Happy Halloween

Bruno as Carl Jung. He can see right into your unconscious! Boo-ha-ha!

Smith College Campus School book fair

I will be doing a brief presentation and book signing at the Smith College Campus School annual book fair in Northampton on Monday November 2nd. It is free and open to the public so come on by!

Other participating authors and illustrators: Patricia MacLachlan, Heidi Stemple, Grace Lin, Rich Michelson, Corinne Demas, Jeannine Atkins,Mo Willems, Marguerite Davol, Barbara Diamond Goldin, Kevin Markey, Michael Nelson, Shelley Rotner, Diane de Groat, Jane Dyer, Brooke Dyer, and Jeff Mack.

Not a bad line-up, eh?

We will each present for ten minutes from 3:00-3:40 pm
Book signing to follow from 3:45-5:00 pm

Furball Friday

I tried putting a plastic holga filter on my digital camera, it made George a bit blurry.

More Holga experiments

Moses Brown Book fair tomorrow

I will be presenting about my work and signing books at the Moses Brown Book Fair tomorrow, October 28th, in Providence, RI. If you are in the area come say hello! I will be signing Abigail Spells and What Can You Do with and Old Red Shoe? at the fair from 12:30-2:00 pm.

More Disappearing Desmond in progress

The sketch:



First washes of color:



Layering color:



Layering background tones:



More background layers:



Begin painting in figures and trees over new background:



More to come next week!

Furball Friday

Still tub lovers.

Wilbur has a staring contest with the faucet.



George wonders what those silly handles are for.

Palette

Desmond painting part 2

Here is the rest of the process for last week's Desmond painting:

Still building layers on the character's faces (maybe the bunny should have spots?):



The word balloons get outlines and the bunny is better grey:



Building up the layers of paint in the word balloons, Desmond's face, and his outfit:



And some final touches... the character's clothes get patterns and "hi" finishes things off:



Of course the painting is never done until the day of the deadline, I still may tweak the colors or add some little details. I was thinking Desmond might need a little something extra to spiff up his outfit. What do you think? A hat or a flower on his sweater vest perhaps?

First Holga shots

Here are some portraits of Bruno from my first roll of Holga film. I'm still experimenting with it, which so far has been really, really fun. I spend so much time planning and crafting my illustrations, its liberating to make pictures that I have so little control over. With a toy plastic camera its anybody's guess how your picture will come out. I'm also enjoying the anticipation of not seeing the image right away. Remember the excitement of going to pick up a roll of film?

Furball Friday

Heading out of town for a wedding this weekend. Wilbur is clearly not amused.

My new toy

SO excited.

Another Desmond painting in progress

Thanks to all who came out for the RISD sale on Saturday, it was a great day. Be sure to join Grace and I at the holiday sale in December!

Now back to painting (deadline is ticking)...

Here is the sketch I started with, its a new Desmond after he has given up hiding for the joys of friendship:



After transferring the general shapes of the sketch (so I know where to put the highlights and shadows), I started on the background, a nice green:



No, green is not good. No green. How about orange:



Better I think. Warmer and more celebratory. Now the characters get their first wash of color (after I transfer the sketch once again):



Word balloons too:



Starting to layer the color in Desmond's outfit, and some of the faces:



Stay tuned for more next week!

Made by hand: curtains

As I mentioned here, I've recently fallen in love with Amy Butler fabric. After using it to make napkins at our wedding, I decided our new apartment could use some curtains. This pattern perfectly matches our grey couch. It feels both old-timey and modern!



So I ordered a bunch, did a little ironing, measuring, and sewing...



and presto, the perfect curtains.



George thinks so too.

Furball Friday

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

RISD Sale this Saturday

I'll be signing books and selling prints of my illustrations at the RISD Alumni Sale this Saturday October 10th, on Benefit Street in Providence, RI. Come by and say hi if you are in the neighborhood! Lots of great handmade stuff for sale.

The sale runs 10-4 rain or shine.
Call 401 454-6618 for more info.

Interview with Maurice Sendak and Spike Jonze about the Wild Things

A video for your enjoyment! I watched this on Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast yesterday and boy did it give me chills. Every time I see a preview or a clip online about Where the Wild Things Are I get excited.

Its just so inspiring to see that a) after all his great success and fame, Sendak not at all possessive about his book, that he is excited about collaboration and sharing his vision, b) Spike Jonze seems to have used the same layered, collage-like aesthetic in Adaptation and Being John Malkovich to speak to kids- it just feels so perfectly suited to the confusing, frightening, fantastical time that is childhood and c) the book got BAD reviews at first, panned, it took two years before people caught on.

It is truly humbling to think the impact one book can have. And it just makes me antsy to make something that might move someone just a fraction of the amount I feel moved by Maurice Sendak's work. Though that achievement often feels far out of reach. I saw Maurice Sendak speak at MIT a couple years ago, when he said something to the gist of "I can't believe any good books can come out of the publishing industry the way it is now." Heh. Well one can still hope.

(Sorry about the ad)

On my desk while I paint Desmond

Just went brush shopping. Trying out Windsor Newton Sceptre Gold since they were out of the Galeria line I am used to. So far so good.



Books for painting inspiration. Ora Eitan and Polly Dunbar. Helping to keep loose and reminding me what colors I love.



Did you know white hydrangea turn pink in the fall? I didn't. They are all over the place in Northampton, big heavy blossoms weighing down their branches. Bringing the outside in since I am in the final stretch (no more breaks).

Adventure

Catamount Adventure Park in South Egremont, MA.

Furball Friday

Okay guys, message received, you need a bigger bed.