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I finished reading about the last artist in “An Illustrated Life” and I am now inspired to keep my own sketch journal. My sketchbooks have always been for working out project ideas, random notes and doodles, and a few studies. But, I really like the idea of chronicling details and memories. It will also keep me drawing, even though I don’t really feel like I have time to focus on a drawing project.


So, last night it was 76 degrees (F) at 8:00 p.m., the kids were in the process of eating (yes, a late dinner - it’s like that with us). I thought I’d take the opportunity to go to Panera with my sketch journal to sit outside with a salad and draw the people and things I observed. Of course, by the time I got everyone settled and drove over there, it was 8:40 and they closed at 9:00!

Well, I was determined to do something, so I sat outside in the dim lighting and tried to scribble something down.  This is my feeble attempt at a sketch journal page - my salad (which was tasty) in it’s To Go container. The closing staff was folding up umbrellas at the tables all around me and probably thought it strange that I was drawing my food, but there wasn’t much else to draw and little time to draw it. But, at least I started - I have a “first page” and look forward to more.

While reading through the book, it really struck me how every artist commented on having to slow down and take in the moment, and that everything about that moment is clear in their minds even 20 years later (Lord knows, I‘m not getting any younger and the mind‘s not getting any sharper). And, what a great thing to pass along to your children - hopefully something of value to your descendents - a little insight into the life of someone they’ll never get to meet.

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Day & Night by Teddy Newton

The Pixar short film that accompanied Toy Story 3 in theaters has been transformed into a picture book.  Showing the same style, humor and charm of the film, this book captures the interplay between day and night.  Told in short sentences on black paper, the two characters immediately see their differences but through their interaction develop a friendship.  In the end, they discover they have a lot more in common than they had thought at first glance.  There is a wonderful whimsy about their interaction as they both use their bodies as a canvas for communication.  Each shows off the wonders of their time of day.  There are parades, rainbows and butterflies for Day.  Night responds with fireworks, outdoor movies and fireflies.  Told mostly in images, the story will appeal to young and old.

Newton’s illustrations carry this story, infusing it with appeal.  The use of the black background makes the characters really pop.  This creates a dynamic look and feel for the book.  The most effective piece of the book is the ending when day changes to night and night changes to day.  When their bodies fit together to create the horizon and to complete the sunset and dawn, it is very visually arresting.

Children who have seen the short film will enjoy this picture book version, but so will children who are looking for a friendly book with inviting illustrations.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Chronicle Books.

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New art for a Scholastic BIG book.... lots of fun.

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I did these little star gazing frogs a while back, but I thought it could work for this week's theme. I'm hoping to make time to participate in Illustration Friday again! Check out the IF site, as there's always such great work each week around each theme.

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With the adjustments to the sketches for my book dummy now complete, I thought I'd take a short break before starting the painting phase to work on a promotional piece. Continuing on the theme of cats, I added the last details to this sketch this morning:
This piece is actually a re-make of a painting I did back in art school. If I remember correctly, I believe the assignment was to illustrate a cover for Cricket magazine either on the theme of Halloween or possibly for the month of October. I had been fairly pleased with the original composition, but have had it in mind for some time that it would be nice to revisit this image and put more time into the final art than I was able to as a student. I remember back in school I had originally drawn the little mouse to the far right much more plainly and it had been the excellent suggestion by one of my classmates to dress the mouse up for Halloween and have it trick-or-treating. I think that simple suggestion really helped to make the painting.

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Mama’s Bayou by Dianne de Las Casas, illustrated by Holly Stone-Barker

Take a sound-filled tour through the bayou as the animals that live there prepare to sleep.  Using the repeated phrase of “Mama’s by you on the bayou” the book moves from animal to animal offering the sounds they make.  Crickets chirp, frogs slurp, snakes hiss, mosquitoes (skeeters) buzz, and more.  Every few pages, there is a double-spread given over just to the accumulated noises of the animals.  These small breaks in the pattern of the book keep it from being too rhythmic and also give readers a place to pause and consider the noises of the night.

