Some new sketches...

It's a bit peculiar how artists and their drawings seem related. Once I had a famous illustrator come visit my studio and the first thing that popped into my head as she walked up the steps was 'You look exactly like your drawings!' - even though her drawings are mostly of bunnies and mice. In any event, here's to a fun new year of making art.

Here's wishing everyone some happy holidays!

Happy Holidays!

It's that time of year for a little bit of 

 holiday, holiday, holiday art!

Here's wishing everyone lots of

Happy Holidays! 

From the picturebook dummy to the real book

 Before a book is real, it first appears as a 'dummy'. That is to say it's a rough version of what will be the finish art and text.  I made this dummy book with my printer and tape and lots of cleverness.  

Here's a post showing how a book might change and progress between the first sketched out dummy book and the final printed book.

Some of the pictures and words are slightly changed with each new version made as the book evolves.

It's almost more fun playing with the sketches than doing all the finish work, but it's always a challenge trying to keep the sketches loose.

But I guess the the very first version of the book was the  Indesign file that came before the homemade version.

Of course now that I see the rough version and the finish book, I just want to rewrite it all and change the art... occupational hazard I guess.

Thank you thanksgiving...

I'm grateful for pencil and paper... and my eraser.

Mmmmmmm! Pumpkin pie.

Mmmmmmm! Pumpkin pie.

Happy Halloween!

The Holiday of imagination...

Halloween Night - the Holiday where imagination and costumes are key.

I think being a pirate was always my favorite - a nice safe daytime pursuit. And I think I liked all the 18th century overtones of decor - knee-pants - buckles - scarves and three-cornered hats.

There's just thumpin' about a pumpkin...

There's just thumpin' about a pumpkin that can't be beat. Meanwhile, back on the Rain Ranch here in Seattle, we dodged a bullet with Windstorm #1 (which failed to materialize but still left 3" of rain). But now it's on to the really big remnants of Typhoon Songdo - due this afternoon! Batten down the pumpkins.

October Inktober

Here are some pictures from my new book 'Amazing Autumn'.  Lots of leaves - even though in fact I only painted about a dozen in real life - the rest were cloned.

An autumnal sidewalk - the challenge was the design - foreground and background.

An inky rendition of pumpkins - which I think are easily the most picturesque vegetable.

It's fun to paint an entire farm on two pages... no doubt about it.

How does a book get painted? Leaf by leaf

How does an image get made? Leaf by leaf - line by line - until the picture comes together.

Fall colors changing...

It's fall and leaves are bright new colors.

Owls are in hooting in the the woods.

School fills up days with adventure.