Bloom where you are planted.

Twenty years ago, I decided to build an art studio. I was inspired by a drawing of Norman Rockwell's studio (in one of his books) and started with that basic idea. I wanted a great working space, tall ceilings, natural north light during the day and plenty of good lighting to use for the all-nighters. Lots of shelf space for books and storage for whatever else I picked up as inspiration.

I made a cardboard, to scale model of the building and put it on the driveway, near the spot where we planned to build. That gave me a good idea of how the daylight would come through the windows. I gave my cardboard model to a local builder and they drew the plans to build the structure, next to the house.

I've worked in a variety of spaces and this was, by far, the best place to work. Not all of my best work was created in that studio but it was a really nice place to use for those twenty years. There were some really beautiful sunsets behind the studio. In the winter, I didn't have to drive to work but I had to shovel a path to the studio door before I could start painting.

We recently moved and my new studio is in a different space. A much different surrounding but I will fill it with things that inspire me, make sure the lighting is good and start anew. There are plenty of ideas, waiting to be painted. New stories to be crafted and opportunities to grab ahold of. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Here's to the new adventure, the next chapter... 2018 will be a great year!

I FOUND A BOX OF POODLES ON MY DOORSTEP.

Yes, a beautiful box of new books was delivered a few weeks ago. Vampoodle by Joan Holub ( Random House Books for Young Readers) arrived just in time for a perfect back-to-school reading choice. 

The crazy dogs from Joan Holub’s Step 2 reader Shampoodle are back and as spirited as ever! There’s a puppy party in the backyard, but the scaredy-dogs skedaddle when ghosts and ghouls begin to arrive. What should these pups do? Don costumes and join the Halloween parade! -Random House

Bowers Blogs about Buddy's Bedtime Battery.

A new book just hit the shelves, last week. Buddy's Bedtime Battery by Chirstina Geist (published by Random House) is my latest book and I want to take you behind the pages to see how the project progressed.

It's always exciting to get the first printed books in the mail. After months of a studio full of art boards in progress, wet paint and gallons of coffee (not part of the painting process but very necessary), the final product is a welcome payoff. Buddy finally arrived!

  

Now, let's look at how Buddy arrived. After reading the story manuscript and creating sketches for the characters, a full length book dummy was created. When the book sketches were finalized, the painting process began. 

I created a production line of boards with images of each page. I taped the edges with low-tac tape to keep that area clean and white. Then, an underpainting with brown acrylic paint was washed (thin layers) onto the boards. I usually do this when the final art is created with oil paint. The acrylic and polymer layers sealed the paper board from the oils and gave me a good (light and dark) value study to follow.

At this stage, the studio was full of artwork covering every flat space to be found. I have a drying rack for storing work in progress but I like to see everything laid, side by side.

     

Here is the title page. The towel area on the left was used for copyright and publishing information. The title was placed on the wall, above the bathtub. Notice the pajamas are visible, just below the towel. I often use elements and story props to hint at what's coming on the following page(s).

Here is one of the illustration spreads. One of my favorite images of the book.

This was my table, somewhere under the shingles of drying illustrations. The images were at various stages of completion so Buddy's hair looks really dark on the bottom image, etc. I worked on several paintings at a time and all art started to finalize toward the end of the process....which is also called..."the deadline" (If all goes as planned). It was a fairly long process and sometimes hard to see the end when spending days painting little parts, adjusting colors and adding detail. But eventually, it all came together and a package with the final art of Buddy's Bedtime Battery traveled to Random House. 

Buddy's Bedtime Battery reading

Then, months later, I get to see the book on NBC, being read to millions of TV viewers. How COOL is that? So exciting! ...So surreal! ...Yay, Buddy! 

...deep breath...now, back to the drawing board. :)

I Found a box of Parrots on my doorstep.

A big box of shiny new books landed on my doorstep. Memoirs of a Parrot is the fourth "memoir" book, written by the very talented Devin Scillian and published by Sleeping Bear Press.

"Yay, new books!"

When I read that a parrot would be the main character, I had to choose an African Grey parrot. I have fond childhood memories of my grandpa and his African Grey, named Chico. I chose a Hyacinth Macaw as the other parrot in the story. Mostly because of the color. I live in Ohio and Devin Scillian lives in Michigan, so it just made sense to use Ohio State (scarlet and grey) and Michigan colors (maze and blue). Plus, my wife's family is from the state up north (we're a "blended" family).

A drawing I did in High School of my grandpa and his parrot, Chico.

Also, the main character (human) in the story plays a ukulele. I said, "hmmm, I need to get a ukulele (as reference) and begin my career as a ukulele rock star". Then I met Emily Arrow, a true ukulele rock star, so I bought one. Now I need to start practicing my ukulele licks.

"Hey, I think I need a ukulele."

Anyway, you must take a look at Memoirs of a Parrot. It's got parrots, ukulele players and a very funny story.

End papers from Memoirs of a Parrot.

Thank you, Heather Hughes, Felicia Macheske and Sleeping Bear Press. 

Now, back to the drawing board. -Tim

BEEP! It's a studio, full of wet paint.

Here is a sneak preview of my newest book, in progress. The title is BEEP! It's Bedtime by Christina Geist, to be published by RandomHouse.  Like many of my other books, I started with an underpainting in acrylic paint, followed by a couple of coats of matte medium. Then it's time to slap on the ole' oil paint.

Each book project requires about twenty pieces of art and some of them are very time consuming if there is much detail involved. A book takes several months of work and somewhere in the middle of the process, I start to feel a little overwhelmed. I usually paint in a production line sort of way, mixing a few colors and hitting several paintings with that paint.

