tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62947159191282152012024-03-28T05:29:27.574-04:00KidLitArtists.comWelcome to the home of the SCBWI LA Conference Illustration Mentees! Follow us for info, tips and resources about children's illustration as well as updates on our own projects. URL: KidLitArtists.comDebbie Ridpath Ohihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11784775687291535329noreply@blogger.comBlogger364125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-30147548759456960272022-11-15T23:33:00.002-05:002022-11-15T23:34:49.713-05:00Travel PSA<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s exciting to hear that the </span><a href="https://www.scbwi.org/events/in-person-ny-winter-conference-2023/" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SCBWI winter conference</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will be back in person in January 2023. For those who decide to attend and are unable to make use of the SCBWI hotel referral with conference discount rates or those who may just be traveling soon to visit family or leisure, please be aware that there are hotel scams out there. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7fcbeb38-7fff-2676-d91b-fce32e425e1d"><span id="docs-internal-guid-37010bea-7fff-c902-e63e-a26d9bef0f21"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-37010bea-7fff-c902-e63e-a26d9bef0f21"><div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div></span></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Disclaimer: I am not an expert on this subject matter. I had a recent bad experience with one and while I will not be giving company specifics, I’ve pulled together a few tips based on hindsight, research, and an endless mental loop of replaying the events. Here are the warning signs I didn’t notice earlier that I hope someone else will before they spend any of their hard-earned money.</span></p><br /><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’re using a 3rd-party app to reserve your hotel, make sure it’s a reputable and trusted app. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I began my journey by using a 3rd party app that I’ve used many times and still love, but I needed to communicate with the hotel to verify some aspects of my reservation. So once I found a hotel I was interested in, I did what I thought was the next logical thing: I did a web search for it to find their phone number. Only, the phone number I called was not the hotel phone number.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do not automatically trust the first results/sponsored results on a web engine search</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The first result was the phone number I called. Retracing my footsteps after the fallout, i discovered that the </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">first result, a sponsored result,</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was a spoof site that mimicked the hotel website, but was actually a 3rd party, completely unaffiliated with the hotel. What I didn’t notice immediately:</span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The site url was significantly longer than the valid hotel website.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It included strings like </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[hotelname][city].guestreservations…</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The sublinks listed “About </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> hotel” and not “about </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">our</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> hotel”.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Wordsmiths will appreciate this important distinction, since one clearly states a lack of relationship without a direct lie (maybe </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sign of an unreliable narrator?) and one states clear ownership and responsibility.</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sponsored resu</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>lts</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i> MAY be valid. They may also NOT be.</i> They are also known as ads, paid for by the company to get their post listed higher in a search. It’s an older version of the recent new world of Twitter verified accounts…good luck, have fun.</span></p></li></ul><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do a google search of any phone number listed before calling, particularly if it’s a 1-800 number.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> When I entered the number I called into google, I immediately found a TripAdvisor post warning about this as a scam company plus many other similar posts on other websites. Better yet, avoid 1-800 numbers altogether and do a map search for the specific business, which will often include a </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">phone number with a local area code</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you do call a hotel, listen closely to their intro recording for a business name</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This phone number never once mentioned their business name anywhere, ever. In contrast, when I called the Hilton--which happens to be both the SCBWI hotel as well as one I had a great experience with--they used every opportunity on their phone recordings to give you brand recognition and tell you all the opportunities to join their rewards programs. Valid companies want you to know exactly who you are working with at all times so you can build trust with them and return for repeat experiences. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When in doubt, ask who they are.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Ask them directly on the phone if they are [insert hotel name]. If they are not, hang up. If they put you on hold to contact someone else to confirm booking, hang up. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Customer service often trumps cancellation policies</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The other warning sign I failed to notice was the very tight cancellation policy. The first date they gave in their cancellation spiel before charging my credit card was </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in the past</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the second date for</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">no refund</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was midnight. I did pause a moment then and think that the dates were odd and very specific, but since I was booking something for the next day, I just assumed that I was inside their normal cancellation window. When I called back to talk to customer service on the day of the hotel reservations to discuss the issues I had, they said that the window for cancellation was past. I explained the reasons why I should still get a refund and they said they would need supporting paperwork, which I promptly emailed them and got exactly what I anticipated: <i>radio silence</i>. </span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Valid companies want happy customers and often do what they can to find ways to leave the customer feeling at least partially satisfied with a bad outcome: issuing partial or full refunds, discount vouchers, or credit towards a future reservation.</span></p></li></ul></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What to do if you fall prey? </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Try your best to get the company to refund your money. Record as much information during this process as possible.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Contact your credit card company to put a stop on payment to that account. This will not guarantee that you will get your money returned, but it is an option to challenge the payment instead of doing nothing.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have any company information, report their bad practice to the Better Business Bureau (or equivalent in your country).</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learn from this mistake and don’t let one bad experience define all your travel and adventures in the future. It’s a wide, beautiful world out there and most people are very kind. Don’t let the killjoys stop you from living.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And most importantly, forgive yourself. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We’re all human, we make mistakes. I’m still working on this one. </span></p></li></ul><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">TL;DR:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Hotel scams exist and do your research thoroughly before making reservations. </span></span><div><span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">_______<br /><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0n0Au-MRSgiGImrdk3SXcdgk2MLQLqiSUpVRKzK2tvZvJyQzLicV3nYgaULXUt54v7573-k8dtZfSQS8MZI_QpmGrdBcjk97HjtX7c4xt-bltcGKfOtjPFtGKynsc-MnnoxN-Ql3NwSN/s1600/Gail+Buschman_041316_8_ColeMontgomery_cropped.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1164" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0n0Au-MRSgiGImrdk3SXcdgk2MLQLqiSUpVRKzK2tvZvJyQzLicV3nYgaULXUt54v7573-k8dtZfSQS8MZI_QpmGrdBcjk97HjtX7c4xt-bltcGKfOtjPFtGKynsc-MnnoxN-Ql3NwSN/s200/Gail+Buschman_041316_8_ColeMontgomery_cropped.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span face=""roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">© Cole Montgomery</span> </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><b><a href="http://nightengailart.com/" target="_blank">Gail Buschman</a></b> is a graphic designer and children's book creator who loves to travel and explore new places.<br /><br />More about Gail at her <a href="http://nightengailart.com/" target="_blank">website</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nightengailart/" target="_blank">instagram</a>.</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>NightenGailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01653253387257702502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-22397149434571037492022-11-02T15:06:00.003-04:002022-11-02T15:06:50.181-04:00Keeping the Creative Spark<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">We work on our picture books over long deadlines. Our portfolio pieces are rendered with attention to detail in every stroke or pixel. All of this can be a fatiguing and <i>may</i> lead to a little creative burnout.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A couple years ago, I read several creative books about how to maintain your spark — books like <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-creative-habit-learn-it-and-use-it-for-life-twyla-tharp/951464?ean=9780743235273">The Creative Habit</a> by Twyla Tharp, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-artist-s-way-30th-anniversary-edition-julia-cameron/6665657?ean=9780143129257">The Artist’s Way</a> by Julia Cameron, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/catching-the-big-fish-meditation-consciousness-and-creativity-david-lynch/6682143?ean=9781585425402">Catching the Big Fish</a> by David Lynch, and <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/creative-quest-questlove/7326388?ean=9780062670571">Creative Quest</a> by Questlove — all of which I loved. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzsQDIQnXyD095SIZxJcErKYdqoa_Rb5lta_FLc9n6jh0E1S-lDK3MRsUl_gN9ah_J1H_eIk5yDWGHjPr89j2Syy5EbbiYUMSwaBZcauomd6KdMYSvByFYPeaVawDp5NtpMi9mfMXNEnLs8wOgdASxLy6_hMOd6jtSf83R5OKHT0Z9LP_DYON5Q/s1728/recommended-reading.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1728" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzsQDIQnXyD095SIZxJcErKYdqoa_Rb5lta_FLc9n6jh0E1S-lDK3MRsUl_gN9ah_J1H_eIk5yDWGHjPr89j2Syy5EbbiYUMSwaBZcauomd6KdMYSvByFYPeaVawDp5NtpMi9mfMXNEnLs8wOgdASxLy6_hMOd6jtSf83R5OKHT0Z9LP_DYON5Q/w400-h166/recommended-reading.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A consistent recommendation through all of these is to <b>follow your curiosity</b> and to <b>have daily practices in place</b>.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">For me, my daily practices include writing in a journal, meditating, and drawing in a sketchbook. No matter how much work I have on my plate, I try to make space for these small things that keep ideas flowing, help with problem solving, and keep momentum going. A quick daily practice (that takes 10-20 minutes to complete) can add that sense of progression and accomplishment that sometimes lacks in our longer timelines.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16Szsse_gWk_1u85Er-2vgIHLA-Y6ZxK-F-2J-xxXpyTGL6f31AESnNPsfvNBPb3HdrIXsZ9UX1C42OAds7H4311e8DRdqkWJxBuPeI8K-81lvpFbw9Pw1Bw9iy5ZL6EEKJlu5t2qr_wWEUX4A7FZhle081Igd-2UyUKY_y-qtXIg_ZDHgtJpdw/s1000/sketchbook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16Szsse_gWk_1u85Er-2vgIHLA-Y6ZxK-F-2J-xxXpyTGL6f31AESnNPsfvNBPb3HdrIXsZ9UX1C42OAds7H4311e8DRdqkWJxBuPeI8K-81lvpFbw9Pw1Bw9iy5ZL6EEKJlu5t2qr_wWEUX4A7FZhle081Igd-2UyUKY_y-qtXIg_ZDHgtJpdw/w400-h300/sketchbook.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I often use <a href="http://patreon.com">Patreon</a> as a space to share these works in progress and creative practices, which helps me share my creativity and process in a way that feels safe and sustainable.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Here's a quick exercise I offered to Tara Lazar's Storystorm this past year to help spark your creativity using a timer: <a href="https://taralazar.com/2022/01/29/storystorm-2022-day-29/">https://taralazar.com/2022/01/29/storystorm-2022-day-29/</a></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwa2o7oM0BQr7x12YYOqoX1PJ8t5SQ32OVBYCDJ1B-CpEh_pmJSJJ4R-p2A1qI5oGonxSkSsRvi64MwAu0cDHi2vinh9vqAcY1S-5PHXi7flmoL3u6sBaTbOGEf8FpAb7FnANXSD3ohsa5nX_6NbbPjibVD2oyNJh2RbRyLg_GZp6YtMQDTa6Oyw/s1000/pepper_timer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1000" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwa2o7oM0BQr7x12YYOqoX1PJ8t5SQ32OVBYCDJ1B-CpEh_pmJSJJ4R-p2A1qI5oGonxSkSsRvi64MwAu0cDHi2vinh9vqAcY1S-5PHXi7flmoL3u6sBaTbOGEf8FpAb7FnANXSD3ohsa5nX_6NbbPjibVD2oyNJh2RbRyLg_GZp6YtMQDTa6Oyw/w400-h389/pepper_timer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://taralazar.com/storystorm/">Storystorm</a> is itself a great creative practice to try out: quick, idea generating prompts for stories by Tara Lazar and friends (30 new prompts every January!) so check out those archives for some more ideas.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What creative books have you found inspiring? What are your daily creative practices?</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px; user-select: auto;"><span style="font-kerning: none; user-select: auto;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px; user-select: auto;"><span><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; font-kerning: none; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; user-select: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVOi15EEOmHuJwk_pZPDzRpg-9kfYevDQn0y5Nnnq9gfYz2MbwvTycKQFFPYfXy4JWI6U0pKKraaEA3sE6xFCt7GknKCP2IPy_AK6VP-GmgXOLlXfKUA9nJqYeN6AtRyheKoAt5MTJg/s379/Screen+Shot+2021-04-06+at+12.03.49+PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="379" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVOi15EEOmHuJwk_pZPDzRpg-9kfYevDQn0y5Nnnq9gfYz2MbwvTycKQFFPYfXy4JWI6U0pKKraaEA3sE6xFCt7GknKCP2IPy_AK6VP-GmgXOLlXfKUA9nJqYeN6AtRyheKoAt5MTJg/w200-h200/Screen+Shot+2021-04-06+at+12.03.49+PM.png" width="200" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">Susie Ghahremani (@boygirlparty) is the author and illustrator of picture books <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">STACK THE CATS</a> and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">BALANCE THE BIRDS</a>. She is currently at work on <a href="https://twitter.com/boygirlparty/status/1491502339018035200">MEMORY GARDEN, a collaboration with her mom, author Zoe Ghahremani</a> inspired by their Iranian-American heritage.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px; user-select: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;"><br />She is also the illustrator of <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">WHAT WILL GROW</a> by Jennifer Ward, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">WHAT WILL HATCH</a> by Jennifer Ward, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">LITTLE MUIR'S SONG</a> by John Muir, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">SHE WANTED TO BE HAUNTED</a> by Marcus Ewert, and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">LITTLE MUIR'S NIGHT</a> by John Muir.<br /><br />She paints with gouache, wanders in forests, listens to vinyl records, and snuggles her baby nieces. <br /><br />Find her at: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Boygirlparty</a> | <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Patreon</a> | <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Etsy</a> | <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Fb</a> | <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">TikTok</a></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Susie Ghahremani / @boygirlpartyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110650409393512041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-1268366826286106412022-09-07T16:53:00.001-04:002022-09-07T16:55:13.415-04:00Procreate Tip: Remembering Brushes<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEish6wLEbbV8KJHWy0MRV9U3eyFbiT36F4wtvHDtlr6Co7JDLQg8CF23sHtq35aMOdAz9XaWH-QQHbbbudGkVrWnmWvLG6nl75YTuwWmJMRoXuN-b6DPobLUCkSeMFCFc9HYg7NcjmHOFtJV4tq8VMnIev5uDr4t0FZo0B8dLWUIR2Sv0rlDIZE9bSSLw/s2800/Aunt_EMELDA-Eddie-Edwards-Hello-Eddie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="2800" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEish6wLEbbV8KJHWy0MRV9U3eyFbiT36F4wtvHDtlr6Co7JDLQg8CF23sHtq35aMOdAz9XaWH-QQHbbbudGkVrWnmWvLG6nl75YTuwWmJMRoXuN-b6DPobLUCkSeMFCFc9HYg7NcjmHOFtJV4tq8VMnIev5uDr4t0FZo0B8dLWUIR2Sv0rlDIZE9bSSLw/w536-h488/Aunt_EMELDA-Eddie-Edwards-Hello-Eddie.jpg" width="536" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b>Procreate Tip: note special brushes in your Procreate file!</b><p></p><p>I was hired to do a follow up illustration about 2 years after I did the first one. Guess what? I could not figure out how I got the effects in the first illustration -- eventually it was good enough, but now I always keep a separate layer that notes any special brushes (in Photoshop <u>and</u> Procreate). Duh.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Poppins, Poppins; font-size: 16px;">Eddie Edwards</span><br style="color: #777777; font-family: Poppins, Poppins; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Poppins, Poppins; font-size: 16px;">Illustrator/Author</span><br style="color: #777777; font-family: Poppins, Poppins; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Poppins, Poppins; font-size: 16px;">Instagram:</span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/helloeddieillo/" style="font-family: Poppins, Poppins; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank"> helloeddieillo</a><br style="color: #777777; font-family: Poppins, Poppins; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Poppins, Poppins; font-size: 16px;">Website: </span><a href="http://helloeddie.com" style="font-family: Poppins, Poppins; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">helloeddie.com</a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>HelloEddiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173697783293019255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-64354419718924924362022-05-19T22:56:00.000-04:002022-05-19T22:56:15.897-04:00Subtle Activism<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am not an activist. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-f0524c59-7fff-aa55-a257-73c6fedbb3fe"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The thought of getting on a metaphorical (or literal) soapbox and shouting out to the world everything I think is wrong with it makes me shudder. Makes my hands go clammy and my knees go weak. The thought of asking strangers to sign petitions or publicly debating hard questions whose answers almost always fall within shades of gray makes me want to gag. I’ve vehemently argued with friends in the past that my artistic social media face should be neutral and accepting and about fun and lighthearted things because children should have fun and lighthearted lives. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And yet…</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The world is going through seismic shifts at the moment. We seem to be falling back to patterns of nationalism and isolation when we are more easily connected with each other now than we ever have been in our history. We are more polarized and even the innocuous topics are politicized. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remaining silent is the same as condoning what is going on in this moment. Whoever you are, whatever your stance is. Yes, I’m even writing directly to those who oppose my beliefs, because you do have a right to state publicly how you feel. I am not asking you to agree with me. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t know about you, but I’ve found it harder and harder to remain silent on issues that matter to me. When people in my life are directly and emotionally impacted by decisions that seem like we are regressing on our years of painstaking progress and the hard-won freedoms for ALL people, regardless of who you are or where you come from, to live and practice and enjoy life. But I still don’t like “it.” I’m still not comfortable with “it.” You know what “it” is. <i>Activism</i>.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So I think we should redefine what activism is. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is bold, public activism: marches, protests, sit-ins, op-ed pieces, petitions and signatures, letters to your local and national elected leaders. I might do some of it, some of the time, but, frankly, even writing that makes it sound exhausting. Is there more? Voting. If you do nothing else at all activism-related, please vote. There’s my soapbox. But I still think there’s more activism out there. The subtle activism. The activism of introverts.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is it? What does it look like? What are you expected to do? It looks like…anything. It looks like telling the story you want to tell that you don’t see on the shelves. It looks like bringing your authentic self to the table, to the written word, to the drawn line on the page. It looks like writing the stories or drawing the pictures that might one day label your book “BANNED.” It looks like creation. It looks like what we are already doing. What we will continue doing through the hard, contentious times. When it hurts, when you want to cry and curl up and ignore the world around you (and maybe taking a break from the world for a time is good, too). It looks like trying to just reach one person in the world, make a difference in some small way, instead of trying to enact sweeping changes. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Recently, a friend shared a story about a zebra. They have stripes for camouflage, they may look like an awkward horse---but the shadow they cast is a long one and when you change your perspective and see it from afar, their shadow looks like a black stallion. Your small act of activism might cast a longer shadow than you think. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My subtle activism started out for myself. I needed to process my own emotions when confronted with a shift in my status quo. It was easier to write about something less personal, so "I" became “You” and "everyone else" became “The World.” Like any good story or character, it evolved, took on a life of its own and met me exactly where I needed it to be when I needed it the most in my life. If my work touches even one person and makes their life a bit better, then my goal is accomplished. My voice is loud enough.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5adrcTm-gniuhX9C6I5ksmXEriDZx7lHS4lpH1oGu2BYmIn6pn_oeBJlpPdCuEKomMhuUCKNxKzgyoZJoU0lXuvpW8DCbsxy-_lRmpGDLT6eTVEKEcvosoElDr4osVwX2dHauoNiXiIBBasf-SJXf9BzYHV_fSa2UwA3goyTb2Iucd5w8kvac2MIFEw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Yellow emoji named You stands happily with hands on hips, with blue-and-green World emoji standing slightly behind them in a power pose with hands in the air and hearts floating above. Narration: "You are perfect the way you are. PERFECTLY IMPERFECT. Just like me. Just like everyone. Just don't mistake the fact that you ARE perfect with thinking that you need to ACT perfect or need perfection everywhere in your life."" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5adrcTm-gniuhX9C6I5ksmXEriDZx7lHS4lpH1oGu2BYmIn6pn_oeBJlpPdCuEKomMhuUCKNxKzgyoZJoU0lXuvpW8DCbsxy-_lRmpGDLT6eTVEKEcvosoElDr4osVwX2dHauoNiXiIBBasf-SJXf9BzYHV_fSa2UwA3goyTb2Iucd5w8kvac2MIFEw=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You and the World<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">_______<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGjbxhppFgaxV5npvfRC9YW3TmtCpKdvEm4oPnUH8s0tr3LwY1IB1at8kSdIEzfoM8gf3SApvqu9qkWfmBG6vYgjzkPlBa1phq42loBdSiK2eYVCjqGfBYKqHpohRYnuH9avZWM07ko9HZnGV6VwTGnYRuQeLcUje2ZIUNRbS_5XQZ3WfOUnRU8BHSLw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Narrator says, "Sometimes the weight feels too great to carry... Yellow emoji character named You has shaky legs and strains to lift a barbell that is labeled 'fears' on the left and 'dreams' on the right. Next to You stands the blue-and-green World emoji with a huge smile on its face. World waves two flags in the air while shouting "Woohoo! Yeah! Keep going! Fighting! You got this!"" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGjbxhppFgaxV5npvfRC9YW3TmtCpKdvEm4oPnUH8s0tr3LwY1IB1at8kSdIEzfoM8gf3SApvqu9qkWfmBG6vYgjzkPlBa1phq42loBdSiK2eYVCjqGfBYKqHpohRYnuH9avZWM07ko9HZnGV6VwTGnYRuQeLcUje2ZIUNRbS_5XQZ3WfOUnRU8BHSLw=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifYOpjZzyDPK8ulECxom8urSBVTEvLPx1ZrNMej09cmTdWnW1o-ASF0_U3F9_2h1Jf7LQQv165cs3fn-Bjh_q6If10kEtelsshHEc7_foymAhqTugGFpcz2kvoDnDBUS741HVrOKWW0cVRghpV3twgwmEL70J8Gt4dhyK6r5z3EEvgRosy1fyfeVSiKw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Narrator says, "...but you are strong and overcoming challenges is rewarding." Yellow emoji character You holds the barbell overhead, victorious in their struggle and says with a wide smile, "I did it!" World-emoji is jumping for joy, still waving the flags and shouting, "You did it! YASSSSSSSSSS!"" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifYOpjZzyDPK8ulECxom8urSBVTEvLPx1ZrNMej09cmTdWnW1o-ASF0_U3F9_2h1Jf7LQQv165cs3fn-Bjh_q6If10kEtelsshHEc7_foymAhqTugGFpcz2kvoDnDBUS741HVrOKWW0cVRghpV3twgwmEL70J8Gt4dhyK6r5z3EEvgRosy1fyfeVSiKw=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The world needs your voice. Your voice is loud enough. Go create.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;">_______<br /><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; white-space: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0n0Au-MRSgiGImrdk3SXcdgk2MLQLqiSUpVRKzK2tvZvJyQzLicV3nYgaULXUt54v7573-k8dtZfSQS8MZI_QpmGrdBcjk97HjtX7c4xt-bltcGKfOtjPFtGKynsc-MnnoxN-Ql3NwSN/s1600/Gail+Buschman_041316_8_ColeMontgomery_cropped.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1164" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0n0Au-MRSgiGImrdk3SXcdgk2MLQLqiSUpVRKzK2tvZvJyQzLicV3nYgaULXUt54v7573-k8dtZfSQS8MZI_QpmGrdBcjk97HjtX7c4xt-bltcGKfOtjPFtGKynsc-MnnoxN-Ql3NwSN/s200/Gail+Buschman_041316_8_ColeMontgomery_cropped.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span face=""roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">© Cole Montgomery</span> </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><b><a href="http://nightengailart.com/" target="_blank">Gail Buschman</a></b> is a graphic designer and children's book creator who loves to travel and explore new places.<br /><br />More about Gail at her <a href="http://nightengailart.com/" target="_blank">website</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nightengailart/" target="_blank">instagram</a>.</div></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>NightenGailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01653253387257702502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-91372111434914515722022-05-11T07:30:00.040-04:002022-05-11T07:30:00.206-04:00The Story of a Book- Virtual Event<p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: xx-small;">by Dorothia Rohner</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Every picture book has a unique story of how it was created.</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"> </span></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Whenever a new book is released, are you curious?</b><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnpLEVtG5XIMBg7STnPyYoLj_z5gSOV4N8g5RYqVRk425OQnNmp5rgnYyqYErmW1pbhE2Q7kA5Gww2btBA1bHwGjWj5nlfSboxcSp0xIs_Zxm8MVy-3jRIKVkor5DqRr-eIxYBG6YGb5MphE__G9ue0LIV2KPzyHILa3euKb9FOpptdAY-4iCy_1w/s707/curious-tell-me.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnpLEVtG5XIMBg7STnPyYoLj_z5gSOV4N8g5RYqVRk425OQnNmp5rgnYyqYErmW1pbhE2Q7kA5Gww2btBA1bHwGjWj5nlfSboxcSp0xIs_Zxm8MVy-3jRIKVkor5DqRr-eIxYBG6YGb5MphE__G9ue0LIV2KPzyHILa3euKb9FOpptdAY-4iCy_1w/w170-h200/curious-tell-me.jpg" width="170" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span>Do you wonder . . .</span></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Where did the idea come from? </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Why did it appeal to an agent and editor?</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What was the editing process?</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br />
How did the choice for the final art technique get determined?</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">How was the art created?</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br />
