It's critique night with Giuseppe Castellano!

Tonight is critique night!

In March, my wonderful and generous illustration teacher, Mark Mitchell, made arrangements for a critique session with award-winning illustrator and Art Director at Penguin US, Giuseppe Castellano.

Giuseppe created a mock assignment for our class, based on the very first Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books (Giuseppe also oversees the imprints of Grosset & Dunlap, the original publisher for both series). He gave us very specific guidelines to follow, and encouraged us to treat this as an actual submission. The class was excited and enthusiastic, and everyone worked diligently to get the assignment turned in on time.

After reading through The Tower Treasure, it was the road leading up to the tower and the yellow jalopy that stuck out for me. I used my Brooklyn photographs and a couple of watercolor paintings to digitally collage my cover. It's been a couple of months since I created this, and I can now see many things I'd do differently, but I really can't wait for this critique. I'll let you know how it goes!

When in doubt, cut it out

This past week, I spent much of my time focusing on my characters for a children's book project. I had a stack of drawings and paintings in my bedroom, as well as various digital attempts on my computer, but I still could not "find" my characters.

Then I remembered my new mantra: When in doubt, cut it out.

I immediately grabbed a stack of my texture paintings that had already been scanned and filed on my computer, and I began cutting shapes. Within a few minutes, I'd assembled this little owl, and I played with his eyes and wings. I gave him different expressions, imagining things he might say, and I had a little photoshoot session with him.

Although I went on to make my character with a completely different style, it was this cutting process, and puppet-making process, that cleared my mind and helped me to animate my character.

Print submission, week 1

It was an intense week of art-making, and I feel pretty fantastic as I wrap up this Sunday evening. I was recently hired to illustrate another children's book, so alongside submitting the new book's character study, I also had a pattern assignment due for Lilla Roger's class.

For the pattern assignment, I've been sketching, painting and collaging mushrooms and dishes for several days. Though I was thoroughly enjoying myself, I just couldn't decide which style or color palette I wanted to go with for today's deadline, and I was beginning to worry if I'd be able to get my assignment done on time. But I ran across a yellow/orange color scheme yesterday that immediately reminded me of childhood naptimes and Omaha, Nebraska.

Back in the 70s, when I was very young and living in Omaha, my mother found me a high-poster bed frame and dresser at a garage sale. She sanded them and painted them both a bright mix of yellow and orange. She bought me a bedspread and curtains with a graphic print of a little girl, who wore the same bright yellow and orange clothing, and there was some brown and green in there too.

My final print submission is of course dedicated to my wonderful mother. Thank you for creating such a magnificent and memorable bedroom (and childhood) for me!

So many mushrooms

For my birthday in May, I gave myself the amazing gift of a class with Lilla Rogers. I'll describe more when I have more time, but WOW. I would have paid the entire five-week tuition for just what I've experienced this week. She's an incredible teacher. I have drawn with freedom this week. Hours and hours of drawing, like I did when I was a kid. Here are a few small sketches of many...

Birds at Starbucks

Several weeks ago, after a quick trip outside of the city, I stopped at a Starbucks near Penn Station, before heading back to Brooklyn. I grabbed a water, an egg, found a seat, pulled out my sketchbook, and began drawing birds. Minutes later, a woman sat next to me and seemed to want to talk. I was annoyed by this at first, because I am like that, but I quickly snapped out of it, and had myself one of the most delightful and memorable conversations to date.

She was an artist (when she was young, she studied under Joseph Beuys), a teacher, a mother of three (all grown), a divorcee (twice), a cancer survivor, and an incredibly passionate person. She spoke fast and with tremendous sincerity, but she was also jovial and free-spirited. We spoke for about an hour before she left for the Beatrix Potter show at the Morgan Library.

This was one of my sketches while we sat together. He is now forever linked to her and that awesome hour at Starbucks.

School Bus Scratch

Yesterday, I sold another School Bus Scratch tee in my Big Bridge Studios Skreened shop, and it reminded me of how many designs I've created over the past few years that were based on Archer's toys. I realized, for the very first time, how much being around toys, and watching my son's joyful interaction with them, has inspired my own playfulness. It is quite possible that the infamous "scoo buhs" (below) is responsible for kicking my creativity back into gear, and reminding me that creating is actually a lot of play time. Thanks School Bus!

This design was hand-printed on my little Gocco machine, while Archer napped, and was one of my first offerings in my Big Bridge Studios Etsy shop.

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Mother's Day collaging

One of the my favorite parts of working with so many cutouts these days, is the unexpected interest of my son. As I'd mentioned in this puppet show post, Archer and I have been using construction paper for spontaneous art-making a lot lately. On Mother's Day, I began noodling around with my scissors and the various envelopes from my birthday cards. As I'd hoped, once I began cutting shapes, Archer's interest was piqued, and he began participating too.

We assembled various things with the scraps lying all over my desk, and then I eventually went back to work on my book illustrations. To my surprise, Archer did not immediately go back to watching his Mario Bros. instructional video. He instead grabbed crayons and more scraps, and created this raccoon and a Mom puppet. I did add the eyes and nose to complete the raccoon, but the Mom was entirely his own assembly. Check out the shoes!!

A Painted Pot Mother's Day

I have been going to the Painted Pot for almost three years with my son, but I have never once painted anything. I guess I was intimidated by the unforgiving free-hand painting. My expectations for myself were too high, and I couldn't bring myself to risk it. Seems so strange to encourage my son to grab a brush and go nuts, yet I did not even try.

After participating in the Empty Bowls Project, however, I was ready to enjoy myself and just go paint. So for Mother's Day gifts for Archer's grandmothers, my husband, Archer and I went back to the Painted Pot. This time, I painted! Mine is the shaker with the birds. I can't wait to go back again.

