Apart from the next picture book for anna I am also working on another set of her adventures in the reader series (that's number 5) so I thought I would blog a little bit about the process. This is how the book comes to me for illustrating, i also get a backup copy digitaly but this is the one i work from. 
To get to the finished illustration for a page, I first have a look at the page and what is suggested by the designer (who is very good at this) and importantly what I would like to draw and how it would work with the text on the page. 
I sketch it out on layout paper with my trusty propelling pencil ..and sometimes to help the design work on the page layout put the text under the sheet of paper I am working on just to see if it fits. then I scan it into my mac and work on the page using Photoshop. It is a tool i find very handy when I want to remove lines or blotches or change the contrast of the line. but I really try to do as little as possible with the line, otherwise it starts to look a little flat and computery really quickly ..so in my world less is more. when I have sent these sketches off we discuss the pages and I may adjust the drawings to take into account things I havent noticed or that come up after discussion between the team, that is the Designer, the editor, and the near the end of the process the author. when we have all agreed I "go to artwork" although in these books that sounds a little grand . as they are black and white I just tidy up the smudges on Photoshop and lay a tone layer over the whole page and with the rubber tool I remove what I don't want . This is because I like to keep these images quite simple and try not to detract from the drawing. it is also because when these sort of books are printed the tonal work can get a little heavy (due to how the ink and the paper works) I wont get too anoracky . so I know if it's an even tone it will come out how I want it. 
anyway for those who want to know how the pages are done thats about it. so heres a peak at a brand new drawing for the latest book. sneekely titled anna hibiscus 5 ( for the moment ) 
hope you like it.
Note: My blog has been incorporated into my new website at http://www.laurentobia.com/blog. Please pop in and have a gander. Cheers, Lauren.