How did the agent, author-illustrator, art director and editor collaborate?</p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">If so . . . join editor-in-chief, <b><a href="https://twitter.com/gogirlsgobooks?lang=en" target="_blank">Frances Gilbert</a> - <a href="https://global.penguinrandomhouse.com/tag/doubleday-books-for-young-readers/" target="_blank">Doubleday</a>, </b>agent <b><a href="https://twitter.com/allisonremcheck" target="_blank">Allison Remcheck </a></b><b><a href="https://www.stimolaliterarystudio.com" target="_blank">- </a></b><b><a href="https://www.stimolaliterarystudio.com" target="_blank">Stimola Literary Studio</a>,</b> and me to discuss the making of my new book:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/695833/a-wish-for-twins-by-dorothia-rohner/" target="_blank"><b style="text-align: center;">A Wish For Twins, The Tale of Our Two Miracles - </b><b style="text-align: center;">Doubleday 2022</b></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This virtual event will include a slideshow presentation that highlights</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">the process–from inspiration, sketches, drafts, final art and manuscript. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Short process videos using Procreate will also be shown. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><a href="https://twitter.com/ericarsilverman" target="_blank">Erica Rand Silverman</a></b> from Stimola Live will host the conversation:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>June 22, 2022</b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>7 PM. EDT</b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Register in advance to save your spot! </b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We’re looking forward to sharing insight into how this book was born. </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://www.stimolalive.com/event/twins"><b>https://www.stimolalive.com/event/twins</b></a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b style="text-align: center;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.stimolalive.com/event/twins" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;" target="_blank"><img alt="Stimola Live" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwznrdwXlmNR07SRUdpOxcUpsXloL2wYjCS0Hf6VvHMRnkRVpZNWDQkv5RM5KnNsbTR4ZEA_IwsKk14tQ6FC9JSUR_5i1zwVCK2fiKsp-QbS1HTyEGuSOrafZDkCKJ8_XRsTnP9rDkwemTSop3fPuY1DDk9FjggnB6s1jlN7sQ3tWM_bVpTJMAUi1/w295-h295/The%20Story%20of%20a%20Book%20(1).png" width="295" /></a><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/695833/a-wish-for-twins-by-dorothia-rohner/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="499" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Okh8LoYMJknfodV-SmoBmUWgk-EQWoaO7NhiaNgaWDEgb9J7Yh1WE1t4YI3TaWDNb2YUMfP1O4V3zuT4aVqPsR_eWNlf2biFxfrNBkuGg030BXm97a28Mr3DDRNf0zzSw12O7KHuHfnFdL5aRXseQnlitzQUVT3rV2T2b7Xb7jKbmMcAdDbwPHda/w295-h296/WishForTwinsCover.JPG" width="295" /></a></b></span></div><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><span><!--more--></span><span><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">Visit my website to see how you can win prizes!</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.DorothiaRohner.com" target="_blank">www.DorothiaRohner.com</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">Follow me:</p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/dorothiar" target="_blank"> TW: @dorothiar</a> </p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/dorothiar/" target="_blank">IG: @dorothiar</a></p><p style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/awishfortwins?src=hashtag_click" target="_blank">#awishfortwins</a></p><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXz_lwM_2ekeaDtOrIjzdkkEw3elDBV0LTdudl9q-yN49Jl8-jri8jfG7sfOezUPp375aFwW2VC9sdyvb19rh8FEGdG35mSZhjd6rVrzijEO857vfimgzy6ptlklCUCfrbATFIZDd5eZrozLsTga8f6BzWo6E2wYaj8n05hq5CbMxRLUoZXc7gaZ8N/s1102/HiddenWordContest-4.png" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXz_lwM_2ekeaDtOrIjzdkkEw3elDBV0LTdudl9q-yN49Jl8-jri8jfG7sfOezUPp375aFwW2VC9sdyvb19rh8FEGdG35mSZhjd6rVrzijEO857vfimgzy6ptlklCUCfrbATFIZDd5eZrozLsTga8f6BzWo6E2wYaj8n05hq5CbMxRLUoZXc7gaZ8N/s320/HiddenWordContest-4.png" width="213" /></a></div></span><span><!--more--></span><span></span><span><!--more--></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A view from my new studio!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WjnCzDcFX1wvYsNNVAbFT-hqMWz4aOgLmu70uh5sSUf8hANwn0mh4bZz384CuwMBBXfmnNrFNwvTc6qSLRsol-aZOZOJ_7ghJHruZDrMgDAnRXyR3mxiT7WiVrUF48cCIff6tl7hInBvS3NirZDkmJyE5WMFJ2SovZn9X0WyO8db7_SjMNmc9bBs/s4032/IMG_6490.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WjnCzDcFX1wvYsNNVAbFT-hqMWz4aOgLmu70uh5sSUf8hANwn0mh4bZz384CuwMBBXfmnNrFNwvTc6qSLRsol-aZOZOJ_7ghJHruZDrMgDAnRXyR3mxiT7WiVrUF48cCIff6tl7hInBvS3NirZDkmJyE5WMFJ2SovZn9X0WyO8db7_SjMNmc9bBs/w168-h224/IMG_6490.JPG" width="168" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy Spring!</div><span><!--more--></span><span><!--more--></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>dorothiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719520196842242918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-52196535095406920002022-05-04T16:42:00.079-04:002022-05-05T23:03:52.845-04:00Your Ideal User<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span></span></div><p></p></blockquote></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I spent yesterday sprawled across my backyard deck. A picture book dummy on my lap, a glass of lemonade tinkling in the sun at my elbow, and my brother’s golden retriever, Duke across my feet. It was heaven. This morning I woke to an inch of snow smattered across the lawn, each delicate tulip cup, I’ve been waiting to unfurl, overflowing with powder. If the specific is truly universal, you’ll relate this IRL metaphor to your creative journey too.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I left my life in New York tech with the hope of making picture books. It's all I have EVER wanted to do. When I arrived in my new studio with that singular goal - I was shocked to find myself more than a little lost. Where to begin?? I went on a hunch and took the long way, but here's what I would have done immediately if it had occurred to me - I would have discovered my ideal user. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When you design anything in the tech world, whether it's an app, website, or video game, your team will first sit down and create an ideal user. Waxing poetic on your future deliverable, you dream up your dream client. You decide how old they are, their interests, income bracket, how they spend their time, what they like to wear, who their friends are, the whole gamut. Then you'll google search a picture of them, (something like "Emo Seattle Musician") print it out, slap it up on every visible surface, and pull a NEVER ENDING STORY by giving them a name. You don't <i>need </i>to shout that name into the eye of a hurricane, but in my experience, it does help. That ideal user becomes your holy grail, everything you dooooooo, you do for <i>them</i> - Brian Adams style. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My ideal user is five years old. All she wants is a puppy and some new crayons. Her life's dream is to color ALL day, EVERY day. She spends more time in the ocean than on dry land. She is nearly always barefoot, except on Sundays when her mother begs her to wear the beautiful, understated silk dresses her grandmother sends from Korea. Instead, she opts for scratchy golden taffeta, multiple petticoats, and elbow-length gloves. If you are going to get dressed up, you may as well<i> feel</i> dressy, she figures. Her parents are struggling dreamers, but she has the richest childhood. On many mornings, as the Sun is waking up, her dad gets her out of bed for a walk on the beach. They collect shells and bits of sea glass. They talk about making their own stained glass window someday. Her favorite food group is Otterpops. She believes in mermaids. She cries when the boys in the park chase the pigeons. What did the pigeons ever do to them!??! She is constantly on the lookout for friends. Even though she has the best companions in her brother and sister, she is yet to know it. She <i>forever</i> wants her mom to read her LITTLE BEAR, especially BIRTHDAY SOUP. She loves books and dogs, and the sea best of all. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I am, of course, describing baby me. Here she is. Amber. I love her so.</span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVA_A6SUOJTkGhX43s6ZN18OybciMLqFvWoMACmhT9iJIbAnFWBoSDf_KExwvIG2QGEMKzdntB5Ky-NHn0T93QHZwFIXM1CZxqNiDCx_zvFqDN1IDgm9r3C5B33v2KLQaaP7XVsJeEZQ5ucwGGjMNauPta1i-C3JzYcOxaFGICg9yb8LJ86w0iZYWww/s556/10154061_10152018981481398_1869106368_n-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="471" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVA_A6SUOJTkGhX43s6ZN18OybciMLqFvWoMACmhT9iJIbAnFWBoSDf_KExwvIG2QGEMKzdntB5Ky-NHn0T93QHZwFIXM1CZxqNiDCx_zvFqDN1IDgm9r3C5B33v2KLQaaP7XVsJeEZQ5ucwGGjMNauPta1i-C3JzYcOxaFGICg9yb8LJ86w0iZYWww/s320/10154061_10152018981481398_1869106368_n-2.jpg" width="271" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Last year, after six years of struggling through my creative process, I framed four photographs of my ideal user on a hunch. I placed those photos in strategic spots in my studio. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Before realizing <i>who</i> I was making books <i>for</i> I left myself undecipherable bread crumb notes, often scavenged by birds. I'd walk in circles, looking for my path. Now I am simply following the glittery pebbles that catch the Sun. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>I know what baby Amber wants. I guarantee that if you set out on your ideal user journey, you'll stumble onto the path your child artist wants you on too.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzGZAGhqkRQ5NTenHpKU6vtjt5vY9emzjDBp4_p8PcQyIhvG5xisgMq2YmwceUFO5VyXyebHg_MUIs2wCbK83X74ZxS0BsWxnH3sKw54xSr_EaXkaUR2CD810Mejb5eDJQUIhiMiZ84aGewJETatfD2WhAG1EPmdSU5Rse-BOcKY5QxBv01trZgRgVA/s1010/Amber-Alvarez-Art-Flowers-pammy-in-the-poppies-FW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1010" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzGZAGhqkRQ5NTenHpKU6vtjt5vY9emzjDBp4_p8PcQyIhvG5xisgMq2YmwceUFO5VyXyebHg_MUIs2wCbK83X74ZxS0BsWxnH3sKw54xSr_EaXkaUR2CD810Mejb5eDJQUIhiMiZ84aGewJETatfD2WhAG1EPmdSU5Rse-BOcKY5QxBv01trZgRgVA/w400-h228/Amber-Alvarez-Art-Flowers-pammy-in-the-poppies-FW.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Since putting those pictures up, I've swapped season tickets to an indie film fest for an annual pass to the aquarium. Sometimes while swimming laps, I'll stop, grab my nose, and try to beat my summersault record. Sitting at a bar with friends, I'll order a dry Shirley Temple with extra cherries. This Easter, I bought a bag of jelly beans, plucked out all the orange and yellow ones, put them in plastic eggs, and stuck them around the house. I threw the disgusting remaining jelly beans out with the trash. Yes, from the outside it would appear that I'm losing it - but from the inside looking out, I am stepping into my own. </span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p></span>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In the Fall of 2021, after six months of diligently following the glitter rocks on my path, Iunlocked a new level of creating in my brain. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25u-noYal2um4GSpHn0eAJnxmD_JgJ8-l-9MDth6evi0ynZnLD6Gex0P86pD42ZaXX5dGwHpfFjE2dm_LVfLXezL3RzW9DvpgdPOcfuhs61GQwa_j04xGjnJI-mVQLHCT6zNwu_JYGaowhJvGr3j4EecnN5Zl4Kqu1lGBytCvR_UWz2dJZwXdgrzavw/s576/Amber-Alvarez-Art-Brown-Bear-Face-FW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="576" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25u-noYal2um4GSpHn0eAJnxmD_JgJ8-l-9MDth6evi0ynZnLD6Gex0P86pD42ZaXX5dGwHpfFjE2dm_LVfLXezL3RzW9DvpgdPOcfuhs61GQwa_j04xGjnJI-mVQLHCT6zNwu_JYGaowhJvGr3j4EecnN5Zl4Kqu1lGBytCvR_UWz2dJZwXdgrzavw/w227-h227/Amber-Alvarez-Art-Brown-Bear-Face-FW.jpg" width="227" /></a></span></div><p></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I found that my ideal user knew how drawing all day should <i>feel</i></span><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">. I'd forgotten. I discovered that the computer I thought was helping me was actually standing in the way of that delicious "please bring me a yellow crayon!" feeling. I went back to traditional media with a vengeance. Like the play-dough/cereal villages I once built for my plastic Care Bears, I gave myself cart-blanche to truly mix media. That means that I now combine ink and Elmer's glue, use hot pink regularly, and buy new supplies just because they "feel sparkly."</span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><span><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I left ideas I'd been begging to evolve - ideas my adult self had spent years fostering, behind. I now realize they felt <i>hard</i> to make that whole time because they were <i>wrong</i> for my ideal user. Six months later, I am poised to sell three books soon; one is about dogs, another is about the ocean, and the third is about the love of a special pet, kindness, and chosen family. I know my ideal user would LOVE them, and they're my favorite things I've ever made too.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 17px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9u_a0btaYkMLDTBdNuHZZHdMBkSgDqlHThOAViMDWcGq8F_micp2mGUylEHgD6k5HG1Kx6TKqY3oLej9tGevqtan0IwqDhh_XJRUPrLKBynYjnXvrYgccnCaph1OOntL7hQdUxC5aNTYGPR6Ouc6Ack2jNWryU9ILVfnpnp3MwuDKE4q1Xp07-ClQiw/s5174/Hug-Wave-01-Orig-TP-FW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3266" data-original-width="5174" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9u_a0btaYkMLDTBdNuHZZHdMBkSgDqlHThOAViMDWcGq8F_micp2mGUylEHgD6k5HG1Kx6TKqY3oLej9tGevqtan0IwqDhh_XJRUPrLKBynYjnXvrYgccnCaph1OOntL7hQdUxC5aNTYGPR6Ouc6Ack2jNWryU9ILVfnpnp3MwuDKE4q1Xp07-ClQiw/w400-h253/Hug-Wave-01-Orig-TP-FW.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I've left behind a butt-in-chair approach that felt "right" to my corporate-trained muscles, and I am opting instead for a butt poolside, butt in hammock, butt in front of a roaring fire. My ideal user is teaching me so much, but most of it has very little to do with picture books. It is about gratitude. That child version of me was thankful for every fluffy dandelion, soft kiss on her forehead, and dazzling star that twinkled on the water's surface. </span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This winter, I realized I needed to honor those sunrise walks I grew up taking with my dad. I added a "thank you walk" to my routine. Since the goal is not exercise (what child-self would brand a fun romp in the woods as "exercise??!"), I stop at the slightest thing that delights my soul. I am constantly gifted with ideas and insights while I put one foot in front of the other. This week I witnessed a lazy, fuzzy bumblebee tumble out of a tulip, played chicken with a wild turkey who refused to step off the sidewalk, and caught snowflakes on my tongue.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When we moved to Utah, we bought a home against a mountain. I wanted it desperately because it was surrounded by Quaking Aspens. As a girl, I'd summered with my grandmother here. We would delight in our mountain drives, giggling at the way the Aspens laughed with their leaves. For years now, on one wintery spring night, I go to bed, safe in the knowledge that there aren't even buds on our Aspens. The following day, they've burst alive with full-grown leaves. I thought this was a 12-hour process. THIS year I caught the tiniest green buds and watched as they became the smallest baby leaves on our branches over four days. I know why I saw them. I was LOOKING for them. My ideal user would have caught them year one. She is my superpower.</span></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid68jWsdl95MtYXlYqwePfVuhXYC8-b4sJOgPc9BTo1eCT7_9ZJDopXIhn5LJWZ7uqkftNIryOkcwv17XfnnRL4oAZftyqflIo4wMuU6JTdQjjckmjdP6h1SQDcsaalnUgoD_xT8Q9sI9ZSX4DWN64dfr23K5hBFQTrx-BWQW_D7VEzmBrvPVrNEkWrQ/s607/Amber-Alvarez-Art-Penguin-Slide-Illustration-FW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="607" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid68jWsdl95MtYXlYqwePfVuhXYC8-b4sJOgPc9BTo1eCT7_9ZJDopXIhn5LJWZ7uqkftNIryOkcwv17XfnnRL4oAZftyqflIo4wMuU6JTdQjjckmjdP6h1SQDcsaalnUgoD_xT8Q9sI9ZSX4DWN64dfr23K5hBFQTrx-BWQW_D7VEzmBrvPVrNEkWrQ/w400-h380/Amber-Alvarez-Art-Penguin-Slide-Illustration-FW.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; min-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>I do not know anything about </span><i>your</i><span> ideal user. THEY might like kicking things, or using a stick to dig in the earth. Once you find them, like me, you may still have what you expect to be a springy day in the studio suddenly covered by a blanket of freezing snow. On those days. You’ll do something else. On those days, you'll put the supplies away and hit your nearby indoor pool, or pack a picnic for the aviary. You'll buy a middle-grade novel and curl up with a fluffy blanket. You'll look for the signs. You’ll find them too.</span></span></p></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="text-align: left;">Most of my life, I've been sure I could work harder and try more - I'm thrilled to find the opposite is true. I feel confident it will be true for you too. I hope to hear about your ideal users and how much they are enjoying the beautiful books <i>you </i>are making.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">*****************************************</span></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">*****************************************</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">***************</span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5HSMNVKdkoJkc05bz8T4WPladeDKYOkUDvLEekts9veYalr1qEJbc_7GDG8uqopERI0O3-58eBq3lEa7WGcHCDDyMojKyvrQTM81JmCiIuywKkZNcm8iLefLKbyGosp_vfa249JQZGbh57uCq0rBBSUOOaWtBR8CpDYHpzt_qk89OWqZ1zBPFOCCZQ/s75/avatar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="75" data-original-width="75" height="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5HSMNVKdkoJkc05bz8T4WPladeDKYOkUDvLEekts9veYalr1qEJbc_7GDG8uqopERI0O3-58eBq3lEa7WGcHCDDyMojKyvrQTM81JmCiIuywKkZNcm8iLefLKbyGosp_vfa249JQZGbh57uCq0rBBSUOOaWtBR8CpDYHpzt_qk89OWqZ1zBPFOCCZQ/s1600/avatar.jpg" width="75" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; text-align: start;">Amber Alvarez is the illustrator of Diana Murray's <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wild-about-dads-diana-murray/1131993195%3Bjsessionid=46B879B3EF87C8C8325A069B2A5D7983.prodny_store02-atgap06?ean=9781250315748" target="_blank">WILD ABOUT DADS</a>,</span><span style="font-family: times; text-align: start;"> published by Macmillan Kids books, and <a href="https://www.leeandlow.com/books/my-magic-wand" target="_blank">MY MAGIC WAND</a>, written by Pat Mora, and published by Lee & Low Books.<br /><br /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif">See more of her work at </span><a href="http://amberalvarez.com/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;">AmberAlvarez.com</a><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif"> and on </span><a href="http://instagram.com/shesureissketchy" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Instagram @SheSureisSketch<span style="font-size: medium;">y</span></a></span></div><p></p></span></span></div><p></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Amber Alvarezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000116754897699222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-71389848140754267402022-03-28T10:20:00.003-04:002022-03-30T10:26:36.006-04:00Looking For Ways To Re-Discover Your Creative Mojo? Kidlit Artists Offer Tips<p style="text-align: center;"><i> by Debbie Ridpath Ohi</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXNQ7Kh4Sl1jDTRMzze3gemNHYArMZ_m7D7a4Ags4wUnANglplMyIzgGY87eBfkoHCeJD8qERBNnI-eeifSblOdOMnTGNej__eQM1gGvffAilWkZeiFGgpAsdKDhH9SPuv4JtrG_Id3_f5GzKpv-7KX0e5Jr8V-0fR8Ietdv56DljPiviL61bEkQFQg/s1200/OHI0325-BubbleOfDelusion-1200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXNQ7Kh4Sl1jDTRMzze3gemNHYArMZ_m7D7a4Ags4wUnANglplMyIzgGY87eBfkoHCeJD8qERBNnI-eeifSblOdOMnTGNej__eQM1gGvffAilWkZeiFGgpAsdKDhH9SPuv4JtrG_Id3_f5GzKpv-7KX0e5Jr8V-0fR8Ietdv56DljPiviL61bEkQFQg/w400-h400/OHI0325-BubbleOfDelusion-1200.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>It's been a crazy couple of years, hasn't it? Not sure about the rest of you, but I found it a struggle to stay creative earlier during the pandemic. Things are gradually getting better, but I know many out there are still going through difficult times. In case it helps, here are just a few tips from KidLitArtist creators on how you can help re-discover your creative mojo:</p><p><a href="https://kidlitartists.blogspot.com/2022/03/dont-forget-to-feed-your-soul.html">Take the breaks you need to feed your soul</a>. <b>Molly Ruttan</b> reminds us all to get outside, to experience the things we love, to be fully present in the moment. "Don’t wait to feel better, don’t wait for an anxiety attack! Get out there with an open heart — good feelings and inspiration will follow."</p><p>Get inspired by other media. Deepen your understanding of other cultures (which may in turn inspire your own work). Read <b>Zahra Marwan</b>'s post about <a href="https://kidlitartists.blogspot.com/2021/11/understanding-culture-through-film-and.html">Understanding Culture Through Film and Literature: A Focus On Russian Animated Films</a>.</p><p>Even if you only have a few minutes to spare a day, do something (even a small something) that helps you work on your craft. This could be doing a quick live sketch-doodle of something or someone nearby. It could be taking a closer study of a spread in a picture book (just pick a random page) and trying to figure out how the illustrator created an image. Do a mini-dive into a physical or digital art tool and learn or practice one new thing. If you use Photoshop, for example, see <b>Robin Rosenthal</b>'s <a href="https://kidlitartists.blogspot.com/2021/08/my-favorite-photoshop-tips-and-shortcuts.html">My Favorite Photoshop Tips And Shortcuts</a>.</p><p><a href="https://kidlitartists.blogspot.com/2021/07/just-arting-around.html">Dip your toes in something unfamiliar</a>, suggests <b>Tenaya Lena Gunter Brown</b>. Experiment with drawing in a new style, try a new material or tool. Don't aim to create something for public viewing or for use in your usual work. See <a href="https://kidlitartists.blogspot.com/2021/07/just-arting-around.html">Tenaya's post</a> for some suggestions.</p><p>Get together, either virtually or in person, with fellow book creators. I recommend smaller groups or one-on-one with someone you trust, to avoid just being a spectator. Talking with others about they are have or are still going through can help you gain perspective on your own situation. Always try to end your get-together with positive sharing or uplift, though. If you leave a conversation feeling more drained and anxious than before, then rethink your approach or the group dynamics.</p><p>The most important tip: BE KIND TO YOURSELF. Do what you need to in order to protect your own mental health. In trying to support others, don't spread yourself so thin that you are unable to support yourself or reenergize.</p><p>I found that giving myself permission to NOT be creative sometimes gave me the space I needed to gradually find my creative mojo again.</p><p>Do you have other tips that have worked for you or for others? Please do share them below!</p><p>---</p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5pyWX8dDcQHzgt9SYfYrIiMFoJVHTE2q87K5aE8pVUqUnVSfL3i1GP3vg63MgNgYW0Y2S4E0337exCfDzpXfrq9eniWuapJGW39AB2CD7a8ck1Lpm8KwZ_nRwzyk56W4V9FJg_-VNlcNE2H9RYxCzavxPN4nuSTGRSJ9j_4zMdBW9kWV7O1HApNxEA/s602/DebbieReadingWAMB-squarish-flat600.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="602" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5pyWX8dDcQHzgt9SYfYrIiMFoJVHTE2q87K5aE8pVUqUnVSfL3i1GP3vg63MgNgYW0Y2S4E0337exCfDzpXfrq9eniWuapJGW39AB2CD7a8ck1Lpm8KwZ_nRwzyk56W4V9FJg_-VNlcNE2H9RYxCzavxPN4nuSTGRSJ9j_4zMdBW9kWV7O1HApNxEA/w200-h189/DebbieReadingWAMB-squarish-flat600.jpg" width="200" /></a></i></div><i>Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s writing and art has appeared in over 20 books. She is the award-winning author and illustrator of Sam & Eva and Where Are My Books? (Simon & Schuster). Her illustrations appear in books by Judy Blume, Michael Ian Black and Linda Sue Park, among others. Debbie lives in Toronto, Canada. For more info, see <a href="http://DebbieOhi.com">DebbieOhi.com</a> and @<a href="https://twitter.com/inkyelbows">inkyelbows</a> on Twitter.</i><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Debbie Ridpath Ohihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11784775687291535329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-52854942761340448422022-03-21T10:00:00.022-04:002022-03-21T10:00:00.228-04:00Don’t Forget to Feed Your Soul!<p>
</p><p>I love working at home. I love my studio, I love my computer setup, I love
the short walk to the kitchen to get coffee or make myself a smoothie. I have
two dogs at my feet, and a cat who comes in to check on me regularly. I feel
very blessed. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">Under
the influence of these lovely working conditions, the impulse to stay at home
and work is strong, and this feeling has only been nurtured by the pandemic.
But life needs balance, and I’ve slowly come to realize recently that I need to
get out of my studio more!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">The
other morning as I was eating my breakfast and getting ready for another work day, I
suddenly felt overwhelmed with anxiety. I had recently lost a longtime dog
companion. I had also recently recovered from a mild case of covid, and during my isolation
my work had piled up. I hadn’t been outside for a week. And then there were the
newspaper headlines.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">My
solution that day? I went to the zoo. I shut down my computer and headed out
with my daughter and my 6-month-old grandchild.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">We
saw animals. Wonderful, beautiful creatures from all over the world. But we
also saw people. People from all over the world! Not only is my city incredibly
diverse, but a zoo is a tourist destination. I heard at least four languages
being spoken that day. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">My
mental camera clicked all day long. There were families, and people of all
ages — Grandparents, adults, babies — and lots of kids. Big kids and little
kids. Kids with hats; kids eating popcorn; skipping, running and toddling kids;
kids being carried, kids in strollers, and one kid who shrieked in alarm when a
François’ Langur monkey jumped off a tree trunk and landed right in front of
him, on the other side of the glass. It was so refreshing to be actually
experiencing what I love to draw! All the animals and all the people looked so
beautiful to me. Even the kid crying in the parking lot looked beautiful. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">My
point is, it was a totally inspiring day. I’m not trying to say that one trip
to the zoo erased all my anxiety! But I was infused with such a feeling of
connection to the earth and humanity that for a little while the anxiety
floated away as I allowed myself to be fully present. It felt like I had experienced
the fullness of life on that wonderful breezy sunny day. It fed my soul. (And I
must say that being in the company of my daughter and her baby helped a lot!)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">So,
this post is a reminder for myself, as much as it is for you! For those of you
who are like me, and have spent the last couple of years fully immersed in a
digital and/or indoor world, don’t forget to go outside. Take the breaks you
need to feed your soul! <i>Experience</i> the things you love. Don’t wait to
feel better, don’t wait for an anxiety attack! Get out there with an open
heart — good feelings and inspiration will follow. And if venturing out into the
(dare I say) <i>post</i>-pandemic world stresses you out, remember that it’s OK
to take it slow; even a walk around the block or trip to the store can be a
source of joy, if you let it. Your soul — and your art — will thank you.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"> </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-St-9o8nXZtaqNN6y9OpgmCbO5unNEa4wxeh-gdVOhN6TlChj6lXs03xnb1ROcQfWEm1HLtwa3FrrNXK9eeJgk3dc1hVYf-KRqrYCwYoiIM66yAZRKdbZ9Qix0xkPI-W0IU3gWU4rJFb8H1ioIKngzhHPY7Ll4pyWHZUmVy5Cv3LTBhw_oQVBcm-Jfg=s3446" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1619" data-original-width="3446" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-St-9o8nXZtaqNN6y9OpgmCbO5unNEa4wxeh-gdVOhN6TlChj6lXs03xnb1ROcQfWEm1HLtwa3FrrNXK9eeJgk3dc1hVYf-KRqrYCwYoiIM66yAZRKdbZ9Qix0xkPI-W0IU3gWU4rJFb8H1ioIKngzhHPY7Ll4pyWHZUmVy5Cv3LTBhw_oQVBcm-Jfg=w588-h276" width="588" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
<p class="MsoNormal">Molly with her Grandchild enjoying the flamingos, and François Langur Monkeys </p><p class="MsoNormal">at the
zoo. <i>Photos by Sydney Moffat</i></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></td></tr></tbody></table>_________________________________________________________________<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK92XY4ghAhWQTuzFfVQzfuIU542RCRAl7fl26vWrz6HMVLQbonzj1nfcOyQZVQR5g82vWwc5JXYcIJeKYoD9q_U6FBF5y-T9SPOhVv8mP1L-0_LtS1hWH_F9CgOseL7BEvv8wDNpR1TH852KQYcK9tGdZ2N07A4SuVetHNkLXAamGCm4zOLnV08MK3w=s541" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="442" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK92XY4ghAhWQTuzFfVQzfuIU542RCRAl7fl26vWrz6HMVLQbonzj1nfcOyQZVQR5g82vWwc5JXYcIJeKYoD9q_U6FBF5y-T9SPOhVv8mP1L-0_LtS1hWH_F9CgOseL7BEvv8wDNpR1TH852KQYcK9tGdZ2N07A4SuVetHNkLXAamGCm4zOLnV08MK3w=w89-h110" width="89" /></a></div>Molly Ruttan is an author/illustrator of children’s books.
Her titles include <i>The Stray</i>, (Nancy Paulsen Books 2020) and <i>Something
Wild</i> (Nancy Paulsen Books, forthcoming in 2023) and is the illustrator of <i>I
am a Thief!</i> by Abigail Rayner (NorthSouth Books, 2019), <i>Violet and the
Crumbs: A Gluten-Free Adventure </i>by Abigail Rayner<i> </i>(North South
Books, April 2022), and <i>The Yowlers</i> by Stacy Lynn Carroll (Nancy Paulsen
Books, forthcoming in 2024). Molly holds a BFA from the Cooper Union School of
Art and has raised three kids. She is a Grandma, a twin, a drummer, loves music
and delights in all forms of creativity and life. She is represented by Rachel
Orr at Prospect Agency, <a href="http://www.prospectagency.com/">www.prospectagency.com</a>.
Find her online at <a href="https://www.mollyruttan.com">www.mollyruttan.com</a>.
