The Painting...

Logically, the next step in the production of the illustration is the painting.

Real paints on real paper. Although this is undoubtedly my favorite medium, it is no longer the only choice. Digital variations can be interesting, and at times they can lifesavers. That is if one values the hours spent in making changes and repainting the same scenes.

When I started painting the first spread I decided to try out using a hybrid technique using both real and digital painting. I painted it first with acrylics on watercolor paper, then scanned it and processed the image with Photoshop. It was evident, as soon as I began adding in new layers with texture and shadows that it would work out just as I had hoped. I have to say I'm completely delighted with how it all printed up. The additional digital details are fab... but really only apparent in the finished book.

This film shows the original finished painting and related color studies done in Photoshop. Picking the color tones and the values ahead of time can save having to do things over. So a quick study brushed in with Photoshop can be time well spent.

I did up a little step by step on some of my many digital techniques on the Cromwell Dixon's Sky-Cycle book web site. Just click the tab 'Making the Book' if you're interested in knowing more.

The Rough Sketches...

As part of the launch of my new book, I thought I'd run some of the sketch videos I made up way back when I was first starting the sketches.

This collection of very rough sketches is a collection of scraps of drawings that give an idea of how I assemble the sources to arrive at the final sketch.

I never just sit down and begin a drawing from start to finish like the French painter Ingres used to do! I once saw a painting by Ingres in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, where he showed his technique of going directly from the pencil sketch to the finish painting all in one piece! But I digress...

In my case it was interesting to try to find the right 'voice' for the drawings for this book. Being a non-fiction book, I still wanted it to retain as much personality as I could. But trying to match the period genre of illustration styles was the challenge.

The movie was done with my digital camera... all in one take. I just turned up the loudspeaker in my studio to record the soundtrack. All very high tech! The music is vintage jazz from the 1920's... one of my favorite kinds of music. It's full of charm and style.

I'll be the guest blogger on the Putnam's web site in a few days... so that ought to make for a bit of virtual excitement.

My new book's web site is here: Cromwell Dixon's Sky-Cycle in case anyone is looking for it...

Artistic Quibbles

One hears about movie stars who don't like to watch their own movies. People seem surprised at that, but I don't.

Movie stars might have quibbles with how their profiles looked... or how their scenes by the swimming pool came out. I saw in an interview with a legendary British actor who couldn't bear to watch his older movies. He claimed it was too painful to watch how he was overacting.

Well it's just the same with children's book makers. If you want artistic quibbles, we have quibbles in abundance!

I find it's easy to relate as a children's book-maker. Such behavior is almost a no-brainer. We're always struggling against that inner critic, who is not known to be any artist's best friend.

But it is nice when finally, with the forgiveness of time we learn to be more self accepting.

I once did the covers of a magazine for a year... and every time I'd get them in the mail, I'd shove them into an envelope and out of my sight. I didn't want to look at them ever again. Years went by and one day I discovered a big fat envelope on a dusty shelf. I opened it up with curiosity. It was the entire year's collection of those old magazine covers.

But this time, instead of cringing, I was astonished to see how well designed they were! How cheerful and fun they all looked! Finally, after 5 years, I was able to give myself a pat on the back. Such is the artiste's life I'm afraid.

I have an equally hard time with writing. Since writing is a totally plastic art form, it's difficult for me to ever decide when anything is actually 'right' or not. Sometimes I make a guess if it's 'right' or not... but then it's so easy to change everything.

I find it's especially difficult to read the printed final version of a book I've written. Why? Because no matter how many times I've proof-read it... or read through it until it turns invisible... I can never get over the feeling that I've left in some critical error. I'm afraid to read the lines. I keep thinking I might have put in the wrong word. Maybe I used 'for' instead of a 'from'. Little things like that won't let the poor author relax.

So I know just why those movie stars don't want to watch their old movies.

Today's blog photos are of notable people looking through my book, 'One Smart Cookie'. No doubt the stars were gracious enough to overlook the errors...

Some Cheery Reviews

It's always heartening to get an uplifting review after the long, long wait for any book to come out. I thought this review from Publisher's Weekly might send the book-maker's spirits aloft. So that's a good sign:

Cromwell Dixon's Sky-Cycle John Abbott Nez. 