De Las Casas has written a book that is a lullaby directly from the bayou to you.  Her use of repetition is nicely done.  Also the cumulative nature of the animal noises makes for a fun read.  Stone-Barker’s illustrations are done in cut paper collages.  The papers have dimension and texture, offering a depth that is exciting.  She also uses deep colors of night very successfully.

A lovely way to celebrate the sounds of the night whether listening to the mosquitoes in the bayou or all the way north in Wisconsin.  We do have fewer crocodiles though.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Pelican Publishers.

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Whoo Goes There? by Jennifer A. Ericsson, illustrated by Bert Kitchen

Everything was dark and quiet.  Owl sat alone on a branch in a tall tree, waiting and watching.  Whenever something rustled, thumped or squeaked, Owl wondered, “Whoo goes there?”  He hoped it was something just right for his dinner.  But each time it was not a fat mouse or squirrel, it was a cat, a skunk or a bat.  Finally, Owl knew it WAS a mouse, and he headed into the darkness to try to catch it.

This book based on a simple premise offers more depth than most repetitive stories.  Here we see nature in action, tension builds with each creature that isn’t edible, and the ending is perfectly satisfying with a touch of humor.  Ericsson’s prose uses the repetition nicely, never becoming sing-songy or dull, but using it instead to create a vivid mood.  Combined with Kitchen’s incredibly lifelike illustrations, this book offers a book that will give children a tingle with no real fear.  Kitchen’s art is beautifully rendered.  He shows the detail of the bark of a tree contrasted with the spines of a porcupine in just one of his masterful images.  Each one is a window into nature and into that creature.

Highly recommended, this is an ideal book for story times with toddlers.  I would consider it for Halloween story times where the children are a bit young for monster books but want a little thrill still.  Appropriate for ages 2-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

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Day Is Done by Peter Yarrow, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary wrote this poignant song about the wisdom of children and their ability to lead us.  This picture book takes the lyrics of the song and turns it into a book for children that adults will appreciate as well.  A variety of animal families are featured in the book including bears, deer, rabbits and raccoons.  Sweet’s illustrations explore the connections of families, nature and wonder as her animals live in a forest bedecked in flowers drawn with a child-like hand.  Both the song and illustrations combine to create a world of shelter, love and connectivity.

Sweet’s illustrations with their touches of thick crayon and youthful simplicity are deceptive.  Looked at closely, they are mixes of collage and watercolor that are expertly combined into a seamless unity.  Sweet’s art moves from late afternoon through evening and night, changing from pastels to deeper starlit blues. 

A beautiful and accessible version of the beloved song, this book includes a CD with two additional songs.  Appropriate for ages 2-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by Jama Rattigan, LadyD Books, and Brimful Curiosities. 

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Night Lights by Susan Gal

Follow a girl through her evening in this quiet picture book.  The book begins with her biking home with her mother, roasting hotdogs with her dog looking eagerly on, celebrating the dog’s birthday with a huge dog-bone cake, and then her bedtime routine.  Each page has only a few words and those explain the various lights that illuminate the evening.  The story itself is told entirely in the illustrations.

It is those illustrations that make this such a marvelous picture book.  Each page has a glow about it without using any glitter or extra glued on sparkles.  The light comes from inside the illustrations, done in charcoal on paper and digital collage.  The collage effect is subtle here, captured mostly in the fabrics in the pictures.  The illustrations are warm, friendly and cozy, perfect for bedtime.

With its small word count and inviting illustrations, this debut picture book makes a perfect bedtime book for a toddler.  Appropriate for ages 1-4.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

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A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na

The simple prose of this night-time picture book is made magnificent by its illustrations.  Owl is awake alone all night and watches all sorts of beasts sleep through the darkness.  Every creature sleeps differently even though they are all asleep at night.  Then when dawn comes, everyone else wakes up while owl falls asleep. 

According to the blurb in the book, the illustrations are a combination of handmade painterly textures with digitally generated layers compiled in Adobe Photoshop.  The result is complex and lovely.  The illustrations are filled with repeating motifs, patterns used as shadows, grass and skies.  They are large and while not bright-colored, they will project well for use with a group of children. 

Inspiring art in a simple picture book, this book is perfect bedtime reading for toddlers where the adults will enjoy lingering on each page just as much as the child.  Appropriate for ages 2-5.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

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