By: Ginger Nielson,
on 1/13/2008
I suppose you know that if you were a fairy you would have to STITCH your own clothing. Shoes would be fashioned from just the right size leaf. And if they wore out, you could easily find a huge selection of raw materials all ready to stitch up.
©Ginger Nielson 2007
By: Ginger*:)*,
on 1/7/2008
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 1/5/2008
Ah, a dog's life. Most of the time it is 100 percent content. MOST of the time.
©Ginger Nielson 2008
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 12/29/2007
By: Ginger*:)*,
on 12/26/2007
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 12/26/2007
Well, we know you were all NICE and not Naughty this year, but unless you want to be left out NEXT time around, you need to start being NICE all over again, because Santa is back at his north pole headquarters and he has already started his new list for 2008. As you can easily see, no one is on the Naughty side of his list, YET.
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 12/25/2007
Wishing you all here and there, near and far the spirit of Peace, Hope, Love, and JOY that comes with this season and the bright new beginning of a New Year.
©Ginger Nielson2007
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 12/22/2007
Double page spread from the book I illustrated, SONG FOR A GIRAFFE (and just available on AMAZON.com,)
The blank spaces are where the text is now located. You may click on the image for a larger view. Blogger can only show much smaller images as this spread actually measures 22 inches wide.
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 12/20/2007
Just a few items I wanted to share with you all. Especially with y'all in the south.
Winter in NH this year has been a blast. A blast of cold air. A blast of snow, and snow and more snow. We can measure up to 30" on our deck where the picnic chairs and table are now completely buried. The sights are beautiful...and yes, it is still snowing.
When our mom is here with us for the winter, we usually put out her Norwegian flag along with our own American flag. That way people who live nearby know she is here. ( along with her favorite cat)
Stairs disappear....
Chairs fall victim as well....
And a walk in the woods will have to wait, but it is still quite beautiful and peaceful.
All is calm, all is bright!
By: Ginger*:)*,
on 12/17/2007
Good News! No one is on the "Naughty" list.
©Ginger Nielson
By: Ginger*:)*,
on 12/16/2007
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 12/16/2007
As I show this picture, it is still snowing sideways.
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 12/14/2007
As she looked BACKWARDS over her shoulder Paulette saw the stunned and surprised looks on her parents' faces. As she fell further and further into the foaming sea, she hollered BACKWARDS over the waves, " Don't worry! I'm sure I'll wash up somewhere!"
Finding no comfort in her words, her bereft parents furiously untangled their fishing nets and cast them into the sea in a desperate effort to snare their fast disappearing daughter. Alas, they unfurled them BACKWARDS, and Paulette disappeared beneath the waves.
However, she did wash up on shore, kiddies, and can be found (quite well and happy and also very very clean!) in another Illustration Friday theme...to be announced.
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 12/11/2007
Poor Henry, I think he doesn't like the flash from our camera. The first thing he did when I started taking pictures this morning was to hide under the Nativity scene. By the way, he is 'dressed' for the day in his Christmas bandana.
By: Amy C. Moreno,
on 12/10/2007
My illustrator friend Ginger Nielson gave me this You Make Me Smile Award and I had to post it here. What a wonderful idea and kind gesture. Check out Ginger's wonderful children's illustrations.
Thank you Ginger. You make me smile too.
By: Ginger*:)*,
on 12/10/2007
I have an assignment I'm working on for an Educational publisher. When I do these it is quite different from a Picture Book. With a picture book you can be quite creative and run with your imagination. Educational assignments are very nice to have, but the work is very specific and detailed. These are mostly early readers, or grade level readers and the text and images must fit together in great detail. It is fun to work both ways, although I would imagine that most illustrators would prefer the creative Picture Book approach to the detailed instructional/educational approach.
When I work for an educational publisher I will often make lots of sketches of different elements that appear on various pages of the text. I will cut these figures or objects out and start positioning them on a separate sheets of paper like little collages. This way I can move people and things around until I get an idea of composition and scale. I know this can be done in the computer too, but I like to work with my little paper people first. I will also work on several pages at a time, just to keep the characters consistent.
So here are some elements grouped in an image of how they have been fitted together....just for now. Once this is in the computer, it may change again, but I find the whole process kind of fun and challenging. ( You might be able to see the shadow line of some of the cut outs.) There are actually several more elements that will fit into this scene, but they are still in the scanner.
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 12/8/2007
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 12/7/2007
What a sweet surprise!
My good friend Nancy, a collage artist you must visit, has given me this "You Make Me Smile" award. If she hadn't given it to me I would have been sending it to her. She brings light and laughter to all with her creative and delightful collages. Since she already has this I am passing it on to Sherry and Amy whose blogs always bring a smile to me and so many others. All of these Blogs deserve a visit and you will not be disappointed.
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 12/5/2007
This is a book I recently illustrated
by Michael LaLumier and Kim Messinger.
It is now available for Pre-Order from
Amazon.com.
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 11/30/2007
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 11/29/2007
I decided to WINTERIZE... my My Website and the banner for this blog.
By: Ginger*:)*,
on 11/29/2007
What's up with you and your art? Have you redesigned your website? Are you working on a new project? Looking for a new project? Adding to your portfolio? Traveling? Teaching? Going to Classroom visits?
Chime in here and spread any News you have!
By: Ginger*:)*,
on 11/25/2007
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 11/24/2007
From an interior spread for the book I just illustrated and now available from Stagger Lee Books "Song For A Giraffe"
It took almost a year to complete the illustrations for this book and this image is actually much larger as the giraffe and the text for this spread aren't included here. The research was one of the best parts of the whole experience. I learned so much!
©Ginger Nielson2007
PS... if you want to hear what the animals are singing, just go to my PROFILE section on this blog and play the Audio Clip.
By: Ginger Nielson,
on 11/21/2007
I love this!! The leaf shoes are so perfect. Those wee folk sure know how to make things ;)
Love the new header too!
oooh, do i ever love those stockings!! beautiful work!
a : )
and, they don't even have to worry about shoe-laces.... those tights rock
Hi Ginger! Ohh I have to work on something glossy soon---This is really so cool!
Love the prespective and concept. And as usual, your rendering is perfect!
Wow! How clever is that!
I wish I had a pair of those.
I love all the detail, especially on the little leaf shoes!
Fabulous color and I love those tights! I also love your new header - beautiful!
my wife loves fairies! cute shoes!
Happy New Year, Ginger! I love this illustration! It makes such a wonderful design cropped as it is, and the background is so pretty. The leaf slippers are perfectly done... overall...this is really delightful.
Those are gingeriffic!
I have a pair of shoes just like that! But I don't have pink socks. Great work!
clever and cute! great picture.
Nice work, realy nice illustration!
www.ruisousaartworks.blogspot.com
perfectly sweet....and you KNOW how I love those stockings !!!!
Haha! This such a great idea!
Wonderful!