illustrate a children's book

I wrote a book and didn’t want to illustrate it until there was hope of publishing. Now I have an interested publisher and must create 3 illustrations. I am nervous, happy and excited. I don’t know where to begin. I am an artist. I am a graphic designer. I have the skill. I’ve seen so many styles I like, though, and cannot figure out how to do my illustrations. I am not sure how realistic, how cartoonistic, how colorful, how much detail and texture, and so forth, to put in. I have to decide. The only way to decide is to begin doing different styles and then decide which will work best, right?

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’d love to write and illustrate a children’s picture book

I am ready to start on this project. Can’t wait to see where it takes me.

(Actually, three).

It was not my own gig, and it started when I was very young (12) so the experience really has not been mine yet. But I have done it, and I feel like it’s worth mentioning.

Next up: My own!

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.

I am just nearing the end of the book I have written and illustrated. I had mentor who is a children’s book author to help keep me focused.

The dummy version is ready to send out and so my new goal with be to send it to publishers. It has taken almost a year, but i have done a lot with this year. Not just the book.