SKETCHBOOK

A color test for the new picture book I'm working on.

SKETCHBOOK

A color study from a sketch I posted last week.

SKETCHBOOK

I hope you all had a great long holiday weekend. Here's a few new images from my sketchbook.

I also want to say "Hello!" to all the 4th graders at Chapman Elementary in Portland, Oregon. Here's a photo of me with your classmate and my good friend Eva.

SKETCHBOOK

SKETCHBOOK

SKETCHBOOK

SKETCHBOOK: CHARACTER FOR A NEW PICTURE BOOK

HOW TO DRAW A BLACK CAT, A SKELETON AND FRANKENSTEIN

Frances and Henry asked if they could post another Halloween drawing lesson this year and of course I said yes. So here they are. If you didn't see last year's here's a link. HOW TO DRAW WITCHES AND GHOSTS.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY!

HOW TO DRAW A BLACK CAT by Frances

HOW TO DRAW A SKELETON by Henry

HOW TO DRAW FRANKENSTEIN by Henry

UPCOMING EVENT: BYU HOMECOMING

I'll be speaking at BYU next week on Thursday the 16th as part of the Homecoming celebrations. If you are anywhere near Provo I hope to see you there. Here's a link for the details. BYU HOMECOMING.

THE DOLL PEOPLE SET SAIL

A couple of years ago I was asked to illustrate the 4th  book in Ann Martin and Laura Godwin's Doll People series. It was a great honor and after a lot of work it's finally here. I just got my first copy last week. Above is a shot of the cover and below are two of the interior images. The book will be available in about two weeks, I hope you will
give it a look.

SKETCHBOOK: HOW TO DRAW THE HEAD

I spend most of my sketchbook time drawing heads and faces. This is partly because faces are what I enjoy drawing the most and partly because I find drawing faces well to be difficult. I feel a constant need to practice drawing the head and face. When I have time and opportunity I enjoy drawing from life. This can happen either in a formal drawing session or by just getting out on the streets with my sketchbook.

I think there is also great value in returning to my library of "How to Draw" books. Here's an example of how I sometimes do this. The drawing above is my copy of a drawing from Burne Hogarth's Drawing the Human Head. It is a simple structural drawing of the head in a 3/4 view from above. This is not a point of view that I use frequently so I thought it would be good to practice. After copying the basic structural drawing a few times I put the book away and do some drawings of my own using this point of view. Below are a few of the drawings I did during this session.

 


 

 

As you can see I'm using the same basic framework and just changing the details. Give it a try, just try to make each face a little different some how. It's a good way to practice.

SKETCHBOOK

SKETCHBOOK

GROUNDHOG'S DAY OFF

I’m close to finishing the paintings for the new picture book Groundhog’s Day Off, by Robb Pearlman. The studio is a mess as it always is at the end of a big project.

FAVORITE ILLUSTRATIONS: LITTLE WHITE DUCK

I found this book at the library a few weeks ago, LITTLE WHITE DUCK by Na Liu and Andres vera Martinez. It's a really good read and I think the art is fantastic. Just look at the emotion in the girl's face, that's great drawing.

NEW PICTURE BOOK: GROUNDHOG'S DAY OFF

I've started painting GROUNDHOG'S DAY OFF.  It's always a good day when I can finally start painting. Making a book is all hard work until I get to start painting. Now the fun begins.

SKETCHBOOK

READING RAINBOW CALENDAR

I’m pleased to announce that I have been asked to create a new piece of art to help the Reading Rainbow Kickstarter project. Here’s a link for the DETAILS. This is a great project and I hope you'll consider supporting it.

SKETCHBOOK: THE LEAGUE OF SEVEN

Today I'm working on an exciting new character from ALAN GRATZ'S new League of Seven book. I'm having a lot of fun with this one.

SKETCHBOOK: GROUNDHOG'S DAY OFF

A sketch for a new picture book called GROUNDHOGS DAY OFF, by Robb Pearlman.

SKETCHBOOK: THE BLACK ARROW

Here are a few more sketches inspired by my reading of THE BLACK ARROW by Robert Louis Stevenson.

SKETCHBOOK

SKETCHBOOK

BEA STUDIO TOURS

Today it was my great pleasure to be a part of the BEA studio tours. It was an honor to have the book sellers in my studio. That’s Catherine van der Bil (above left) from EIGHT COUSINS and Tegan Tigani (above  right) from QUEEN ANNE BOOK COMPANY. In the photo below on the left is Gussie Lewis from the GAITHERSBURG BOOK FESTIVAL and on the right, Amy Oelkers from RED BALLON BOOKSHOP. Also if you look closely you can see my cover for Ann Martin and Laura Godwin’s new book “The Doll People Set Sail”. I'll post more of that on another day.