Sividious Stark: And the Stadium between Worlds

This is a book cover I did for a YA Sci-Fi novel. It was fun to do and a little different than my usual style. I love breaking out and trying new things. Even though those darned art directors keep saying to limit my styles. ;)

SCBWI Illustrator's Conference!

Mark your calendars! Save the date! Register now! An exciting even is coming up in February. SCBWI is hosting an illustrator's conference. This year we have art director Martha Rago of Harper Collins coming as a guest speaker. Also, the husband and wife writer/illustrator team Mark and Caralyn Buehner will be presenting.

Illustration by Manelle Oliphant

 To read all about the conference click here. To register click here.

Okay, so I have to put a plug in for the Illustrator's Intensive with Martha Rago. When you sign up for this you will get to work with Martha as if you were doing a project for a big publisher (She'll give the assignment one month before the conference and work with her all month). Then, at the conference there will be a work shop for those that did the Intensive.

This is a great opportunity to see what its like to do a job for a big time New York art director. Plus, it doesn't her to have her get to know you on a personal level, just saying. You'll have to hurry to sign up for this one. Only the first 25 people will get to do the Intensive.

You Can Do Better

I'm going to share an epiphany I had a while back while doing a project for a client. After the initial sketch was approved I started refining my drawing. I had spent a few hours on it and was liking it. But then I noticed that the placement of the hands were wrong. The way they were facing did not make sense. (If the style I was going for was more stylized and graphic or flat it would not have been a big deal, but that was not my aim for this drawing.)

I hated the thoughts of redrawing those shoes laces! My first reaction was to keep going. I figured most people wouldn't notice. I'd only change it if the art director said anything.

However, that thought nagged me. I knew I could do better. But by going back I'd be spending more time than I wanted on this picture. But after my personal debate, I decided to bite the bullet and make the change. I ended up spending an extra couple hours making the changes and the funny thing is that as I made those changes I noticed other flaws with my drawing that I needed to change.

I'm not going to lie. It was a painful and dreaded thing when I realized how much I had to change, but in the end I was so much more satisfied with my drawing.

 

It made me reflect on my life. How often do I just get by? I can say, "You know what? No one else will notice so what's the big deal?" The deal is that I live with myself. And why shouldn't I try to do better? Anyway, since then I've tried doing things just a bit better. 

But I also want to say that I'm not doing it to compare myself to others. I know a dozen artists that could do a much cooler drawing of this little girl. But the point of changing the drawing wasn't because I was trying to be better than another artist. It was because I knew I could do better.

Happy Halloween!

Here is a frightful image to make your Halloween I little scarier. This picture is entitled "The Hunter and the Hound." This guy is one bad man. But don't worry you are most likely safe. He won't come after you. Maybe.

IF: Teacher

I am thrilled with this weeks topic of teacher. Because the teacher I want to feature is my dad. Love the man. And what's more is that twenty years ago today he passed away (just a month before I turned fourteen.) What a great day to remember him.

My dad was a farmer. He grew in Montana plowing, planting, herding, and fixing. He also played the accordion. I remember banging on tin pans as his percussionist while he practiced in the basement. My brothers and sisters and I loved to dance to his lively jigs.

One of my favorite memories was when I was five. He took me with him to harvest. I sat with him in the cabin of the combine looking out the windows. Now this may seem boring, but I loved it. It was just me and my dad. And then for lunch he let me eat a whole tomato. A whole tomato all to myself!

He read to us. I loved gathering around him as he read, "The Little House on the Prairie", or Dr. Sues or the scriptures.

My dad set such a good example to me. He taught me hard work. (I'd have to get up at 3:30AM to help milk cows.) He taught me the worth of an individual is great. (He never set himself up as the center of attention for any kind of gathering, but he'd often find one person and find out how that person was.) He taught me faith. (Every morning and evening he gathered his family together for prayer.) He taught me to forgive. (If I fought with any of my siblings he would sit us in chairs facing each other. There was only one rule. We weren't allowed to laugh. I think I broke first pretty much every time.)

Here's to my dad. Dad, I love you.


       

Happy 4th of July

Here is a coloring page to commemorate our nation's independence. Have a happy and safe fourth of July. (Please, don't burn up my town or home.)

I'm looking forward to teaching my little Mary a little bit about the Declaration of Independence and the flag today.

The World. Coloring page.

This is a drawing I did a while back.

I had always wanted to do illustrated maps (for fun.) I loved making these (bellow is another map.) Whenever I see a color picture or technique I always want to try it. Even if its way different than my usual stuff.

 

Have fun coloring!