IG: @mollyillo; Tw: @molly_ruttan; FB: Molly Ruttan & Molly Ruttan
Illustration.<p></p>
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This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Molly Ruttanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14356695867818284620noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-53162111022587928932022-02-09T12:12:00.008-05:002022-02-09T13:16:18.248-05:00Wintry Picture Books<p>My newest book, BARN AT NIGHT came out recently, and I painted a bunch of snow scenes for it, which got me reminiscing about my favorite winter picture books – old and new! This was going to be a top 10 of my favorite wintry books, but there are too many!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6QoY9JWqTOuAoYN8GUFRiAedoLTSFt9mUl0EQ2tS_u5NGwMd1itwrNTOW_h8IhFZmp4jyx8YwdQg-8NXV2edKmldBhUdS0RhX1b0L1pfs2UJcTMk3hQYvLJWamF7IQibqd8LTYQybPOiiowBcFHAReTyCfF3652YK2g20B_zXGKLQaOVOFKh_0PNi=s3058" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3058" data-original-width="2079" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6QoY9JWqTOuAoYN8GUFRiAedoLTSFt9mUl0EQ2tS_u5NGwMd1itwrNTOW_h8IhFZmp4jyx8YwdQg-8NXV2edKmldBhUdS0RhX1b0L1pfs2UJcTMk3hQYvLJWamF7IQibqd8LTYQybPOiiowBcFHAReTyCfF3652YK2g20B_zXGKLQaOVOFKh_0PNi=w436-h640" width="436" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I seem to have a penchant for fox books: FOX DANCE is slightly instructional - the fox wonders what he should do as all the other animals are preparing for winter. FOX'S GARDEN is a gorgeous wordless story of kindness, and THE SNOW FOX is an absolutely charming friendship tale.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfwRyhBxJTjOmDx_xAKLSr0OL5UlTU7qSAKOGyMX_-qGap0b7wd-7ef_uZiXHt3zOlBKRaiw9AQ7VLFAXCmKk1nLXBEyj8Ywb8VuMrf3NO53t6z7KtofJxv7X_HeV4v8T7bloBpt5xJJT6HcwrIWdRqhKauYMI1x5ZbunNKwwaKwG9VwB7q-XjSS6w=s1574" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1574" data-original-width="1369" height="609" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfwRyhBxJTjOmDx_xAKLSr0OL5UlTU7qSAKOGyMX_-qGap0b7wd-7ef_uZiXHt3zOlBKRaiw9AQ7VLFAXCmKk1nLXBEyj8Ywb8VuMrf3NO53t6z7KtofJxv7X_HeV4v8T7bloBpt5xJJT6HcwrIWdRqhKauYMI1x5ZbunNKwwaKwG9VwB7q-XjSS6w=w529-h609" width="529" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>BEFORE MORNING has some of the most scrumptious poetic language, and it tells the story of a child's wish for snow. The visuals add another layer with the airline pilot mother getting snowed in and coming home. SMALL IN THE CITY is a quiet, wistful story that shows a city in winter as a boy talks to his (temporarily) missing cat. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-zyUEWQ31XzXLb4OH8e0Xc7sitw-Rbxup0RqowXM6Ks71in_nPuT6mljo0kVKm6FwXMrznLFNlcr_4zVFIjedZKyGMZz0kV97z_jKCxhIvixHAugT6HBot8qFX_vtPdCTDWWycYa3k719nspKiFmncvAYMV5M6BvjxA8jSomYDhLpVOMlnQZMcwMI=s1870" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1870" data-original-width="670" height="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-zyUEWQ31XzXLb4OH8e0Xc7sitw-Rbxup0RqowXM6Ks71in_nPuT6mljo0kVKm6FwXMrznLFNlcr_4zVFIjedZKyGMZz0kV97z_jKCxhIvixHAugT6HBot8qFX_vtPdCTDWWycYa3k719nspKiFmncvAYMV5M6BvjxA8jSomYDhLpVOMlnQZMcwMI=w293-h815" width="293" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>FLORA AND THE PENGUIN is a fun, wordless friendship story. LITTLE RED GLIDING HOOD is a great twist on the original story. SNOW SISTERS has a fantastic mirrored text which is reflected in the adventures of two sisters. And SUPER TRUCK is a plucky little trash truck who comes to the rescue in a snow storm. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgntxAkdlfKnqcqaI9NOlYZJFRVBECTKLYW2sNRnR4hzBKwTM29TYhTFPdbxtkc_-NzGEsiWyQ-Dir-seDq7FmJC-DSkz0IJ0mNuEmDk582Ox-ECPzp159T4sfgcnGfjTUMf5uUl2k1H3GAJRw_xkBF0GMNqu04WG82A-EZxYjJcsOc7pTkLaFIbfw9=s1432" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1432" data-original-width="1338" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgntxAkdlfKnqcqaI9NOlYZJFRVBECTKLYW2sNRnR4hzBKwTM29TYhTFPdbxtkc_-NzGEsiWyQ-Dir-seDq7FmJC-DSkz0IJ0mNuEmDk582Ox-ECPzp159T4sfgcnGfjTUMf5uUl2k1H3GAJRw_xkBF0GMNqu04WG82A-EZxYjJcsOc7pTkLaFIbfw9=w438-h468" width="438" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Two cozy winter books are BEAR AND CHICKEN, which is about misunderstandings and unlikely friends. And THE BEAR SNORES ON, which is a delightful party while bear hibernates story.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhf-QeYVjxwm8Lxko5rW66Kz-Avo0vhtjNNdV8t5qUGXzyWs5FGAPjFVji_cQgMGRIGNmePsaDxeUmELJUOF8MT9Fjj4u8ddc08wLRaCZFlJp5sRp-pSfCd2Xfu1Ogl-KXCz9aCRrD4orddW8xkPccGkf2bYDKFqheCy2tlBwoI2Jm7yIqk_OMC7miSmg=s1436" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1436" data-original-width="669" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhf-QeYVjxwm8Lxko5rW66Kz-Avo0vhtjNNdV8t5qUGXzyWs5FGAPjFVji_cQgMGRIGNmePsaDxeUmELJUOF8MT9Fjj4u8ddc08wLRaCZFlJp5sRp-pSfCd2Xfu1Ogl-KXCz9aCRrD4orddW8xkPccGkf2bYDKFqheCy2tlBwoI2Jm7yIqk_OMC7miSmg=w298-h640" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">SEASIDE STROLL reminds me so strongly of the years I lived on the Northern California coast – and shows a glimpse of a rocky beach habitat. OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW is a great peek into the life of animals during the winter. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibj2oVNIySnZpwnZDw1oFfExGmyUy8EFmlIzalPkWM0JDkr12aC_c8ZZtLSb4uYLkcjXMrun56I33oL8rRqUFy0RxA83C3x0yd1PWFuqs5JfWzxv3nUA50X2crBMQJWvIntG8_wcBKNDfVYY9nIzLVnjYCT9lHdKnIJb3F8Vyr_wNosLM5P3Hja-33=s2245" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2245" data-original-width="1016" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibj2oVNIySnZpwnZDw1oFfExGmyUy8EFmlIzalPkWM0JDkr12aC_c8ZZtLSb4uYLkcjXMrun56I33oL8rRqUFy0RxA83C3x0yd1PWFuqs5JfWzxv3nUA50X2crBMQJWvIntG8_wcBKNDfVYY9nIzLVnjYCT9lHdKnIJb3F8Vyr_wNosLM5P3Hja-33=w290-h640" width="290" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Some of my favorites are old classics. You just can't beat the charm of Peter's neighborhood exploration, or the stunning visuals of midnight owling. These stories are always top of mind for me in the winter. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYBH1TLQrFJYQTnHzuhY6RbAc6m55KGz2mT2FL3_9wfiQNdB4DXHPceoRa9gl9lwBpF-tWALI7tFgo98VEnTaxBOmEHpP-bIzsrxu_jcKrAckggTXr_FSUkqUz9HAg3GMyAYlbuq0R5az5rCoCgw08uHLyA3_-VlGQW7JyBh7ZGG82c18FS1cGJW_7=s2081" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2081" data-original-width="726" height="754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYBH1TLQrFJYQTnHzuhY6RbAc6m55KGz2mT2FL3_9wfiQNdB4DXHPceoRa9gl9lwBpF-tWALI7tFgo98VEnTaxBOmEHpP-bIzsrxu_jcKrAckggTXr_FSUkqUz9HAg3GMyAYlbuq0R5az5rCoCgw08uHLyA3_-VlGQW7JyBh7ZGG82c18FS1cGJW_7=w264-h754" width="264" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And finally, <a href="https://bookshop.org" target="_blank">BARN AT NIGHT </a>– it was great fun to illustrate Michelle Hout's text, and contrasting the chill snowy scenes with the warm barn interiors was one of my favorite parts. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1AamJx1FNQfdar86C8FrMksKrYnYzMM-9sTnmLijPqpiy-BD6WcX9i27r463GjdJZqqSXZKpIFiczlDNyID843whPiVFE1z4QeDB4-wf7NucBjHiYQncN42BQi4cpFaM4Z7Lcf45QzDZG9tt3M1uqmA-eVbwhO4CT4LIZXbPGay5sT5vSLnr5LYYI=s384" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="312" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1AamJx1FNQfdar86C8FrMksKrYnYzMM-9sTnmLijPqpiy-BD6WcX9i27r463GjdJZqqSXZKpIFiczlDNyID843whPiVFE1z4QeDB4-wf7NucBjHiYQncN42BQi4cpFaM4Z7Lcf45QzDZG9tt3M1uqmA-eVbwhO4CT4LIZXbPGay5sT5vSLnr5LYYI=w325-h400" width="325" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I have more wintry books on my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/jenbetton/picture-books-winter/" target="_blank">pinterest board</a>, if you can't get enough! I'm sure there are many more that I didn't recall, I'd love to hear about your favorites! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">..................................................................................</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jen Betton wrote and illustrated HEDGEHOG NEEDS A HUG (Penguin-Putnam) and illustrated TWILIGHT CHANT by Holly Thompson (Clarion-HMH), and BARN AT NIGHT, by Michelle Houts and (Feeding Minds Press).</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">You can find more of her work here:</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">www.jenbetton.com</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">www.facebook.com/jenbettonillustration</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">@jenbetton</span></span></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Jen Bettonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07568837141174126314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-20089098404780067602021-11-27T00:54:00.003-05:002021-11-27T13:33:34.235-05:00Understanding Culture through Film and Literature: A Focus on Russian Animated Films<p>
</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">“Everything good
is done slowly...the first thing you need to know is how to express
yourself, you have to know how to narrate.” Fyodor Khitruk
<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZnyHBD8s9BaG8xufeQiM5WjplCCsvk2COPKwJo2_cLEEVtVhICDzKDYMOijYl-LCvphmEKShLk1SZG06xo31ZXbXa7UWci736JIXqrEvo_r9dCkNQ5lhSHYDo91RpzL9QvU35e_VPJZMSq9eUPFD4tDXPOe4DGNSAkP8aPo35UJeP4TEyK5eBkawnRA=s512" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="512" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZnyHBD8s9BaG8xufeQiM5WjplCCsvk2COPKwJo2_cLEEVtVhICDzKDYMOijYl-LCvphmEKShLk1SZG06xo31ZXbXa7UWci736JIXqrEvo_r9dCkNQ5lhSHYDo91RpzL9QvU35e_VPJZMSq9eUPFD4tDXPOe4DGNSAkP8aPo35UJeP4TEyK5eBkawnRA=w407-h305" width="407" /></a></div><p></p><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><i>Film, Film, Film </i>by Fyodor Khitruk<br />
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Under the
Soviet Union animation was to be standard, monitored, and only for
children. Artists, writers, and cinematographers were censored.
Making films for children however, gave them a certain liberty. Many
artists worked for the state-funded animation studio <i>Soyuzmultfilm.</i>
They used subtleties to critique their society during
times in which they were expected to praise it. <br /></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Though, it
wasn't all political. They told stories which neither satisfied nor contradicted society or the scrutinous censorship imposed on them.
They made films that animator Garri Bardin says “talked about
eternal things. Morals, virtue, kindness, faith in something
good...in man himself.” Their work retained Toska: A certain
melancholy of the soul that writer Vladimir Nabokov described
here:<br /><br />“No single word in English renders all the shades of
toska. At its deepest and most painful, it is a sensation of great
spiritual anguish, often without any specific cause. At less morbid
levels, it is a dull ache of the soul, a longing with nothing to long
for, a sick pining, a vague restlessness, mental throes, yearning."<br /><br />Through these films we even see
reinterpretations of something so familiar to us as Americans, the
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pZHgZfNhc0">Russian rendition of Winnie the Pooh</a>, who is erratic and clumsy and
full of energy, in a sort of constant frenzy. Or Thumbelina, drawn in
another sense, with different shapes, colors, sensibilities and
movement.<br /> </p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfk84yUEIpBDKcDQmgUCTlCFazJDtIVUSqmFOWcWO71fOjc-iRlAFjigbOF86q1Eo4SdaJIBPupcHI3wiJAuSgQuwudiU-dHtCH-tI4IDP2M_qhX6JKWu-ORpfRaWWBQFq0jOU9UHuW4gZ0vHv1qW0tb1w_sS789TQQgB1uqMf7nniDQGLb7Kpy3Konw=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfk84yUEIpBDKcDQmgUCTlCFazJDtIVUSqmFOWcWO71fOjc-iRlAFjigbOF86q1Eo4SdaJIBPupcHI3wiJAuSgQuwudiU-dHtCH-tI4IDP2M_qhX6JKWu-ORpfRaWWBQFq0jOU9UHuW4gZ0vHv1qW0tb1w_sS789TQQgB1uqMf7nniDQGLb7Kpy3Konw=s320" width="320" /></a><br /><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span>Winnie-Pooh Goes on a Visit (1971)<br /><br /> </p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">In Yuri Norstein's <i>Tale of Tales</i>, it attempts to structure
itself like a human memory. It neither follows a conventional
narrative nor a chronological order. The primary theme of the film is
war and its catastrophic losses. There is a scene where loved ones disappear while the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1Z7ozQhsqs">music</a> glitches and couples dance during the Tango of the Tired Sun. A dialectic exists within these
films, where you can sense sadness in a happy scene, and be left with
a smile in a sad one. </p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRSxBM40893zCOYeebLqcJRIRd8UoC1Ed7EpvI8mNZpgvtOfG_00f4Hq5TF1rqGaGowIxMTXqhIU2tzZ0nb8dcQ4-TnYkPcZJpp5KML9IMuF95FECKi9sscjVD9IWOFhADyqo_Rzccnn-4aJJXPeqNXdPkkEIpt6c6rVeXMIU3-VegdCjWbGDBsyOkSQ=s1300" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1300" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRSxBM40893zCOYeebLqcJRIRd8UoC1Ed7EpvI8mNZpgvtOfG_00f4Hq5TF1rqGaGowIxMTXqhIU2tzZ0nb8dcQ4-TnYkPcZJpp5KML9IMuF95FECKi9sscjVD9IWOFhADyqo_Rzccnn-4aJJXPeqNXdPkkEIpt6c6rVeXMIU3-VegdCjWbGDBsyOkSQ=w548-h308" width="548" /></a></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span><span></span>Tale of Tales by Yuri Norstein<br /> <p></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">To explain this “Pushkin Origin” which is a
part of all of his work, Norstein reads this poem:<br /><br />And both
you and I </p><p>Plan a long life</p><p>but could abruptly
die
</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">the world hasn't
happiness,</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">but there is
freedom, peace.</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">And long have I
daydreamed the life of peace<br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwSLW71KiGb12WgdAB7iF9aENuAEJLrkhnfxuCCvyQgu-qmOA51Xi_Qdz2LbKczoPlavBYXGAWCDaUyxgwN_UMV4B7fLJjOf7IBnyPg427Fh-a8nrhtmSsTM2Qb-YJJgH6rhoVhbwxXEOKcRFw2yH-o77ohPjKKe54YV0qtyia2HCAt0Lqqlo5jNTq3g=s500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwSLW71KiGb12WgdAB7iF9aENuAEJLrkhnfxuCCvyQgu-qmOA51Xi_Qdz2LbKczoPlavBYXGAWCDaUyxgwN_UMV4B7fLJjOf7IBnyPg427Fh-a8nrhtmSsTM2Qb-YJJgH6rhoVhbwxXEOKcRFw2yH-o77ohPjKKe54YV0qtyia2HCAt0Lqqlo5jNTq3g=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Gena the Krokodil<br />
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br />And we can see this
applied to the emblematic Russian character Cheburashka animated in
stop motion by Roman Kachanov. In a scene where he is praised for not
abandoning his friend <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srN_ZlTibUA">Gena the Krokodil</a>, he sits and listens to him
sing and play the accordion:<br /></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Slowly minutes are floating away </p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Don't expect to see them again</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">And maybe we feel sad that our past is gone</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">All the best is ahead of us</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Everyone should believe and hope for the best</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">And our blue train is steaming ahead</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Maybe we have hurt someone unintentionally</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Calendar will turn that page for us<br /><br /><br />Or perhaps Gena the Krokodil's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-0xugvRnUg">birthday song</a> would be the perfect way to sum up Toska<br /><br />Let pedestrians toddle</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">And the rainwater gurgle</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">As it streams underneath their feet</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Let pedestrians wonder</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">why this day full of thunder</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">makes me look so jolly upbeat<br /><br />If you are interested in watching
Russian animations from the last century, a comprehensive list can be
found in the documentary <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1mEOLJmioo">Magia Russica</a> </i>directed by Masha and Yonathan Zur.<br /><br /><b>_______________________________________________</b><br /><br />
</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Zahra Marwan</b>
is a writer / illustrator of two upcoming books. <a href="https://www.bkwrks.com/book/9781547606511?fbclid=IwAR0x7C5qsWImOKY5VOeJnYYAU9Dckck6owwMhVcnbeUDolpCb_li8HPUNcw">Where Butterflies Fill the Sky</a> about leaving home, and <a href="https://twitter.com/anna_roberto/status/1433556455999692802">The Sunflowers</a> about Vincent Van
Gogh's anticipation, friendship and love of color. She grew up in
both Kuwait and New Mexico and currently lives in Albuquerque with
the sweetest Frenchman in the world and their cat who has a really
bad attitude. You can see her work here:<br /><br /><a href="https://zahramarwan.com/">https://zahramarwan.com/<br /><br /></a>Instagram : <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zahra_marwan/">zahra_marwan<br /></a></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Two_Desert">Two_Desert</a><br /><br /><br />
</p>
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This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Zahra Marwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07947475479999446982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-70274425527764275732021-08-05T08:00:00.043-04:002021-08-05T10:59:21.945-04:00My favorite Photoshop tips and shortcutsHi everyone! <b><a href="https://www.robinrosenthal.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Robin</span></a></b> here. I love working digitally. It’s like having a super power. Duplicate! Transform! Undo! I’ve been using Adobe Photoshop for a while, and I am totally delighted when I learn a new tip or shortcut that changes the way I work, saves me time and frustration, and makes me a better illustrator.<br /><br />Here are some of my all-time favorite Photoshop tips and shortcuts, and some great tips from my fellow illustrators. (Feel free to add your favorites in the comments.)<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-Q2WKg1SCfsXC8M5_3TaglVPocjjH-SUU8GqAMDbgpKnXgf3nu8IdXPpkHBappoToDwIdRfLNPf8ihGaCRhEfjNIfDkgeTB8tvaJyKboZgSTCBvmoQnHPpaJxCaBIg3AwuCkETFW83j6/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="864" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-Q2WKg1SCfsXC8M5_3TaglVPocjjH-SUU8GqAMDbgpKnXgf3nu8IdXPpkHBappoToDwIdRfLNPf8ihGaCRhEfjNIfDkgeTB8tvaJyKboZgSTCBvmoQnHPpaJxCaBIg3AwuCkETFW83j6/w400-h245/Nina_crews-a-girl-like-me.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A spread from A GIRL LIKE ME, by Angela Johnson, illustrations by <a href="https://ninacrews.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Nina Crews,</b></span></a> 2020, Millbrook Press, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group. Nina originally had about 35 layers in this file. You can learn more about her process<span style="color: #2b00fe;"> <span><b><a href="https://lernerbooks.blog/2020/02/a-girl-like-me-creating-photocollage-illustrations.html" target="_blank">here.</a></b></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">When you need to organize and find your layers....</h3>Author-illustrator <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Nina Crews</span></b></a> says, “Working in layers is one of my favorite features of Photoshop. With layers, I can add, move, adjust or take away elements quickly and easily. This allows me to take chances and push things around more than I might otherwise.” I wholeheartedly agree! Layers are magical, but things can get messy and confusing very quickly. Here are some tips to get a handle on those millions of layers in your file.<br /><br /><b>1. Name your layers:</b> “A Photoshop file with a lot of layers can become pretty unwieldy, so it is important to label and organize as you go along,” says Nina. “If you double click on the layer name you can edit it.”<br /><br /><b>2. Group your layers:</b> Nina also suggests grouping your layers to better organize the elements in your image. For example, you might want to put each of your characters in a separate group. Select the layers you want to group — hold down the command key to select multiple layers — then click on the folder icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.<br /><br /><b>3. “Collapse all groups”:</b> You can find this in the flyout menu of the Layers panel. (It’s the menu you see when you click on the hamburger icon in the top right corner.) This is a quick way to close all of your groups of layers at once. <br /><br /><b>4. Right-click on the image to find your layer:</b> <b><span style="color: #800180;">This is my FAVORITE SHORTCUT OF ALL TIME.</span></b> Make sure the Move tool is selected then right-click on your image. You will get a drop-down menu with all the layers that are under your cursor and you can select the layer you need. Game changer. <br /><br />Here’s a video of the right-click layers trick. The image is from <a href="https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/two-dogs-on-a-trike_9781419738913/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE,</span></b></a> by Gabi Snyder, illustrated by me.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='325' height='270' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxp-y-2HPlxnwojLzactt1qctSFEvfhpWB7d-rNVCt9vhub7SWZhp7qu1LRTZaQBAoGWnDIcM2zAVppbndUUA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_V6jz6M75YkrBurx_THtN4mo5xsa_1R1rh4jzotHP0PbkjrzPHSMkocD5PQZR4cHkCbVNtBB4QpKg9TqluWAZHWwhmaxy6AqAR7l4fb1jCpqef1ew_DxsC0kt7cOmjAyl1g2142ANmk_/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1121" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_V6jz6M75YkrBurx_THtN4mo5xsa_1R1rh4jzotHP0PbkjrzPHSMkocD5PQZR4cHkCbVNtBB4QpKg9TqluWAZHWwhmaxy6AqAR7l4fb1jCpqef1ew_DxsC0kt7cOmjAyl1g2142ANmk_/w400-h313/rightClickLayers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This file has about 160 layers! Here I am right-clicking on the image while the Move tool is selected in order to access the various layers under my cursor. (Image from <a href="https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/two-dogs-on-a-trike_9781419738913/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE,</span></b></a> by Gabi Snyder, Illustrated by Robin Rosenthal, Abrams.)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhp7oEnm3bWx4RAoyTAFPoiIby9POQ83U-KT9VDbxCaO6v8Rr1GwcywmoQIx4691B7_mSeGRzMArcR9ifBi6kMAN-d-n7w5-HJzIL92QmEiysGQ6tcn42Irj3ztemCzfKEz7e0QxNmksA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8bd03bf2-7fff-322c-041d-586096ceb781"><h3 style="text-align: left;">When you want to organize your colors....</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Creative Cloud Color Libraries:</b> This was another game changer for me. HUGE. I learned about Color Libraries from illustrator <a href="https://sparkerlit.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>Teresa Bonaddio</b></span></a> a few years ago when I asked Kidlit Twitter for help with organizing my color swatches in Photoshop. Thanks, Teresa! (Note: I think you need Creative Cloud to use this feature.)</p><p style="text-align: left;">Color Libraries provide a very clear way to organize your colors. You can create swatches, name them, and group them in folders by project, character, or however you like. You can also change the order they appear in your list, move them from one group to another, duplicate them, and edit them.</p><p style="text-align: left;">This tutorial on the Adobe site can help you get started:</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/creative-cloud-libraries-sync-share-assets.html" target="_blank">https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/creative-cloud-libraries-sync-share-assets.html</a></p></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dx1ImNYmmtBN3sq1z6NrVFEAW7lo1uUOd-_m30eBkkyDfYpv8MbrKthCN17RieksQnnYwE3RDBIF7uMRevhs42aTUyOeA0V02pqQnk9LIye-hK4L0KHKZ2Ep5YE4T4NbNO-xYS6YInWt/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="798" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dx1ImNYmmtBN3sq1z6NrVFEAW7lo1uUOd-_m30eBkkyDfYpv8MbrKthCN17RieksQnnYwE3RDBIF7uMRevhs42aTUyOeA0V02pqQnk9LIye-hK4L0KHKZ2Ep5YE4T4NbNO-xYS6YInWt/w388-h400/CC-color-libraries.jpg" width="388" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the <b><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/1BI/big-ideas-for-little-philosophers" target="_blank">BIG IDEAS FOR LITTLE PHILOSOPHERS</a> </span></b>series, I created a color library for the series, and then a group for the swatches in each book. You can display your library as swatches (left) or in a list (right) and name, edit, and move them.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When you want to change colors quickly and easily….</h3><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Color Overlay:</b> I color almost all of my artwork using the Color Overlay. Color Overlay allows you to change the color of any layer instantly. I love this feature because I can fiddle around with colors up until the end of the project, iterate quickly, and easily change one item without affecting others. I prefer to right-click on a swatch in my Color Library and select Color Overlay to change my layer to that color, but you can also select your layer then select Color Overlay from the fx flyout menu at the bottom of your Layers panel.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(This works if you have elements of your illustration on separate layers, and I suspect maybe there are quite a few of us who do this. Also I think some illustrators maybe do this with masks somehow? Let me know in the comments.)</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's a video that shows Color Overlay in action. (This is a little lizard I drew for <i>Parents</i> magazine.)</p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyPdZfBXAWALFNlg4Oy8ax64EXvifxzzPw0DVCiZ_ZtYdLV2zrxWwpo9WEKGgFC3eZwnOnoJ1AARW9AvM0rBg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">When you want a more flexible way to erase…</h3><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Mask instead of erase:</b> Author-illustrators <a href="https://www.jenbetton.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Jen Betton Rogers</span></b></a> and <b><a href="https://www.debbieohi.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Debbie Ohi</span></a></b> both agree: use masks, don’t erase. When you use masks, you are not permanently erasing something, just hiding it. Debbie says, “I use masks instead of erasing. The non-destructive edit makes it possible for me to change my mind later.” Okay this is really cool and it never occurred to me. You can read more about how to do this here:</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/quick-tip-layer-mask-vs-the-eraser-tool-in-adobe-photoshop--cms-24392" target="_blank">https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/quick-tip-layer-mask-vs-the-eraser-tool-in-adobe-photoshop--cms-24392</a></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">When you want to iterate quickly….</h3><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Symmetry mode:</b> I love to use this feature when I am developing characters and making lots of small changes to get a character just right. You can find the Symmetry mode by clicking on the butterfly icon in the Options bar along the top of the screen, and you can use it with the Paint Brush, Pencil, and Eraser tools. It's really fun to play with!</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1a8-SG6KR4ypJRnG0GagWOwL9-LghM4vfaKiwZAcfMOjl8iYnYdtMRVuAn_MCx56E7l13OFC3Pk5w3iNEXU2rCfagKHXckBXqAZfDKb_S2AbHwVtAUh1_yNXYKJF4WhizDwgFwEfTRunp/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1280" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1a8-SG6KR4ypJRnG0GagWOwL9-LghM4vfaKiwZAcfMOjl8iYnYdtMRVuAn_MCx56E7l13OFC3Pk5w3iNEXU2rCfagKHXckBXqAZfDKb_S2AbHwVtAUh1_yNXYKJF4WhizDwgFwEfTRunp/w400-h253/symmetry-tool-photoshop.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A still of the Symmetry mode in action. Here I am using it to iterate character designs for Plato.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: left;">Here’s a video of me developing Plato for <b><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/653307/big-ideas-for-little-philosophers-love-with-plato-by-duane-armitage-and-maureen-mcquerry-illustrated-by-robin-rosenthal/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">LOVE WITH PLATO</span></a> </b>using the Symmetry tool.</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwn5ANGxl4Y1OCT6cj6Q_j008MK52fDAyQ6I6g2PBMZiu8UwnuewnVGyXdt99qsC7Sx3tYr8a24mp7_3BIkbQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">When you need some straight lines…</h3><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Use a ruler on top of your tablet!</b> A clear one works best. I came across this great tip while watching a video <b><a href="http://www.ginaperry.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Gina Perry</span></a></b> made about her illustration process. Thank you, Gina! Here's the video: <a href="https://youtu.be/sgMbpnTWDHQ">https://youtu.be/sgMbpnTWDHQ</a></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">When your artwork is big and your scanner is little...</h3><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Photomerge:</b> Writer-illustrator <a href="https://shawnazilla.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shawna Galey Avanessian</span></b></a> says, “I have a pretty good scanner but it’s not a very big scanner. With Photomerge I can paint large illustrations and still get a full scan.” </p><p style="text-align: left;">Here's how to use it: <a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/create-panoramic-images-photomerge.html" target="_blank">https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/create-panoramic-images-photomerge.html</a></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">When your scanned or resized art feels a little soft…</h3><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Unsharp Mask:</b> I first learned about Unsharp Mask from <a href="https://support.cargocollective.com/How-to-make-a-great-thumbnail" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">this Cargo post</span></b></a> about thumbnails (scroll down to the bottom), but I’ve found this filter really useful for scanned art and resized art to just give it a little more crispness. You can find it in the Filter Menu > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I usually do: Amount: 25%-50%, Radius: 1-2 pixels, Threshold: 0 levels. The Cargo post recommends some different values now so I’m gonna try those, too (Amount: 65%, Radius: 0.5 pixels, Threshold: 0 levels). They have some other good info about Unsharp Mask in that post as well. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The following post is about editing photos but it explains Unsharp Mask in depth:</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-editing/how-to-sharpen-images-in-photoshop-with-unsharp-mask/" target="_blank">https://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-editing/how-to-sharpen-images-in-photoshop-with-unsharp-mask/</a></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">When you want to see all your Photoshop files easily (with bigger thumbnails)…</h3><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Adobe Bridge: </b>This is a separate application, but it is free to download and I love using it to find and organize my files for a picture book project. I use Bridge instead of going to a folder on my hard drive to browse and open my files when I need them. You can control the size of the thumbnails so it’s easy to tell what is what. Here are some posts about Bridge:</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://prodesigntools.com/free-adobe-bridge-cc.html" target="_blank">https://prodesigntools.com/free-adobe-bridge-cc.html</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/bridge/using/adobe-bridge.html" target="_blank">https://helpx.adobe.com/bridge/using/adobe-bridge.html</a></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguR8w2uBbifaYlqURLtkEpXcH9eABuaPuNzeCzBhH-EfFHr4wAi0Z5xUmDkZvHfcaFOtY7zUYk57vZthZiAgcGCnZgjdoDPZLC9G8D2WqtqTYGHk_EneInWeqDLYj2I8EGX08DCQBiwCzm/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1105" data-original-width="1343" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguR8w2uBbifaYlqURLtkEpXcH9eABuaPuNzeCzBhH-EfFHr4wAi0Z5xUmDkZvHfcaFOtY7zUYk57vZthZiAgcGCnZgjdoDPZLC9G8D2WqtqTYGHk_EneInWeqDLYj2I8EGX08DCQBiwCzm/w400-h329/Robin_Rosenthal_kidlitartists_Adobe_Bridge_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here’s my <a href="https://www.adobe.com/products/bridge.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Adobe Bridge</span></b></a> window. I can see all the files for <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/622480/big-ideas-for-little-philosophers-imagination-with-rene-descartes-by-duane-armitage-and-maureen-mcquerry-illustrator-robin-rosenthal/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">IMAGINATION WITH RENÉ DESCARTES</span></b></a> very easily and open them directly from Bridge by double-clicking. There’s a slider on the bottom right if I want to change the size of my thumbnails.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></p><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And finally, some favorite keyboard shortcuts:</h3><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Command-J = Duplicate layer. (Via <a href="https://ninacrews.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Nina Crews.</span></b></a> Thanks, Nina! You can also right-click on a layer in the Layers panel and you will get a flyout menu with lots of options, including Duplicate Layer and Delete Layer.)</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. Command-T = Transform tool</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. Command-Z = Undo </p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. Command-; = Show/Hide Guides</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. Command-S = Save</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And you can find some more shortcuts here:</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/default-keyboard-shortcuts.html" target="_blank">https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/default-keyboard-shortcuts.html</a></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you want to explore more shortcuts I suggest right-clicking on your file when you have different tools selected and see what comes up. Also check out the flyout menus across all the different panels. You may discover some cool stuff there that will save you time. </p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Good luck! Let me know your favorite tips and tricks too!</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">_______________________</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Robin Rosenthal</b> is an illustrator and art director. She has illustrated <a href="https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/two-dogs-on-a-trike_9781419738913/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE</span></b></a> and the <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/1BI/big-ideas-for-little-philosophers/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">BIG IDEAS FOR LITTLE PHILOSOPHERS</span></b></a> series of board books. She grew up in Connecticut and now lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter. You can see more of her work at <b><a href="http://robinrosenthal.com." target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">robinrosenthal.com.</span></a></b></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/robinrosenthal/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Instagram: @robinrosenthal</span></b></a></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://twitter.com/robinarosenthal" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Twitter: @robinarosenthal</span></b></a></p></div><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Robin Rosenthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16739462744830193906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-1539250372607745572021-07-04T01:13:00.001-04:002021-07-04T01:13:59.628-04:00Just Arting Around<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a creative rut? Me too! Turns out it’s hard to keep the creative energy flowing while living in a social vacuum for a year or so. (Living with an unvaccinated, high risk, immunocompromised family member means this is far from over for us here in our little Ohio home) Because I couldn’t/can’t journey out into the world much, I brought the journey into the studio in the form of new media and techniques. Since this has been helping me, I thought I’d bring you along for some art experiments, and a little at home printmaking tutorial. Rut or no rut, I hope you find something fun along the way.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-36478ea8-7fff-7cce-a2db-4714a4b0c825"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s dip our toes into the unfamiliar. Let's try drawing in a new way, get out materials that don’t “fit” our style and just see where they lead us. There’s no goal except to have fun and maybe catch the creative spark that makes us think, “Oh, yeah! This is why I chose to do this thing!”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, I know we don’t all have a ton of time to spend experimenting, but even 15 mins or so could feel like a lot and feed that desire for the new and unexplored.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here’s a glimpse of things I’ve tried recently:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Using media on surfaces they’re not intended for. Like watercolor pencils and pastels on unprimed canvas. See strange drawing below.</span></p><div><span><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceUKXi-StZ_ufr1zORDKWFYQ-TILZkQTOWgLw28aozpYaBBYc1YKZxYRn69I3T8ahNhNztvRHzYAdCsyuV7WyiYS9I-EHiejBISaaEGF3nVfQjwOWq9hyphenhyphenRT-_XwomL-FSQeE196vHCSw/s640/penciloncanvas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceUKXi-StZ_ufr1zORDKWFYQ-TILZkQTOWgLw28aozpYaBBYc1YKZxYRn69I3T8ahNhNztvRHzYAdCsyuV7WyiYS9I-EHiejBISaaEGF3nVfQjwOWq9hyphenhyphenRT-_XwomL-FSQeE196vHCSw/s320/penciloncanvas.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stuck? Use a stick! Had fun drawing with a big stick dipped in ink. Have to thank the fabulous ladies at <a href="https://www.thegoodshipillustration.com/">https://www.thegoodshipillustration.com/</a> for that one. I think I actually drew those seed pods and twigs using those same seed pods and twigs :-)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQObBlmS_unp3lCfwbj9Iz6OwqzC8wwLa5HIZ5kxwqmlwv1OHcPdwqFIngDjnVW4L33bqaFU00R3ctc-kNRUdAvzzH7bS3Vpyu74on8uSgw4ApxLxEC2Coyl59ngsJlt54Gnr2ZdAHBsA/s640/IMG_2523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQObBlmS_unp3lCfwbj9Iz6OwqzC8wwLa5HIZ5kxwqmlwv1OHcPdwqFIngDjnVW4L33bqaFU00R3ctc-kNRUdAvzzH7bS3Vpyu74on8uSgw4ApxLxEC2Coyl59ngsJlt54Gnr2ZdAHBsA/s320/IMG_2523.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fabric collage, plus some charcoal, plus a dried flower stem from the vase of dead flowers that I never emptied, turned into this little adventurer. (Used Mod Podge to hold it all down.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ABu4q5JboW725vJWHZW4cRqs3KfqJq-CL2BUFCs0w8LbuKLfcHPHmQy4iIwzy4fDL2BCZ9Ob6s85SUZ4f8Z-mQGIQphtIjPttQncCyH-WRRc7ne_29EOnLOJ2I66MADXJ2uIC4_cljo/s640/fabricgirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ABu4q5JboW725vJWHZW4cRqs3KfqJq-CL2BUFCs0w8LbuKLfcHPHmQy4iIwzy4fDL2BCZ9Ob6s85SUZ4f8Z-mQGIQphtIjPttQncCyH-WRRc7ne_29EOnLOJ2I66MADXJ2uIC4_cljo/s320/fabricgirl.jpg" /></a></div></span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not really a crazy experiment, just different for me: Using gouache in a bold, flat manner. (ok, so there might also be some watercolor pencil, fabric and pastel in there.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8cZeBPd2ZaWe8lLam4ySXj2pt8Zv5PhmunZRIbyJV5wMlhHrVxB0wE2GjfU4ZG3G4IhSienZLHTLB9Zk61SnDOKwWaLs4reclDFqbQMAjDdf19nqnZ9bDQdmB2YMvCWMbQG0b-zbZWg/s640/guoacheGirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8cZeBPd2ZaWe8lLam4ySXj2pt8Zv5PhmunZRIbyJV5wMlhHrVxB0wE2GjfU4ZG3G4IhSienZLHTLB9Zk61SnDOKwWaLs4reclDFqbQMAjDdf19nqnZ9bDQdmB2YMvCWMbQG0b-zbZWg/s320/guoacheGirl.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My most recent, “oh, goody!” moment was learning a way to do intaglio printmaking at home, without a press or metal plates. Thanks to a tutorial from </span><a href="https://handprinted.co.uk/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://handprinted.co.uk/</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I found my way back to printmaking after over a decade away. So, the experience was both new and old, and fabulous. And I have yet to even accomplish a great quality print. What matters is that I was having fun, my brain was waking up and making new connections. And since I loved it so much, here’s a little tutorial so you can try your hand at it too!</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What you’ll need at the ready:</b></span></p><br /><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tetra Pak - washed and cut open (You know, those boxy cartons you get plant milk or broth in from the dry goods isle.)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scissors and/or exacto blade</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Etching tool (Anything with a sharp point that isn’t flimsy should work, I used my needle tools that are for carving clay.)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Akua Intaglio Ink (I also tried acrylic paint with a medium extender added to keep it wet, it worked okay-ish, but not as well as the ink.)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">backing board or chipboard cut into small rectangles </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tarleton (or similar e.g. vegetable net. I used cheesecloth, which worked ok, but was maybe a bit too absorbent.)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tissue paper or pages from the phone book</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paper to print on (Thick paper is best. I used a hot press watercolor paper, but actual printmaking paper would have a better result.)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tray/baking dish with water to soak paper in</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blotting Paper (or tea towel) for blotting your soaked paper</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tea towel/rag to use as your printing surface</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baking parchment or tracing paper</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="color: #4f4f4f; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 23pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spoon</span></p></li></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One thing I love about using the tetra pak instead of a metal plate, is you can cut them into whatever shape you like or stick with a traditional rectangle. The possibilities are endless!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrs8_oiFDYx4Q3EG374zToZYXZag3VQfOmZj2QsqQXBtGB8RjFgzuwxk1IlRWihKD8DtGloDV8HoqXsCBSnbOwau5aY7doXmeUnWNlQxeLwsMcarXcAFTxHm7nIzgXxVZ9Ywx4gN8ruhA/s640/wipedplate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrs8_oiFDYx4Q3EG374zToZYXZag3VQfOmZj2QsqQXBtGB8RjFgzuwxk1IlRWihKD8DtGloDV8HoqXsCBSnbOwau5aY7doXmeUnWNlQxeLwsMcarXcAFTxHm7nIzgXxVZ9Ywx4gN8ruhA/s320/wipedplate.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once you have your (clean) tetra pak cut into whatever shape you like, use an etching tool (a nail or whatever you’ve got) to draw your image into the silver surface. Don't forget! It’s going to print in reverse, so plan accordingly.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpSPJ9beZ01DbDZvw0JAmwsCfrZfB8HztefZ0ze8W6d-Tl3ns5X8cD2JvpJI4kM9g450GABqnxKF1b2N2Zv2B2MiMDzMH3kNMAgoPIW5-b5Qmlb1JSgCFrOYfFHQDfagwWkuXK_8h3tM/s640/IMG_5060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpSPJ9beZ01DbDZvw0JAmwsCfrZfB8HztefZ0ze8W6d-Tl3ns5X8cD2JvpJI4kM9g450GABqnxKF1b2N2Zv2B2MiMDzMH3kNMAgoPIW5-b5Qmlb1JSgCFrOYfFHQDfagwWkuXK_8h3tM/s320/IMG_5060.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wherever you etch a line, that’s where the ink will settle. When you print, your paper will press into the lines slightly, grabbing the ink from the groove.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s best to print onto damp paper, so before you start inking your plate is a good time to put it to soak in your tray of water.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once you have your image, use the edge of a small bit of chipboard or other firm board to wipe some ink across the surface, As you scrape it across, ink gets pressed down into your line work.</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9499jGQ2JpNtce_GrtdC56fgdWbBQKsC4yNdWni8ZsXvVVuq8d6ZJQRm9UIwN99EmhHgWjOUa1GTrYGGV4BWp9yk-8E3YTI5VsNJnIvZjSpZPPL1sjIXKA38Qx8FBRtez0brLC2wKEM/s640/inkOnCard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9499jGQ2JpNtce_GrtdC56fgdWbBQKsC4yNdWni8ZsXvVVuq8d6ZJQRm9UIwN99EmhHgWjOUa1GTrYGGV4BWp9yk-8E3YTI5VsNJnIvZjSpZPPL1sjIXKA38Qx8FBRtez0brLC2wKEM/s320/inkOnCard.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinExUXUdaV7EoOFg8Wn2WVCLXqsrRu0-tPZmsot6VWPymgYTT39EcfKbaBaJyCaiDI-ldMytqPGPYmyIbf8GsZMn-FssE42t1kz9XU0rPMakrSTiRi1foUhti1STzYNrMQZkg2A3-jnhs/s640/inkingPlate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinExUXUdaV7EoOFg8Wn2WVCLXqsrRu0-tPZmsot6VWPymgYTT39EcfKbaBaJyCaiDI-ldMytqPGPYmyIbf8GsZMn-FssE42t1kz9XU0rPMakrSTiRi1foUhti1STzYNrMQZkg2A3-jnhs/s320/inkingPlate.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Next up! We wipe it, wipe it real good. Well, not too good. Using some kind of mesh material, (traditionally tarleton) you want to gently wipe the surface in a circular motion, not too hard or you may remove ink from the grooves. Wipe until the silver surface starts to show again. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymP-AkwYcIQcA8CcIUkVRCeb7nQhcM8KXBeF9GYeWF85JhtQnQ3ZAPC1b8ivdC1YBoZPnDv3RPyaVVx3GShRdUbc8wB32gD2t6xLnhyphenhyphentpgZISQrp1CrrJNTyGAbZL42MWcSto3CJkuzE/s640/mostlywipedplate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymP-AkwYcIQcA8CcIUkVRCeb7nQhcM8KXBeF9GYeWF85JhtQnQ3ZAPC1b8ivdC1YBoZPnDv3RPyaVVx3GShRdUbc8wB32gD2t6xLnhyphenhyphentpgZISQrp1CrrJNTyGAbZL42MWcSto3CJkuzE/s320/mostlywipedplate.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finish wiping with tissue paper or phone book pages (You can experiment with how much ink you remove to get different qualities of print. If you leave more ink, it will create an atmospheric but less controlled print.)</span></p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrs8_oiFDYx4Q3EG374zToZYXZag3VQfOmZj2QsqQXBtGB8RjFgzuwxk1IlRWihKD8DtGloDV8HoqXsCBSnbOwau5aY7doXmeUnWNlQxeLwsMcarXcAFTxHm7nIzgXxVZ9Ywx4gN8ruhA/s640/wipedplate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrs8_oiFDYx4Q3EG374zToZYXZag3VQfOmZj2QsqQXBtGB8RjFgzuwxk1IlRWihKD8DtGloDV8HoqXsCBSnbOwau5aY7doXmeUnWNlQxeLwsMcarXcAFTxHm7nIzgXxVZ9Ywx4gN8ruhA/s320/wipedplate.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Place your inked plate on a non slippery surface like a tea towel that you don’t mind getting inky. (I forgot this part and mine was definitely trying to get away from me.) </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wipe off the ink that you definitely got all over your hands.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsj3fachyCP2NlnBxn5vTHIjcYrTo1hMcxTqrqdPS8Zdy9xJ3Ur0cuPAGduaM3gZ884rLeqawvAcKGNuiMqM3Y5YernjEm5px7sKiQISJo7UhAtHCchKwsAyITwfV2OinFwA9GjkKzVck/s640/inkinglayout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsj3fachyCP2NlnBxn5vTHIjcYrTo1hMcxTqrqdPS8Zdy9xJ3Ur0cuPAGduaM3gZ884rLeqawvAcKGNuiMqM3Y5YernjEm5px7sKiQISJo7UhAtHCchKwsAyITwfV2OinFwA9GjkKzVck/s320/inkinglayout.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Ready to print! Now where's a clean surface I can print on?)</span></span></div><div><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remove your paper from the water and blot it gently so it's no longer dripping. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lay the damp paper on top of your inked plate, then a sheet of parchment or tracing paper on top of that. (It will help with the rubby spoony bit coming up.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now we press like the dickens with the back of a spoon. Make sure you get every part of your print. I found I had to press/rub pretty firmly and for some time. (But, perhaps that’s because of my little bird arms, and the wooden spoon I was using. Metal would probably be best.)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And tada! It is print! </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3WewLVNrwDE4No_w0y3NToCNvg-gj2J6r1ZCyb_r_ht_eHUz7Iao7MKX9JTSseTpjFPOciMObMRCk0CBQQu9gdOf623fatYp0l6VV5lJYPSsUAlmKaKXKmE863jBjlhjCuTEUG9uHrY/s640/finishedVaseprint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3WewLVNrwDE4No_w0y3NToCNvg-gj2J6r1ZCyb_r_ht_eHUz7Iao7MKX9JTSseTpjFPOciMObMRCk0CBQQu9gdOf623fatYp0l6VV5lJYPSsUAlmKaKXKmE863jBjlhjCuTEUG9uHrY/s320/finishedVaseprint.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Because I was in experiment mode, both my prints are printed on top of another medium. One is watercolor and graphite, and the other some fabric scraps I had lying about.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlUpeh5fXaqtf_9kXc0Z6OA6pRv6zh4j7m8KWfSLZSrqQYbKJH2m82a3jHs-P7dP_295ZTLHLoZIhbMufhbJuw1lHIYHuJx4B0wGBzeEH9VyIexafoOfoqdrabUp-eV0snYkRe1TZqYA/s640/dancerPrint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlUpeh5fXaqtf_9kXc0Z6OA6pRv6zh4j7m8KWfSLZSrqQYbKJH2m82a3jHs-P7dP_295ZTLHLoZIhbMufhbJuw1lHIYHuJx4B0wGBzeEH9VyIexafoOfoqdrabUp-eV0snYkRe1TZqYA/s320/dancerPrint.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And there are even more possibilities with this. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can try your hand at monotype prints on the tetra pak surface or use cutouts more like block prints by just rolling ink on and printing the shape! </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Looking back at </span><a href="https://handprinted.co.uk/blogs/blog/printing-intaglio-without-a-press-tetra-pak-collagraph?_pos=5&_sid=c232249ed&_ss=r" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Handprinted UK's</a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tutorial, I'm reminded that you can even use an exacto blade to cut the surface of the tetra pak and carefully peal back the top layer to reveal a fuzzy layer that holds ink. This will create large, dark areas, similar to aquatint. Definitely check out their original post for more detailed photos and instructions.</span><p></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here’s to having fun, letting go, and finding our way back to our creative energy! Hope you all have fun with your experiments.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1AzbzFVL4Cu39JvsSAlIs09ABxCatnFtjsWAj2xXp0YGwcRyWNDyJCmHvJRK1iBpWLf1fJcTxfcmvoiSIR-QfMnaugTew0GYCdn1uaV29k6pPLh8unwQdmfZYA3Nv121uE8YPN_s0iw/s648/bio+pic+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="648" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1AzbzFVL4Cu39JvsSAlIs09ABxCatnFtjsWAj2xXp0YGwcRyWNDyJCmHvJRK1iBpWLf1fJcTxfcmvoiSIR-QfMnaugTew0GYCdn1uaV29k6pPLh8unwQdmfZYA3Nv121uE8YPN_s0iw/w172-h169/bio+pic+cropped.jpg" width="172" /></a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tenayalena/?hl=en"><br /></a><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Tenaya Lena Gunter Brown is an illustrator/author. Born and raised in Oakland, CA, she makes stories and art that speak to our wonder, our connection to each other and the earth under our feet.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <br /><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Find more of her work at <a href="https://www.tenayalena.com/">https://www.tenayalena.com/</a></span></span></p><br />Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tenayalena/?hl=en">@tenayalena</a><div><br /></div><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Tenaya Lenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09701244033066410747noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-71458627515505307852021-05-25T17:39:00.000-04:002021-05-25T17:39:11.780-04:00Expressing the Depths of your Heart and Sustaining yourself Economically<p> <span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">Cory
brought me peonies mixed with chamomile flowers. We stood on my porch
and the clouds were grey and heavy with rain, making our city in the
desert feel quiet and still. Cory is a professional musician with the
San Juan Symphony and works with an independent group of flamenco
dancers called Spanish Broom, dancing in a bistro in the Corrales
Village adjacent to Albuquerque. </span>
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }a:link { so-language: zxx }</style></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkohO2x9feXKQYgGL6yKuUXPqRaL9MMZ3Ei0D_xGS6CUvFaX2T8xlBYCGOJvr3PzjmcsIHBpSC7SXCRJjh6RG0uneMd7dsJwaHKm4J0H96b_hrqKwkU1f2DV6ctbFNkMdZOiuhGIFu9_yF/s2048/Flamenco-pb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1167" data-original-width="2048" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkohO2x9feXKQYgGL6yKuUXPqRaL9MMZ3Ei0D_xGS6CUvFaX2T8xlBYCGOJvr3PzjmcsIHBpSC7SXCRJjh6RG0uneMd7dsJwaHKm4J0H96b_hrqKwkU1f2DV6ctbFNkMdZOiuhGIFu9_yF/w403-h229/Flamenco-pb.jpg" width="403" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span>
<p style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">With
flowers and an open heart, Cory thought critically out loud about why
he's doing what he does. </span>
</p><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><p style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">He
ruminated about hearing professional musicians from national
orchestras sighing with relief that their work was at a still when
the pandemic put a pause to the world. He felt certain that music to
him meant more than a job, that there was meaning in creativity. That
there was reason to make music outside of professional accolades, and
that there had to be a balance between expressing the depths of your
heart and sustaining yourself economically. </span>
</p><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><p style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">I
wonder a lot, too. My first book in progress <i>Where Butterflies
Fill the Sky</i> (Bloomsbury 2022) is from my deepest heartbreak and
anguish. It's about the love I have of people and home and the luck of
coming to a city where people treat me as an equal. It's a short
expression of a bureaucracy that robbed me of a normal life among my
family. Full of symbolism like bulls from ancient Dilmun art as
background characters and walking fish to accompany the main
character. It's deeply personal, and something which affects my life
every single day, still. </span>
</p><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><p style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">Though
I wonder if I have anything else to offer as a writer and artist.
Another personal story that I can craft into something dream-like?
Or something strictly imaginative, creative? Am I able as a person to
make a book about toast? Dinosaurs and pancakes? Or is all I have to
offer is stories from the margins? How have I come to hold these
matters as parallel to each other? I often feel very lighthearted and
happy, and wonder how to explore those feelings in my art, while
otherwise no matter where I am in the world I have to explain how my
fringe belonging fits in society.</span></p><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><p style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">I
make small, single illustrative watercolor vignettes almost daily to
express things like Cory's flowers and honest heart. Or things like
“Summers like Boars Far from the Sea” expressing a change of
time, change of place, the joy of having a close friend and even
witnessing the end this friendship. Playing with reality and imbuing
it with imagination. </span>
</p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }a:link { so-language: zxx }</style><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span></span><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }</font></span></style></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><p><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120 </font></span></style></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }</font></span></style><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }</font></span></style><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }</font></span></style><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span><p><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }</font></span></style></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOnbD9F7-NKZ7Hi3l_AVU8BvCWKBqpr9LoMdYP6_KBw8JO5YjL3267DkXShleNmFRARV9SV-oETAwjeEChMn6hU0vWkUwvUDPzMVnnsW-QhsoJVflKN_VIxx16fBdPXdvRHP1aZT3Iz0Q/s2048/summerslikeboars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1639" data-original-width="2048" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOnbD9F7-NKZ7Hi3l_AVU8BvCWKBqpr9LoMdYP6_KBw8JO5YjL3267DkXShleNmFRARV9SV-oETAwjeEChMn6hU0vWkUwvUDPzMVnnsW-QhsoJVflKN_VIxx16fBdPXdvRHP1aZT3Iz0Q/w473-h379/summerslikeboars.jpg" width="473" /> </a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;">Snapping at ideas
like a lobster at a butterfly.<br /></span><br /></span></span>
<style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }</font></span></style><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFODJBi5ApBLQbtstD-ZWDsCchTxUuZDhcOhdnPcLIZDAP2-vbLeZLtnsNThx8ER1yRgFoutjvTS2hG8CL-yfR7m1eCGdGkLS_F2cRUyDFqrsHgbEDTz53JqpitYBy1EL0erHOJHo-lpS/s2048/lobsterbutterfly.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1834" height="541" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFODJBi5ApBLQbtstD-ZWDsCchTxUuZDhcOhdnPcLIZDAP2-vbLeZLtnsNThx8ER1yRgFoutjvTS2hG8CL-yfR7m1eCGdGkLS_F2cRUyDFqrsHgbEDTz53JqpitYBy1EL0erHOJHo-lpS/w485-h541/lobsterbutterfly.png" width="485" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />
</span></span><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p><p style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">Exploring
brave figures from cultures I currently reside with, like Cesar
Chavez, and thinking of my illiterate grandparents.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }a:link { so-language: zxx }</style></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTql2KYIC2aRvH7Zqfv5-AYTPkn5OC53nCdqLK8hcwxRFbh7Krh7rUQsq-QdAZEF1sjQ0mFGtIGKkitEEABklG3UUtRKp3rH78Jtkj_SwbaJuh_vfjE1rPIXp9JN0-gcictxXMfkrY0_5l/s2048/cesarchavez.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1787" height="467" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTql2KYIC2aRvH7Zqfv5-AYTPkn5OC53nCdqLK8hcwxRFbh7Krh7rUQsq-QdAZEF1sjQ0mFGtIGKkitEEABklG3UUtRKp3rH78Jtkj_SwbaJuh_vfjE1rPIXp9JN0-gcictxXMfkrY0_5l/w407-h467/cesarchavez.png" width="407" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Or a friendship
like an octopus rolled up in sea shells.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }</font></span></style></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzAJMySLIAftufpJ5HAXnY4KtwnueqOHo6HxdB8hQJOTlghctJwwT1ExtEN1qZRyb1RBkin0jRGoN6cvQLSswBXUcZy861ogoNTNTcYzlGIHU0hazSQmtH1J44-ELLtWb-yMojnaCMiYl/s2048/friend-like-shell2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1904" data-original-width="2048" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzAJMySLIAftufpJ5HAXnY4KtwnueqOHo6HxdB8hQJOTlghctJwwT1ExtEN1qZRyb1RBkin0jRGoN6cvQLSswBXUcZy861ogoNTNTcYzlGIHU0hazSQmtH1J44-ELLtWb-yMojnaCMiYl/w529-h492/friend-like-shell2.png" width="529" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A look at my cousin Abbass
when he came across two stray macaws.
