illustrate a children's book

Progress is happening -slow but steady.
Accomplishments:
I have completed most of what I wanted ready for my portfolio and illustration website.
I have posted some of my drawings at SCBWI’s illustrator’s gallery.
I created a portfolio of some of my drawings on Facebook.
I am going to a writer & illustrator’s conference this weekend.
Goals:
Select appropriate publishers and submit portfolio.
Get individual Website up and going.
DO THE ABOVE _before Christmas preferably Thanksgiving!

I’m taking today & tomorrow as vacation from my real job and the primary purpose is to complete two illustrations for my website.

Both have been sketched, I just need to outline & color them. I am trying to do this all on the computer. (I got an early Christmas Present for myself -a Mac Book Pro Laptop, can’t wait to start using it) I did a little test on one of the drawings already and it came out really nice. I don’t want them to have that “computer” look. I want them to have a hand drawn, water-colored feeling and so far so good. I’m definitely slower, but I think in the long run, it will be faster and easier to adjust (especially after the accident with a previous painting)

Took the weekend completely off -family time with my girls and total chilling. It was fabulously relaxing. Lately, I’ve been drawing on the smaller illustrations. I’m still not ready to tackle the more complex damaged ones.

I need to understand scanning and printing a bit better. I had to really pump up the contrast and deepen the outlines for the drawings to print even close to the originals. They seem so soft and washed out in the prints. I am saving the illustrations both with and without extra contrast. I don’t know if it is my scanner or printer or just some setting. Also I need to learn a bit more on resolutions and file types.

Anyway, things are pretty good. I plan on looking at what all I want to accomplish by mid-October and making myself a schedule on how to complete everything. I’ll feel lucky if I can get at least half of what I’d like done. This is my fun time so I don’t want to let it become “work”

A Little Frustrated Here. I finished the main background illustrations for the book I’ve drafted. Lots of Work! My husband was going to scan it for me while I was at work. Well, He did but -Disaster & Double Disaster.

The illustrations are mostly ink & watercolor with some marker & colored pencil. He got a solvent on them and almost everywhere there was marker, it blurred and blotched and spread into other areas. Especially the brown. (He was completely devastated. It was a total accident)

One isn’t too bad, I think I can doctor it up in photoshop. (Silver lining -I’ve been needed to learn a little more photoshop, guess now is a good time)

Another who knows. But one is almost completed destroyed. (Naturally the most complex of them all) Luckily, I scanned it after I had it all inked but before I started adding color. I am going to look for a print shop that can print on watercolor paper with waterproof ink and start over. It is going to be a pain. This illustration is part of a double page spread and getting the colors all consistent only redoing the one – yuck!

Well, instead of working on those illustrations tonight, I am doing some smaller ones I want to have done before the conference. They aren’t specifically for the book, just fun examples of my work. I sketched them out the other day and am now drawings them on my watercolor block. They are reinterpretations of a modern day Mary Poppins. These will go much faster than the book illustrations and right now I need instant satisfaction.

I just can’t think about all the time it is going to take to get back where I was (because when I do I get sick to my stomach) Time to get drawing!

Excited & Nervous -I joined SCBWI and registered for a Fall “Writing & Illustrating for Kids” Conference in October. I completed my first manuscript and sent it off to be reviewed. (Rather know now instead of later if writing is even a possibility) I also indicated on my registration that I would be displaying my portfolio (which I don’t have yet -talk about an incentive to get it together)

I have the book dummy roughed out and have the primary illustration inked & partially water-colored. I hope to have three additional illustrations for the book completed before the conference as well as four or five unrelated illustrations done.

I know the author/illustrator biz is a long shot but I am still cautiously optimistic. Even if this particular concept doesn’t work out, I’ll still end up with some pretty cool pictures completed (Christmas Gifts Anyone???) and the beginning of an illustration portfolio. I am enjoying myself and I think the creative outlet keeps me a little less cranky (always a good thing)

Later in the Fall/Winter I’d like to get an illustration website going, finish my studio shelving, and get more in-depth & experimental with photoshop and my wacom tablet. So much I want to do and so little free time. Luckily, the timeframes are of my own choice and if life throws something critical, I can adjust without repercussions.

Oh -to be independently wealthy where paid work was not necessary. (The secret dream of me & everyone else in this great nation of ours) I am afraid it is just not to be but the next best thing is to have the opportunity to work at what you enjoy. I’ll settle for that!

It has been an exciting time. I’ve had so many ideas. I’ve almost filled three sketch books in less than three month.

I now have a studio to work in. I built in a long counter that wraps two sides of the room and bought match baskets from the dollar tree which I’ve filled up with all my supplies. The room is a soft blue and vaults in the center. The entire north wall is filled with a window that over looks my windowbox (which the birds just love to hang out in) It has the best natural light.

I’m focusing on developing one idea and have it pretty well thought out. I’ve got the story drafted and close to a dummy book done. I am working on the primary illustration in a more finished version. It is all sketched out and I have half of it penciled in. I’m going to render it in a watercolor & colored pencil mix.

My goal is to send it out to publishers by the end of summer. I really think I can do it. I’ve been really optimistic lately. We will see what happens. Regardless, sketching, drawing, doodling has just been so much fun. I wish I had more time to spend on this goal.

I have been trying to spend more time “creating” -it is so hard not to get sidetracked with all the every day need-to-do things.

I have been doing lots of fun postcards that I send to my Mom, Grandmom, and such in order to get back in the grove. Also, I did get a fantasy piece completed before Christmas which was a great motivator. I got a great response to the artwork -“You should illustrate books”, “Are you a children’s book illustrator”.... The painting certainly isn’t perfect but I’m happy with it as a start and the comments really helped to encourage me. It is so easy to think I’m not capable.

I am so out of practice painting -but it is fun to get back in the swing. I’m really just trying out different media for the moment.

Career work can get a bit dreary and so pressure filled that getting to create my own little world is such a haven. I can just get lost for hours.

This past weekend I started sketching on one of my stories. I’ve decided to try and not to get to hung up on getting the story just right (& just write -HAHA) I’m much better at the ideas and the drawings. I may try and get help with fleshing the words out otherwise I tend to get stuck on the story and not getting to the drawings which is what I like the most. Big thing is I am still at it and plan to eventually accomplish this goal. But not just accomplish it and move on, but to continue writing & illustrating as long as it gives me joy!

I bought a journal -1/2 lined & 1/2 plain. It has quotes & beautiful images within. It is inspiring just to have. I had been putting ideas & sketches in various places -notebooks, scraps of paper, etc. They were disorganized & I was losing them. Hopefully this will help.

I’ve got lots of concepts, but I haven’t really developed any one beyond story and character ideas. I’m going to try and focus on no more than two or three and really fill them out. I have just got to put the time in.

I’m actually excited about doing this. The concepts and sketches come much easier to me than the final writing. I may end up getting my daughter to help me with some of the writing. She has a knack for writing and it could be fun to work together.

I just got back from the illustrating workshop and I am so pumped. I wish I had the time to just stop everything that work on my book ideas. It is really good to get the outside motivation. Also found a great web site www.illustrationfriday.com If anyone reads this post and is interested in illustrating a children’s book definitely check this site out!