March 17, 2009

My New Book - Layers & Layers of Art


As part of the run-up to my new book, 'Cromwell Dixon's Sky-Cycle', I thought I'd share this fun little step by step animation.

This image is built from layers in Photoshop. With the magic of digital technology, these layers can be transformed into an animation of sorts.

The original drawing forms the basic structure... while the layers add depth, color, type, background and shadows. It's sort of hypnotic to watch as the layers click together...

Photoshop can be useful in adjusting the elements... without some of the drawbacks of real paints.

The title of my new book is 'Cromwell Dixon's Sky-Cycle'. It's a fantastic true story about a boy named Cromwell Dixon, who was known in the newspapers a century ago as America's 'Boy Aeronaut'.

He had a dream to build his own flying airship in Columbus, Ohio in 1907... and this is a book about how his dream came true.

This is a real boy's book... with imagination, daring, adventure, danger and amazing inventions... all built by a boy in his own backyard.

That was always one of my favorite boyhood things to do... build amazing new contraptions out in the backyard.

I'll be blogging more about it in the not too distant future.

5 comments:

Doug said...

wow! this is really cool! I can't wait to find the book in a bookstore someday...

J. E. Morris said...

Love the illustration, I'll be looking for the book. I think it's pretty neat how you animated your PS layers.

John Shelley said...

this is hypnotic John. Fabulous!

Sam said...

That is gorgeous - and I can't wait 'til it comes out! I must get a copy for my nephew - he lives right next to Colombus Ohio!!
Put me on yur mailing list to let me know when I can order it!

PacificNorthwestPaintings said...

Simply Fascinatin'!