My book arrived on my doorstep today! Hooray! I'm afraid I screamed so loudly I scared my daughters, but they celebrated with me once they knew what was going on. I'll have copies for sale at Storytime if anyone would like one.
I just found my not-yet-released book on Amazon! That was a very weird moment, but quite exhilarating! I won't be released until July, but seeing my cover right there with the Amazon banner was so cool! It's on the Amazon.ca and Amazon.uk sites, but not Amazon.com. I have no idea why. It's also on Overstock.com with a decent description of it. Amazon says it is #485,305 on the bestseller list, which amuses me since it hasn't sold any copies yet.
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By: Tamie Wolford (Gonzalez) ,
on 3/10/2010
You know the old saying, “Even the walls have ears”? Well, now they really do. It’s called the “Social Media Wall”. And though it has the ability to launch your career faster than someone can say, “Twitter”, not listening to mom when she told you to speak only if you had something nice to say, can cause your words to come back and bite you…hard.
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By: andrea joseph,
on 8/28/2009
...onion? I've heard better analogies. I don't know who wrote that classic lyric. Whoever it was, though, I'm betting they were smoking some good s**t, man. But, absurdly, those lyrics sound pretty appropriate to me right now. I think it's something to do with the the layers of the onion. Or something like that, man.
I've been really struggling with a couple of big drawings this week. Sometimes you can invest so much time into a drawing that it's hard to give up on it even if it's not feeling right. That's what's been happening for me, with this one. I fear I've really messed up and may have to scrap it altogether.
I spent about a week drawing in this background. Building up each layer to recreate this old Moleskine Diary page. It's madness really, these layers that go into my drawings. And, this is only the background! At worse, I may never use it, or at best it'll end up getting covered by a big mad doodle and you probably won't even be able to see the background anyway.
In case, it is heading for the bin, I thought I'd get a post out of it. You'd allow me that wouldn't you? C'mon, this took me a week!
By: andrea joseph,
on 8/15/2009
I find having to post photos of my work really frustrating. I want you all to be able to get a proper look, stick your beaks in and all that, and I don't feel that you can do that with photos. I mean, seriously, how does one photograph a trompe l'oeil? The angle, the light, the colour, the detail - especially the detail - it just doesn't work. In my opinion. Oh well, until I can afford an A3 scanner that's just the way it is. 
By: andrea joseph,
on 8/3/2009
This drawing is on an A3 paper and, as I've said before, I do not own a big enough scanner, so excuse the photos.
This drawing has taken my obsessiveness to new levels. I'm not sure whether you get that from the photos but, really, it really has.
I found this book on Ebay. I expected everybody in the world to bid for it, and I would have paid over the odds. However, my predictions were wrong and I ended up getting it for just £4.
I, religiously, tried to recreate every crease, stain and colour on the page. I think I managed it more or less. But, I did make a couple of little additions of my own. I'll let you work out what they were.
It's also the very first page of my book. The book of my life.
By: andrea joseph,
on 5/10/2009
Hey, guys and dolls. I am drawing. Really I am. Here's the proof. It's just that I've suddenly taken to drawing on A3 paper, and I don't own an A3 scanner. I'm loving this bigger paper, though. Just what I needed, double the size paper to fill with the tiniest most intricate of details.
Also, I now have to go to the print shop to get my drawings scanned. I'll have to post photos until I do that. Or, until I (can afford to) invest in an A3 scanner.
Something else I love is making life more complicated for myself.
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By: Jan Mader,
on 3/21/2009
I sometimes use weekends just to chat with you. Today is no exception, except today I need to share a personal story and ask for some honest feedback.
I'm going to take a deep breath first. This is difficult.
Over six years ago, I sold a children's story called Tango and Tilly to a publisher in Canada. I was contracted for this manuscript and six more in the series.
This book was my heart because it was based on my own horse Tango (who I adore)...and me.
I used Tango's antics as my inspiration. I used my imagination and joy to write the stories.
I won't go into great detail (partially for legal reasons), but through no fault of my own, two years into the process, my rights were returned to me. I've been sitting on the story since 2006.
Last weekend, out of the blue, someone said to me, "I bought your book for my granddaughter, and she loves it!"
I asked which book and she said, Tango and Tilly.
