Starting Out

When I decided I wanted to illustrate for children I thought it would be a piece of cake. I thought that a degree in Fine Art ( albeit in Textiles) was really all I needed. Yeah, stupid. What did I think those graphic art majors were doing all the time? I remember dating one of them briefly and thinking it was ridiculous that he stayed up late almost nightly doing hundreds of thumbnail sketches.

A couple of months after my "big decision", I attended my first SCBWI event. It was a regional conference. I brought in a few pieces to be critiqued. I saw work from other ( I use the term other loosely) illustrators. My work was way off. I was very nicely told that my pieces needed actual children in them and that movement  is key. What I had presented was some nicely done portrait type work. Pretty, but not for kids. Here a couple of those originals.

Starting Fresh

For the past three years or so most of the drawing I have done has been in the in the wee hours of the night during the middle of a panic attack. It is the only thing (in conjunction with meds) that calms me down. You would be appalled at the number of sketches I have of shower stalls, toilet papers rolls, and underwear pooled at my feet. Too much information? Sorry, but there it is.There have been intermittent bouts of creativity, though, and lately I have been feeling it strongly. So, now that my daughter is old enough to pee by herself and my son is walking I am jumping back in. Specifically with this year's Picture Book Dummy Challenge. Thanks to Bonnie Adamson and Wendy Martin for organizing. I will post a link when I figure out how. You wouldn't believe how much has changed in the last three and a half years.Wish me luck!

Side note: I will put up older work periodically and post some sketches when I am feeling confidant.Tootles.

Time Out