I outlined the illustrations using a carbon pencil - which is like charcoal but easier to sharpen (tips don't break off) and doesn't smear as easily.

My New Studio Companion, Alfredo

Introducing Alfredo the studio mouse.  He was supposed to be a "feeder mouse" at Petco where people basically buy them for their snakes/lizards to be eaten alive. :-(  But now he's going to have a long (well, mice only live 1.5-2 years) happy life. (Video is available in HD - just adjust the settings on the bottom right).

What is Alligator In Search Of?

It's a secret!

Thanks so much for the feedback from my last post, it was VERY helpful!  XXOO :-)) I still haven't made a solid decision yet, but it will probably reveal itself the more color experiments I try.

Argh!

I'm going through my usual process of driving myself insane trying to choose a style for my manuscript.  Friends and family are no help either because everyone likes something different.  As for me, I'm leaning towards the pen and ink mostly because the story is VERY goofy and silly, and has lots of scenes that will require dramatic crying and whining (in a humorous way).  A there's nothing like the magic of a dip pen to cook up emotion with the flick of the wrist (after drawing something a 100 times first of course until it's right).

But then again, I'll probably wake up at 4am and change my mind.  It's times like these that I really wish I had one style that I knew and loved and could call my own.  Maybe one day...

Gator Bites

Illustration Friday: Sneaky

Baby bear snuck into his big brother's room, and played with his sibling's prized, red Matchbox car.   He was careful not to get applesauce on it this time. 

High Five Cover!

This is the September 2010 issue :)

Going to the Gift Shop

Illustration Friday: Sneaky

Well I truly enjoyed drawing this one, but unfortunately the crosshatching/shading with a pen was hurting my wrist (I've had tendonitis for years).  I was thinking though, maybe I could crosshatch bits at a time, and rest and stretch my wrist every few minutes.  Anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?

*EDIT*  Just added another version done with charcoal, colored pencil and watercolors.

More Alligator Drawings

 

More minor changes to Alligator's character design.  Dots for eyes, more color and texture on his skin, looser line, and no bottom jaw (to make him look even sillier).  

Alligator Sketches Ahead!

Illustration Friday: Burning

Little Red Bird was riding the gator's tail at a burning speed, until the gator stopped.
"Giddyup!" said Red Bird.

"At a burning speed"--hmmmm, I think I just made up that phrase, I can't find it on google lol.  Oh well it's staying. 

(Sorry about the triple post on Illustration Friday, I couldn't get my link to work)

Sketchy Sketch

My Birthday Present!

Well, it's not my birthday until the 13th, but lookee what I'm getting from my parents, oh boy oh boy!!  An original watercolor painting by my absolute favorite illustrator, David McPhail. 

Fox in Socks Video Log Episode One -The Creation of "Wabbit Suit Inc."

On My Desk

Spooky

Nighttime Shenanigans

Oh YEAH?

Illustration Friday: Proverb

There is no greater calamity than being consumed by greed. - Chinese Proverb

Project

A funny video about the self-doubts and worries that come with working on your own personal projects.  Just a quick warning, there are a couple curse words in this video for those that are offended by that sort of thing.  This is definitely a film for the older folks.  Enjoy!

Sketches

Sketches for a magazine assignment!

This Warms My Heart

I found this on youtube completely by accident: a couple of little ones reading my book, "Wow It's a Cow"!

a Little Tiger has been Released!

Look What's Popped Up On Amazon.com/Barnes & Noble!  Raj The Bookstore Tiger is available for pre-order!  

One Night In Bethlehem - New Book

This is a sketch from a new touch-and-feel book I'm working on entitled "One Night in Bethlehem".

I'm sorry this blog has been collecting cobwebs recently, but there's been illness in my family and quite a bit of stress this year.  Things are looking up though, and once again my drawing desk is calling for me (it's been very quiet for the most part).  I'm happy to be back working and enjoying the feel of a pencil in my hand, and the smell of paints and watercolor paper.  It lifts the spirits!

Of course there aren't many ailments in life a good Daniel Craig picture can't cure: