Children's Publishing Blog: Diandra Mae

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The everyday life of a children's illustrator.

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1. Shooting Stars

By: Diandra Mae, on 3/31/2014
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There's a group that has been working for years towards illustrating in children's publishing. Like so many others, we work in isolation, alone at home with our characters and neuroses to keep us company. I can honestly say that these ladies, and their collective successes have been a consistent source of inspiration and motivation for me. Our shared frustrations, and our celebrated triumphs make life that much sweeter for the living. (I hope you have a group of people with whom you can do the same.)

First it was my pun-loving pal Nina's turn with Cedric and now several piano books. Then it was Courtney's turn with Maya whose character is just as feisty as her creator. Now, after success illustrating other people's stories (Quirks & Elvis), Kelly has a chance to share her very own.

Meet Louise. Louise loves Art. Art loves Louise. Art is Louise's little brother. Can Louise must find a way to persevere as an artist without losing Art? Come September 2014 and you'll be able to see for yourself how Kelly's joyful lines and signature palette bring these two creative spirits alive.

I was one of the lucky few to receive an F&G and boy-oh-boy, I can't wait for the rest of you to see this book. In the meantime, you can satisfy your curiosity by reading Kelly's inspiration for Louise & Art here.

Go, Louise, GO!

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2. Round Robin -Round 3

By: Diandra Mae, on 11/20/2013
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This is the last week of our little experiment. It's been fun, and I have to say I finally started pushing myself a little more to experiment with my process rather than 'just get it done.' I had fun, and am wanting to play more with the combination of traditional media I used this time around.

And, honestly, that's a good thing as the stylus for my tablet seems to be no longer working. (insert huge sigh here) Marsha started us off with a background only, which I love because it's outside the box of what I was expecting. Also, I tend to think of characters first, and seeing the setting first made me really think about what kind of characters would be found there, and in just what situation. Way to go with the push, Marsha!

Look for Amy's contribution tomorrow!

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3. Round Robin-Round 2

By: Diandra Mae, on 11/18/2013
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Oh man, I had all kinds of things go wrong when it came to my turn on this assignment. First I was KO'd by my daughter's cold on the day I was supposed to post. Then, we had issues come up that required us to be at the build site this weekend. Then today it was one thing after another, culminating in my Bamboo stylus deciding that it wasn't going to talk to my tablet. I had to put this piece together with my mouse. Which, while I'm glad I had the option, was like working with a brick. Ugh.

All of that to say "Yay, I'm done!" This week Marsha will be kicking off our Round Robin. Keep an eye out for it!

Party Animals!

I talked with the others about how I was trying to be too perfect, and it was freezing me up from actually experimenting, which is what this whole thing is about. Amy suggested a time limit. Considering that I have a habit of revising as I work, and I am rather slow to begin with, I thought this was a good idea. I did my section from concept to completion in twenty minutes: sketch, color, scan, add, edit, post. Holy moly was it fast, and the racoons are more than a little rough, but it was good practice.

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4. Round Robin-Round 1

By: Diandra Mae, on 11/5/2013
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November is one of my favorite months because there's just something about it that incites inspiration. This is perfect, as every year I participate in #PiBoIdMo. This year I can feel something shifting and the itch to explore that is getting worse. I want to play, experiment, and push myself to try something new. It's time to try new materials and figure out new technique. Where this is going, I have no idea. Isn't artistic growth great? ha!

Helping me along in this quest are Girllustrators Amy Farrier and Marsha Riti. We were talking about wanting to experiment, and they agreed to play along to see what happened. We're doing an old fashioned spin of Round Robin. For the next three weeks one of us will post a new image on Tuesday, then the others will add to that image on their consecutive days. If a narrative develops, great. If it's purely decorative, great.

I'm really looking forward to see what comes of this as Amy has a wonderful, loose quality to her work that I envy and Marsha's work has so much character.

Here is my contribution to this week's round:

Channeling James Marshall, apparently.

Obviously, I really need to work on loosening up. I started with the leaves, but then got pulled into having a narrative and a character. Making it more complicated then it needed to be. Next time I want to go more abstract and get a little more texture and energy into my pieces.

You can see where Amy takes this piece here. And you can see the final piece at Marsha's blog here.

