well done Jan!! A big day indeed. It looks like lots of fun. All the best for the book's success!! :)

You are awesome! I'll be looking for your book when I next visit the kids section. :)

Hey that's terrific news! Looks like a lot of fun for kids...especially this time of the year! Much success!

Wow! That's great. Every time I read of someone landing an illustration job or their manuscript has been accepted I feel as if it were me going through all the excitement. I'm just beginning my career as an children's writer/illustrator and have yet to be published (I have yet to send out my first manuscripts and dummies) but I enjoy going through the experience with others so thanks for sharing success.

...and I'll be following along

great news, kim! very exciting! congrats congrats congrats!!

Simply awesome! Looking forward to hearing about the process :)

Cheers!

Nice one Stacia! I think you did well capturing the feeling of the tango - it feels very dramatic and the characters' positions feel natural - not stiff or 'posed'. Your collage is great too - I love the seemingly slight transparency of her dress and the shadows on his suit and her fishnets are great!

My only suggestion is to maybe make their eyes more 'intense' perhaps by having them squintier, but that is nitpicky.

yes sorry we have all been so quiet!! I wonder too how everyone is doing. for my part it is head down, bum up, work work work! It's good though, I'm not complaining. Thanks for your comment on my blog Stacia, and I will now go and post my news here too...

i love this piece. the colors are so rich. what could be better than floating on clouds with a white picket fence all around your cute little house? :)

This is lovely Stacia! Your houses always have such personality. I love the tree-clouds too. Though I must admit at first glance I thought the picket fence was a cemetery in the mist!

Hope you get some bites soon from publishers!

I am not very busy right at the moment so taking the chance to work on our house instead. I've got some potential news for a new book though, keeping my fingers crossed until I sign on the dotted line...

anyone else want to update?

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So glad you are "back" and that you have such a great plan. Good things will happen! :)

teri

Hi Stacia - thanks for the gentle prod. Yes it has been pretty quiet here hasn't it? Not sure what to do about that.. hopefully it just means everyone is happily busy!

Personally, I just finished up a series of 4 board books about a month ago that I had been working on since August (it dragged on a bit) so I am actually enjoying a bit of time away from all-encompassing books, and just doing some quick jobs for magazines and educational text books.

I'm also taking a course in writing for children because my goal this year is to write my own story and produce a real dummy!

No advice on sending out to publishers I'm afraid - I I haven't gotten there yet. Anyone else for advice on this issue or for an update?

Thanks for posting! The book cover looks awesome. A proud moment indeed!

It does seem that CCIG is a dry well. Not much going on here! I'm not sure how to revive it since I'm a culprit in not posting...or doing much artwork for that matter.

Anyone have any ideas on how to breathe some life back into our little blog?

Lovely book! Interesting to tackle the issue of divorce using bugs.... congrats Diane!

Lovely illo! just gorgeous.

I have heard of JacketFlap but never taken the time to sign up. I'd be curious to know what you get out of it as an illustrator?

Thanks Lil Kim!

Here's what I've gathered from it so far: industry-related info posted regularly, comprehensive list of publishers and agents; connecting with other artists and writers; and possible opportunity to have your work viewed by editors/agents. I'd be interested to hear what other members might be getting from it?

Your illustration is spot on Sara!

Hey, I also contribute to Stories from time to time. I joined Jacketflap and have found a few really good artist friends there. But it is what you put into it - I think it is worth it for feed back.I haven't connected with any publishers, mainly other illustrators and the authors I have worked with-- if you do not have the time to put into it, then it may not be worth the time.

Kim

Thanks Kim!

I agree totally about jacketflap, it's what you put into it. And your right about it being a great way to connect with other artists, and get some good feedback.

I did get an enquiry from an author from jf, and have had more website hits. So the added exposure has been encouraging for me.

Jan Congrats! That is terrific news!
Your new book looks fresh, fun and colorful:) I wish you the very best with it!

Kim

congratulations

Wonderful news Jan, congratulations! Your cover looks great! Looks like a neat company.

Congratulaions!

congrats Jan! wonderful news!!

I've never heard of them...did you do a Google search to see if there are any articles on them?

I'm always sketchy of these types of things too...I've been approached by others - but with different names. I've never bothered to look into it because, like you, I'm a bit wary. Especially when it's for free...

I have sent greeting cards through 123 greeting cards without any problems. I have never heard of the other one.

That is a great jar.

Very unique blog.
Fantastic pictures.

Please visit:
http://global-solution.blogspot.com

Keep blogging.
Good luck.

Hi Stacia, it's great to hear from you and see some more of your wonderful work! Wow, I commend you on getting this done with two toddlers to look after! The image looks terrific. Your lovely colors and variety of textures, make the image really come together beautifully.

::PAT PAT PAT PAT::!!! Well done Stacia! I am impressed you were even able to THINK about art let alone find time to do some with two toddlers. Great that you are getting back into creative land. We missed you! :-)

You have a neat style. I like the patterns you have going on here with the storm drain and the water splats on the umbrella. Keep up the good work.
How old are the little ones now?

Thanks for the comments. It feels being creative again.

The girls are 16 months. They're walking, making animal sounds, climbing, throwing food on the floor...good times :)

Looking forward to seeing more work from everyone and getting stuff done on my end. I've read the first couple pages of the marketing book...slow start but a start none the less!