Putnam, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-399-25041-5 

Nez (One Smart Cookie) 

Cromwell Dixon's Sky-Cycle introduces an obscure figure in flight history with engaging artwork that jazzes up this jaunt to a golden age of invention. In the early 20th century, 14-year-old inventor Cromwell Dixon, obsessed with airships like many Americans at the time, begins work on one of his own. He “took apart his old bicycle and rebuilt it in a different way. Land's sake! What a mixed-up contraption began taking shape in the barn.” Despite one major setback and with the help of his patient mother, Cromwell finally pedals his machine aloft over Columbus, Ohio. Set mostly against a robin's-egg blue sky, the detail-rich scenes (Nez even captures the wry expressions of some chickens put out when Cromwell lands on their coop) offer ground-up and bird's-eye views of the action. Nez's direct-from-Main-Street narrative (“that boy had more gumption than a gopher”) and cartoons present a keen, smiling Cromwell not easily deterred—his attitude will be infectious. Brief endnotes and photos of Cromwell, his mother and his flying machine conclude this cheery portrait of “America's Boy Aeronaut.” Ages 5–up. (May)

Also, Kirkus Reviews seemed to think my little book might pass muster: 

Nez, John Abbott 

CROMWELL DIXON’S SKY-CYCLE 

Illustrated by the author 

This fine tribute to teenage inventors everywhere retraces the true early exploits of a handy Ohio lad who converted his bicycle into a homemade dirigible, then successfully (more or less) tested it out in the skies over Columbus. He even went on to win a prize at the 1907 St. Louis Airship Carnival. The picture of smiling confidence in Nez’s bright painted illustrations, Dixon constructs several ungainly devices with active help from his mother, before wheeling out the sky-cycle and soaring off above crowds of admirers in period dress. 

“Dare to dream” is the clear message here.

So I guess that makes me one happy chicken!

I'll be a guest blogger on the Putnam blog in May, so that's looking like it ought to be fun.

Nature, that is, perfection itself...

Spring unveils it's wonders in my nearby haven of urban countryside. Apple blossoms pop out pink and then turn white as they open. Perfection itself.

What is it about sails that seem so iconic to me? Ideas for paintings abound.

The blackbird shows his red feathers... with patches extended almost like a bird of paradise.

Sometimes I don't even know why a photo intrigues me. I like it better when I can't figure it out.

Babybug... the real and the digital

I greatly enjoyed doing these 6 pages of artwork in the new Babybug magazine, which just came out.

It was interesting in that I first was going to do the final version with photoshop. But then I changed my mind and decided to do the real paint instead.


It's hard to decide which I like more. Each has it's pros and cons. Since the publisher seems to very much prefer real paints, I stuck with those... even though I spilled some paint on one of the faces and it was a bit of a pain to fix with real paints. That sort of thing wouldn't have taken 20 seconds with the digital version.

I had numerous different backgrounds in mind for the digital version... which is one of the fun things which that medium allows. And I have yet to find any paint that can equal photoshop for doing opaque highlight details.

It's all in the drawing anyhow, so the medium is secondary I guess.

Cherry Blossom Time

It's cherry blossom time on the quadrangle... a glorious time indeed. Imagine a faux-elizabethan college square lined with 100 year old cherry trees... all in blossom.

The many Asians here are especially devoted to cherry blossoms. It's easy to see why.

We are fairly choked with cherry blossoms.
But never fear, rain & snow are in the forecast. April is the cruelest month, they say... but actually it's June-uary that takes that prize here in Seattle.

Last weekend I was there in a sunny crowd of cherry blossom fans.

An aged and very frail old woman in a motorized wheelchair went by. She looked to be on her last legs... but the wonder of it all seemed to have entranced her completely. Her face lit up with joy. She caught my eye and declared... 'Isn't it all wonderful?'

Yes it is!

Seattle Scenes...

I noticed the other day...

A white sail as elusive as the wild swans... which now, alas, have moved on.

The cormorant dries it's wings... an iconic totem for sure.

And tulips. I could look at tulips all day.

Ferris wheels must be very popular...

Ferris wheels must be very popular. I have been perplexed to discover this after noticing that this image, which I posted on my blog about a year ago has been one of the most popular pages ever on my site. It seems to come up almost every day in web searches.

Maybe that's a good sign for my new upcoming book. Let's hope so.

So I've reposted it... along with a link to my new book's URL. So maybe now folks from Kyonggi-do, Seoul, Jakarta Raya, Kyonggi-do, Costa Rica Madrid, Bratislava, Ontario, and Virginia will know where else to click if they like this image.

By the way... my most popular link by far is: How to unclog a Canon print head. That one wins bar none. I'm thinking of adding a new update titled: How to refill a Canon inkjet cartridge for $1. That's sure to cause a sensation!

:0)

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.

March

This picture reminded me so much of one of those illustrations for 'March'. Our particular March is not coming in like a lamb.... more like a penguin actually.

Meanwhile, inside the conservatory, summer remains intact... worlds away, under glass.

Nothing quite like a hot-house jungle for a freezing day in March.

I wasn't sure what this was until I peered through the device. It's a bit of clever artwork... sort of a time machine.

Meanwhile, the valiant crocuses put their best foot forward.