Empty Bowls Project

I was recently invited to participate in the Empty Bowls Project, here in Bay Ridge. To raise funds for local food pantries, several artists came together to paint ceramic bowls, that would then be fired and put up for sale at the event.

To me, glazing pottery seems very spontaneous, with not a lot of room for error. I wasn't sure what I was going to create, and I felt fairly nervous when I arrived to paint. Although it did, in fact, prove to be difficult to hold my brush steady, and I do wish I would have extended some of lines and used a brighter blue, I really enjoyed myself. It was actually quite relieving to wing it and move on.

This is my bowl after it was fired. I had also tried an interesting brush technique on the sides of the bowl, but it sold before I arrived at the event, and I'm not sure how that part turned out.

Stunning Seattle

Several weeks ago, an old friend from middle school contacted me about an upcoming mural contest in Seattle. I absolutely love murals, and I've done several for New York Cares over the years, so I looked into it immediately.

Choosing one of four humongous walls was easy for me. I chose the smallest one.

From the start, I sketched out a ton of ideas, ranging from birds to floral designs to Alice in Wonderland, but I ended up submitting my first idea: lyrics from Devo's Gates of Steel.

Baby/mama

My first storefront sign design went up a couple of weeks ago in my neighborhood! It was a great experience, mainly because my clients, the owners of baby/mama, were absolutely wonderful to work with.

When I created this logo, I was slightly nervous about how it would translate into a large, three-dimensional sign -- would it read the same way? Would the safety pin show up enough? Would the colors look similar? Well, it turned out beautifully, as you can see below.

The shop opened their doors with a successful grand opening party on Mother's Day. If you are ever in the Bay Ridge area in Brooklyn, I highly recommend you stop by this store. I'm so happy they are here!

Impromptu puppet show

It's been an exhilarating few weeks! I've been hired to illustrate two children's books, I've had my first storefront sign design go up, I've signed up for a new art course and I just submitted a comp for a mural contest.

Wonderfully, I've also been able to start some new art projects with my son. While working to develop one of my new book characters, I decided to try some cathartic shape-cutting out of construction paper. As my husband read bedtime stories to Archer, I sat at the end of the bed quickly clipping away anything I could think of. Within a few minutes, Archer sat up, unexpectedly intrigued. He began asking questions, and making requests, and soon I was putting on a puppet show! He was so delighted, as was I.

Our horse with saddle below is one of many puppets we made:

It reminds me of...

Since I've been creating so many cutouts lately, I have a growing pile of watercolor-y scraps all over my desk. Today I gave myself five minutes to pick a scrap, think about what its shape and color reminded me of, and then draw a quick sketch to develop it further. This is what I created:

The Tremendous Emma Amos

Today I took the subway to Chelsea to catch the show of my longtime friend, Emma Amos, at the Flomenhaft Gallery.

I've known Emma for over 20 years, and I worked as her assistant for a couple of those. She has been such an immense figure in my life, that sometimes I forget that she's not just a strong and thoughtful mentor, she's this magnificent painter. Her work is vibrant, full of patterns and brushstrokes, history, movement and depth. As I stood in the gallery today, and looked around at her paintings, I was struck. It is so beautiful to see what another person's mind and hands can create.

Emma Amos, "Memory" (2012)

Developing My Style

I've been looking at birds again for an upcoming submission deadline. Although I am becoming more comfortable with just grabbing my pencil or brush or scissors, and making what I feel I see, I am having some difficulty deciding which style I'd like to develop for this submission. I will keep you posted as to which direction I go...

Elephants and Birds on Spoonflower

A couple of weeks ago, I created my own designer account on Spoonflower.com. I know very little about textiles, but I thought this would be a great way to start thinking about prints and patterns. After uploading some of my sketches and cutouts, I was required to buy small samples of my collection, so I can check color and the overall layout.

I received my samples yesterday, and I am extremely pleased with the printing results. The colors are very accurate and the images are much crisper than I'd expected. I think I will change some of the patterns a bit and start adding some background colors, but it's pretty exciting to see my designs printed so beautifully on cotton. Nice work, Spoonflower!

If you have any input on how to make a better pattern, sizes, background color, please feel free to comment. 

Final Sale in the Big Bridge Studios Etsy Shop

Through Friday, February 22, 2013, I will be selling all of my Etsy shop's onesies and t-shirts for 50% off. To get the discount, you need to enter coupon code HALFOFF at checkout. After Friday, I plan to donate the remaining apparel to charity. Perhaps an Early Head Start program? Any other suggestions?

Edward Lear's Crafty Cat

Today's cutout worked really well, as I had both a sleeping model to reference (Tyco) and an enthusiastic assistant/participant (Archer).

I think this book page might need a background of some sort and possibly a more aggressive expression on the cat, but this is done for now. Comments and suggestions are always welcome!

Alphabet Cutouts and Edward Lear

Cricket magazine covers might be at the very root of why illustration has always been so important to me, and I love that I get to read Babybug to my son several times a week (or every day). While I tend to stare at the pictures, my son focuses on the words and rhythm of each poem, and he especially favors the nonsensical alphabet poems by Edward Lear. Today I cut out my own idea to the letter 'A' in Lear's alphabet. I believe this little ant needs a house, but its a start.

Little Ochre Airplane

I'm working on a children's book project, and I've been focusing on a short little poem about airplanes. Because its aimed at a very young audience, I feel I really should make these colors happier and brighter, yet I love the ochre, and I keep coming back to this. I might try a simple cut out tomorrow. I'll post it if I do.