I thought you might like to see some more of the work I have been doing out in gorgeous Derbyshire landscape.
Yes, I went back to Winnats Pass a week after my last excursion, to have another go. I started with the drawing above, warming up with good old charcoal and a skinny stick of black conte, for the finer mark-making.
It wasn't an official SketchCrawl day, but I let people know that I was going, so was joined by a handful of other sketchers, who popped in and out during the day. Nice to have the company. We were all taken by this particular view - stunning stuff!
After lunch, once familiar with the lie of the land, I tried the same view again as an experiment, using Platignum writing ink (very water soluble), lots of water sploshing and then a wee bit of watercolour. The light had changed a bit by then though and we had lost those lovely long stripes of shadow:
I was interested in keeping the view basically representational, but creating a more abstracted and expressive interpretation of the shapes than the more literal drawing at the top. I got ink everywhere though, especially since the plastic pot I'd put it in had leaked. Black fingers again.
I did a watercolour next, from slightly further into the valley. I am still not entirely happy with the watercolours and very much still learning. The Peak District is the perfect place to practise though. So many beautiful shapes:
I was looking for a different view to finish, but didn't have time to climb to the far end of the valley and look back down, like I did last time, so I scaled the left side, to higher ground. There wasn't anywhere even vaguely flat to sit though and I had my work cut out, just stopping myself from sliding back down the steep slope! My rucksack kept trying to tip over and roll back down into the valley and I was sure that at any moment my brushes, water or palette would tumble away from me.
I managed to get a painting done before any mishap, though my poor bottom was totally dead by the end:
I am still learning how the watercolours work at this scale - it's very different to using them for the smaller urban sketches I am more used to. It was the patterns in the landscape which I was excited by. For me it is all about exaggerating shapes and pulling out colours, playing with marks and textures. Perhaps my early textiles training is still in there somewhere, trying to get out!
Here's how this one looks against the reality:
John had dropped me off in the morning and then spent the day hiking around the hills in the area. He arrived back in the valley while I was half way through this last painting, at the end of the afternoon, ready to take me to the pub for a well-earned dinner.
Another lovely and very productive day.
We've made it through to the final round! Congratulations to all of you for all of your hard work and accomplishments. Connections have been made, friendships forged, and feedback assimilated. But we aren't done yet!! We have SEVEN amazing agents (also listed below) who've donated their time to judge the final round.
If your title is below then please take 24 hours to revise and send me your final entry by 9 AM tomorrow (Friday) to be posted by Saturday on the contest blog. Please send all info, including name, email, current title, genre/subgenre, word count, 150 word pitch, and 250 word first page EVEN IF you are not changing anything.
Agent Judges:
Jordy Albert of the Booker Albert Agency:
Jordy Albert is a Literary Agent and co-founder of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. She holds a B.A. in English from Pennsylvania State University, and a M.A. from Millersville University of Pennsylvania. She has worked with Marisa Corvisiero during her time at the L. Perkins Agency and the Corvisiero Literary Agency. She enjoys studying languages (French/Japanese), spends time teaching herself how to knit, is a HUGE fan of Doctor Who, Sherlock and Supernatural (#Superwholock)!!! And loves dogs.
She is looking for stories that sink their teeth in, leave the reader wanting more, and gives her all the feels. She loves books that make her laugh out loud or tear up (or in some cases wanting to throw the book). She is interested in Middle Grade contemporary or action/adventure (think Indiana Jones, Goonies, Labyrinth and other awesome 80s movies). In YA and New Adult, she is looking for sci-fi/fantasy (romance), contemporary romance. She’s also always looking for characters with strong, authentic voices. Jordy loves an awesome kick butt hero/heroine, especially when they have to work their way out of a tight spot. While it isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, she tends to shy away from novels with trigger topics, such as suicide and any type of abuse. As for adult works, Jordy is looking for smart, sexy contemporary romances that leave her breathless, and where the chemistry between the characters sizzles right off the pages. She is also looking for Historical Romances (she definitely has a soft spot for Regency). Like Brittany, Jordy is a sucker for a HEA! Some favorite authors include Sabrina Jeffries, Teresa Medeiros, Karen Marie Moning, Kresley Cole, Lauren Layne, and Gena Showalter.
Danielle Barthel of New Leaf Literary:
Following her completion of the Denver Publishing Institute after graduation, Danielle began interning at Writers House. While there, she realized she wanted to put her English degree and love of the written word to work at a literary agency. She worked as a full-time assistant for three years, and continues to help keep the New Leaf offices running smoothly in her role of Coordinator of Team and Client Services.