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5. Southwest Texas SCBWI Workshop

By: Diandra Mae, on 10/29/2013
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A few weeks ago, I headed to my hometown of San Antonio to attend a workshop: "The Exquisite Act of Balancing Text and Art with Richard Jesse Watson." hosted by SCBWI Southwest TX. My friend and fellow IC and illustrator Akiko White has a great summation of the day here. The day was inspiring, and I enjoyed connecting once again to the "why" of being a book creator.

It was also fun to see the different interpretations of our homework assignment, which was to illustrate a scene from Hundred Acre Woods in a new way. We were supposed to turn paradigms on their heads. I initially froze up on this because out of all the Disney movies, Winnie The Pooh was the most iconic. My childhood memory stored away those stories and songs and it took a while for me to wrestle away from the feeling of precious nostalgia.

I finally found my inspiration (once again) in food. Specifically this episode of I Love Lucy:

Once I had a starting point, I began with character sketches. I decided that the factory would of course make honeybuns, and of course bees would be in charge.The shift supervisor appeared first, then a few other of the Hundred Acre Woods characters.

My scanner has a fun little habit of randomly cropping images as I scan them

I initially thought I could do an entire mini-comic for the episode, because how fun, right? But then common sense took over and instead I picked what would be the most recognizable scene: the aftermath of disaster. Then, I had to get the composition down.

None of these felt quite right.

Then I realized I was complicating matters and moved Pooh out of the way. I cleaned up the sketch, moving Piglet to make him part of the action.

I scanned the sketch in, cleaned it up, adding texture and color.

Time for your close-up, Piglet! "Oh, dear!"

If time had permitted, there would have been MOUNTAINS of honeybuns on the floor.

And ended up with a pretty fun illustration. I actually had the floor blue as well, but something felt off about it, so I switched it to the warmer tone and instantly the illustration seemed more unified. This was a fun assignment, and I'm glad I did it. It's nice to flex those drawing muscles for something outside the box every once in a while.

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6. SCBWI Austin Graphic Novel Workshop

By: Diandra Mae, on 10/16/2013
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Last weekend I was lucky enough to head to one of my favorite places:

Austin, Texas. (Can you believe I took this shot out of a bathroom window?)

Of course, the people in Austin might have something to do with why I love it so much.

Girllustrators: Patrice Barton, Emma Virjan, Amy Farrier, Shelley Jackson, me, Marsha Riti

The faculty was pretty stellar as well. There was Calista Brill, editor for First: Second Books. (one of my favorite publishing imprints.)

And Dave Roman, author/illustrator, teacher, and all around super nice guy passionate about comics. He created Astronaut Academy and Teen Boat

Calista's Keynote was fantastic. She is obviously very passionate about her work, and it shows. She is a fantastic ambassador for Graphic Novels, and did a stellar job teaching the uninitiated all about them. Her breakout session was also illuminating, and I love her straightforward manner. She is one sharp lady. She talked quite a bit about First:Second and how they work, and her talk confirmed that keeping FS on my publisher wish list is a good idea. I may even have an idea (or three) for young graphic novels I could submit that I think would be a good fit.

Dave Roman's Keynote and breakout session were equally fantastic. He shared the story of how he came to comics, and how he grew up drawing comics. His passion for comics is very real, and it was great to be able to listen to someone speak from experience and encourage other illustrators to step on to the path of comics.

Dave talks about settling into his style of drawing and being comfortable with his voice.

Possibly one of the most important points of Dave's keynote.

Dave and Calista also shared extensive resources (recommended titles, instructional books, websites) that anyone wanting to work in comics would love to have. I laughed when I saw the recommended reading list because I either own or have read almost every title on the list! haha! Good to know I'm on the right track!

Perhaps the most motivating factor was Dave talking about how you just have to make and make and make comics and get them out there. Get them online, sell mini comics, submit, but get them out there. They can't exist in a vacuum.

Now I'm going to go work on a graphic novel script, then research a little more for a bigger story. Hopefully by this time next year, I'll have a comic or two to share with you! If you are interested in creating comics and have the chance to hear Calista or Dave speak, by all means DO!

(all photos, excepting the first, are used with permission from Mark Mitchell. Thanks, Mark!)

