New Print!
I love otters! Last time I went to Morro Bay I got to see a little otter floating on his back eating an abalone. It’s so cute how they swim after fish, catch them and tear their little fishy faces off. Sigh….
You can find this new print in 3 sizes, 5″x7″, 8″x10″ and 11″x14″ at my Etsy store, www.badbird.etsy.com
One of my favorite steps in children’s book illustration is charactor design.
First I collected realistic images of weasels.
Then I collected cartooned images of weasels.
I study both to get what I need.
See the weasel circled above? I really like him but he is not too child friendly. I will save him for my Adult weasel book.
This weasel is suppose to be young. And you know what that means, Big Head Time!
Okay, getting close. The first one looks like an alien, but the second one Pure Magic!
Oh Yah, almost there.
Adorable and cranky! Success!
FACT: I took me about 150 sheets of paper to get to the final drawing. Front and back.
TIP: Don’t hold back. Draw EVERY idea that comes into your head. It doesn’t matter if they’re good or not. You learn something with each drawing.
It’s September and you know that means,
Whales!
It’s time to polish your dorsal fins, shake out your tail flukes and send out those party invitations because it’s almost Blow Hole Day!
My plankton gift to you at this most festive time of year is the pattern Mommy & Baby Whale.
Remember! Click on the image to get the full size pattern.
Starting NOW until Saturday the 27th , 12:00 am midnight, pacific time, if you buy any two prints you will get one $25.00 print for free.
That’s Right! Buy any 2 prints and get 1 free $25.00 print free.
This sale is for any of my 3 Etsy stores.
Click here to get to my stores:
IMPORTANT! How to order - When you order your 2 prints at my Etsy store there is an area in which you can leave a message. In this area, beside telling me how awesome I am, you can let me know which $25.00 print you want for free.
New Halloween Pattern at my Etsy store!
I met one of my clients in person last weekend. She had stitched up quite a few of my embroidery patterns. I asked her if there were any other patterns she would like to see in my store and she said, “More Halloween Patterns!”
I got busy as soon as I got home and designed up this cute Bat/Halloween sampler. You can find this pattern at my Etsy store.
So sorry I am late with this month’s pattern. I’ve been terribly busy what with winning awards and selling a butt load of art. Greatness never rests (or maybe, no rest for the wicked, you choose).
I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to do for this month’s pattern so I dug into my archive of old drawings. What I found was an idea I had for a quilt. This quilt will never be made, so I thought, “Why not”? The birds are kind of modern-ish, but the “flowers” are based on a vintage quilt I saw a long time ago.
I am very curious to see what you guys do with this image. There are quite a lot of elements in which all kind of interesting needlework treatments could be used.
Have fun! And, remember, click on the image to get the full size pattern.
ps- I would like to thank a certain someone for not yelling at me for being late with the pattern. You know who you are….
A disturbing trend is starting to occur. When I meet fans of my art or blog they bring me cake. It’s my fault really, because I have written in detail about my love for the treat.
But here is the problem. I used to be almost 300 lbs and my back hurt.
I have lost 80 lbs so far in my attempt to save my back.
I can’t say no to cake. So please don’t give me any.
If there is cake around I can become a real nuisance.
Then drastic measures must be taken.
So please don’t give me cake.
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When I turn 72 years old I plan to start the Year of the Cake. It will be 365 days of tasty cake eating fun.
This will be followed by the highly anticipated the year of the nachos.
Far be it from me to toot my own horn, but in this post I will be tooting the hell out of it.
This last weekend I went to the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators) convention in Los Angeles. At this event there where keynote speakers (Bruce Coville, Jerry Pinkney, Libba Bray, David Small, Judy Blume, Jon Scieszka, Norton Juster, and many more), parties, socials and competitions.
I arrived knowing that I would have my crew from my critique group beside me. ( Charles Eubank, Ella German, Patti Gabrielson, Wendy Kitts, Richard Metzger, Katrin Azimi, and Anna Guillotte). Soon I was able to add to my crew a whole bunch of new faces. EVERYONE was intensely friendly and supportive.
I went to several workshops and I entered my portfolio into the portfolio showcase. On Saturday evening I found out that I had been chosen for the Mentorship award. Also winning the Mentorship award where Eliza Wheeler, Juliana Brion, Juana Martinez, and Christina Forshay. Hooray for us!
That night we had a Pajama Party by the pool. There where a lot of artist, writers, school teachers and librarians that got their freak on. It was a bit disturbing.
The next day the Mentor-ship winners received personal critiquing from industry professionals, E.B. Lewis, David Diaz, Priscilla Burris, Cecilia Yung, and Pat Cummings. That night we shared a group discussion.
So now I am very tired. I have canceled everything that I wanted to do today except to toot my own horn because that seemed very important to me.
SCBWI Award Winners: http://scbwiconference.blogspot.com/2011/08/portfolio-showcase-winners.html
Got Story Count Down: (my teacher Joy Chu’s Childrens Book blog) http://gotstorycountdown.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/awestruck-by-teaching-part-1/
SPECIAL THANKS - Lori Mitchell (teacher, illustrator and writer) for saying that I should be a children’s book illustrator and turned me on to SCBWI, David Diaz (award winning illustrator) who critiqued me and said that I could make it in illustration, Joy Chu ( art director and designer of over 20 children’s books) for teaching me how to be a children’s book illustrator, and my critique group for keeping me in line.
LINK to my New Illustration blog: http://www.zuill.us/illustration/
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