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Once a year, I  like to make up a collection of empty book dummies in various sizes and shapes--usually 24, 32 and 48 pages. 

 It's easy to cut and taping/glue text and sketches into the pages to test the pace of the story.

I start with folding 11x17 bond paper, folding in half, cutting to the size I want the book to be to create.

The folded pages are sewn together on the sewing frame--2 at a time.

 

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This Fall I've been worked on an illustration on Society of Illustrator, FEAR Show.

Fear isn't my usual genre, so I thought I would listen to one of Stephen King's books for inspiration. Okay, I was too scared to listen to his work at night -- but then I discovered his book, "On Writing. It was inspiring, brilliant, and kept my mind off how scary the studio is at night while I worked. Thank you Stephen King.

                     

The illustration above is of my studio at night from my desk with the door to the secret room partially open. Since the weather in Upstate New York has turned chilly, we've noticed strange sounds coming from inside the walls. It's worse at night and a bit creepy.

 

Close up of the secret room off the studio

 

 Exhibit

NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 29, 2011

Museum of American Illustration

128 East 63rd Street
(between Park and Lexington Avenues)
New York, NY 10065

Gallery Hours:
10 A.M.– 8 P.M. Tuesday
10 A.M.– 5 P.M. Wednesday - Friday
12 noon– 4 P.M. Saturday
Closed most holidays

 

 

 

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 The two pieces I was working on this summer are in the show. The first is the Wild Rabbits of de Gaulle and the second is the Wild Cows of the Queen Charlottes.

The Silpe Gallery, Hartford, CT.

October 19-25 2011

  Juror Helen Hsu, Assistant Curator at the Guggenheim Museum. 

More pictures of the Opening

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Several people have asked me about the semi-precious mineral paints used in the limited edition prints.

I discovered these unique watercolors at this wonderful art store in Seattle -- Daniel Smith Artist Materials.

I discovered Daniel Smith back in the 1990's on a visits to Seattle to hang out with the Cartoonists Northwest group, at the now closed Doghouse Cafe.

I love "story" so to learn the story of these mineral watercolor paints, see below (the process is the second half of the video).

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This painting was inspired by a trip to Paris and the rabbits (les lapins) that live at the airport.

The rabbits are often visible from the plane at dusk and dawn during landing and departure at the Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris France. Check it out next time you fly to Paris.

 Left: Hala is testing to see if the ink is dry. It wasn't! Right: Watercolor paint made with ground lapis lazuli from Greenland and Italy.  Click here to to see a video of how the paint is made.

          Once I have a good print, limited edition prints are made on hand-made watercolor paper. Then each print is hand-painted. To see a close up view, see the Limited Edition Print Portfolio.

 

 

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 On Haida Gwaii, B.C. (formerly Queen Charlotte Islands) the feral cows live among the unique flora, fauna and totem ruins. The area is also know as Canada's Galapagos. 

This painting was inspired by a backpacking trip my son took when we lived in British Columbia.

 

The black and white originals are made by hand, then limited edition prints are made on hand-made Twinrocker watercolor paper.

 

 The prints are then hand-painted with watercolors made with bronzite stone from Brazil and lapis lazuli from Greenland and Italy. These semi-precious minerals in the paints add dimension and sparkle to the work. Paints are made by Daniel Smith in Seattle Washington.

 

 Framed and ready to ship to the Silpe Gallery, Hartford, CT

 

 

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The end of June the mouse family moved out  from under the stairs

and a family of frogs moved in.

Here is what they look like. They are quite distinquished, painted here by the renown

illustrator, C.F. Payne.

 

The rest of the furniture hadn't arrived yet.  We are expecting decorators, Anais, Zoey and Amalie,

from Canada on Saturday and a trip to the miniature furniture store. 

We're hoping master Obed Otto and Miss Aurora will have some decorating

suggestions as well.

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Q: I understand your dad was from Ontario, Canada and your mother was from Tennessee. How did these two cultures influence you as an artist.

A: We travelled so often between countries that I developed this odd British/Canadian accent with a Tennessee twist.  My voice made me stand out as foreigner in both countries. I didn’t really see this as a bad thing growing up,  after all I was from an artistic family so being different was an asset. It did however separate me from my peers and travelling was disruptive.

Here is a picture of my brother Jeff and I on the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit. The bridge connects the United States and Canada.  I used to think that if we stood in the middle of the bridge, we would be home.  I’ve loved bridges ever since.

 

 

No matter where we travelled my grandfather in Tennessee sent art supplies.  Drawing was portable and soon become my past time.  I thought of myself as an artist/journalist/explorer, sent on assignment to document the lives of my dolls, the animals on the farm and in the woods, and the performers backstage where my dad worked.

In the picture below, I am off stage experimenting with paint. This particular theatre in Nashville had barrels of powdered paint in every color and I was allowed to try them out. I think my dad, the director was trying to keep me busy during rehearsal.

This play turned out to be the first integrated play in Nashville. At the time there was a lot of controversy and near riot on opening night.  As far as I remember, it was a success-- but  I only saw the play from backstage. Ironically, I remember this as the time I learned to mix paint to create new colors.

Here is a picture of my grandfather in the 1940's with one of his cartoons. He dressed up to go to his studio each day and my grandmother made painters smocks to go with his suits. His house and studio were the same size and were beside each other. I knew someday I must have my own studio.

 

 

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It's been a great year working digitally. The freedom to experiment has been liberating and fun. Uploading work to clients is a snap!

I do however miss getting into paint and the look and feel of creating traditional illustrations. So when this next book in the Child Guide Series was written, it was an opportunity to continue the series with traditional media.

 

 On the left, pages 3-32 +cover, pen&ink and gouache illustrations. I really enjoyed  seeing all the original art spread out on the table. I even enjoyed the paint stains on my clothes and packaging it all up for FedEx.

Pub date for this book is May 2011.

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Tomie DePaola, Creating the Picture Book

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Packaging up this painting  today for the "Paint it Red"  exhibit next month. If you get a chance, check out the exhibit.

 

Paint in RED EXHIBIT

DECEMBER 1-30, 2010

Society of Illustrators

Museum of American Illustration

128 East 63rd Street
(between Park and Lexington Avenues)
New York, NY 10065

To benefit the Society of Illustrator's Building Fund.

 

PROCESS: I start with a sketch, then  create a relief print by hand. It usually takes a few tries to get the process to work (this took 3 tries). Timing is everything in this process.

Once the print is dry, it's scanned and painted with digital watercolor with the new bushes in Photoshop CS5.

Most of the time my relief prints are hand painted --but I wanted to experiment the new brushes on this first print.

High quality archival prints are printed, signed, numbered, and titled. This series is 25.

 

 



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annecatharineblake.com blog

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 Maurice Sendak

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Heritage Farm is a working farm designed for the developmentally disabled. It was created in 1985 by a husband and wife  who believed farming and rural life fostered independence and self-worth. A place where people, not their disability came first.


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