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7. SCBWI LA 2013 -FINALLY

By: Diandra Mae, on 10/3/2013
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I don't even think anyone will see this, as the topic is way outdated, but I like having a record of my trips, and this one was a lot of fun.

A sample of the postcards collected in LA. I usually have three times as many.

This year in LA I found myself not writing down as many notes. Perhaps because I've been to enough of these now, that I know the basics of what is shared. Perhaps because I am far enough in my journey to recognize a note to self versus a note from the universe. But most likely it's because of the theme I picked up throughout the conference. At this point, I've just got to "DO THE WORK."

Here are a few of the golden nuggets I picked up from the conference:
Lin Oliver, co-founder of SCBWI: "Let's admit that we're all kind of weirdos."

Laurie Halse Anderson:
"Be brave today."
"Read like a kid."
"Embrace the sanctity of silliness."
"Children don't ask permission to create."

Jon Sciezka:
"Don't put kids to sleep, wake them up!"

Mac Barnett:
"That place where truth and lies intermingle is where kids live."

David Wiesner:
"Follow that story, and wallow in the process."

Jarret Krocozska"
"What is easy for your character is boring for your reader."

Illustrator's Intensive:
Some of the best information and advice was given over the course of this day! The featured faculty were all fantastic and inspiring. Some of my favorite speakers were Jannie Ho and Tom Lichtenheld. Jannie's truism in regards to illustrating for the very young: "Character design needs to be consistent. A dog should look like a dog." Tom's truism, which I want to paint across the internet in black paint, "Voice matters more than style."

First Look:
My pieces (and several of my friends-woohoo!) were picked for the first look! I had AD Kirsten Noble, AD Giuseppe Castellano, agent Steven Malk, and editor Allyn Johnston commenting on my art. It was educational, confirming, and gave me a little food to chew on. :)

And now, the pictures:

The instantly recognizable lobby chandelier.

This was Thursday night, I think I averaged 5-6 hours over the weekend, which is still really good!

The Illustrator's Social! Always loud, and a little chaotic.

Paul O Zelinsky doing a little emceeing. He's now on our Board-yippee!

Some of the other members of our Illustrator Board: David Diaz, Pat Cummings, Cecilia Yung, Priscilla Burris

Post social, a few (ahem) of us found our way to the lobb-ay!

Of course, the conference isn't just about connecting with friends, new and old, although that IS one of the best parts honestly. Hanging with people who 'get it?" Fuhgeddaboutit!

There is also hearing great tips, advise, straight talking and inspiration from great speakers, like Art Directors Giuseppe Castellano

and Simon and Schuster Art Director Laurent Lnn! (You should be following both these gentleman on Twitter: @pinocastellano and @LaurentLinn)

Then that night, there is the Portfolio Showcase, or as my friend Kelly calls it: THUNDERDOME

It is madness packed into a tent.

This year, unfortunately, logistics were weak and there was NO room to move. The tables were too close together, preventing the traffic from flowing both directions as it usually does.I literally saw eleven portfolios before I gave up due to the logjam in all directions. I was so disappointed. I didn't get to see friends' work, or pick up a ton of new postcards to connect with new people, as I do every year. The one great thing about the Showcase is that a friend won a Showcase Honor and an SCBWI mentorship. Yay, Brooke!

Fortunately, the Gala followed, and with the help of a few friends, we danced the night away!

Me with roommates Laura Zarrin and Tracy Bishop. I love these girls!

Jim Averbeck, looking as much a Wild Thing as ever. haha!

SCBWI NJ's IC Karen and RA Leeza Hernandez, me, Tracy Bishop

MY TEAM! SCBWI Houston's RA: Vicki Sansum, me, ARA Millie Martin

Here we are reading Aree Chung's new book on his phone. It is stinkin' adorable, ya'll! Look for it when it comes out next year:

The best dance partners a girl can ask for: Mike Baker, Jannie Ho, Tracy Bishop, Laura Zarrin

SCBWI provided a photobooth, and well had a great time cramming in there for pictures!

One of the best costumes of the night: a black and white film couple.

Illustrator Board introducing themselves at the Monday Intensive.

Tom Lichtenheld helping us pronounce his name.

And finally, it was time to go home. It took a while, but I got there.

