Taking a "mini" break.

I'm in between children's book projects and have a few days to work on miniature paintings. Here is the latest mini.

Prairie Dog with selected frame.

I think the title will be: Prairie Dog. It was painted with acrylic paint and is 3x4 inches. I started the painting last January as a demonstration piece at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art (on the campus of St. Petersburg College in Tarpon Springs, Florida).

Painting demo for Miniature Art Society of Florida (MASF).

Working from photo reference.
I  purchased the magnifying visor for painting miniatures but they just didn't work for me... returned them and went back to a hand-held magnifying glass.

I hope to finish a couple more miniatures in the next few months. I'll need a few more "mini" breaks.

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.

BULLY ALERT!

Another school year is starting, which usually means that the classroom bully is back in business. This can put a damper on the school year for some unfortunate students. But, here are two examples of bravery that come to mind.

First, an illustration from my college days, illustrating the story of David and Goliath. Goliath was a big bully, for sure.

David and Goliath (or, Dave and John)

This is an illustration that I painted, using my room-mates as models. They were both, excellent artists and good sports, when it came to posing for reference pictures. When an art student is pulling an all-night, last minute rush to complete something for class, class-mates become excellent reference material (many thanks to Dave Groff and John Jude Palencar for this one).

I'm not condoning violence or the sling shot response but it did work out pretty good for David. Nobody likes a bully.

The other example of bravery is Knuckleball Ned, who stands up to the bullies and saves the day in one of my newest books, published by Dial Books for Young Readers.

The story was written by R. A. Dickey.

Overview:

Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey creates a funny anti-bullying picture book with an adorable baseball character that kids will love
    
Ned the baseball is very nervous on his first day of school. Everyone else seems to know where they belong, but not Ned. He isn’t a fastball or a slider, and the Foul Ball gang makes fun of him for the way he wobbles. When they do something particularly dastardly to another student, it’s up to Ned to come to the rescue with his unique abilities. Not only does Ned realize he’s a knuckleball, but he discovers that he can be a hero, too!

The Foul Ball gang.

Knuckleball Ned saves the day!

So, here's to the little guy, the pushed around kid, the student who "wobbles"... 

there's a brighter day, ahead. Be brave, be yourself and hang in there!

... (wobbling) back to the drawing board.