I was flabbergasted. Long story short. Somehow, some way, my book is being sold (or shown as available) illegally through many sources. It would cost me tens of thousands of dollars to pursue this legally. I don't have that kind of money.
Here is my question to you: If I had the book re-illustrated and then self-published Tango and Tilly, do you think I could generate enough interest to sell it through this blog? If it is successful, I could sell subsequent stories to a publisher here in the states.
That's it. Please spill your guts. Be honest with me. I believe in honesty.
The original publisher has nothing to do with this horrible situation.
By: andrea joseph,
on 3/2/2009
Well, sorry to leave you hanging like that. I've been a little busy. And, I've been struggling with this drawing. It's been a love hate relationship. I've given up on it a couple of times, then I've given in and worked on it some more, then finally, after a couple of weeks, I finished it. It's another drawing from, erm, 'my book' (!). Which is another reason I've been away for so long - getting ready for Bologna. Yikes, folks, it's getting close.
So, click on the drawing to get a better view. Go on, stick your beaks in.
By: Jago,
on 6/26/2007
As of today the Jesus Storybook Bible has just hit #26 on the MOVERS AND SHAKERS on amazon.com! It's also currently at a sales rank of 433....
hate for the world to lose such fine detail, and such attention and dedication to a drawing.
Whatever you think of it, even in this, it's beginning stages, it's drawing the eye, turning the neck to make out the words, causing the questions to be asked.
The bin?! No way! Please don't send it to the bin. Even if you just write on it, it won't be wasted. Your handwriting captivates me.
Andrea, I have faith in you! I am sure you will be able to turn this into quite an awesome drawing. No worries, really! :)
In the words of the great mentor and coach, Lombardi, "Never, never, never, quit." Well, I think that's who it was, or maybe it was Mae West. hmmmmmm. Anyway, keep going, keep working on it, quit thinking about it. It comes, and when it comes for you, it's always a joy to behold.
Keep the faith! I love the precise detail in your work, it always shines through. The layering of your work is unique - I love the way you create 'paper' - showing what's underneath- keep going and going! I have to look and then look again at your work. Put it in a book... please?
When I spend an ordinate amount of time on something I get more and more concerned about whether it will come out okay. But I tell myself I shouldn't. It is, after all, just another drawing, and stress could affect the result. So forget it. And I am sure you didn't mess it up - just use whatever you did to make it a little different than you expected. I know for me nothing ever comes out the way I expect anyway. Finally, when I heard all the talk about the background, I looked back again at your bike drawing - how cool the "I will concentrate in class" writing! I hadn't noticed before. All those layers. Drawing is, well, like an onion.
you're throwing this away? please, don't! I am impressed what you have done with the background!
as for the.. onion, lol, I've never heard that phrase, but the first thing I thought about was that it makes you cry, perhaps that's what they meant? just a wild guess :)
have a lovely weekend, Andrea!
I had a poster with this quote back in the 60's.
"Life is like an onion: you peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep."
Carl Sandburg
You will do something wonderful with this that you will like in the end. I'm sure of it. :):)
It's amazing already!!!
Don't toss it, put it out of sight and forget about it for a long while. At some point you'll be looking for something else, stumble upon this and perhaps a light will dawn as to what its next step should be.
Thank you, folks.
You haven't seen the other half of the drawing - where I really messed up. I know I could make something out of it, but, Anonova, I think you are right, put it away for a while.
Dan, I think I might just be using that quote in the near future. Drawing is like an onion. Of course, it is. Why hadn't we noticed that before?
Cheers, my dears.
Yes just leave it for awhile and get back to it later. I love your drawings and all the tiny details you put in.
I agree, don't throw it, hide it away for a while until it finds it's purpose. I recently had a similar experience but involving bleach, acrylic paint, a scalpel & glue (don't ask!), as I had messed up an intricate painting of over a weeks work...couldn't throw it as I'd already entered it in an exhibition. But it eventually turned out rather well, so nil desperandum!
found your stuff from a comment you left a year back on my blog - LOVE YOUR WORK - will check back regularly. look forward to seeing more.
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Some good s**t... hahahaha.
As a passer by, I like the background detail. I would set it aside. Sometimes when you're too close you can't see. I bet in a month or two, you'll have a new perspective.