</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
<br /></span></span><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }</font></span></style><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZHt6nWTV3wbvkOZgULfNFf_tYbI4y0T54gY0FhWZIc48Q6YSailXVWkvqkLX3G6IjQO4CvKRgXxserQD1MFCJTQEu-ctCjesTNCEWWeUpIm1dxQ7BnCsG9RBo8EDSuSCRBQV2dHIxIvy/s2048/abbass-macaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1559" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZHt6nWTV3wbvkOZgULfNFf_tYbI4y0T54gY0FhWZIc48Q6YSailXVWkvqkLX3G6IjQO4CvKRgXxserQD1MFCJTQEu-ctCjesTNCEWWeUpIm1dxQ7BnCsG9RBo8EDSuSCRBQV2dHIxIvy/w412-h540/abbass-macaw.jpg" width="412" /></a></span></span></div><p>
</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Exploring the pain
of losing a parent and their appearance in a dream.<br /><br /></span></span>
</p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">
</span></span><p><style type="text/css"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: georgia;">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }</span></font></style></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrnsudb6htxQmbdmiKcBQkWad0etTr_tnD8-IyUp9urY6zAaiObynIVhPb7BGkxMP1FaYLkHq6i90h_T9M_5-FaDstkwTWLub1KOLe4wgftGHSxMnVd0cvyq9fis3EEZqQegEPP3HCnea/s2048/harpist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1956" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrnsudb6htxQmbdmiKcBQkWad0etTr_tnD8-IyUp9urY6zAaiObynIVhPb7BGkxMP1FaYLkHq6i90h_T9M_5-FaDstkwTWLub1KOLe4wgftGHSxMnVd0cvyq9fis3EEZqQegEPP3HCnea/w514-h538/harpist.jpg" width="514" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</p><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><p style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">Trying
to figure out how to build these ideas into larger works, like a
piano in water, wishing I had been brave enough to go home sooner.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }a:link { so-language: zxx }</style></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIr-aTLY6QXO2N0_05sCcMPTJunwbAufiQdoCimgL_xsIkWLmjDPAZNdqz3Ok5RRM8rgFDm5P2uxSN3YP7TXGn2R9Xz2iCiEcjCO0Vc_HPLzPa4lCU3vZTXq9lWo9thB0bIXygwRr_ARN/s2048/Piano+dans+l%2527eau.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2001" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIr-aTLY6QXO2N0_05sCcMPTJunwbAufiQdoCimgL_xsIkWLmjDPAZNdqz3Ok5RRM8rgFDm5P2uxSN3YP7TXGn2R9Xz2iCiEcjCO0Vc_HPLzPa4lCU3vZTXq9lWo9thB0bIXygwRr_ARN/w497-h508/Piano+dans+l%2527eau.png" width="497" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span>
</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">I
wonder what club soda really is. What it's like to be a part of a
low-rider procession. To be a garlic farmer and what those flowers
could look like. If I continually have to betray myself for the comfort of
others.</span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }a:link { so-language: zxx }</style><br /></span></span>
</p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDP_ikJK0NC-G83juOt8yaK7RTO_GJiJvEgkfu1hbPg9XgJ8WvPtdLOdlGxt622jervMTeD_shycxYjlb6tvRa9TIqgXBFhu-gwFlHqJ-PNU-H7IfvZcYTFZ1va6m2CyD-r7JbViiw5dlv/s2048/pink-dolphins-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1570" data-original-width="2048" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDP_ikJK0NC-G83juOt8yaK7RTO_GJiJvEgkfu1hbPg9XgJ8WvPtdLOdlGxt622jervMTeD_shycxYjlb6tvRa9TIqgXBFhu-gwFlHqJ-PNU-H7IfvZcYTFZ1va6m2CyD-r7JbViiw5dlv/w513-h393/pink-dolphins-1.jpg" width="513" /><span style="font-size: small;"></span></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><p></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Learning that pink
dolphins exist in rivers, or translating poetry
into art.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: </font></span></style></p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }</font></span></style><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span>
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgZo4K3Te97dB1Axd568xOaG7SKQHFmCJVLUseORBXIg73gj4ZPhU_EN53EshwPPxB9yaheyP21FDY342jDcgcbkArdmdv9weI8oIrngknn1dRMD7MkiuTD6BT7R2z8UeNpaiqbIMT-HL/s2048/locusts%252Bgrief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1633" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgZo4K3Te97dB1Axd568xOaG7SKQHFmCJVLUseORBXIg73gj4ZPhU_EN53EshwPPxB9yaheyP21FDY342jDcgcbkArdmdv9weI8oIrngknn1dRMD7MkiuTD6BT7R2z8UeNpaiqbIMT-HL/w483-h606/locusts%252Bgrief.jpg" width="483" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span>
</span><p style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p><p style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;">“<span style="font-family: georgia;">Under
the weight of locusts and grief, people saw him burn his old coat
among the jasmine flowers.” Or reducing the importance of men
visually in my Grandma's portrait.</span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }a:link { so-language: zxx }</style></p>
<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }a:link { so-language: zxx }</style><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% </font></span></style><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }</font></span></style><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span><style type="text/css"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }</font></span></style><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAYwdrrbgOxuFbZf1X0bda9JcxHqkw3vZ70I2Z8WwqSQyKSFMrCtkRMgPC2d26hkV9lDuC3U1QhO1E1zaUd2XmHzrABdtbNvPBIAAsdNUjnqVnqNOwVe5mOsgzGclmf4lkwI6UQdrVmQ2/s2048/grandma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1754" data-original-width="2048" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvAYwdrrbgOxuFbZf1X0bda9JcxHqkw3vZ70I2Z8WwqSQyKSFMrCtkRMgPC2d26hkV9lDuC3U1QhO1E1zaUd2XmHzrABdtbNvPBIAAsdNUjnqVnqNOwVe5mOsgzGclmf4lkwI6UQdrVmQ2/w497-h425/grandma.jpg" width="497" /></a></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p>
</p><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And continually
building strength. Rejection after rejection after rejection.<br /><br /></span></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisT6st_z4tns6wosNF19ORUfblTaWwKuAnumgW79sVGKZEcJitzL2QiKHc0DAdjAzk7ndmMR2oAxWQWOZaYCCqKlON_5lgM4Oj0Pzor5mKZAuzjTFGAzPgf7Pz7nF6CGywMKDqXM7F1Oxo/s1080/b-strength.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisT6st_z4tns6wosNF19ORUfblTaWwKuAnumgW79sVGKZEcJitzL2QiKHc0DAdjAzk7ndmMR2oAxWQWOZaYCCqKlON_5lgM4Oj0Pzor5mKZAuzjTFGAzPgf7Pz7nF6CGywMKDqXM7F1Oxo/w473-h473/b-strength.jpg" width="473" /></a></div><br />
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This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Zahra Marwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07947475479999446982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-38234932574254571992021-05-22T00:41:00.002-04:002021-05-22T00:46:29.018-04:00Picture book master studies<h4 style="text-align: left;">Master Studies. </h4><span id="docs-internal-guid-f57c8060-7fff-988d-97ab-de172bc3df0f"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">As artists, I think most of us have heard the term “master studies” used to train and develop budding artists in different mediums. For those who don’t know, the concept is going to a museum (or studying a high resolution reproduction/digital image) and trying to recreate a painting of a historical artist who was well into their established technique--a master of their painting style. We can learn different things from doing this: composition, color palette, how to use color and dark/light to focus the eye, how they apply the paint, etc. In some museums, there would be days where you could set up your canvas IN the museum and paint/recreate the artwork en plein air.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But how does one do a master study of picture books? I decided to try and find out. </span></p><br /><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>First, I had to establish parameters.</b> How do I find books to read? How do I find artists? What types of books am I reviewing? I knew that I was specifically interested in studying INTERNATIONAL picture books as opposed to just books in the American market. I started with two books that I purchased when I traveled internationally: one purchased in Italy, one purchased in Japan. Researching these illustrators led me to looking at blogs, international picture book conferences, international picture book journals, and, more specifically, awards and lifetime achievement lists created by these organizations. While awards can be both very politicized and very subjective, most tend to include a jury of peers or industry professionals. I figured this was a good baseline for trying to determine and define a MASTER picture book creator. </span></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here’s a selection of sources that I have or will source names of authors/illustrators from:</span></p><br /><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.ala.org/alsc/sites/ala.org.alsc/files/content/awardsgrants/bookmedia/batchelderaward/batchelder-award-honor-books-to-present_0.pdf" target="_blank">ALSC’s Mildred L. </a></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.ala.org/alsc/sites/ala.org.alsc/files/content/awardsgrants/bookmedia/batchelderaward/batchelder-award-honor-books-to-present_0.pdf" target="_blank">Batchelder Award</a> - Award given in the United States for books </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">originating</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from another country, often translated into English for publication within the U.S.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.ibby.org/bookbird" target="_blank">IBBY’s Bookbird</a>: A Journal of International Children’s Literature - At least one issue a year focused on award winners, with a section on illustrators. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.ibby.org/awards-activities/awards/hans-christian-andersen-awards" target="_blank">IBBY’s Hans Christian Anderson Award</a>: every year a selection of both authors and illustrators are shortlisted for this award and a wider list of creators are nominated for</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.bolognachildrensbookfair.com/en/highlights/awards/5661.html" target="_blank">Bologna Children’s Book Fair</a></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair's <a href="http://ccbookfair.com/en/index/programme/chen-bo-chui" target="_blank">Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Award</a> </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blog.picturebookmakers.com/" target="_blank">DPictus Picturebook Makers blog</a> - Interviews with various international picture book creators plus a <a href="https://dpictus.com/curated" target="_blank">curated section</a> of their website</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://dpictus.com/unpublished" target="_blank">Frankfurt Book Fair/DPictus Unpublished Picturebook Showcase</a> - this has a list of some of the top international publishers and if you go to the individual publisher’s websites, you can see which of their titles are most prominent/most marketed. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.picturebook-museum.com/user/index.asp" target="_blank">Picturebook Museum</a> - this is a recent discovery a friend made of a Korean site that shares a number of amazing spreads from international picture books (each book includes a flag image of country of origin). I don’t know what the parameters are for the books that appear on this website, but it’s a beautiful site to get lost in.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://enchantedlion.com/all-books?category=Translations" target="_blank">Enchanted Lion Books</a> - this United States publisher gets a special callout because they focus on translations of international books and all their books are beautiful. </span></p></li></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Second, build a list.</b> You will probably grow your list faster than you are able to research/read books created by these authors or artists. I have a Google Keep list I started to specifically track award-winning international illustrators.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OdgJSBHZenDtMWtgLbvAhdB6epVQ0tOURU1nwumkk0ZnSXdvQxR_BOZ43B6lyv8RaqZcombCEztANA5Td1JLgNT7eVu6F5sRAK-FI0DvqI4gglvk-syUCycfE7NdZgy7Kr8Pmk8GPypT/s1698/GoogleKeep_creators.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Google keep list of picture book creators" border="0" data-original-height="1698" data-original-width="1216" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OdgJSBHZenDtMWtgLbvAhdB6epVQ0tOURU1nwumkk0ZnSXdvQxR_BOZ43B6lyv8RaqZcombCEztANA5Td1JLgNT7eVu6F5sRAK-FI0DvqI4gglvk-syUCycfE7NdZgy7Kr8Pmk8GPypT/w286-h400/GoogleKeep_creators.png" title="Google keep list of picture book creators" width="286" /></a></div><b><br /></b><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Third, research. </b>This takes a lot of time, but can also be a lot of fun when you go down the rabbit hole. The type of research also comes in multiple forms. When I find an artist I want to study, I first go and see which of their titles are available to be checked out through my local library. Alternatively, if you want to own the books you study, you can see what is available for purchase in your country by that creator. I also try to research the artist online, reading wikipedia entries, interviews, and occasionally stumbling upon a video about the artist and their creations, such as <a href="https://youtu.be/b56j0l-DHJo" target="_blank">this interview with Satoe Tone</a>.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Fourth, acquire your source material to study. </b>I usually try to check out 2-3 books from an artist if they are available to get a sense of the type of books the author/illustrator creates and just in case the book(s) they are known for are illustrated books that do not fall within my self-determined parameters of “picture book.” I decided that I would focus on books that fell within the parameters of a traditional/classic picture book: larger format with minimal words; approximately 32-48 pages, occasionally slightly longer; not a graphic novel/comic book format; not a board book aimed towards the youngest age range (0-2 years); not a chapter book with illustrations. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd57kfIVjqZANZJMT9W64xxWO-6mkf0KYRqu4uIHc3VEDrmq8_iapEEbM0V5jdS0rqotPjm-JHJ9sltwgtreOS7Z8tAoPAC_IQCs17-UIVl_Lm4wciaZihQWej7eernMJ-MVUGLbhIY7-q/s2048/IMG_20191016_130108_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cover image for La Carota Gigante by Satoe Tone" border="0" data-original-height="1735" data-original-width="2048" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd57kfIVjqZANZJMT9W64xxWO-6mkf0KYRqu4uIHc3VEDrmq8_iapEEbM0V5jdS0rqotPjm-JHJ9sltwgtreOS7Z8tAoPAC_IQCs17-UIVl_Lm4wciaZihQWej7eernMJ-MVUGLbhIY7-q/w400-h339/IMG_20191016_130108_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cover of La Carota Gigante by Satoe Tone</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tCKQRmZcFVp5Dd4AZGSrEPjcLDkfCBlLj_LEZpzubIbcPYD_u41uSOAoK_phCFNoAUaAKr395NmBh8vrOyBxbIyKPYb8lOCEByaxePEojfPSdbdZacM26QreR_IY1xkuYYb0ThhrngSt/s2048/IMG_20191016_130108_02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="one interior spread of La Carota Gigante showing rabbits carrying a giant carrot, with handwritten notes below book." border="0" data-original-height="1265" data-original-width="2048" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tCKQRmZcFVp5Dd4AZGSrEPjcLDkfCBlLj_LEZpzubIbcPYD_u41uSOAoK_phCFNoAUaAKr395NmBh8vrOyBxbIyKPYb8lOCEByaxePEojfPSdbdZacM26QreR_IY1xkuYYb0ThhrngSt/w400-h248/IMG_20191016_130108_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">interior spread for La Carota Gigante with my notes in progress</div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Fifth, study your source material.</b> Read. Read it again. And again. Study it. Thoroughly. This stage loops back to how you define your original parameters: WHAT are you studying within this book? HOW are you tracking what you are studying? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8D1LuQtGhpgKdQTIeE5eo0cWovZy2Imqwk8yzNr0kovUWVGVt2yzSNpjbRa6qOGw7rHr7Rq3WHiwCBZQOh1U7PDN01ENWiaRCEU9uQvaJ9UbkCkGLOQCkR3q0uNRf6ckjqGJ3ztzY3OFi/s2048/IMG_20200130_124252.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cover for Ojos by Iwona Chmielewska" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1652" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8D1LuQtGhpgKdQTIeE5eo0cWovZy2Imqwk8yzNr0kovUWVGVt2yzSNpjbRa6qOGw7rHr7Rq3WHiwCBZQOh1U7PDN01ENWiaRCEU9uQvaJ9UbkCkGLOQCkR3q0uNRf6ckjqGJ3ztzY3OFi/w323-h400/IMG_20200130_124252.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cover for Ojos by Iwona Chmielewska</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoxxAvB-aVVRocUlOmrXS2JC-Ee0TPS8N_ecaXu97zcLGjUTAZzWjPJCZxxMY6Zoj5GQwOHkR8YFbKKll_ebTOjXpz2pICbnxnTnOO3YV-hGfNkHesmuWwyJGPXYSZ2nqhn8mS7d-A8el/s2048/IMG_20200130_124938.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Studying the role of die cuts and page turns in the picture book Ojos. The book is open to a spread with one line of text on the lower left hand page and two eyes staring at you from the right hand page." border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="2048" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoxxAvB-aVVRocUlOmrXS2JC-Ee0TPS8N_ecaXu97zcLGjUTAZzWjPJCZxxMY6Zoj5GQwOHkR8YFbKKll_ebTOjXpz2pICbnxnTnOO3YV-hGfNkHesmuWwyJGPXYSZ2nqhn8mS7d-A8el/w400-h233/IMG_20200130_124938.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Studying the role of die cuts and page turns in the picture book, Ojos</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTaHbPwcuT3wCKe0lPsSlCoMjgSqkzX66iDzTFNvfR2dcfmDPKGPo09awOJQiD9jwyaZ7TSoDCzQd-X6d40tnzwpG3Jn2O2GZghkRSmkrqCUyIjr-L2HauJBC94zWLRrmUFlyffzN1OgP/s2048/IMG_20200130_125101.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The same spread as the previous image, this time with a hand lifting the page and poking a finger through the hole to show the eye shapes cut out of the page on the right hand side." border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="2048" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTaHbPwcuT3wCKe0lPsSlCoMjgSqkzX66iDzTFNvfR2dcfmDPKGPo09awOJQiD9jwyaZ7TSoDCzQd-X6d40tnzwpG3Jn2O2GZghkRSmkrqCUyIjr-L2HauJBC94zWLRrmUFlyffzN1OgP/w400-h210/IMG_20200130_125101.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As you turn the physical page, the die cuts become apparent</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODI5EH0IApsJvLqAEs9n9aSnTGU2C63SiPxqHFO_5KOw_UyMhCBnL2PU-blLrpJF2UU2ulb7im8v8K9wc2HaFiJvDoC3YhSHurT8SC6K7og0JtEQjwltqWmMm196kLVPrn6DpUUhFEGUX/s2048/IMG_20200130_125115.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The following spread in the book Ojos that reveals a present on the left hand side and two flowers on the right hand side. The center of the two flowers made up the pupils of the original eye image." border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="2048" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODI5EH0IApsJvLqAEs9n9aSnTGU2C63SiPxqHFO_5KOw_UyMhCBnL2PU-blLrpJF2UU2ulb7im8v8K9wc2HaFiJvDoC3YhSHurT8SC6K7og0JtEQjwltqWmMm196kLVPrn6DpUUhFEGUX/w400-h239/IMG_20200130_125115.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Layers unfold in the story when the eyes are revealed to be more than what is expected at first glance.</div><br /><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I originally defined my research project as studying “international picture books” and then my coworker sent me a digital picture book from India. I read it, it was a beautiful book, but in doing so, I realized there was something missing in this book: what I REALLY wanted to study was “international picture books in their tangible, printed format.” I was curious about the decisions on trim size, paper stock, binding types, typefaces and sizes, color palettes, special finishes, and the physical page turn effect of the book. You know, all the geeky, design-oriented decisions that were made in producing the physical product that is a picture book. Just the thing that this geeky graphic designer and illustrator loves. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I began to document my research in what will probably be my one-and-only meticulously organized sketchbook. I wanted each book study to fill a single page and I broke down my categories to fill in on each page as follows:</span></p><br /><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Sketch of cover art</b></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Color palette</b>: what 6(ish) colors were the most dominant in this book?</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Title</b>: In both original language and English, if possible</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Author</b>: Who wrote the book?</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Illustrator</b>: who illustrated the book? Is this the same as the author?</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Publisher(s):</b> more than one if it’s a translation; you can often find the original publisher name on the copyright page</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Country/Countries</b>: Where did this book originate and/or where was this creator from and/or where was this translation from? Sometimes they are not the same. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Theme</b>: VERY brief summary of what the book is about</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Pages</b>: length of book</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Cover</b>: is there a dust jacket? Is there a printed illustration on the case bound books that differs from the dust jacket? Special finishes? </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Endsheets</b>: Are these just plain pages of a contrasting color/stock? Are there illustrations on the endsheets that expand on the story?</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Text</b>: font choice(s)? Font size? Font color? specific/repeating placement on the pages? Are the lines of text broken into poetic stanzas? Are there varying sizes/colors/fonts to emphasize or represent different things?</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Illustrations</b>: what materials do they use? Is there a recurring pattern to how the illustrations are presented? How many are double-page spreads, single pages, vignettes? </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Other</b>: a little information about the artist or awards this book won</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Translation format</b>: If not printed in English, I typically used Google Translate to comprehend the text well enough to get a sense of the book as a whole. While there is definitely an elegance of words and cadence lost in translation, my primary focus is from the visual/artistic standpoint of the book including how the text VISUALLY appears on a page. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Origin of book</b>: usually checked out from LAPL, but occasionally a purchased title</span></p></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetjdhCuGAOJUOFiYzR9Ebr5xDkFAh-1EfyXi5fd1-83aAEndWBLj2T_JF4SKWvAv3R1niAwuBj7p-HhtOb0SbKO-HPqXVlzeCAGhVQ_Z3pea-a5YOhpMwic5br_-Y9b2B_As7JZrwe7S2/s2048/20210521_201745.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image of sketchbook with handwritten notes analyzing the book Little Bird by Germano Zullo, illustrated by Albertine. On top of the notebook rests an issue of Bookbird journal. Listed on the cover is "2020 Hans Christian Anderson Award Winners" border="0" data-original-height="1282" data-original-width="2048" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetjdhCuGAOJUOFiYzR9Ebr5xDkFAh-1EfyXi5fd1-83aAEndWBLj2T_JF4SKWvAv3R1niAwuBj7p-HhtOb0SbKO-HPqXVlzeCAGhVQ_Z3pea-a5YOhpMwic5br_-Y9b2B_As7JZrwe7S2/w400-h250/20210521_201745.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Using the journal Bookbird to discover creators, specifically their annual issue highlighting Hans Christian Andersen Award Winners and Finalists. Underneath sits my handwritten notes documenting my research of a book illustrated by Albertine, one of the creators interviewed in this issue</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoo-B-TByT7pLbqHobNpGl164Rpn7TkBYNpQPqgtd9s170MRMpKPdvgGUBSMiGE_-OR7gBoRLoZsVZCfJxhzZfn7GIaLDY0LAkcC6yEEcBUk50HwGJMtilrceh5ue-6A_rSHv4IbUOoHn/s2643/20210521_201833.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Close up of the title of an article within Bookbird 2020 vol. 58 no. 3, entitled "I am an author who draws: an interview with Albertine, Winner of the 2020 Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration" side by side with my handwritten analysis of Albertine's artwork in Little Bird by Germano Zullo. The notes include a thumbnail sketch of the cover, 6 circles of color showing the main color palette and detailed notes about the book." border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="2643" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoo-B-TByT7pLbqHobNpGl164Rpn7TkBYNpQPqgtd9s170MRMpKPdvgGUBSMiGE_-OR7gBoRLoZsVZCfJxhzZfn7GIaLDY0LAkcC6yEEcBUk50HwGJMtilrceh5ue-6A_rSHv4IbUOoHn/w400-h180/20210521_201833.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">An article on Albertine lead to my reading Little Bird by Germano Zullo and illustrated by Albertine. These articles can give you more insight into the breadth of a creator's work and some of their thought process that goes into each creation. </div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Below are some of my single page research notes for each book.<br /></span><b> *** WARNING: May contain spoilers ***</b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gIDWUBmxjcXdVMDJ5PtP_5poKJRaeTQ1-eQQdqP1JwbnLdNENGFGcJSM8OqtdSd0iVQRRQCx77Lp1k5EdkZLL95hCUxFe1096VvQESPdMDH7WG95nKzkpRGBR6XabuJqrMjMxDQs5AUb/s1131/20210521_201926.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="My notes on the picture book Ojos by Iwona Chmielewska, including a sketch of the cover, the very soft color palette used in the book and how text and die cuts are used throughout the book." border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="810" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gIDWUBmxjcXdVMDJ5PtP_5poKJRaeTQ1-eQQdqP1JwbnLdNENGFGcJSM8OqtdSd0iVQRRQCx77Lp1k5EdkZLL95hCUxFe1096VvQESPdMDH7WG95nKzkpRGBR6XabuJqrMjMxDQs5AUb/w458-h640/20210521_201926.jpg" width="458" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpAOxZPJwjLEaWRP3eOKUJXK0xlnYFrSHnqgaZu64PTFDIraritw7PEYwU2HdqmVjEa52hlGsKP44xngC8HGW8jW6EySpBTg9TK66zEe-JB4clDR9kpcpahCLJRSw6FRynI_x-PzxGKAqS/s1111/20210521_202058.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Notes on the book Japanese Maple or Momiji no Tegami by Chiki Kikuchi including a color palette of red, green, yellow, black, white, brown." border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="810" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpAOxZPJwjLEaWRP3eOKUJXK0xlnYFrSHnqgaZu64PTFDIraritw7PEYwU2HdqmVjEa52hlGsKP44xngC8HGW8jW6EySpBTg9TK66zEe-JB4clDR9kpcpahCLJRSw6FRynI_x-PzxGKAqS/w466-h640/20210521_202058.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwYLS73L93QlXKfEbPtakesigw9wcJfgEoT2yWcIbW4JNZi2PeEpta_2dRlAzR9m1l1M2itcShOzQ94tZWgf8q-mL8uBRVYVSD7AjRxGXZTCKH9X-PMz58uqZOvoDkd7e0d11A0dl165D/s1034/20210521_202106.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="My handwritten notes on La Carota Gigante by Satoe Tone" border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="810" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwYLS73L93QlXKfEbPtakesigw9wcJfgEoT2yWcIbW4JNZi2PeEpta_2dRlAzR9m1l1M2itcShOzQ94tZWgf8q-mL8uBRVYVSD7AjRxGXZTCKH9X-PMz58uqZOvoDkd7e0d11A0dl165D/w502-h640/20210521_202106.jpg" width="502" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZzmF8Hw6IcRRBfGdhUNoCw78YlVhWfU8VkqnZLBSkxmOzNCYxqRBlRvm1BHE6BXz2c-9oJ7Evj4omCJQZPWid8Uh1nZNhK9FAbjsHtC69a4R2X3Pb0c9kPVLS-6ajaobxbENsWzyCIwp/s2048/20210521_202122.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A closeup angled shot of my notes on Jerome by Heart by Olivier Tallec." border="0" data-original-height="1403" data-original-width="2048" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZzmF8Hw6IcRRBfGdhUNoCw78YlVhWfU8VkqnZLBSkxmOzNCYxqRBlRvm1BHE6BXz2c-9oJ7Evj4omCJQZPWid8Uh1nZNhK9FAbjsHtC69a4R2X3Pb0c9kPVLS-6ajaobxbENsWzyCIwp/w400-h274/20210521_202122.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnMklx82SN2DVc0Rrew72mOxhWx-sCGweSnNivtb1uD9b8CMdr4RM_VeXyYhmbCqjnGybwO7uU3-zZrUpBZvS4EPvybTqCa5nUk7cNgef1Vz2_mtoVb_0xFCGEpIcpRQBO84xH_8bho3st/s2048/20210521_202210.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Closeup of my unfinished notes on the book Paws and Edward. The sketched image of the cover and the color palette circles are empty." border="0" data-original-height="1579" data-original-width="2048" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnMklx82SN2DVc0Rrew72mOxhWx-sCGweSnNivtb1uD9b8CMdr4RM_VeXyYhmbCqjnGybwO7uU3-zZrUpBZvS4EPvybTqCa5nUk7cNgef1Vz2_mtoVb_0xFCGEpIcpRQBO84xH_8bho3st/w400-h309/20210521_202210.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>______</span><div><span><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In some ways this is a failed project. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">This started out as an exploration of research in preparation for a presentation for an artist residency in Iceland that was supposed to happen in 2020. I started my research in September of 2019, requesting and checking picture books out of my local library in the Los Angeles Public Library system, which has a surprisingly wide selection of international picture books (or translations of international picture books) available. And then March 2020 happened and the world shut down. Libraries closed. My research came to a screeching halt. I will pick it up again at some point because while it was time consuming, I also loved the research.