Hi Jan, as far as I am concerned, Wacom is definitely the way to go. I have used them for years. Maybe a bit more expensive than the others but I think it's worth the investment.

Wacom, I love mine. The bigger the better. I want the Cintiq but it is a big price. I am saving now.

It is a big transition to make from traditional to digital. Can get over whelming. Best advice I was given was to pick a brush and medium and stick to it until you feel comfortable then go to exploring others.

Good luck.

...thanks ladies for your help...I'm going to check out Wacom

Agreed, that Wacom tablet is really good. My graphic artist friends use that kind too. I'm still in the learning stage with it, and think there must be a class online or other to help with the digital transition.
Also, your colors of the dog are great! Fun and full of life!

Bella is so cute.. Love the mice too. :)
I like the smaller Wacom for my laptop. I also have a larger Wacom but do not use it much.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

This is beautiful. Merry Christmas.

Very beautiful, indeed.
Fantastic year for all of you!

♥

These are so nice. I love the patterns on them. The bright color in the back really brings them forward too. Great work. :)

Lil Kim, the pattern of the elephant is beautiful and serves as a nice ear too! Bravo!

Colors really pop and enhance the patterns...Nice job, Lil Kim.

Looks awesome! The colors and patterns turned out really successful : )

i really like the patterns on the giraffe. :)
teri

Thank you ! :)

Congratulations!!!! How excited you must be. Love the cover.

Looks wonderful! congrats!

Fabulous work! Congratulations, Kim! A perfect way to ring in the new year :)

Looks Fantastic! Beautiful work, congratulations!

yay! congrats!
and i must say that is one of the cutest dogs ever!!

Thanks everyone for your kind comments!
:)Kim

Nice blog. Thanks for the link. You have some amazing work here.

love your site & this site inspired me to create Watercolor Wednesdays. We a group of 25 artists working & creating children's book illustrations in watercolor. We would love for your group to link to us & we could do the same for you: www.watercolorwednesdays.blogspot.com
I enjoy visiting your site!
Linda

You have been busy! How adorable your character is. You have neat work. Congratulations on a job complete.

Wow, the cover looks wonderful! I'm so impressed, really nice. I love the composition, how the boy and dog are in the foreground, it really draws you into the scene. And their expressions! Too cute. Colors are great, too. Congratulations!

Thank you! This character is challenging. He is active, messy and alot of fun to draw- but I am concerned thatwith so many things going on in the story, I will forget one of his traits!

I bet you are excited to win. Our fingers will be crossed for you. You have a real nice design. I hope you win.

I just cast my vote for you, that's so cool! Best of luck!!

This is wonderful Stacia! I love it and don't really have any critique. Your little houses are always so cute - they have just as much character as your alien.

I'm amazed you are able to get any work done with twins and househunting - wow!
take care x

This looks great, can't imagine how you managed getting anything done with what is on your plate? I always love your houses and this gets the message across, I even went and checked out npr.

Good luck house hunting.

NIcely done. Best wishes house hunting.

Was the image done in Photoshop? I'm amazed at the wording in the smoke and on the glass. Cleaver! Did they have other artists work on the calender as well? Your image should be on the front cover. It's so good. Let us know when it's on the shelve for us to buy. :)

Yes, the image was done entirely in Photoshop.

Other artists were invited to join just as I was...I imagine there were 12 of us that they found through the Directory of Illustration. I'm not sure if they find new artists every year or if they do repeats of their favorites. Anyway, I was invited to participate for their 2009 calendar.

Thanks for all the nice comments!

Cheers!

This is great! Beside the houses, I love the trees and the sky too.

I know what you mean about magazine work, so compact, one page done. Love the image for the sick children article. Working on more line work in my next book, like your thick goopy line.

Summer has been crazy but fall is coming and a new studio space, so excited. It's big, it's light and it is all mine!

Awesome! Such nice compositions, and I love the flow and movement that you show in your art. That sure is a good idea to do magazine work. Looking forward to seeing more!

I love magazine work,always something new to create. Your images are very expressive and have good movement.

I think your r turned around in birthday is cute. That is right on as kids will connect with that. They look at the little things in your images. I think you have some very fun images too. Congratulations on several jobs well done. ;)

I love the first one but I must admit that the ideas behind the illustrations are great. Do you have to come up with something like that or it's in the brief of the project?

Very cute characters. Best wishes

These look great Livia! you've captured some nice expressions. Look forward to seeing the book!

Sorry guys, summer has been crazy here. New studio space is being built and I have an injured partner to nurse. Did finish off my kids book on "Freddy's Day at the Races" and it is off to press, now moving into the next one, stumbling as usual. Totally different atmosphere and a lot of historical material required for reference.

Daaa,...Livia these look great, like the characters. What kind of book is it, alphabet?

Great job Livia! These look wonderful. I love the characters and colors.

This will be a fabulous book!

Nice soft colors you are using to paint with.
If you wanted to add anything you could add a touch more of shading under the cat.
All the characters have personality. Nice work.

Thank you guys! It's a book with poems.
Yes Chris, you're right about the shading, I will add it.
I didn't gave it much thought before because representing the cat with that kind of hat was a bad idea and we decided to drop that pose from the book anyway.