(Thank you, Laura Zarrin, Lynn Alpert, and Debbie Ohi for the great photos!)

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8. Illustration Friday- "Fresh"

By: Diandra Mae, on 8/11/2013
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fresh- [fresh] adjective, fresh·er, fresh·est, noun, verb, adverb,adjective

1. newly made or obtained: fresh footprints.

I haven't particpated in IF for a long time, but a friend posted an illo that reminded me that I had these newly done panels, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

This is the first page of a mini-comic I'm working on. This foxy character is part of a very young graphic novel story, but I didn't know her well enough to write the story yet. After this mini-comic, I am much more familiar with who she is. It was a great exercise.

I hope to post the completed mini-comic on my website, but we're moving in a week (In August. IN TEXAS. Ugh! So not fresh.) so it will have to wait.

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9. Floatin'

By: Diandra Mae, on 6/19/2013
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You would think summer is a season for being lazy, laying about, and enjoying the sunshine.

That is so not the case with me! I'm running around like crazy with my kids, and while we're having a lot of fun, there is a serious lack of art time happening. It's time to turn that around.

(You can see the sketch of this fella and an update for The Sketchables here.)

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10. Children's Book Week 2013!

By: Diandra Mae, on 5/14/2013
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Cuddle up with a friend or two and read a children's book!

You can find out more information about Children's Book Week here. There's descriptions of activities and stores participating in CBW. You can also get a free bookmark by Grace Lin or order the fantastic poster, by Hugo Cabret creator Brian Selznick:

Isn't it great? It brings to mind one of Selznick's self-professed childhood favorites: Fortunately by Remy Charlip.

1 Comments on Children's Book Week 2013!, last added: 5/30/2013

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11. And the Winner is....

By: Diandra Mae, on 5/13/2013
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Jenny Woodward!

Congratulations! I will be sending your lovely prize to you very soon!

Thank you to everyone for participating. It was fun reading everyone's favorite titles, especially the ones I hadn't heard of.

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12. "Luck is preparation meeting opportunity."- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

By: Diandra Mae, on 4/28/2013
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(This post was supposed to publish last week, but given how many people were participating in Screen Free Week, I thought I'd wait.)

A few weeks ago on Twitter, Writer's House agent Steven Malk tweeted out something that had me very excited. He said, "In 15 minutes, I'll ask a children's lit trivia question. 1st correct answer gets these books: pic.twitter.com/iepUj3iTTk Sharpen your brain!" The books in question? These beauties:

Steven Malk's twitpic

And oh, I was excited! I LOVE children's literature, and I love a chance to win books even more! So what did I do? I sat there and waited for the next tweet. I had a feeling I might know the answer to this question. Mr. Malk comes from a family of book lovers, and he has a love of the classic when it comes to children's literature. And sure enough:"Trivia question: "In The Tale of Peter Rabbit, what 3 things does Peter Rabbit eat (in order) right after sneaking into Mr. McGregor's garden?"

I thought, "Are you freaking kidding me?!" I had, not even an hour before, been reading Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" to my sick-at-home almost three year old, and the answer was lighting up my brain like fireworks! I was so excited because I knew. Now I just had to be sure my tweet got out there before someone got on Google and had a chance to tweet the answer!

I was biting my nails and then:

WOOHOO! I was dancin'! (Did you see the extra 'and?' I was typing so fast my brain almost went blank!) It was ridiculous how excited I was about this, but you guys understand. I mean, a pile of picture books? I was in heaven! And before too long, a special box came to me all the way from the Golden State.

Gorgeous, am I right?

Needless to say, I was not the only one over the moon about these goodies. My kids saw them sitting on the newly installed shelf in my bookcase and immediately started pouring over them. A few titles (CHU'S DAY, RAIN!, IF I BUILT A HOUSE) are already in heavy bedtime rotation, but I'm sure they'll all get their chance.

In the meantime, I wanted to do something to pass on the generosity that is constantly making itself known in children's literature circles. You see, I already have a copy of EXTRA YARN. I bought it last year when Jon Klassen was a speaker at SCBWI's summer conference in Los Angeles. I have it signed and everything (and will get Mac Barnett to sign it this year in LA-yippee!).