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">But in other ways this is the start of a resounding success. I have filled in or partially filled in notes for 13 picture books. This is not a large enough quantitative sampling to establish any sort of baseline conclusion regarding the relationship of type of book or theme or color palette with specific countries in the world, or to even begin to reflect on their population's likes and dislikes. If I were to analyze one picture book like this every day, I would still not even begin to delve into the quantity of picture books published worldwide in a single year. And yet. Yet I feel that even studying these few books leads me to make some conclusions: a lot of thought, skill, craft, wit, and intent goes into each and every book created. They are all incredible works of art regardless of style, theme, or art technique. They are all glorious, magnificent creations and, naturally, I want to add MY glorious, magnificent creations to the world to join them. They all inspire. Now it's time to go find your own Master Studies to use as inspirations and then go create YOUR creations. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></p><br /><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">_______<br /><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0n0Au-MRSgiGImrdk3SXcdgk2MLQLqiSUpVRKzK2tvZvJyQzLicV3nYgaULXUt54v7573-k8dtZfSQS8MZI_QpmGrdBcjk97HjtX7c4xt-bltcGKfOtjPFtGKynsc-MnnoxN-Ql3NwSN/s1600/Gail+Buschman_041316_8_ColeMontgomery_cropped.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1164" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0n0Au-MRSgiGImrdk3SXcdgk2MLQLqiSUpVRKzK2tvZvJyQzLicV3nYgaULXUt54v7573-k8dtZfSQS8MZI_QpmGrdBcjk97HjtX7c4xt-bltcGKfOtjPFtGKynsc-MnnoxN-Ql3NwSN/s200/Gail+Buschman_041316_8_ColeMontgomery_cropped.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span face=""roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">© Cole Montgomery</span> </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><b><a href="http://nightengailart.com/" target="_blank">Gail Buschman</a></b> is a graphic designer and children's book creator who loves to travel and explore new places.<br /><br />More about Gail at her <a href="http://nightengailart.com/" target="_blank">website</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nightengailart/" target="_blank">instagram</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/nightengailart" target="_blank">twitter</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nightengailart" target="_blank">facebook</a>.</div><br /></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>NightenGailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01653253387257702502noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-55162489700174439582021-05-04T20:15:00.018-04:002021-05-04T22:43:47.644-04:00Becoming a Creative Jedi<p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">You know how whenever just about anyone first hears that you make picture books, their immediate follow-up is, "oh! I've always had this idea for a picture book..." Guess what? - Me too. Having ideas and getting them on the page are two very different beasts. I have a baby animal petting zoo of ideas, but growing them into full-fledged manuscripts and dummies is a job for the Mother of Dragons. As an illustrator first and an aspiring author at present, I've struggled to write to the finish. Stringing those ideas together like pearls feels impossible. Or, at least it did. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I was going to call this post something like "Harnessing Your Creative Morning Magic." Since today is May the 4th, it is now, of course, titled "Becoming a Creative Jedi." </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I'm early in my training, but after years of trying to harness my frenetic creative energy, I've been successfully nurturing two Jedi-level mind tricks to conquer my personal Darkside. It's my goal to help you harness your Force. After all, we're our only hope.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIh6zGd5g5DenZpGLds8alq63NQJpQtr_6VNu51fT6dNs0Tasa31aSBow6Dcr0t4KDHuP1u6tW8FIQb1pmBb3gw71ZEtHQABEhIycBDYpSV-tD1TafKcJrt050vpzJv0nPUtbCWsasKCXE/s592/Amber-Alvarez-Art-Help-Me-Obi-Hand-Painted-05-FW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="592" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIh6zGd5g5DenZpGLds8alq63NQJpQtr_6VNu51fT6dNs0Tasa31aSBow6Dcr0t4KDHuP1u6tW8FIQb1pmBb3gw71ZEtHQABEhIycBDYpSV-tD1TafKcJrt050vpzJv0nPUtbCWsasKCXE/w400-h386/Amber-Alvarez-Art-Help-Me-Obi-Hand-Painted-05-FW.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Lesson 1: Commit Your Life</strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><blockquote><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">"A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one, long time have I watched. All his life, he has looked away to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing." --Yoda </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.</span></p></blockquote><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Today is all we have. You hear this all the time, but for me, one day, it clicked. I like big pictures. I like minutia. Like many artists, it's the mid-field that gets me in trouble. I can ace my to-do list in the morning, make sure to get to bed at a reasonable hour a few days a week, write for a bit here and there when it feels good, and hit the gym Monday - Wednesday, but somewhere along the way, things fall apart. I have lofty and grand "somedays" in my mind, but they distract from the simple beauty of my to-day.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Putting this together at last, I set myself to task. I decided that I was going to dedicate myself, body, and soul to </span><em style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">the making</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">. All I needed to do was have One Perfect Day. For me, a perfect day means not forgetting to eat until I'm mumbling and mad at 2 in the afternoon; it means working out, so I'm tired enough to go to bed at a decent hour, that way, I can get up out of bed when my Muse is ready to go at six am. With ONE PERFECT DAY activated in my life, I never miss sitting with my Muse because they've grown tired of waiting in my studio while I sleep off a 2 am TRUE CRIME binge. ONE PERFECT DAY means living the life I imagine a writer to live, and the key here - is writing every day. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Every night I sit down with a little black book and plan my ONE PERFECT DAY. Everything serves the books in some way. I am happy and fulfilled, and for the first time in my life, my mind is where I am, what I am doing - here in the studio, where I'm living my most profound commitment. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">As an aside, as an artist living in a pandemic with a spouse who is in close quarters too, sharing my OPD plan with my husband has eliminated the daily struggle for creative space I've had since last March. Everyone in the house knows that I have a perfect day ahead of me. No one expects me to go to Trader Joe's with them at 11 am on a Thursday anymore. Jedis do not go to TJ's before noon on a weekday. They are in training. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I challenge you to attempt ONE PERFECT DAY. Design your day to serve your Muse and your purpose. Take it up with complete sincerity. I'm convinced you'll find it astonishing what your Jedi can do. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Lesson 2: Ask the Right Questions</strong></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><blockquote><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">"Which way is the right way?" Ezra asks as he steps inside the Jedi Temple.</span> </p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">To which the tiny wise master Yoda responds, "The wrong question, that is." </span> </p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">-- STAR WARS REBELS, PATH OF THE JEDI</span></p></blockquote><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">For years I have worked half-heartedly following THE ARTIST'S WAY, by Julia Cameron. The thing that stuck with me was Morning Pages. I do them when I'm struggling emotionally or artistically, and they always help. In the past month, I've started using them as my figurative lightsaber. This idea came to me, like nearly all my good ideas do, during morning pages. For those who aren't familiar with the practice, morning pages are simply three pages of longhand, a stream of conscious writing, done first thing in the morning upon waking up.*</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6P0G3iQvn6KrVLTSNaC-9jqt93XIMo0K0u_ZPhKgydXIhoumPjTY4KpcjIW9U4IgKzv0GUhfEsJfN40Rc5Snnr1QlVWOlxM1KZqAb7fWRLxh3yY7HuQRgZOum6IVs1HN23ZAhNmrJuE-/s2048/IMG_8059+2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1397" data-original-width="2048" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6P0G3iQvn6KrVLTSNaC-9jqt93XIMo0K0u_ZPhKgydXIhoumPjTY4KpcjIW9U4IgKzv0GUhfEsJfN40Rc5Snnr1QlVWOlxM1KZqAb7fWRLxh3yY7HuQRgZOum6IVs1HN23ZAhNmrJuE-/w476-h324/IMG_8059+2.JPG" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><blockquote><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">"They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind - and they are for your eyes only." - Julia Cameron</span></p></blockquote><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I've come to realize that my natural inclination when I hit a creative snag is to talk about it. I grew up as an apprentice to my fine-artist father, and now he lives downstairs in my house - he's clever about this stuff, so is my chef husband and my mom, who all live here too. My best friends are all writers and illustrators of picture books, and they're all just a phone call away. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Guess what writing is not? Writing is not talking about it. I've been living with this nasty habit, and I hadn't even recognized it. The only way I can access my Muse is by talking to them. The less crazy way to do that is through longhand writing three pages in the wee hours of the morning before I'm fully awake. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-HKYpywk5kgXPgn8P9_UFnjO9ovRnqZL7oNFWGcvjSuLroVjVcMUrMQPgv8CQRpfa4cZzRFqERvNopHQM5pGnhr2w2Dzp9BSBVbCTc58-FiW6KV3U-cb3Q0KKmpeO9QZkXxR_Yg2kKuB/s2048/IMG_8062+2.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-HKYpywk5kgXPgn8P9_UFnjO9ovRnqZL7oNFWGcvjSuLroVjVcMUrMQPgv8CQRpfa4cZzRFqERvNopHQM5pGnhr2w2Dzp9BSBVbCTc58-FiW6KV3U-cb3Q0KKmpeO9QZkXxR_Yg2kKuB/s320/IMG_8062+2.JPG" /></a></div><br />When I'm writing my pages, I intentionally open myself to asking creative questions and answering them. I do it half paying attention, letting my subconscious run the show. When I finish the day's pages, I take out three highlighters, turn to <em style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">yesterday's </em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">pages, and highlight each sentence or thought I scrawled </span><em style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">about</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> my book. I highlight each new idea with a different color. Then I type those ideas out and cut them into strips. Like spaghetti confetti, I toss the strips into a bell jar on my writing table. If I hit a wall in my work, I fish out a strip of paper or three. The answer is almost always sitting in that jar at my elbow. I've never experienced anything like this magic; I'm almost nervous about sharing it, lest it stops working. Unseen, it's hard to believe a creative force exists, but wave your hand, and read what you wrote yesterday. Just like that, your manuscript will bend as easily as a stormtrooper under the spell of Obi-Wan. </span><p></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I have tried to access this process with my conscious self. Nope. Doesn't work. I 100% believe I'm more brilliant in pages. That's where I meet my Muse. The Muse is your personal Yoda, and </span><em style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">you ask the wrong questions, you do. </em></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I hope that these two practices can come alongside you on your journey to control your Force. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I want to remind you of one critical Jedi thought you should carry in your pocket all year, not just on this particular day. </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">In this business, I find there to be a fair amount of doomsaying. I was a member of SCBWI when the publishing industry was convinced the Kindle was going to send us obsolete, and again when no one could fathom how you'd possibly sell a graphic novel. If your Muse is there for you in your studio on your ONE PERFECT DAY, do NOT second guess them! </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">"Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future." --Yoda,</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I wish you all the best as you set out to conquer your Darkside, and, of course, today especially, May the 4th be with you! </span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Below you'll find a bit of an early draft to something a nerdy, struggling writer once hoped might turn out cool.</span></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-jej73mjznDc8_X3r4UZadhGbLNdgy9WFYTDRGQLJU73kAmzFTLOCDlBDoqcnijdFng3PR6q1ZxydS6D5Mlr_XhvpUjlOZt77yGr95J_adljhWYCxHZx6MzP0bN0rmDJLdq_lY6iB4Ve/s768/wyvhuw8dbbq21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-jej73mjznDc8_X3r4UZadhGbLNdgy9WFYTDRGQLJU73kAmzFTLOCDlBDoqcnijdFng3PR6q1ZxydS6D5Mlr_XhvpUjlOZt77yGr95J_adljhWYCxHZx6MzP0bN0rmDJLdq_lY6iB4Ve/w454-h454/wyvhuw8dbbq21.jpg" width="454" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>**********************************************************************************<div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjBqYp8314-y4OuDHk8AZz4po7nbo72YsRKH5FEUbEt1ZPdZRGP2XbohaQagVii0S1no2Gk2fkpEQHZaTT5kItg2kEpzZRFc7353u8H-bHesHFbDpoVp4hpq0LI7OotOT0qY_JS-CvWQB/s600/Label-avatar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjBqYp8314-y4OuDHk8AZz4po7nbo72YsRKH5FEUbEt1ZPdZRGP2XbohaQagVii0S1no2Gk2fkpEQHZaTT5kItg2kEpzZRFc7353u8H-bHesHFbDpoVp4hpq0LI7OotOT0qY_JS-CvWQB/w123-h123/Label-avatar.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>Amber Alvarez is the illustrator of Diana Murray's <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wild-about-dads-diana-murray/1131993195;jsessionid=46B879B3EF87C8C8325A069B2A5D7983.prodny_store02-atgap06?ean=9781250315748">WILD ABOUT DADS</a>, published by Macmillan Kids books, and the forthcoming MY MAGIC WAND, written by Pat Mora, and published by Lee & Low Books!</div><div><br /></div><div>See more of her work at <a href="http://AmberAlvarez.com">AmberAlvarez.com</a> and on <a href="http://Instagram.com/shesureissketchy" target="_blank">Instagram @SheSureisSketchy</a><br /><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Amber Alvarezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14000116754897699222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-26548673392449026242021-04-06T15:08:00.013-04:002021-04-10T12:14:00.590-04:00Accountability groups and time boxing to help find focus<p>When the pandemic hit last year, I struggled to focus as society and the world as we knew it changed before our eyes. I had deadlines to meet, and projects to finish, but I was perpetually distracted, sleeping badly, and anxious. And it makes sense -- nothing this past year has been normal and <a href="https://kidlitartists.blogspot.com/2020/03/it-is-normal-to-not-be-productive.html" target="_blank">it's even less normal to push through it and work anyway</a>. </p><p>In those early weeks, all I could do was draw coloring pages for families stuck at home, posted to Instagram, as some small way to help someone out there who might be struggling, too:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_OqwYEoDY-WSO1P5mjsonARVRW3IBUgR45-OJRn2QTsrLpc9qp7tJDebPdWf_et2sxzCBtNG77oj5d-8NAMsdbIahUGShhKLUCTuoYUWcnUfBRwX95p9v3r973_LGq0fUH8H2rwkDQ/s1152/coloring-sheets.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1152" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV_OqwYEoDY-WSO1P5mjsonARVRW3IBUgR45-OJRn2QTsrLpc9qp7tJDebPdWf_et2sxzCBtNG77oj5d-8NAMsdbIahUGShhKLUCTuoYUWcnUfBRwX95p9v3r973_LGq0fUH8H2rwkDQ/w400-h195/coloring-sheets.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I'm part of the community at <a href="https://www.youbelongsd.com/" target="_blank">You Belong Here</a>, an arts and co-working space here in San Diego. Last March, when I presented my focus problem during our entrepreneur meetups (now happening virtually on Zoom), my friend Nic enthusiastically suggested: <a href="https://www.caveday.org/">CAVE DAY!</a> Cave Day runs 1 and 3 hour work sessions on Zoom (like a silent study hall) facilitated by trained guides who lead participants through stretches and refreshing periodic breaks.</p><p>This combination of <b>accountability and time boxing </b>-- has really helped me, and maybe something like this will help you if you're struggling with focus, too.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://boygirlparty.com" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A painting by Susie Ghahremani, created during Cave Day virtual co-working sessions" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimupBT1Jx4a9iweeXW4uXH31Vvnl35BK0IaqFYZBFFxiUbskpusXTWKlNdyZdzbNW8FUkWLTrxgVBeeI0sAzERtVPrmEu-0L80c2e6N7FeHbB06cxSjbBgOBtM7QS2lfoKzlJs3sWhDQ/w300-h400/house-commission.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><b>Accountability </b>to me means setting goals or making plans with others in the same position. </p><p>At Cave Day, hundreds of people working from home join sessions daily, all hoping to move the needle on our projects or work. Our cameras are all on as we video conference in silence together. We are a community of people who want to improve our focus and to have better boundaries around our work. At this point, I typically participate in Cave Day 5 days a week, and have logged hundreds of sessions. They continue to be helpful to me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://caveday.org" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HpE4kJZ2sGt6qDnB9eXj85kZo3psXdnb9cnCHTjZe2ks2e-lY9PT2hQkpFRUmH6OlfkQyhgaKP8vfU4tNIxe1Vj9u8WC84xaO-zN5cl-Gvhhp9C5kqprf5VihOeQ8gn_gdXe851SPQ/s320/Caveday_ShareGraphic_2020v3+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Accountability can also look like joining a group like <a href="https://12x12challenge.com/">12x12</a>, <a href="https://taralazar.com/storystorm/">Storystorm</a>, entering your work in a SCBWI manuscript review or portfolio show, a 100 Day Project, or taking a class -- all of which meet a specific challenge with <a href="https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/smart-goals" target="_blank">SMART goal</a> criteria.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><blockquote>What are SMART goals? SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based.</blockquote><p>For example, in the 12x12 challenge: it's writing / revising 12 picture book texts during the course of a year. For Storystorm, it's generating a picture book idea every day for 30 consecutive days, in January. Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based -- <b>with a community engaged in the same.</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://12x12challenge.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="742" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfwUY11TgiPaUN9OlRfT7YpeVNZcN0k0D_t1mk78x48dJr0FFkAxixkCM30NzmxMSvTm7g_UmdzfWgpvu-2a8TXMpieWYLMgfoZBDPv0oRWhL_LgYBJH7yA5TZ6hZoK6tU1NgcCuN1g/s320/12-x-12-new-banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Time Boxing</b> for me means dedicating a specific time to a specific task. By signing up for a 3 hour session on Cave Day, I can plan the work I want to do during that period of time. That has helped with the toxic feeling of Always Needing To Be Working. It also helps me set up an actionable plan around when I'll focus and what I'll accomplish. It also helps me to time box things like learning, revisions, working on new artwork, emailing, using social media, etc. </p><p>One hallmark of this past year is that time has felt basically meaningless when every day feels exactly the same, so time boxing helps with that feeling as well. Here's <a href="https://hbr.org/2018/12/how-timeboxing-works-and-why-it-will-make-you-more-productive">more info about time boxing</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yHjysjn59t2EjhcLlgVUyGDBEOM0NNnjblBqNIaDeaNHro_02zfYbF0t7WgR4ZrXLnL2EJgakmghC2TqMs6u_ZjWoZ4KzP8SyzyQV8bdaUctKJvzU3KiDjvLzCGGcLc8RkiRbst91w/s2048/SWTBH-desk3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yHjysjn59t2EjhcLlgVUyGDBEOM0NNnjblBqNIaDeaNHro_02zfYbF0t7WgR4ZrXLnL2EJgakmghC2TqMs6u_ZjWoZ4KzP8SyzyQV8bdaUctKJvzU3KiDjvLzCGGcLc8RkiRbst91w/w400-h300/SWTBH-desk3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>It's hard to believe we're coming up on a year of pandemic life. During this time, folks here at KidLitArtists have continued illustrating, writing, creating, and releasing new books, while also tending to their kids and parents and friends and communities and mental/physical health. It's a lot! It was a lot even before the pandemic.</p><p>If you're not able to focus -- or you're feeling like you're just barely getting by -- you're not alone. Hope these tips help you, and please share <i>your</i> tips in the comments!</p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px; user-select: auto;"><span style="font-kerning: none; user-select: auto;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px; user-select: auto;"><span><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; font-kerning: none; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; user-select: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVOi15EEOmHuJwk_pZPDzRpg-9kfYevDQn0y5Nnnq9gfYz2MbwvTycKQFFPYfXy4JWI6U0pKKraaEA3sE6xFCt7GknKCP2IPy_AK6VP-GmgXOLlXfKUA9nJqYeN6AtRyheKoAt5MTJg/s379/Screen+Shot+2021-04-06+at+12.03.49+PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="379" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVOi15EEOmHuJwk_pZPDzRpg-9kfYevDQn0y5Nnnq9gfYz2MbwvTycKQFFPYfXy4JWI6U0pKKraaEA3sE6xFCt7GknKCP2IPy_AK6VP-GmgXOLlXfKUA9nJqYeN6AtRyheKoAt5MTJg/w200-h200/Screen+Shot+2021-04-06+at+12.03.49+PM.png" width="200" /></a></div></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Susie Ghahremani (@boygirlparty) is the author and illustrator of picture books <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">STACK THE CATS</a> and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">BALANCE THE BIRDS</a>. </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px; user-select: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />She is also the illustrator of <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">WHAT WILL GROW</a> by Jennifer Ward, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">WHAT WILL HATCH</a> by Jennifer Ward, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">LITTLE MUIR'S SONG</a> by John Muir, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">SHE WANTED TO BE HAUNTED</a> by Marcus Ewert, and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">LITTLE MUIR'S NIGHT</a> by John Muir.<br /><br />She paints with gouache, wanders in forests, listens to vinyl records, and snuggles her baby nieces. <br /><br />Find her at: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Boygirlparty</a> | <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Patreon</a> | <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Etsy</a> | <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Fb</a> | <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">TikTok</a></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Susie Ghahremani / @boygirlpartyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11110650409393512041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-8201074697672771042021-03-30T13:37:00.004-04:002021-03-30T13:56:55.839-04:00Online Portfolio Showcase Winners from the 2021 SCBWI Winter Conference<p> by Debbie Ridpath Ohi</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBaBy_X8UK9Q_GX0oLGJUw3jk8FP9ve-MQ9jatG6yUGCGhuSCV8_TMafDmMQXsEgXqe2GBN9DdrqToKwfZA-Sx0xnotO6yKnPS0u2_70CfH9UjeUM0RxImMBrGdRTw7BmFVEWE8UQp5kM/s2048/2021SCBWI-ShowcaseWinners.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="2048" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBaBy_X8UK9Q_GX0oLGJUw3jk8FP9ve-MQ9jatG6yUGCGhuSCV8_TMafDmMQXsEgXqe2GBN9DdrqToKwfZA-Sx0xnotO6yKnPS0u2_70CfH9UjeUM0RxImMBrGdRTw7BmFVEWE8UQp5kM/w400-h231/2021SCBWI-ShowcaseWinners.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>Congrats to everyone who submitted portfolios to the SCBWI Winter Conference Portfolio Showcase! Whether or not you won an award, kudos for putting yourself out there. Editors, art directors and agents have been looking through your work, as well as fellow creators.</p><p>For those who missed it, you can still <a href="https://www.scbwi.org/event-portfolio-showcase/" target="_blank">browse all portfolios until March 31st, 2021</a>.</p><p>You can find a <a href="http://scbwiconference.blogspot.com/2021/02/portfolio-showcase-and-other-awards.html" target="_blank">list of the winners of the SCBWI Winter Conference Portfolio Showcase on the SCBWI Winter Conference Blog</a>, but here is a list along with links to where you can find out more about everyone's work.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-Ro4dlJvZmVdkGYruciHbCYh4hYAQSTIad2rgjpjM7cwT6E0mam4kSmdJEm7FWWuZly_F-wCfvhk6FYiosdDbMtO2e8ylL8gZQNbyjI_MU7kFluNx8-ijN4qSi4fG4xKpyOBcpxwa9D7/s1129/Screen+Shot+2021-03-30+at+1.47.44+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="1129" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-Ro4dlJvZmVdkGYruciHbCYh4hYAQSTIad2rgjpjM7cwT6E0mam4kSmdJEm7FWWuZly_F-wCfvhk6FYiosdDbMtO2e8ylL8gZQNbyjI_MU7kFluNx8-ijN4qSi4fG4xKpyOBcpxwa9D7/w400-h223/Screen+Shot+2021-03-30+at+1.47.44+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b><i>Portfolio Showcase Grand Prize Winners:</i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3zTKetPLB3pRtgFV-oBrFTZhmC9o1ddT6-8BArAdM8KL0gwnPFwGCNq2BCyJ4HFX2FK-Ix5NdYuTB9XvQ_zrmOwk3VofzJunAUEu3J4mkBkmLID-qsB7gAtNKFIpaGe7tAIP3Kqyw2qI/s264/Screen+Shot+2021-03-30+at+1.10.36+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3zTKetPLB3pRtgFV-oBrFTZhmC9o1ddT6-8BArAdM8KL0gwnPFwGCNq2BCyJ4HFX2FK-Ix5NdYuTB9XvQ_zrmOwk3VofzJunAUEu3J4mkBkmLID-qsB7gAtNKFIpaGe7tAIP3Kqyw2qI/s0/Screen+Shot+2021-03-30+at+1.10.36+PM.png" /></a></div><p><b>Leanne Hatch</b> - <a href="https://www.leannehatch.com/">LeeanneHatch.com</a>. Represented by Janine Le at <a href="http://sheldonfogelmanagency.com/" target="_blank">Sheldon Folgelman Agency</a>. You can find Leanne on Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/leannehatch_illustration/" target="_blank">@leannehatch_illustration</a>. Previously Leanne won the SCBWI Narrative Art Award in 2020 and an Honor Award at the 2020 SCBWI Winter Conference.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxyzZWeGfC1uzBiAHOilqCiMCpg4Yj8pgita8hjiSW4RdGgebgn3UUs9cYPJ82Vt0ZawU1IZ05rc8cFSCaG2mqbL1za4ySHrz0dzWxjoIDeToFOFiKFAmpiTCn43w90W8eYw4mtaqTlr1/s500/Headshot-XinLi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxyzZWeGfC1uzBiAHOilqCiMCpg4Yj8pgita8hjiSW4RdGgebgn3UUs9cYPJ82Vt0ZawU1IZ05rc8cFSCaG2mqbL1za4ySHrz0dzWxjoIDeToFOFiKFAmpiTCn43w90W8eYw4mtaqTlr1/s320/Headshot-XinLi.jpg" /></a></div><p><b>Xin Li</b> - <a href="http://LiXin.no.">LiXin.no.</a> Xin is a freelance illustrator based in Norway, born and raised in China. You can find Xin on Instagram at @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lixin.illustration/">lixin.illustration</a> and Twitter at @<a href="https://twitter.com/lixinmakesart">lixinmakesart</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifz0rpQG9hyphenhyphenOvvZeFFsxIYW5LO4Vgi3XTAWsonpiSepon4V1dbdNM5MK3Ub5C3fCV_IZPzSrQL5zKCuMXRmn6z3kz0y5Dn9KpU1uJqVMZTyTH9txXN8vKSD-cTeO0jRepvfCXU3K_JM36Q/s1417/Screen+Shot+2021-03-30+at+1.19.07+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="757" data-original-width="1417" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifz0rpQG9hyphenhyphenOvvZeFFsxIYW5LO4Vgi3XTAWsonpiSepon4V1dbdNM5MK3Ub5C3fCV_IZPzSrQL5zKCuMXRmn6z3kz0y5Dn9KpU1uJqVMZTyTH9txXN8vKSD-cTeO0jRepvfCXU3K_JM36Q/w400-h214/Screen+Shot+2021-03-30+at+1.19.07+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><b><i>Portfolio Showcase Honors:</i></b></p><p><a href="https://www.anneappert.com/" target="_blank">Anne Appert</a> - Also on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Anne_Appert" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://instagram.com/anneappertillustration">Instagram</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/anneappertillustration">Facebook</a>. Represented by Charlotte Wenger at Prospect Agency.</p><p><a href="https://trendingcreativedesign.com/" target="_blank">Reggie Brown</a> - Also on <a href="https://twitter.com/reggiebrownart" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reggiebrownart/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/694786678">Facebook</a>. Represented by The Cat Agency.</p><p><a href="https://lennywen.com/" target="_blank">Lenny Wen</a> - Also on <a href="https://twitter.com/lunartcy19" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lunartcy/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lunartcy" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. Represented by The Cat Agency.</p><p><a href="https://estrelalourenco.pt/" target="_blank">Estrela Lourenco</a> - Also on <a href="https://twitter.com/LourencoEstrela#_=_" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/estrela.lourenco/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>. Represented by James McGowan at Bookends Literary Agency.</p><p><br /></p><p>Congrats to all!</p><p>You can find more news and takeaways from the <a href="http://scbwiconference.blogspot.com/search/label/%23NY21SCBWI">2021 SCBWI Winter Conference at the SCBWI Conference Blog</a>; I was on Team Blog this year!</p><p>---</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeGTOEXDzFiOwaJopbxotPJXu9NqD2E-lvzAJvpszzG6q6e51PamEJShKJZ90SUirJX4iUWKEQmyB3fpuXTQBcnhg_SloTjsf197ONdy-bBf-Sq28g4AwtOlZZR2cRDK8GQZftZUX1iBt/s100/DebbieOhi-ByAnnieT-Square-100x100.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeGTOEXDzFiOwaJopbxotPJXu9NqD2E-lvzAJvpszzG6q6e51PamEJShKJZ90SUirJX4iUWKEQmyB3fpuXTQBcnhg_SloTjsf197ONdy-bBf-Sq28g4AwtOlZZR2cRDK8GQZftZUX1iBt/s0/DebbieOhi-ByAnnieT-Square-100x100.jpg" /></a></div><p>Debbie Ridpath Ohi is the author and illustrator of SAM & EVA and WHERE ARE MY BOOKS?, both with Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. Her illustrations have appeared in books by Michael Ian Black, Judy Blume, Aaron Reynolds, Linda Sue Park, Rob Sanders, Lauren McLaughlin and others. You can find out more about Debbie and her work at <a href="https://www.debbieohi.com/" target="_blank">DebbieOhi.com</a>, Twitter at @<a href="https://twitter.com/inkyelbows" target="_blank">inkyelbows</a> and Instagram at @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/inkygirl/">inkygirl</a>.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Debbie Ridpath Ohihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11784775687291535329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-81548558314278833882021-03-02T06:00:00.311-05:002021-03-02T09:22:43.734-05:00Art & Fear— Wisdom for Working Artists PLUS: Book Giveaway <p> by Dorothia Rohner</p><p>Recently, I reread a book that my mother gave me years ago. Since then, I have referred to it many times on my artistic journey. </p><p><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Art-Fear-Observations-Rewards-Artmaking-ebook/dp/B0042JSQLU/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=art+and+fear&qid=1613776528&s=digital-text&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Art and Fear–Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of ARTMAKING.</a> </b>An Artist's Survival Guide. By David Bayles and Ted Orland</p><p>This book is filled with nuggets of wisdom that discuss the importance of finding your own work. The authors explore the nature of being an artist and pose questions and offer suggestions for those of us who have a passion to create.