Back and forth, from one painting to the next. Hours turn into days and days, into months. I'm lucky to know what year it is. Anyway, I'm getting close to the finish on this book and all of the paintings that seemed incomplete for so long, are now starting to come together.

I'll show more when everything is finished.

By the way, it is still 2015, right?

Hello, Dolly!

I just received a letter from Dolly Parton. One of my books, Not Your Typical Dragon has been selected for the 2015 edition of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program in the US and Candada. 

This is so cool! They get selected books into the hands of thousands of kids. What a great service! Dolly Parton ...thank YOU for inspiring children to "Dream More, Learn More, Care More & Be More"...SA-LUTE!

Toledo Museum of Art "Best in Show"...

I have a painting that is hanging in The Toledo Museum of Art .If you are in the area and can navigate through the snow, check it out. The show is a collection of animal illustrations from the Mazza Museum: International Art from Picture Books.

One of my childhood favorite book characters will also be in the show. Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell. My painting is an illustration of me as a young boy and my dog, named Scat.

This illustration is from the book, titled: Speak!: Children's Book Illustrators Brag About Their Dogs (compiled by Michael J. Rosen, Harcourt Children's Books,1993)

The show ends July 5th so go when you won't need the sled dogs.
...enjoy!

Pirate's take over studio...

Here’s a peek at my newest picture book.

Sketch for cover design.

Detail of cover art in progress.

I recently finished a new book, Pirate’s Lullaby- Mutiny at Bedtime, written by Marcie Wessels (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2015).

Here are a few early pics of the process…sketches, etc.

Pencil sketches for pirate boy character.

Sketches for pirate dad character.

Very rough pirate heads for reference (super sculpey).

Pirate head in different positions and lighting.

More heads in different positions and lighting.

A final illustration spread with reference sheets.

Everything is started but a lot of painting ahead. Oil paint on canvas (acrylic underpainting).

I can’t wait until next year’s Talk Like a Pirate Day.

You can take that to the Bank(s)!

I spent Saturday, in Cincinnati at the Books by the Banks 2014. Here is an overview of the event-

Books by the Banks: Cincinnati USA Book Festival is an annual celebration of books and reading that takes place every October in downtown Cincinnati. The day-long festival, which is free and open to the public, features national, regional, and local authors and illustrators; book signings; panel discussions; and activities for the entire family to enjoy.

It was a great day of book signing, seeing old friends and meeting new friends. There were kids with really cool looking painted faces. I almost jumped in line for a total face and head painting...but, changed my mind. When will I ever grow up?

Here are a few pics that were taken...

Adam Watkins, me and Jon Bowers.

This would be me and the great Marc Brown. Wow, this pic is a keeper!

I'm with Loren Long (and his lunch). 

I made two new very talented friends, Michelle Houts and Melissa Guion. Their table was filled with chocolate baseballs and penguins. And books, of course! 

Now, I'm back in the studio, coffee in hand, ready to paint some skunks and chipmunks...sure with I had a few of those chocolate baseballs.

...back to the brush.

Christmas in August?

I just returned from a trip to a local store and saw aisles of Christmas stuff on display. IT'S AUGUST! What happened to Christmas...AT CHRISTMAS TIME? Is it me or is it way too early to start thinking of Christmas??  Way, way too early!  Oh, wait a minute...

Memoirs of an Elf by Devin Scillian, published by Sleeping Bear Press.

A couple of packages were just delivered to my door. Wow! You'll never believe what was packed in those little boxes.  Advance copies of my newest children's book!

Spark Elf

Texting: "Time to fly..."

Halfway around the world.

It's never too early to think about books.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

A few rare Bowers selfies.

Here is the latest children’s book project. I can’t say much about it but I will say that it involves a few elfies. I’ll explain, later.

You might guess the subject by the artwork, seen in my elfies….er, I mean selfies.

Let me be the very first to wish you a Merry Christmas, 2014.

More project updates, to come...

Ho-ho-ho…from the stu-di-o!

Looking for a new pet? …how about a dinosaur??

My newest book is out this month and it’s a beauty!  The production quality is top notch… a really thick cover, slightly embossed title on the dust jacket and a music cd, embedded on the inside of the back cover…nice!

Dinosaur Pet by Neil Sedaka and Marc Sedaka, published by Imagine! (an imprint of Charlesbridge) just hit the shelves and the song is already a tune that I can’t get out of my head.  What a fun project and Neil Sedaka is such a gifted singer/ songwriter… not to mention his talented son, Marc, who also has a very impressive writing resume’.  What a great team!

The artwork was created with acrylic paint on a textured surface.  I gessoed the board before I painted the images.  Then, after laying in the areas of color, I painted (dry brush technique) over the image and gesso brushstrokes to get the texture that you see in the final art.

A few art notes: Some interesting props have been recognized in the art.  The red piano, seen in the book is very similar to one that was featured on the cover of Neil Sedaka's 1977 album, A Song. The black and white zebra chair (above) is extremely similar to the one that is on his web site banner.  Coincidence?… maybe, but it makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

I was told that Mr. Sedaka liked intense color so I pumped up the chroma. This is the most saturated color book that I’ve done, thus far.

So, it’s February and a great month to think about picking up a dinosaur pet.  Well, at least the book.

For more info about the book, visit:

www.imaginebks.com/children/dinosaur_pet.html

To see more images from the book, visit:

www.timbowers.com/pages/art_childrens_bk.html

...back to the drawing board!

I love, I love, I love my dinosaur pet.  Yeah, sweet dinosaur pet. (There I go, again!)