So although the copy that came in my prize package is lovely, and while it would probably find a home in one of my kids' rooms, like Annabelle- I think if I could pass on a little of the joy I experienced, it would make this whole experience that much sweeter.

Here is what I am going to do. In the comments below, I want you to tell me a beloved picture book title from your childhood. It doesn't have to be a classic, literary, award-winning, or even recognizable to me. If you loved it, and can remember looking at the pages of that book and being happy, tell me about it. On May 10th, I'll close the comments at midnight. Monday morning, I'll announce the lucky recipient of this book. (Sorry, you must reside in the United States.) Sound good? Go!

14 Comments on "Luck is preparation meeting opportunity."- Lucius Annaeus Seneca, last added: 5/11/2013

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Anonymous said, on 5/6/2013 9:55:00 AM

My beloved book would have to be The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. I remember being fascinated by the story and illustrations. It even inspired me to write The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk for my fifth grade class! Thank you so much for doing this!

-Rachel

Julie Rowan-Zoch said, on 5/6/2013 12:57:00 PM

So many, but one I can still smell when I think of it is Caps for Sale, by Esphyr Slobodkina. I can feel the paper and remember trying to pronounce the picturebook maker's name. Maybe that is where my love for accents and dialects started! Thanks for taking me back for a few minutes today.

Lovely summer header! And btw, a fav flavor from my youth - toasted almond bars!

Redheaded Stepchild said, on 5/6/2013 1:08:00 PM

I just loved Where the Wild Things Are. I couldn't get enough of the illustrations. I would love a copy of Extra Yarn - such a gorgeous book!

Brook Gideon said, on 5/6/2013 1:37:00 PM

Can I play? Lol I want this book. Absolutely was and still am in love with The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by Dubose Heyward and Marjorie Flack illustrating! LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

AMP said, on 5/6/2013 2:49:00 PM

I loved THE POKY LITTLE PUPPY because it has chocolate pudding in it.

Linda McCann Jeffers said, on 5/6/2013 4:23:00 PM

Way back in the '60s I remember going to the library, sitting at the Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater table and reading this book. I have a vivid memory of the drawing (no colors) of a child sitting in a tree throwing apples at people's heads as they walked past. I always thought the title was "To Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street". As an adult I tracked down this title and found out, to my dismay, that it was a different book. I continue my quest with that image in my head. So, I submit a book whose title I can't remember but whose illustration I'll never forget.

Safiyyah said, on 5/6/2013 4:51:00 PM

Tikki Tikki Tembo! It's like an earworm that you can never forget :)
Congrats on your book package, and thanks for doing one of your own!

Melissa Guion said, on 5/6/2013 8:56:00 PM

I loved Richard Scarry's I AM A BUNNY. I wanted to be Nicholas the bunny so badly, watching birds and chasing butterflies and sleeping through the winter inside a hollow tree! You're sweet to offer to share your bounty! (Happy to see my book in there, too.)

Jenny Woodward said, on 5/9/2013 8:59:00 AM

My favorite was a big book of Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes by Richard Scarry. The nursery rhymes were ok but mainly I loved to look at the Illustrations! The book was probably made for 2-4 yr olds but I kept it well into middle school until it fell apart. I can still remember how the cover felt, the worn out spine and the sound it made when I opened it.. wish I still had it! Going to look it up now to see if I can find a copy :)

Alison K Hertz said, on 5/10/2013 5:08:00 PM

My son performed in peter rabbit last year - great contest. I want to do one of those on Twitter. Ask a random kidlit question and the first response gets a book. Fun. I have never read Extra Yarn and would love a copy for my kids. : )

Tina Kugler said, on 5/10/2013 5:43:00 PM

Mine was "A Great Big Ugly Man Came Up and Tied His Horse to Me," a book of nonsense verse illustrated by Wallace Tripp. I studies the pages for hours- loved his animal characters so much- they were so lively and slyly funny, I loved to discover a new visual joke he slipped in.
It's a pretty obscure book from the 1970s, so imagine my surprise to discover my husband grew up with it and was equally obsessed!
Thanks!