</p><p>Each time I read the book, it helps me to examine why I create, what I am trying to achieve and how I want to execute the work. Making books for children takes patience, determination, imagination, grit and patience among other traits. This books discusses why some artists keep going and some fail to find the courage to forge on. </p><p>I have selected eight quotes to share with you here. I hope that these quotes will remind you that you are not alone on your creative journey and give you the courage to keep making books for children. </p><p>The world needs more books made by kind and gentle people. </p><p><b>Book Giveaway: </b></p><p><b>I will be giving away a copy of Art and Fear. </b><b> Scroll down to see how you can enter to win.</b></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span><!--more--></span><b><br /></b><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwoXIeL13xR0aLV4KFqj6Z8Yktmz4QD-x3quEDc5jzvsjsaDKhYgPOJtR4ivK8lg8Qfe9RfAn16N02spXXWeSP-4p_iu1VJFm1_v-1Aq3Xf1J3HQzP3WGaNHXISVDS2Aa9E2g3pMYw2LI/s1920/F03D9F2C-AAF5-4D94-B7D5-EAC130249E0C.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwoXIeL13xR0aLV4KFqj6Z8Yktmz4QD-x3quEDc5jzvsjsaDKhYgPOJtR4ivK8lg8Qfe9RfAn16N02spXXWeSP-4p_iu1VJFm1_v-1Aq3Xf1J3HQzP3WGaNHXISVDS2Aa9E2g3pMYw2LI/w225-h400/F03D9F2C-AAF5-4D94-B7D5-EAC130249E0C.png" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_qqKo_bqcGiiTe885ZpzDnfjek2wm1N52K0GPDHU-VIRW2H0Yw0HqPwK9FwNInYZp0DMPj0lPlYqfRN04ws9MWQPk_C3T9lufxuTUbq4rpbLARtHo8kHzChCPVqSBqtW5j3m0K9EZ8g/s1920/2CAA9B52-1BF2-4ABA-94C7-0844E0F77B74.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_qqKo_bqcGiiTe885ZpzDnfjek2wm1N52K0GPDHU-VIRW2H0Yw0HqPwK9FwNInYZp0DMPj0lPlYqfRN04ws9MWQPk_C3T9lufxuTUbq4rpbLARtHo8kHzChCPVqSBqtW5j3m0K9EZ8g/w225-h400/2CAA9B52-1BF2-4ABA-94C7-0844E0F77B74.png" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_yGn4p2CDnfmmaKzEA2eMX4ADy8C2QhHMQanMPvOSCmenXcEqZzoyGyOJylgJULWB7ANe5ikQhXzV1ZiyIJDH5uC2odzApSv_KtdDdxDVXZKh-dPbcINtsXSOMKEvlMgJ6F1L_4Yl0M/s1920/B96579C0-E6C0-4978-8A1D-20FD12A209EC.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_yGn4p2CDnfmmaKzEA2eMX4ADy8C2QhHMQanMPvOSCmenXcEqZzoyGyOJylgJULWB7ANe5ikQhXzV1ZiyIJDH5uC2odzApSv_KtdDdxDVXZKh-dPbcINtsXSOMKEvlMgJ6F1L_4Yl0M/w225-h400/B96579C0-E6C0-4978-8A1D-20FD12A209EC.png" width="225" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBES5JXturUHktKVwtRHyPKS1qfN5NvgX3T5Pn7dvM0jocWZ4H3DG9uUr4lhOT_-_CY8Phx9xky66SSa17IQLW_GBkONEat6E24LczCtMWKr46BodDd6LUPHGZGxjWCgl7hZhf7jrtt0Y/s1920/34188662-E62C-485D-BFDD-0B242056006A.png" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Giveaway: Art and Fear</h2><div><b>To enter:</b></div><div><b>1- Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/kidlitartists" target="_blank"><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(91, 112, 131); color: #5b7083; font-size: 15px; white-space: nowrap;">@KidLitArtists</span> </a>on Twitter</b></div><div><b>2- Share this post's link and tag @dorothiar</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Drawing will be on April 2, 2021</b></div><div><b>I will contact the winner via Direct Message on twitter to obtain your address.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>If you don't win, I suggest you buy the book.</div><div>It will inspire you.</div><div><br /></div><div>Good luck,</div><div>Dorothia</div><div><br /></div><span><!--more--></span><span><!--more--></span><div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Dorothia Rohner </b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";">illustrates and writes stories for children </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">that combine nature, humor and the magic of imagination.</span></div><div><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 10px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Author: I Am Goose! (Clarion, 2020)</i></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i style="color: #656565;">Website: </i><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://www.dorothiarohner.com/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>www.dorothiarohner.com</i></span></a></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #795314; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Twitter: </i><a href="http://www.twitter.com/dorothiar" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #795314; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i>@dorothiar</i></span></a></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Instagram: </i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/dorothiar/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #795314; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i>@dorothiar</i></span></a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #795314; font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>Facebook:</i><span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><i><a href="http://www.facebook.com/dorothiarohner.illustration" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;"> <u>www.facebook.com/dorothiarohner.illustration</u></a></i></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #795314; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.399999618530273px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 10px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.399999618530273px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>dorothiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12719520196842242918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-88408483059569981642021-02-16T08:00:00.033-05:002021-02-16T08:00:03.100-05:00Parallel Stories<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> <span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">After attending </span><b style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.tonibuzzeo.com/HOME.html" style="display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank"><span>Toni Buzzeo's</span></a></b><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"> wonderful workshop at </span><b style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.thewritersloft.org/" style="display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" target="_blank"><span>The Writers' Loft</span></a></b><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><span><span> on picture book structures, I started noticing them everywhere – Mirror, Circular, 3-tries, and P</span></span></span></span><span>arallel stories: this is where the plot follows two characters on separate journeys through the story. Sometimes the two characters come together at the end, and sometimes they don't but their experiences echo each other. </span>You see a lot of compositional mirroring that is frequently found in any plot where there is a lot of symmetry either between characters or between parts of the story.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">Todays examples are all from author-illustrators! Toot and Puddle by Holly Hobbie, Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey, and Emma and Julia Love Ballet by Barbara McClintock</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span b=""><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1032414.Toot_Puddle" target="_blank">Toot and Puddle </a></b></span></span><b style="text-align: left;">by Holly Hobbie:</b><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">This story follows two friends: one who is a homebody and one who likes to go adventuring. Puddle stays home and enjoys life there, while Toot travels the world and sends back postcards. The months of the year serve as a framework, and at the end of the year Toot comes home.</span><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">A typical spread shows a scene with Toot and a postcard on the left, and a scene with Puddle on the right. The two stories progress side by side.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gbJsFO5PkRAlqr9Jhyphenhyphenri2k3SVuFWa_0nJzqA8ZG4yXQx48GUPygVeXV2yT0gyduTlGZy1nbOnqMemHoqc7lszWdnMuMcZK-6Ljnc30clYwF7bzmokqJt7SASy79_US4f86ZaZwWBCR4/s1600/puddle2+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1248" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gbJsFO5PkRAlqr9Jhyphenhyphenri2k3SVuFWa_0nJzqA8ZG4yXQx48GUPygVeXV2yT0gyduTlGZy1nbOnqMemHoqc7lszWdnMuMcZK-6Ljnc30clYwF7bzmokqJt7SASy79_US4f86ZaZwWBCR4/w400-h253/puddle2+copy.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKoYKA77iHpykCwmgghnXPlzxwa8_cRyLN-iCTsz0u0VnzFt5ye7LhCc9DVpDlKxMZcm7kTjauaOs8GHpQk8anj-8ra0O7IIei9obZ7H0gnVv69-bPikM79FgePFtl_IAyTSr4rwYslU/s1600/puddle-may+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="1260" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKoYKA77iHpykCwmgghnXPlzxwa8_cRyLN-iCTsz0u0VnzFt5ye7LhCc9DVpDlKxMZcm7kTjauaOs8GHpQk8anj-8ra0O7IIei9obZ7H0gnVv69-bPikM79FgePFtl_IAyTSr4rwYslU/w400-h251/puddle-may+copy.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/306398/blueberries-for-sal-by-robert-mccloskey/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial;">Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey:</span></a></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I personally think this is one of the most perfect parallel stories I've ever read. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">This story alternates the two main character's adventures: first you see Sal eating blueberries with her mother, then Little Bear follows in almost exactly the same fashion. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">A lot of humor comes from anticipating that what you just saw happen to Sal will now happen with Little Bear, or vice versa. The two main characters never meet, but a great amount of delight can be found in reading about their two, almost exactly the same, adventures. </span><br /><br /></span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZn3L6G3GfDRmy93hGZBMCHAZsM68_tYDFMgUwz-t9VaizBfgyJPBvsljX35o_DvqjmImlj0xTQclpx0rqnu5_5YvDWLvOW0ItgZkTtTit59yC1L9PS0RdGHtbRjSPxNJ9cRddaaP0P8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-08-27+at+9.02.27+PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="598" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZn3L6G3GfDRmy93hGZBMCHAZsM68_tYDFMgUwz-t9VaizBfgyJPBvsljX35o_DvqjmImlj0xTQclpx0rqnu5_5YvDWLvOW0ItgZkTtTit59yC1L9PS0RdGHtbRjSPxNJ9cRddaaP0P8/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-08-27+at+9.02.27+PM.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Image © Robert McCloskey</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFfwC7dTuk_IxWDZcwgDwYNkx82nbDXOzQUQD6gETWro-6bOGfmYIhwOnV2t6KZ3fmUtnJcKMszH789sp_mRS3rKrxEeNVFCgSEmfTxF8YHv2WBRxdqc-pgNJgb35GDn9Y-Wc2LE_njo/s1600/2427Sample4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="400" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFfwC7dTuk_IxWDZcwgDwYNkx82nbDXOzQUQD6gETWro-6bOGfmYIhwOnV2t6KZ3fmUtnJcKMszH789sp_mRS3rKrxEeNVFCgSEmfTxF8YHv2WBRxdqc-pgNJgb35GDn9Y-Wc2LE_njo/s400/2427Sample4.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: arial;">Image © Robert McCloskey</span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="679" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5WcfrI7Xh0fvrFZZe6CazKuopmwyVsbMQ58sFsBXKUJBAFwBM91oyV6tEpAlHPPLSiTd8ozukZcEYW8WJUanknCNM2qPgTbmww-uHP_ERwBS6D1xrtkKn2zigsaW5nFgUKTrhsD6ioc/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-08-27+at+9.05.16+PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Image © Robert McCloskey</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5WcfrI7Xh0fvrFZZe6CazKuopmwyVsbMQ58sFsBXKUJBAFwBM91oyV6tEpAlHPPLSiTd8ozukZcEYW8WJUanknCNM2qPgTbmww-uHP_ERwBS6D1xrtkKn2zigsaW5nFgUKTrhsD6ioc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-08-27+at+9.05.16+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5WcfrI7Xh0fvrFZZe6CazKuopmwyVsbMQ58sFsBXKUJBAFwBM91oyV6tEpAlHPPLSiTd8ozukZcEYW8WJUanknCNM2qPgTbmww-uHP_ERwBS6D1xrtkKn2zigsaW5nFgUKTrhsD6ioc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-08-27+at+9.05.16+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnHBvAIhkCHCLxNgbXsYnUh5aDBjfMKSCTHWmAfZE3Zw8GpfTAufP_kXIsjp9PqC7BzYuX93NyUp73ljTE9WVa2WgePasx9g4C07wI9oLTHWF32_hp3c0uqdd2W0agqAN99vsaVXKJfI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-08-27+at+9.04.25+PM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="677" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnHBvAIhkCHCLxNgbXsYnUh5aDBjfMKSCTHWmAfZE3Zw8GpfTAufP_kXIsjp9PqC7BzYuX93NyUp73ljTE9WVa2WgePasx9g4C07wI9oLTHWF32_hp3c0uqdd2W0agqAN99vsaVXKJfI/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-08-27+at+9.04.25+PM.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Image © Robert McCloskey</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/emma-and-julia-love-ballet-by-barbara-mcclintock/" target="_blank">Emma and Julia Love Ballet by Barbara McClintock</a></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;">This story involves a day in the life of the two title characters: Emma, who is a little girl taking ballet lessons, and Julia, who is a professional ballerina. At the end, Emma goes to Julia's performance, which sweetly ties the characters together as well as ending the day. </span><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsnli1YkZWxFdkpICVqRMoecKtzBvuhFh8b3wreKILxsrF6gYayBQeIt2AHVDFXXcrFRXhqeily7p-6pAV1TMr9qka3_ezSZGJzmXeHH8lkECtdisA-Suf2f3GC4uUhjk5_N2bi_f6dA/s1600/EAJLB-Emma-Warms-up-3_25x5_375.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1232" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsnli1YkZWxFdkpICVqRMoecKtzBvuhFh8b3wreKILxsrF6gYayBQeIt2AHVDFXXcrFRXhqeily7p-6pAV1TMr9qka3_ezSZGJzmXeHH8lkECtdisA-Suf2f3GC4uUhjk5_N2bi_f6dA/s320/EAJLB-Emma-Warms-up-3_25x5_375.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Image © Barbara McClintock</span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1465" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-YqoKzRZLm7SmyhK1sL7hBsL_5eNKDys9ee28y_gOOuqvVTc2GoMnMpubceE9j2OT2KpYKNI6ZoTWOw5qgtPvc7dwu5N0yNobdpDSSONaQRh_1cqKQS3B5GpmVLtAxRbRUaTWXWAiiM/s320/EAJLB-Julia-Streches-3x5_375.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Image © Barbara McClintock</span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvD9n86ABLLa5hleJ8fyjaDhsEP_gw_8-vrac0QEarp_82X2tTkSM3Qf4s_sN8Dni_RUQJS4ss_QYg3bzuO5u27R7RVQqsZOcKub7692l6lsW02NwKFEW3DxuDFUfolo2TNgHlCjAOSLw/s1600/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="512" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvD9n86ABLLa5hleJ8fyjaDhsEP_gw_8-vrac0QEarp_82X2tTkSM3Qf4s_sN8Dni_RUQJS4ss_QYg3bzuO5u27R7RVQqsZOcKub7692l6lsW02NwKFEW3DxuDFUfolo2TNgHlCjAOSLw/s320/unnamed.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Image © Barbara McClintock</span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">I hope you find exploring story structures to be as fun and helpful as I do! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">...................................</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jen Betton wrote and illustrated HEDGEHOG NEEDS A HUG (Penguin-Putnam) and illustrated TWILIGHT CHANT by Holly Thompson (Clarion-HMH). Her newest book, BARN AT NIGHT, written by Michelle Houts and published by Feeding Minds Press will be published in winter 2021.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial;">You can find more of her work here:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">www.jenbetton.com</span><br style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">www.facebook.com/jenbettonillustration</span><br style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">@jenbetton</span></span></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Jen Bettonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07568837141174126314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-7017492674297265352020-12-07T13:04:00.000-05:002020-12-07T13:04:00.336-05:00Things that are keeping me sane during the pandemic (aka cute and useful things from Susie Ghahremani)<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I wanted to do a quick post to highlight a few things made by our very own Susie Ghahremani (available from her shop, <a href="https://hello.boygirlparty.com/">boygirlparty.com</a>) that have been really helpful during the past 8 months.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><i><a href="https://shop.boygirlparty.com/products/growth-a-journal-to-welcome-personal-change-by-susie-ghahremani">Growth: A Journal to Welcome Personal Change</a></i></b></span></h2><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I know that during the past 8 months, I've developed a lot of bad habits. This journal is full of prompts to spur your change, allow you to reflect, and celebrate your progress. Perfect for starting a new year and keeping you motivated while making improvements in your life!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If you want to see more images of some of the interior pages, check it out <a href="https://shop.boygirlparty.com/products/growth-a-journal-to-welcome-personal-change-by-susie-ghahremani" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GnFnxByGP8azakJ2KW-jEUCO32CynZFlcwvtUTHHtxU5T-pHRds9-lPJ8CCSTX3Kav0Zq6ZSizdJkzLEprRfUaNZgt3-P8CDhung3khncGnpjwFQ-vwsI-etpNy1HQj_HjKDIwymujM/s689/growth+journal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="481" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GnFnxByGP8azakJ2KW-jEUCO32CynZFlcwvtUTHHtxU5T-pHRds9-lPJ8CCSTX3Kav0Zq6ZSizdJkzLEprRfUaNZgt3-P8CDhung3khncGnpjwFQ-vwsI-etpNy1HQj_HjKDIwymujM/s320/growth+journal.jpg" /></a></div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://shop.boygirlparty.com/collections/all/card" target="_blank">Send Some Mail!</a></span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I was looking around for some cute cards and wanted to support an independent artist, when I remembered Susie's shop. I've sent more snail mail this year than I've probably sent in the past 10 years. Now that my son and I can't see his grandparents in person, we have been writing them cards to keep in touch. Plus, it's always fun to get mail! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Susie has a variety of cards available here: <a href="https://shop.boygirlparty.com/collections/all/card">https://shop.boygirlparty.com/collections/all/card</a></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0-wz2NiO9c3v4MBE8EBPNc8VVR0dPa30-AbOINYF9Ug9DE5SjV2xmKoMmnXwiQdK4cnUdIRotUUneNOIYWjJ07UDTLChvx2EJAjsKB66xeTNvePijxr7jwQIgo_c9Ac-xcQ5XNUIuds/s843/susie+cards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="843" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0-wz2NiO9c3v4MBE8EBPNc8VVR0dPa30-AbOINYF9Ug9DE5SjV2xmKoMmnXwiQdK4cnUdIRotUUneNOIYWjJ07UDTLChvx2EJAjsKB66xeTNvePijxr7jwQIgo_c9Ac-xcQ5XNUIuds/s320/susie+cards.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://shop.boygirlparty.com/collections/all/organizer" target="_blank">Get Organized!</a></span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And finally, this weekly organizer is helping me keep my life and my kid's homework assignments organized. Not only has the passage of time seemed very confusing lately, keeping on top of online school assignments has been a huge challenge. Using this organizer has been massively helpful to see everything that is due at a glance. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Susie also has a variety of to-do lists and some other organizer designs to keep everyone on track, available here: <a href="https://shop.boygirlparty.com/collections/all/organizer">https://shop.boygirlparty.com/collections/all/organizer</a></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMWsNwHIZP07Qsj2FFFzM5eFXdi5oJ3FgWviudpvIGHhguZnER9oWVfg_VtoyZChc-zXMJE9ADsi3iV4buB7Dk9u4fSxtXVnGf2s14UFmN2DxbHYCJM9_TDYPYdmmxV9170dwldRXWBM/s904/susie+ghahremani+weekly+organizer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="904" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMWsNwHIZP07Qsj2FFFzM5eFXdi5oJ3FgWviudpvIGHhguZnER9oWVfg_VtoyZChc-zXMJE9ADsi3iV4buB7Dk9u4fSxtXVnGf2s14UFmN2DxbHYCJM9_TDYPYdmmxV9170dwldRXWBM/s320/susie+ghahremani+weekly+organizer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Liz Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10898355542953079177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-72952224419369348422020-12-06T15:17:00.005-05:002020-12-06T17:21:36.148-05:00Our 2020 Books (Year in Review!)<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What a year 2020 has been! We've been busy making books, though! Here's the year-end review of what came out this year. </span></p><p><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amber Alvarez</span></span></b></p><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/wild-about-dads/9781250315748" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wild About Dads</span></a></i></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">by Diana Murray and Amber Alvarez</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmCr4lOvDvHVGCJ9mXfhZuLZ4CLU5fQWAhw5E_Hq0XCSiAhJlIXvRsGgkyPtbGOwNfz41Psvm7ixjQnA5tyygTQJ2eQL3g5l8rBbIxrohINhMU9-MdxqZhOFUebyxslaFeYMRFfw_npk/s1600/alvarez.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1209" data-original-width="1600" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmCr4lOvDvHVGCJ9mXfhZuLZ4CLU5fQWAhw5E_Hq0XCSiAhJlIXvRsGgkyPtbGOwNfz41Psvm7ixjQnA5tyygTQJ2eQL3g5l8rBbIxrohINhMU9-MdxqZhOFUebyxslaFeYMRFfw_npk/w320-h241/alvarez.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="border-color: var(--color-border); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px;">See lions snuggle on the savanna and groundhogs play on the prairie in Diana Murray's <i style="border-color: var(--color-border); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Wild About Dads</i>, a heartwarming picture book that celebrates dads of all kinds</span><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px;">--</span><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="border-color: var(--color-border); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px;">featuring illustrations by Amber Alvarez!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lisa Anchin</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-polio-pioneer/9780525646518" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: large;">The Polio Pioneer </span></i></a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">by Linda Elovitz Marshall and Lisa Anchin</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUvWa24blv64Vg0K1SBoc__m6J2rnbMIcx2b3yiHBfqEFLQAw97yGxX-djeL-_k0eVyYyTLqepRjUU8L3gTC5t-rTHfz2hWkUThhvqcGBiaUxTHrfByIfi_9LuxIZLgLq7qlIangcbhM/s1600/anchin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1245" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUvWa24blv64Vg0K1SBoc__m6J2rnbMIcx2b3yiHBfqEFLQAw97yGxX-djeL-_k0eVyYyTLqepRjUU8L3gTC5t-rTHfz2hWkUThhvqcGBiaUxTHrfByIfi_9LuxIZLgLq7qlIangcbhM/w249-h320/anchin.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Learn about the importance of vaccines and the scientific process through the fascinating life of world-renowned scientist Jonas Salk, whose pioneering discoveries changed the world forever.</span></div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brooke Boynton Hughes</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/where-s-my-turtle/9781524718053" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where’s My Turtle?</span></span></i></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">by Barbara Bottner and Brooke Boynton Hughes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhbaKJQ7ymJKRSGZOF_2Z1VTAjwraWXUViNq2g9uGCkNO1zyIzkC4R8575MnAI9UKjIBGAHZY1w_1LtYxjomm5ivFqRnuTlndR2rmcVaLIBpZX5lEQkcIwOfraCFIzpe6G3QPEuxv1jc/s1600/brooke.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="388" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhbaKJQ7ymJKRSGZOF_2Z1VTAjwraWXUViNq2g9uGCkNO1zyIzkC4R8575MnAI9UKjIBGAHZY1w_1LtYxjomm5ivFqRnuTlndR2rmcVaLIBpZX5lEQkcIwOfraCFIzpe6G3QPEuxv1jc/w248-h320/brooke.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wheres-My-Turtle-Barbara-Bottner-ebook/dp/B07VR8CN68/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Where%E2%80%99s+My+Turtle%3F&qid=1577149333&sr=8-2" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Help Archer find his missing turtle hiding in the pages of this picture book!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Allison Farrell</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Runaway-Signs-Joan-Holub/dp/0399172254/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=runaway+signs&qid=1577149070&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Runaway Signs</span></span></i></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">by Joan Holub and Allison Farrell</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoCB1P-2FJmL7mY2Dd247qAsHCuvdAGwMNbe859S7ozTmfJofcHr23Yfq_-vYX2PHQveihyJxwBOxxbzAHuaychbrORaurFIsb1Cm5VVvsCZMteSvuNOQpr9i6oZHrHnOeRyirjOS-Ig/s1600/farrell.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoCB1P-2FJmL7mY2Dd247qAsHCuvdAGwMNbe859S7ozTmfJofcHr23Yfq_-vYX2PHQveihyJxwBOxxbzAHuaychbrORaurFIsb1Cm5VVvsCZMteSvuNOQpr9i6oZHrHnOeRyirjOS-Ig/w320-h260/farrell.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Runaway-Signs-Joan-Holub/dp/0399172254/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=runaway+signs&qid=1577149070&sr=8-1" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When the road signs take a vacation, chaos and hilarity ensue--</span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and they quickly learn how important they are.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kimberly Gee</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/glad-glad-bear/9781534452695" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Glad, Glad Bear!</span></span></i></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFW0ru0I0Cbrcq6J5k4kIcKvDsCCCbLwjEiWn-xk-KhSFg2FIcD0htPn6Nw32RDZ-aB0SkJwJ9FsA6E_-ps_iPrXwP-UimXuSlU0Dz8_0BWDqOhwlN_EXg70smR_wfcJA0jJ9QKosa4Y/s1600/gee.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1402" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFW0ru0I0Cbrcq6J5k4kIcKvDsCCCbLwjEiWn-xk-KhSFg2FIcD0htPn6Nw32RDZ-aB0SkJwJ9FsA6E_-ps_iPrXwP-UimXuSlU0Dz8_0BWDqOhwlN_EXg70smR_wfcJA0jJ9QKosa4Y/w320-h318/gee.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Bear is very, very, very GLAD today! He’s taking his first ballet class. </span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">But he’s a little nervous too. This sweet and silly picture book is an honest exploration </span></div></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">of feelings that little ones—and grown-ups!—are sure to relate to.</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Susie Ghahremani</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/she-wanted-to-be-haunted/9781681197913" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She Wanted to Be Haunted</span></span></i></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Marcus Ewert and Susie Ghahremani</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-MzenL3zH42WL3KZaUOPOF3utag2ZvukZuUiKRQt1HvQJ-zxxcvQ2KliPV4DSuESWxrrMf78IAWPzYFy6AF0z36Upl9ZDpQ4jV7_Ub2lsDCBmH9HEaSbKYGxQSEjLAker-bEI5xB9_E/s1600/susie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-MzenL3zH42WL3KZaUOPOF3utag2ZvukZuUiKRQt1HvQJ-zxxcvQ2KliPV4DSuESWxrrMf78IAWPzYFy6AF0z36Upl9ZDpQ4jV7_Ub2lsDCBmH9HEaSbKYGxQSEjLAker-bEI5xB9_E/w320-h320/susie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/She-Wanted-Haunted-Marcus-Ewert/dp/168119791X/ref=sr_1_9?crid=3LLS7MENLOFIF&keywords=susie+ghahremani&qid=1576892312&s=books&sprefix=susie+ghah%2Cstripbooks%2C196&sr=1-9" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">With whimsical, rhyming stanzas, She Wanted to be Haunted offers a delightful, </span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">lyrical twist on the ever-important question of how to be your very best self.</span></div></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Susie Ghahremani</b></div></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/little-muir-s-night/9781930238985" target="_blank">Little Muir's Night</a></u></i></div></span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">John Muir and Susie Ghahremani</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">August 2020</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0x1k9itfgAnCbTOV6LmgupxLlurM4GmeiTqK55V8xfAXLrSEsixp-ELwJNwMVLIo6CQn8rZoiVv2VmiLC8ISxldV-_1O2F9gsmqk16ApUqsMlXwbTk3WmUEhvU0NYEjru4TE9rSxFYgk/s1000/little-muirs-night.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0x1k9itfgAnCbTOV6LmgupxLlurM4GmeiTqK55V8xfAXLrSEsixp-ELwJNwMVLIo6CQn8rZoiVv2VmiLC8ISxldV-_1O2F9gsmqk16ApUqsMlXwbTk3WmUEhvU0NYEjru4TE9rSxFYgk/w320-h320/little-muirs-night.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="border-color: var(--color-border); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px;">An original board book that encourages a bedtime in tune with nature.</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Susie Ghahremani</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href=" https://bookshop.org/books/growth-a-journal-to-welcome-personal-change/9781611808025" target="_blank">Growth: A Journal to Welcome Personal Change</a></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: medium; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vB26gc6mUSxknjTjb5zsvAc_mUZyc6K-LG-8e1bVyWB0328-0hMylR9VyUjfg2dUz9mzpZxrNYAgtWvx_fkCIsactj-FGDxYFvoakvaaRC_kEgHZK6NZfYcQMTcNjLAzeo4LbtqVZX0/s1000/growth-susie-ghahremani.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="647" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vB26gc6mUSxknjTjb5zsvAc_mUZyc6K-LG-8e1bVyWB0328-0hMylR9VyUjfg2dUz9mzpZxrNYAgtWvx_fkCIsactj-FGDxYFvoakvaaRC_kEgHZK6NZfYcQMTcNjLAzeo4LbtqVZX0/w207-h320/growth-susie-ghahremani.jpg" width="207" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="border-color: var(--color-border); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px;">A journal can be so much more than an outlet--it can also be a companion, a resource, and a place to find answers.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><i><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jessica Lanan</span></b></span></i></div></i><i><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/a-kid-of-their-own/9781580898799" target="_blank">A Kid of Their Own </a></span></span></i></div></i><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Megan Dowd Lambert and Jessica Lanan</span></div></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjU1bDxl-9Hq1NYsGppmuIahyphenhyphenIZbOjmdXfHaauCghWhXrzDtzo3AQ4ZhJ1RrA6hKcvSLmpb8JqrW03pfgouGKflnHaYNqTUNObUKSQnnVNzZIiJhsrU2DyWBMuzqdxxV6b-pHmyhcO98/s1600/lanan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1500" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjU1bDxl-9Hq1NYsGppmuIahyphenhyphenIZbOjmdXfHaauCghWhXrzDtzo3AQ4ZhJ1RrA6hKcvSLmpb8JqrW03pfgouGKflnHaYNqTUNObUKSQnnVNzZIiJhsrU2DyWBMuzqdxxV6b-pHmyhcO98/w320-h256/lanan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In this fresh and funny follow-up to the Ezra Jack Keats Honor Book <i>A Crow of His Own</i>, rooster Clyde is forced to adjust to new roommates on the farm when Fran the goat and her kid, Rowdy, take up residence. Can Clyde handle having a new kid in town?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><b>Maple Lam</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/shake-my-sillies-out-9780517566473/9780593122235" target="_blank">Shake My Sillies Out</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Raffi and Maple Lam</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNH3tlaeOD3IvtMmQrg2ui9XgaFcSCB1hjLoKls_OgpUG9N66HekHrY1wPpvkldbkVzx5KCaPYqH4TxVlzVWtmAuOQd7f3Y6ReyVXh0KEf12vTh9oROt0f13g4f1p5MWEtQfklZCxCND8/s1286/shakemysillies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNH3tlaeOD3IvtMmQrg2ui9XgaFcSCB1hjLoKls_OgpUG9N66HekHrY1wPpvkldbkVzx5KCaPYqH4TxVlzVWtmAuOQd7f3Y6ReyVXh0KEf12vTh9oROt0f13g4f1p5MWEtQfklZCxCND8/s320/shakemysillies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="border-color: var(--color-border); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px;">Shake, clap, jump, and wiggle your way through this classic Raffi sing-along book!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="border-color: var(--color-border); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Corinna Luyken</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/nothing-in-common-9780544774780/9780544774780" target="_blank">Nothing In Common</a></span></span></i></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Kate Hoefler, Corinna Luyken</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmLMLNodWWuhn_8PQiq1cEQpqHppqBhN-F8v3hA4lcIJOUPz240DdkWEaNMf3NAWwrtctO9iW8HCRbUnjrf_Qyd027ds849N-aZYTqLWNZPoO6oooCXsp12CJL6qOR-tL-DPJLeuigSA/s1600/corinna.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1173" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmLMLNodWWuhn_8PQiq1cEQpqHppqBhN-F8v3hA4lcIJOUPz240DdkWEaNMf3NAWwrtctO9iW8HCRbUnjrf_Qyd027ds849N-aZYTqLWNZPoO6oooCXsp12CJL6qOR-tL-DPJLeuigSA/w234-h320/corinna.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left; white-space: pre;">A tender and timely story of compassion and finding common ground with others, </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">perfect for fans of I Walk With Vanessa and Thank You, Omu!