In her downtime, she can be found with a cup of tea, a bar of chocolate, or really good book...sometimes all together.
Follow Danielle on
twitter!
Sarah Davies of Greenhouse Literary:
Sarah Davies founded the Greenhouse and is head of the agency. She created the business after moving to the USA from England in 2007, following a long career as a senior UK children’s publisher.
As a publisher, Sarah worked with many high-profile writers on both sides of the Atlantic. As an agent she has shepherded many debut authors to success. She has considerable experience in contract negotiation, marketing and rights, as well as a strong understanding of digital developments. Excellent publishing contacts in both the USA and Britain, and homes in both countries, have given her an unusually transatlantic view of the children’s books industry, from both sides of the desk.
A member of AAR and SCBWI, Sarah is an experienced speaker on children’s books and creative writing and attends many writers’ and book-trade events throughout the year. She says, ‘Everything you need to know about Greenhouse is embodied in its name.'
Christa Heschke of McIntosh & Otis:
Christa Heschke graduated from Binghamton University with a major in English and a minor in Anthropology. She started in publishing as an intern at both Writers House and Sterling Lord Literistic, where she fell in love with the agency side of publishing. Christa has been at McIntosh and Otis, Inc. in the Children's Literature Department since 2009 where she is actively looking for picture books, middle grade, and young adult projects.
She is a fan of young adult novels with a romantic angle, and strong, quirky protagonists. Within YA, Christa is especially interested in contemporary fiction, horror and thrillers/mysteries. As for middle grade, Christa enjoys contemporary, humor, adventure, mystery and magical realism for boys and girls. For picture books, she’s drawn to cute, funny, character driven stories within fiction and is open to non-fiction with a unique hook.
Victoria Lowes of The Bent Agency:
Victoria was born and raised in Queens, New York and graduated from the City University of New York, Queens College. Before joining the Bent Agency, she completed internships at Serendipity Literary and the Carol Mann Agency. In her spare time she can be found teaching dance classes for young students or watching re-runs of The Office. She loves books that teach her something, whether it be about a culture she doesn’t know, event in history or about the dynamics of a tumultuous young romance. She wants to root for your characters -- connect with them and the problems they face. She’s looking for characters as complex and interesting as those she meets in real life.
Melissa Nasson of RPC:
Melissa Nasson is an associate agent with Rubin Pfeffer Content. She is also an attorney and contracts director at Beacon Press, an independent publisher of non-fiction. Melissa is currently accepting submissions, and she is actively seeking MG, YA, and NA fiction in all genres (though she has a soft spot for fantasy and sci-fi). She will also consider fiction intended for the adult market, particularly edgy speculative fiction and gothic/horror novels. She is not considering non-fiction at this time.
Kelly Sonnack of Andrea Brown:
Kelly Sonnack is a Literary Agent with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, living in San Diego. She works with illustrators and writers of all areas within children’s literature (picture books, middle grade, young adult, and graphic novels). Some of the YA and middle grade novels she represents include Steve Watkins’ Golden Kite Winner DOWN SAND MOUNTAIN (Candlewick); Sharon Cameron’s debut novel THE DARK UNWINDING and her upcoming novel ROOK (both Scholastic); and Gordon McAlpine’s middle grade trilogy THE MISADVENTURES OF EDGAR AND ALLAN POE (Viking/Penguin), with illustrations by Sam Zuppardi. Picture books she represents include Bridget Heos and Joy Ang’s MUSTACHE BABY (Clarion/HMH); Diane Adams’ TWO HANDS TO LOVE YOU (Chronicle); Jessica Young’s MY BLUE IS HAPPY (Candlewick); Elizabeth Rusch’s ERUPTION! THE SCIENCE OF SAVING LIVES (Houghton Mifflin/HMH); and Sam Zuppardi’s THE NOWHERE BOX (Candlewick). She is a frequent speaker at conferences, including SCBWI’s national and regional conferences, is on the advisory board for University of California San Diego’s Writing and Illustrating for Children Certificate, and can be found talking about all things children’s books on Facebook (agentsonnack) and Twitter (@KSonnack). You can also learn more about her at
www.kellysonnack.com or at her agency’s website,
www.andreabrownlit.com.
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This week has been another busy one...