KristinS said, on 5/10/2013 5:44:00 PM

Corduroy. I even copied the text for some strange reason. I just loved the story. :)

Andi Butler said, on 5/10/2013 6:04:00 PM

I have an unusual one: 'Lad: A Dog' by Albert Payson Terhune. I read it several times when I was in sixth grade and it was pretty heavy (and old)! I'd cleanse my palette with Blubber (well, any Judy Blume) and Encyclopedia Brown (although I was never good at solving anything)! I wonder if it's still in print... ; )

a : )

Debbie Meyer said, on 5/10/2013 7:12:00 PM

My favorite pb was Fat Cat about a little cat who ate up all the townspeople until he was huge. I still have it. My mom would read it to us and always had trouble with the names "Skolincolnlot & Skohotintot". That made me & my sister howl with laughter. :)

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13. Spring has Sprung!

By: Diandra Mae, on 3/21/2013
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I know some part of the country are experiencing some chilly slush, but down here in Texas the bluebonnets and wildflowers have begun blanketing the hillsides. Spring is here!

I did this piece as a slump-breaker. Working on a dummy can stiffen one up. I hope to continue developing these two. They've been around for a while, but don't seem to want to tell me their story just yet. That's okay, we have time.

I know, I know. The dialogue balloons are off.

(The colors are a little blown out, but watercolors don't scan so well. I'm going to go back to gouache and see how that works out with these two.)

Is it Spring in your neck of the woods?

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14. 2012 Promos

By: Diandra Mae, on 2/10/2013
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I have a bunch of these left over from last year's conferences. It might be time to do a mail-out.

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15. PiBoIdMo 2012

By: Diandra Mae, on 12/7/2012
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Badge created by the awesome Ward Jenkins. Click here to see more of his work.

Hurray, I'm a winner! Once again, I managed to bang out thirty-plus ideas for picture books. I have so much fun doing this, and it actually helps create a habit. I am much more aware of ideas (especially great ones) when they slide into my periphery and never once think that "Oh, I'll remember that later" because I won't. I write everything down on post-its, scraps, and best of all, the handy-dandy mini notebook I now carry everywhere with me. (I've had it for two weeks, and there are already seven solid ideas in it-yay!)

If you missed the PiBoIdMo challenge this year, never fear! Tara still has all of the inspiring and informative guest posts on her blog here, and the challenge will return next year. Seeing the PiBo hashtag on Twitter (along with the cute twibbon) and getting to chat with other participants on Facebook makes this a wonderful, community event. The best part? How happy everyone involved is. Great support for someone when they are usually working alone.

Did you do PiBoIdMo? How'd it go?

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16. Studio Peek!

By: Diandra Mae, on 11/4/2012
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I'm taking pictures of my studio to share in a presentation I'm giving tomorrow at our monthly SCBWI meeting, and I thought I'd post here. I don't think I've ever shown y'all where I work before. Keep in mind, I've cut a few areas out of the shots. *ahem*

I know I am super lucky to have an entire room to myself to work. I know some people work in the dining room, or a desk in their bedroom. I've always been fortunate to have a partner who completely gets what I am trying to do and supports me. This ten by twelve room is proof. I painted it one of my favorite colors: chartreuse! I am energized in this room, and it's probably my favorite room in the house. As soon as I walk through the door, I can feel a shift in mood and energy.

Drafting table

The draft table is an IKEA buy (All of my studio furniture is!) I can adjust the height and angle of the table so it's easier to avoid sore necks or hunching shoulders. It's where I draw and paint everything. It's frequently the messiest area of the studio, and where I spend the most time. I currently have a lot of character studies taped/tacked up. I need to get a better system going. I also think I need another table. I can't spread out much as it is. To the left is a window that shows my street. This is an upstairs room facing north, and I love the light I get in here.

Library

As you can probably see, I've got a thing for elephants. I don't tell too many people, because suddenly you end up with all kinds of "gifts" just because there's a pachyderm on there, and I'm kind of picky. I also have a little collection of Dr. Seuss figurines. The only one I'm missing is Horton in his tree, and I'm always bummed to see him disappear off eBay as soon as I can track him down. *sigh*

I've my books organized by type. On the upper top left shelves are all of my "Art Of" books. The next shelf has all of my children's literature titles, as well as a ton of old Goldens and fragile titles. The bottom left shelf is a mix of comic books, graphic novels, early readers and picture books. Behind the doors are a ton of reference books, magazines, etc.