I started it by spending all weekend locked up in the studio with my nose to the computer, working on my Baby Can Bounce scans in Photoshop, cutting out vignettes and then tinkering with the digital images, to help them 'bed in' with the coloured backgrounds we have dropped behind:
So, as you can imagine, I was already feeling a little jaded on Monday morning, when I had to drag myself out of my warm, cosy bed at 5.15am (!!!) to make a 6.30 train to Durham.
Now, this wouldn't have been so bad if I wasn't still recovering from particularly late night on Saturday. It was my good friend (and fellow illustrator) Lydia Monks's birthday, so a group of us donned fancy dress and went to a 1970's themed party. Arriving home in the wee small hours, we staggered from the taxi, went to let ourselves in, then realised... I had left my handbag in the back of the cab, whose tail lights were just rounding the corner.
John made chase (in full 70's gear, including a wig), but to no avail. So: no door key, no mobile, no way in. Once we'd finished swearing, John scaled the fence and broke a wi
Word bubble reads "Are you sure you have been dusting regularly?"This is the first chance I have had this month to participate on Illustration Friday. I had to tell myself today "Just a quick one" and so I got out the charcoal and Cont'e and my small sketchbook. This is the children's illustration I came up with. It was inspired by a character called Lachlan I am working on for one of my books. I
I got a new watercolour sketchpad from a friend for Christmas. John also got some lovely drawing gear from my family.
So, instead of working on New Year's Eve (those end of year accounts are calling...), we drove over to the local Weston Park Museum after breakfast (the one we visited for a sketchcrawl in the autumn), and had a bit of a play.
We only put 2 hours in the meter, and I took around an hour to paint this grumpy old perch (well you'd be grumpy if someone stuffed you and stuck you in a glass case). Which left just 20 minutes before we had to get our stuff together and start walking back to the car (we had to park miles away).
While Perchy was drying, I did this quickie of his neighbour, a stuffed sparrowhawk, in my regular sketchbook:
It's funny, but when I am against the clock like that, it's so much easier to use loose and carefree marks. So much of successful drawing is caught up in psychology.
It was so much fun, we did it again yesterday afternoon, this time indoors.
We both sketched some flowers: the nearest thing to trees, which was what we really fancied. I painted them in my new pad. They're not my favourite subject, and I got a bit grumpy with them: I felt they became a bit fussy, though they look better with fresh eyes today.
To calm myself, I drew and watercoloured the view out of the dining room window (more like it):
I so like the random way that windows frame the outside, and the different shapes of roofs and chimneys that surround our house.
Well, it's pretty spooky after dark, but in the sunshine it's lovely. All the tombs are really old, and are entangled with ivy and blackberry bushes. There are wild flowers growing through everywhere, massive trees framing it all and everything green basically going crazy.
You might remember, I did a brief visit there with Liz Steel the Urban Sketcher? Well, these were actually done a few days before that, but there's been so much else going on, I've not had a chance to show you them until now.
The huge, old tree at the top looked like it was trying to wriggle free of the undergrowth and was set wonderfully against the blue sky. I'm using a thin, black, conte stick instead of pencil, as I find that stands out better with the watercolour, and is more expressive than a pen line.
All the pink on this last one was done in squashed blackberry. I ate several while I painted but, as the text at the top says, I had to keep to the higher berries, because the cemetery's a real dog-walker's haven. I sat on this tomb to draw the one above. I have a foam pad to stop my bum getting too chilled - works wonders!
Sometimes I like to use my sketchbook as a way to help me put up with the dreadful TV John likes to watch. Even the most cring-worthy films are rendered almost OK, if you have only the corner of your mind on them and most of it concentrating on a drawing. This was Sunday night:
I started to colour it in conte, but it was destroying a not-bad sketch, so I waited and added watercolour next day, which brought it back again, although the felt pen I used couldn't seem to make up its mind if it was waterproof or not.
I did this one earlier the same day: an afternoon when the wind made it too chilly to draw outside:
I have always liked the random way windows create frames to view the outside.
Here's a quick sketchbook sketch from my head. I'm pretty stressed right now, lots and lots of work coming up. It's all work I'm excited about about though.There's a number of things conspiring to make me feel stressed : work, my mom's still in the hospital, a 7 month old boy etc. etc. The trip to Toronto is looming as well. I'm busy making mixed CDs and buying new clothes for the trip. I want to have some comfortable jeans and sneakers this summer. I always buy expensive leather shoes which fall apart in no time because I walk so much.
This is what I have to ask my children when I check their rooms. Great illo.
Right now on this Sunday afternoon I am doing the same :-)
Great post!
Great piece!