On the center shelves: Top: Pop-up books. Upper: Horn Book Magazines, SCBWI folders/resources, Illustrator resources. Middle: picture books. Bottom: a bunch of F&Gs. To the right, both shelves are full of picture books. I have a variety of titles, those by personal heroes, by legends in the industry, titles that were significant part of my childhood, and best of all those written or illustrated by friends. I can't wait to add more of their titles in the coming years!

You can see the very bottom shelves have puzzles, board books, a coloring tin, paper, etc. Those are the shelves my kids use when they come in. There used to be many more toys, etc. on them, but as the kids have grown, more things have made their way into their rooms-including the drawing tables they used to have in here when they would "work with Mommy."

Work table

This is the table where I write, do my research, and as you can see the computer to the left, do all of my online work and play. The inspiration boards haven't changed too much lately. I'll probably freshen them up in the new year. All of those books (see the elephant bookends?) are craft-related. I have titles on writing picture books, early readers, non-fiction, and two or three word-choice books I love. There are also books on illustration, business of illustration, etc. I am something of a reference junkie. I probably would have made a great librarian-ha!

Can you see the prints? There are Susie Ghahremani owl cards I've framed, an Elsa Mora Alice paper cut (I have a growing collection of Alice art, and bunch of prints waiting for frames) hanging above a Penelope Dullaghan print. I have received a lot of inspiration following the careers of artist like these three on their blogs. Their success gives me hope that I too can achieve my dreams.

What about you? Where do you work? If you could have a dream studio, what would it look like? I have a Pinterest board full of creative spaces that I love. If you have a picture of your studio on your blog or website, feel free to share in comments. Seeing the spaces of other creatives is always fun!

5 Comments on Studio Peek!, last added: 11/27/2012

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17. Illustration Friday-Mirror

By: Diandra Mae, on 10/11/2012
Blog: Diandra Mae (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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The watercolor experiments continue...

Walking out of the pumpkin patch Fox found herself mirrored.

4 Comments on Illustration Friday-Mirror, last added: 10/25/2012

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18. Illustration Friday-Book

By: Diandra Mae, on 10/4/2012
Blog: Diandra Mae (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book, illustration friday, Add a tag

So I created this drawing for this week's theme of "8" over at The Sketchables.

And I think, "Hmm..that bunny is pretty dang cute."

A little value study, a little color play, finding a happy balance....

And I end up with this. A sweet baby, a yummy book and a happy, familiar scene. The scanner tends to wash out the colors when I do watercolor, but I'm happy with it. I think I may want to keep working and maybe expand her story into an entire piece. But for now, it's a sweet spot.

6 Comments on Illustration Friday-Book, last added: 10/5/2012

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19. The Final Results

By: Diandra Mae, on 10/2/2012
Blog: Diandra Mae (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Sweet Squares, Month of Experimentation, #sweetsquares, Add a tag

Here's a last look at the Sweet Squares! If you manage to create a quilt of your squares (I did mine in Photoshop), comment with the link so that we can share in the progress last month.

3 Comments on The Final Results, last added: 10/4/2012

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20. Sweet Square #28

By: Diandra Mae, on 10/1/2012
Blog: Diandra Mae (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Sweet Squares, Month of Experimentation, #sweetsquares, Add a tag

watercolor, marker, ink

The Month of Experimentation is officially over. It was so inspiring; playing with different media, techniques and ideas. I am happy that I have two techniques I intend to implement in future projects, and it was fun having y'all along for the ride! I intend to continue with the Sweet Squares as a daily studio warm-up, but unless there's an experiment I think someone else might appreciate, they won't be up on the blog much.

Now I wonder if I can get myself to complete an Illustration Friday prompt every week during October. It's been a while. Hmmmm..;)

2 Comments on Sweet Square #28, last added: 10/2/2012

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21. Sweet Square #27

By: Diandra Mae, on 9/28/2012
Blog: Diandra Mae (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Sweet Squares, Month of Experimentation, #sweetsquares, Add a tag

pencil on paper

I woke up feeling almost one hundred percent this morning and I wanted to cry in relief! Take your vitamin C and wash your hands kids. Cold-season is in full swing!

0 Comments on Sweet Square #27 as of 9/28/2012 5:18:00 PM

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22. Sweet Square #26