</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Juana Martinez- Neal</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/swashby-and-the-sea/9780544707375">Swashby and the Sea</a></span></span></i></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Beth Ferry, Juana Martinez-Neal</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRhn3euQeTMbKkFc6bp_8kHcmPKMdy8P5HxBmYiJyavAjuYmCrNkgUhAuN9yARVN75OrhQCkdqKfEzSpF8anBP7DlyiVXOlkIlvQeVFvCm4RDDL_T7bHqxuy8ek1czhugCx-cuT9FAfs/s1600/juana.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRhn3euQeTMbKkFc6bp_8kHcmPKMdy8P5HxBmYiJyavAjuYmCrNkgUhAuN9yARVN75OrhQCkdqKfEzSpF8anBP7DlyiVXOlkIlvQeVFvCm4RDDL_T7bHqxuy8ek1czhugCx-cuT9FAfs/s1600/juana.jpg" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Swashby-Sea-Beth-Ferry/dp/0544707370/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1576892249&sr=1-6" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px;">From </span><i style="border-color: var(--color-border); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c293b; font-family: "IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">New York Times</i><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px;"> best-selling author Beth Ferry and Caldecott Honor winner Juana Martinez-Neal comes a sweet-and-salty friendship story perfect for pirate-lovers learning new ways to communicate while at a distance. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Debbie Ridpath Ohi</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/gurple-and-preen-a-broken-crayon-cosmic-adventure/9781534431416" target="_blank">GURPLE AND PREEN</a></span></span></i></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">written by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcSapf0mzeDWEi2GvhmGtheluDf_lXhVwlsP-LnXkes1Ow5oB1Q0W3NC8Yi7CEOKLDZLrlLTa_HFiYvKfwm83Rmn5WS_gUaEnDSCKDT4uS7gL6_h-Thq_-Nb2davsziQDlvyYNBtp_sQ/s900/gurpleandpreen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="704" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcSapf0mzeDWEi2GvhmGtheluDf_lXhVwlsP-LnXkes1Ow5oB1Q0W3NC8Yi7CEOKLDZLrlLTa_HFiYvKfwm83Rmn5WS_gUaEnDSCKDT4uS7gL6_h-Thq_-Nb2davsziQDlvyYNBtp_sQ/w250-h320/gurpleandpreen.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="border-color: var(--color-border); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px;">This wildly imaginative, crayon-inspired picture book shows that with a bit of teamwork and a universe of creativity, anything is possible!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dorothia Rohner</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/i-am-goose/9781328841599" target="_blank">I Am Goose</a></span></span></i></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Written by Dorothia Rohner, illustrated by Vanya Nastanlieva</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFd2RfVJmAN7hbQQtzXTUaqxdpqZuHR79wXwsqmbWD9BWfG0D3vdDuAaNjuKMQ3TiZzq7hVFJy9U4DfrQVJRAQTMKkOobpJNx4QRFEIP6QtnWYmsBHPPvIgTMt6IlNB602mFw7uqF0abo/s1600/rohner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1444" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFd2RfVJmAN7hbQQtzXTUaqxdpqZuHR79wXwsqmbWD9BWfG0D3vdDuAaNjuKMQ3TiZzq7hVFJy9U4DfrQVJRAQTMKkOobpJNx4QRFEIP6QtnWYmsBHPPvIgTMt6IlNB602mFw7uqF0abo/w288-h320/rohner.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Goose-Dorothia-Rohner/dp/1328841596/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=dorothia+rohner&qid=1576892167&sr=8-1" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">A simple, friendly game of Duck, Duck, Goose goes off the rails in giggle-inducing </span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">confusion when a silly goose tries to make it all about him.</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Robin Rosenthal</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/two-dogs-on-a-trike/9781419738913" target="_blank">Two Dogs on a Trike</a></span></span></i></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Two-Dogs-Trike-Gabi-Snyder/dp/1419738917/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=robin+rosenthal&qid=1577149572&sr=8-2" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsBnoSjb6jIQCwy2S4Q1YLLWLwx9T9X36YYgLNLGFWiZ-Bo2ipF2jeN78UKTtJWbF690OKgdLF0jT9-x-vBnbRjudVLleyXH-_jt5iePAvOsQqsHor2Vq06_aEJ320-bWo5-g0jl2U3Q/s1600/rosenthal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsBnoSjb6jIQCwy2S4Q1YLLWLwx9T9X36YYgLNLGFWiZ-Bo2ipF2jeN78UKTtJWbF690OKgdLF0jT9-x-vBnbRjudVLleyXH-_jt5iePAvOsQqsHor2Vq06_aEJ320-bWo5-g0jl2U3Q/w318-h320/rosenthal.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Count up to 10 and back down again in this picture book starring </span><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">10 traveling dogs and one very tenacious cat!</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; white-space: pre;">Robin Rosenthal</b></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><a href="https://www.robinrosenthal.com/big-ideas-for-little-philosophers">Big Ideas for Little Philosophers</a></i></b></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/big-ideas-for-little-philosophers-equality-with-simone-de-beauvoir-9780593108840/9780593108840" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">written by Duane Armitage and Maureen Doyle, illustrated by Rosin Rosenthal</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div></span><span style="color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0MVbjOOCtl9IbOpMrYXH5dFbR5x2_J0j3xLEQ7zh96hnJj6R6dfy_d8m_H4p34BdA9akGDWOrnkKU-Jg_zqjBqlF0nYb2Q01u2yEnz_q5JYqqiOxu1qyJuw_34lRGuePWN00bFVC6ro/s1002/equality.jpg" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1002" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0MVbjOOCtl9IbOpMrYXH5dFbR5x2_J0j3xLEQ7zh96hnJj6R6dfy_d8m_H4p34BdA9akGDWOrnkKU-Jg_zqjBqlF0nYb2Q01u2yEnz_q5JYqqiOxu1qyJuw_34lRGuePWN00bFVC6ro/w200-h199/equality.jpg" width="200" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWob8y5KQN8suZB_n_gfp57hXq1Ue3M0qXt9HMMKrFxBlktM4l-q3C-hVO_npGgXvjfQlmuDaYkofiHJ3ozTGZUsuaMZbNUeJLanUGAReSqNqRlyrKlgp19jOKqhRMc6KHPPRNjGRiJ0U/s500/robin-rosenthal-little-philosophers-descartes_Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWob8y5KQN8suZB_n_gfp57hXq1Ue3M0qXt9HMMKrFxBlktM4l-q3C-hVO_npGgXvjfQlmuDaYkofiHJ3ozTGZUsuaMZbNUeJLanUGAReSqNqRlyrKlgp19jOKqhRMc6KHPPRNjGRiJ0U/w200-h200/robin-rosenthal-little-philosophers-descartes_Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrhzUIrgxEiB2WoSDDG4cUBQCCxbn8Ir89w3xlSGkepy948nVY2lKkAcGxWCMGtHjr2LZbIQ_XaEN7U5hn0uCfimO-kEjWKGMNx4HNlwEN5095qLb9W4JXJaAR2fodiBns8srkm1ZjbQ/s500/robin-rosenthal-little-philosophers-aristotle_Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrhzUIrgxEiB2WoSDDG4cUBQCCxbn8Ir89w3xlSGkepy948nVY2lKkAcGxWCMGtHjr2LZbIQ_XaEN7U5hn0uCfimO-kEjWKGMNx4HNlwEN5095qLb9W4JXJaAR2fodiBns8srkm1ZjbQ/w200-h200/robin-rosenthal-little-philosophers-aristotle_Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcmM_7_sVqgqJG7nVewtjfSqUeI-MVI3GN17CkwFVO4Iup6YIS2jUvqCSRmNSLauYFkx_Rt3Aqgp38ljF2C9ZtdyPIngIHttc4CmfFuac9ip4p278UwlLM9yIWaygmRrQp4vWY6FwJa4/s750/robin-rosenthal-little-philosophers-Socrates_Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcmM_7_sVqgqJG7nVewtjfSqUeI-MVI3GN17CkwFVO4Iup6YIS2jUvqCSRmNSLauYFkx_Rt3Aqgp38ljF2C9ZtdyPIngIHttc4CmfFuac9ip4p278UwlLM9yIWaygmRrQp4vWY6FwJa4/w200-h200/robin-rosenthal-little-philosophers-Socrates_Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; letter-spacing: 0.72px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">An exciting board book series that asks deep questions in a wonderfully accessible way. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.72px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even little children have big questions about life.</span></div></div></div></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Molly Ruttan</span></span></b></i></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-stray-9780525514466/9780525514466">The Stray</a></span></span></i></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuvU-9B329Dy40-8LRxKI80JX8dMeZtO3mns-CvLi0xHJe66Idp4Gq85ePLlU_lKZs0h27Zr44FBsmdknoZG8MPwQY7wGcKgz3S1U0ojplu3BjmKW0NtJHdjjMLC-gnLWol9ZGhM9ocA/s1600/ruttan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1600" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuvU-9B329Dy40-8LRxKI80JX8dMeZtO3mns-CvLi0xHJe66Idp4Gq85ePLlU_lKZs0h27Zr44FBsmdknoZG8MPwQY7wGcKgz3S1U0ojplu3BjmKW0NtJHdjjMLC-gnLWol9ZGhM9ocA/w320-h280/ruttan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Adopting an extraterrestrial leads to hilariously mixed results!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><b>Rob Sayegh</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/santa-s-big-day/9781646380411" target="_blank">Santa's Big Day</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">written by Holly Berry-Byrd, illustrated by Rob Sayegh Jr</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5APUVDzj-axnrxDwvI_wgScAdjckq0CCdWaKV7iwAf3_MQB1accB-0uqxE2hKcCh9BdxEuUwGvnR0rKIu-rCjL2Xf6QbA42eHNHRrSM5QnDEb23UXgQNlyVIeBreOwjQfx3peZp1J1AE/s187/santasbigday.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5APUVDzj-axnrxDwvI_wgScAdjckq0CCdWaKV7iwAf3_MQB1accB-0uqxE2hKcCh9BdxEuUwGvnR0rKIu-rCjL2Xf6QbA42eHNHRrSM5QnDEb23UXgQNlyVIeBreOwjQfx3peZp1J1AE/s0/santasbigday.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px;">Ho, ho, ho! Join Santa as he prepares for his big day. It's Christmas eve in the North Pole, and Santa's elves are busy making toys to deliver to good little girls and boys.</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">K-Fai Steele</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/okapi-tale/9781592703043" target="_blank">Okapi Tale</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRG_5tHL_lmPFwiN5Q72WNSZ1QGvROhbsBFCS-Wml7t1y9IwnPdCMLqGHNgTOS12_4aC8kA019hFX94Q5VT7Arp-ETIC9oYkBV1EK5RC2LKwEk_ggjPAkMMzbzLbNSKLVJRmCxOQF2dE8/s252/okapi+tale.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRG_5tHL_lmPFwiN5Q72WNSZ1QGvROhbsBFCS-Wml7t1y9IwnPdCMLqGHNgTOS12_4aC8kA019hFX94Q5VT7Arp-ETIC9oYkBV1EK5RC2LKwEk_ggjPAkMMzbzLbNSKLVJRmCxOQF2dE8/s0/okapi+tale.gif" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><em style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.56px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Okapi Tale,</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.56px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the much-anticipated sequel to </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.56px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noodlephant,</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.56px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is about what happens when the phantastic noodler—a public good—falls into the wrong hands (a rich okapi). But to whom does the machine </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.56px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;">really</em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.56px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> belong? Just one greedy Okapi, or the whole town of Beaston? </span></div><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alexandra Thompson</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/a-family-for-louie/9781984813213" target="_blank">A Family for Louie</a></span></span></i></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJVWRf6kReowkjPwkCwdixIYY26tZyNxrEyV04ct_qtWwwn1h34eiRg8LGGJugDpCLX0K9U9r_aqMh4ktFAS3jokwzr-2Rly73_HF4e1zhe-OMDWb-I1jCG7ZEHJNNGpa_A2af5qnCQs/s1600/thompson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJVWRf6kReowkjPwkCwdixIYY26tZyNxrEyV04ct_qtWwwn1h34eiRg8LGGJugDpCLX0K9U9r_aqMh4ktFAS3jokwzr-2Rly73_HF4e1zhe-OMDWb-I1jCG7ZEHJNNGpa_A2af5qnCQs/w320-h320/thompson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">A foodie French bulldog finds a forever home in this heartwarming and adorable debut </span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">picture book, sure to appeal to fans of Gaston, Ellie, and Little Elliot, Big City.</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>Heidi Woodward Sheffield</b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/brick-by-brick-9780525517306/9780525517306">Brick by Brick</a></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NghwPpSkB9yGeJml1EK7gjOfFSklrYVJZImw6B8B4es2FbNgt8d87WUApL3Kup-OdaQt7TMxBFLB6EWKKMEC46Pujtj75Yr2LvYITV3Wu3qnGTawYEThYk1LPJbp4rULnajwnOf3gnc/s1600/sheffield2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1229" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NghwPpSkB9yGeJml1EK7gjOfFSklrYVJZImw6B8B4es2FbNgt8d87WUApL3Kup-OdaQt7TMxBFLB6EWKKMEC46Pujtj75Yr2LvYITV3Wu3qnGTawYEThYk1LPJbp4rULnajwnOf3gnc/w245-h320/sheffield2.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="border-color: var(--color-border); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">A striking debut celebrating the warm bond between a little boy and his dad as they work hard to achieve their dreams.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Heidi Woodward Sheffield</b></div></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/are-your-stars-like-my-stars/9781454930136">Are Your Stars Like My Stars?</a></i></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Leslie Helakoski and Heidi Sheffield</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0xcfRNcuuqPMdr5TiTjxJjusy0v6MUXNEawdcnXnn6-75HH97lhb-brFdsvM2TEeF9lYz9kj9krKtfGYD8wLNl5jumhHuMdPyTHbZeY_eB9pIdw8LGSRCm7ozvOZVx_ic4FUkLK1ckE/s1600/sheffield1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1000" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS0xcfRNcuuqPMdr5TiTjxJjusy0v6MUXNEawdcnXnn6-75HH97lhb-brFdsvM2TEeF9lYz9kj9krKtfGYD8wLNl5jumhHuMdPyTHbZeY_eB9pIdw8LGSRCm7ozvOZVx_ic4FUkLK1ckE/s320/sheffield1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">In beautiful, evocative rhyme, this lovely picture book helps children consider </span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">the colors of their everyday lives . . . and imagine how others around the world </span></div></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">experience the very same things.</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Liz Wong</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/pirate-queen-a-story-of-zheng-yi-sao/9781773061245" target="_blank">Pirate Queen: A Story of Zheng Yi Sao</a></span></span></i></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Helaine Becker, Liz Wong</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0wHk1jqltO3eCIL2uJuuUPwWR7u07tLzGE9nenORKa_bSlGf-A2DipXeXZoKOV8AEV6L7tUxC2wnJwd03Q-TlppAsLGO2ZiarodWVNJwTMWhLuabdW8jSOw3wa61uWrcR8Unc25gzf8/s1600/pirate+queen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1185" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0wHk1jqltO3eCIL2uJuuUPwWR7u07tLzGE9nenORKa_bSlGf-A2DipXeXZoKOV8AEV6L7tUxC2wnJwd03Q-TlppAsLGO2ZiarodWVNJwTMWhLuabdW8jSOw3wa61uWrcR8Unc25gzf8/w236-h320/pirate+queen.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""IBM Plex Sans", sans-serif" style="color: #2c293b; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">The most powerful pirate in history was a woman who was born into poverty in Guangzhou, China, in the late 1700s. When pirates attacked her town and the captain took a liking to her, she saw a way out. Zheng Yi Sao agreed to marry him only if she got an equal share of his business. When her husband died six years later, she took command of the fleet.</span></div><br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Andrea Zuill</span></span></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/cat-dog-dog-the-story-of-a-blended-family/9781984848994" target="_blank">Cat Dog Dog</a></span></span></i></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Nelly Buchet, Andrea Zuill</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwysLXroJGmuqOpNzRRkZ0-Ftuv-IQa8JFY6naAEVywzJkhEV8dunDe_hmFOLhuHoZlcKWtUIfPBghazMC8N2MPXcTqZFz1AhMuvc49_e-g7mwm9-Wz-UGQlhko2R0Lvq9GUANDtRLDY0/s1600/zuill.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1265" data-original-width="1600" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwysLXroJGmuqOpNzRRkZ0-Ftuv-IQa8JFY6naAEVywzJkhEV8dunDe_hmFOLhuHoZlcKWtUIfPBghazMC8N2MPXcTqZFz1AhMuvc49_e-g7mwm9-Wz-UGQlhko2R0Lvq9GUANDtRLDY0/w320-h252/zuill.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Dog-Story-Blended-Family/dp/1984848992/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=Andrea+Zuill&qid=1577149876&s=books&sr=1-6" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Here is the oh-so-hilarious and adorable story of a blended family-- using just a few </span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">words in various configurations-- from the pets' point-of-view!</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Liz Wonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10898355542953079177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-29411544722670678752020-08-29T06:00:00.046-04:002020-08-29T06:00:05.512-04:00Interview with Jenin Mohammed- 2020 SCBWI Summer Spectacular Showcase Winner<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvTby1wkWpDXKCoFdaBoMDdbMyxmKx1CqkN7YxxKReOGddA7EIVNq4bhwtxY-pzlJ7SAl4b3obFvyPDES49mj-FU0GRFG4SncmqqlbaY4bnk98Xc86d8vBg-kSLCmg5U8k-fsjrmKqCxM/s1880/Family+Reunion+NW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="1880" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvTby1wkWpDXKCoFdaBoMDdbMyxmKx1CqkN7YxxKReOGddA7EIVNq4bhwtxY-pzlJ7SAl4b3obFvyPDES49mj-FU0GRFG4SncmqqlbaY4bnk98Xc86d8vBg-kSLCmg5U8k-fsjrmKqCxM/w512-h256/Family+Reunion+NW.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small; text-align: left;">©Jenin Mohammed</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"><b>Hi there Jenin! Congratulations on your award! How does it feel winning SCBWI Summer Spectacular Showcase among so many other talented artists?</b></span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">It’s incredibly exciting to have won one of the grand prizes of the showcase. I still need to pinch myself every now and then and ask myself “did that really happen?” I was so amazed by the amount of people that had entered and the amount of incredible work they had submitted, I was sure my small portfolio was going to be overlooked. </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"><b>Your work is too good to be overlooked! What kind of projects are you working on now?</b></span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">I am illustrating a picture book for Harper Collins. I am also writing a middle grade novel about the struggles of growing up with siblings. It’s a funny, relatable book about what it’s like being the eldest. I even set the story in my hometown, Miramar, Florida, so the setting is just as personal as the main story.</span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"><b>Wow! That's so cool! Is there any type of illustration work that you’re hoping for in the near future?</b></span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">Yes! I’d like to write and illustrate a book for older children (the middle grade to YA age group). I’d like to create a book that has illustrations woven into the reading experience, kind of like in “The Invention of Hugo Cabret.” I’d also look forward to writing and/ or illustrating speculative fiction that centers African-American children. Afro-futurism all the way!</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDXXgzNDyYmWfrPN0RNFQVf44QoDl7r9ALEqoMaJcC9cuEndtKmtXOtlCzxAcC6T3SSuYZnCOo4P5WvDFeQPK0BCd_Ce2jhTe23hrAg4nkMJjeM3L4fuJYEgr9sNBQG2P6Bd9F-Td1bvj/s2048/Mermaid+Bath.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDXXgzNDyYmWfrPN0RNFQVf44QoDl7r9ALEqoMaJcC9cuEndtKmtXOtlCzxAcC6T3SSuYZnCOo4P5WvDFeQPK0BCd_Ce2jhTe23hrAg4nkMJjeM3L4fuJYEgr9sNBQG2P6Bd9F-Td1bvj/w512-h426/Mermaid+Bath.jpeg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small; text-align: left;">©Jenin Mohammed</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"><b>That sounds amazing! Is there one really helpful piece of advice that you’ve gotten since pursuing illustration?</b> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">The best piece of advice I got was through the webinar that Cecilia Yung and Laurent Linn recorded for SCBWI. I think I really had an artistic breakthrough when Laurent mentioned (and I’m paraphrasing) that children’s book art directors aren’t looking for portfolios that look like something out of a fancy artbook. They want the artist to think about how a kid sees the world. That piece of advice made me really think about how I set up the camera/ perspective in an illustration. I asked myself, “how did kid Jenin see the world?” then remembered the type of mediums I was using at that age. I ended up recreating the imperfect look of tissue-paper-cutouts that I’d make in my mother’s art room.</span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>That's so interesting! Have you received any bad advice?</b></span></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">A bad piece of advice I got on creating a portfolio was “don’t do portraits.” I understand that portraits can be sort of static or boring. But I think if a portrait is done well, it can be interesting and convey a lot of story.</span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><b><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">I agree with you on that. What was one of your favorite quotes or lessons from the SCBWI Summer Conference?</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span></b><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">My favorite lesson came from LeUyen Pham. She highlighted the importance of thumbnails. I learned that if you have done a composition well, your compositions can be connected through one long line.</span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"><b>That was helpful! What were some of your favorite books when you were a kid?</b></span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">Oof, where do I begin? When I was starting elementary school, I liked picture books that ranged from weird and quirky like “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” and “Miss Nelson is Missing!” to beautiful books like “Aida” by Leo and Diane Dillon. When I got a little older, I was really drawn to the creepy illustrations of “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.” And eventually I got hooked on graphic novels like “The Babysitters Club” by Raina Telgemeier as well as a number of shojo manga books.</span></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1I5CUiAcLFGBhErouFoJuyzQC9u8g-ulLXEWxoFbDRWMNn7-GgbIw8c9e33tzHvpkSnK8BtOPYmjjUbfPqnWZC_T3fmNwhk4T9MG7TDwXpaDOyQvqIAKfIhdYwZIk-E8mOz1jF9VdhIo/s2804/carnival+full+spread.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="2804" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1I5CUiAcLFGBhErouFoJuyzQC9u8g-ulLXEWxoFbDRWMNn7-GgbIw8c9e33tzHvpkSnK8BtOPYmjjUbfPqnWZC_T3fmNwhk4T9MG7TDwXpaDOyQvqIAKfIhdYwZIk-E8mOz1jF9VdhIo/w512-h205/carnival+full+spread.jpeg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small; text-align: left;">©Jenin Mohammed</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"><b>Where can we find you online?</b></span></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b><br /></b></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">I’m active on Instagram. My name on there is <a href="https://www.instagram.com/knotwritenow/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">@knotwritenow</span></a>. You can also find me on twitter under <a href="https://twitter.com/JeninMoham" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">@JeninMoham</span></a>.</span></div><div><br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span style="text-align: center;">-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyf2pAvnd5CHf7FvbCyb3Sgv7AnIx_eFDusIBMatz9crCH74vVFKIVSVDE_erD01min7EnOFNXOx10ptu5eN4nwUtpR8TfHRPzv0z7xeXAgdneLPK2aQFZfTqdl6VMB64yEt0gBE3e8P1/s959/77303597_2847797441921509_6654668808558477312_n.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="959" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyf2pAvnd5CHf7FvbCyb3Sgv7AnIx_eFDusIBMatz9crCH74vVFKIVSVDE_erD01min7EnOFNXOx10ptu5eN4nwUtpR8TfHRPzv0z7xeXAgdneLPK2aQFZfTqdl6VMB64yEt0gBE3e8P1/w200-h200/77303597_2847797441921509_6654668808558477312_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyf2pAvnd5CHf7FvbCyb3Sgv7AnIx_eFDusIBMatz9crCH74vVFKIVSVDE_erD01min7EnOFNXOx10ptu5eN4nwUtpR8TfHRPzv0z7xeXAgdneLPK2aQFZfTqdl6VMB64yEt0gBE3e8P1/s959/77303597_2847797441921509_6654668808558477312_n.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Interview by </span><span><span><a href="http://kidlitartists.blogspot.com/search/label/Meridth%20McKean%20Gimbel" style="color: #ffa400; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Meridth McKean Gimbel</span></a>,</span><span style="color: #ffa400;"> </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;">a kidlit writer, artist, & champion taco cruncher who is currently building a time machine. They are also</span><span> represented by Linda Pratt at </span><a href="http://wernickpratt.com/client/meridth-mckean-gimbel/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Wernick & Pratt</span></a><span>. You can follow their work at:</span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.meridthsayshello.com/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Portfolio</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> | </span><a href="http://www.meridthgimbel.blogspot.com/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Blog</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">| </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MeridthSaysHi" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="background-color: white;">Facebook</span></span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">| </span><a href="https://twitter.com/MeridthSaysHi" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Twitter</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> | </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/meridthsayshi/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Instagram</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> | </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/MeridthSaysHi/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Pinterest</span></a></span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Meridth McKean Gimbelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09475089721370383445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-29940569023688556422020-08-28T06:00:00.002-04:002020-08-28T06:00:04.228-04:00Interview with Neha Rawat- 2020 SCBWI Summer Spectacular Showcase Winner<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwyzehsU6bViGkrSaUsK1TxA1RHW1GrLl5fvdRD5EoEV4YbZEc_fyoISj9oqkKl3ZKDn9oAGpbL07YSoAhK6UvoiFNw47r_65AkudKEI93L55cFSH2oajPZ8I82KM71mXYVWS4oe5dmxx/s2048/12_Family+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1447" data-original-width="2048" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwyzehsU6bViGkrSaUsK1TxA1RHW1GrLl5fvdRD5EoEV4YbZEc_fyoISj9oqkKl3ZKDn9oAGpbL07YSoAhK6UvoiFNw47r_65AkudKEI93L55cFSH2oajPZ8I82KM71mXYVWS4oe5dmxx/w512-h362/12_Family+photo.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">© Neha Rawat</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></blockquote><p><b><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">Hello Neha! Congratulations on your award! </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">How does it feel </span><span class="il" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">winning</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;">the whole Showcase among so many other talented artists?</span></b></p><div><span class="im" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><div>It's been over a week since the announcement was made and I'm still a complete mixed bag of emotions. I jump between feeling surreal, exhilarated, surprised, overwhelmed, lucky but mostly grateful :)</div><span class="im"><div><br /></div><div><b>Well hooray for you and your art! What kind of projects are you working on now?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></span><div>I have 3 children's books on my plate right now. My first international picture book deal with Candlewick Press was announced just this week which I'm super stoked about! The other 2 projects I received through my agency, Advocate Art, and I'm excited for them as well! <br /></div><span class="im"><div><br /></div><div><b>That's wonderful news! Is there any other type of illustration work that you’re hoping for in the near future?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></span><div>I love drawing cute and funny things so I would love the opportunity to work on a story with humorous animals as the main characters.<br /></div><span class="im"><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">That sounds fun! Is there one really helpful piece of advice that you’ve gotten since pursuing illustration? </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.2px;">Any one </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.2px;">piece of bad advice?</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span></div></span><div>I had been freelancing as an illustrator for a few years before I found my calling in the children's publishing industry, and learned a lot through my own struggles. This wasn't advice that was given to me, but things that I assumed and learned over time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Best advice: Draw what you love instead of what you think others will love. </div><div>Bad advice: Compare yourself with other artists.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdijPjG5fGHl3YZl1DoBPWZdA06-f4ZOaUvFiemEFDTHmT15jZ62FGb3DHWfsPRaACbXUqeWMDugl5gmZs6uGg31WQJgcSHc7_BKVe8aFKAdfgEU6Ne0FUd_oXv1LB1M2NL2jUE3MLj0S-/s2048/01_Jungle+Birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdijPjG5fGHl3YZl1DoBPWZdA06-f4ZOaUvFiemEFDTHmT15jZ62FGb3DHWfsPRaACbXUqeWMDugl5gmZs6uGg31WQJgcSHc7_BKVe8aFKAdfgEU6Ne0FUd_oXv1LB1M2NL2jUE3MLj0S-/w512-h342/01_Jungle+Birthday.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small; text-align: left;">© Neha Rawat</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><span class="im"><div><br /></div><div><b>That's really good advice. Thanks! What was one of your favorite quotes or lessons from the SCBWI Summer Conference? </b> </div><div><br /></div></span><div>In the session with LeUyen Pham and Dan Santat, one of the questions asked to them was "What do you wish you knew at the beginning of your career that you know now?" Since I'm at that stage now, I really appreciated this question and even more so, LeUyen Pham's answer to it. She said it's all a confidence game. As an illustrator, I need to believe that the art that I am creating for a book is the best that <b>"</b><i>I</i><b>"</b> envision it to be and that I'm not trying to fit someone else's version of what a book is supposed to be. I think this is exactly what I needed to hear right now :)</div><span class="im"><div><br /></div><div><b>I'm so glad. I think that's really good to keep in mind for us all. What were some of your favorite books when you were a kid?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></span><div>The first ever picture book that I remember and loved was Walt Disney's "Dumbo". It came with a read-along audio tape and I just loved the story and illustrations of it (and was thrilled when I came to know there was a movie as well!) <span style="font-family: inherit;">Other than that, I was and still am a big Snoopy fan :) We had (have) the full set of Charlie Brown's encyclopedia and though I couldn't understand a lot of what was written as a kid, I spent hours looking at the pictures.</span></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEF3BOxxEhta_0DngLBxKEt4v8Xj1fHoMaKyDn8SVRhz2CrjcoOvMbG2RqALYzNpx020lyIcPO-F0fjl0VrdaH1oVB8UquczfDy1BMTLX7XD7uurf-_Z0y-EaVh7uiKIUK-iDmgO7FYgz/s1653/07_Witch+dancing+bonfire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1653" data-original-width="1653" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEF3BOxxEhta_0DngLBxKEt4v8Xj1fHoMaKyDn8SVRhz2CrjcoOvMbG2RqALYzNpx020lyIcPO-F0fjl0VrdaH1oVB8UquczfDy1BMTLX7XD7uurf-_Z0y-EaVh7uiKIUK-iDmgO7FYgz/w512-h512/07_Witch+dancing+bonfire.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small; text-align: left;">© Neha Rawat</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="im"><div><br /></div><div><b>Where can we find you online?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></span></div><div><div>Website: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nrbstudio.in/&source=gmail&ust=1598292375738000&usg=AFQjCNFixFbJt1V02THS1pTtiLnQ2QclaA" href="https://www.nrbstudio.in/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">https://www.<wbr></wbr>NRBstudio.in/</span></a></div><div>Instagram: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/nrbstudio.in/&source=gmail&ust=1598292375738000&usg=AFQjCNGmcLaq-wAqPXdFuH9GLdCq40QteQ" href="https://www.instagram.com/nrbstudio.in/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">@NRBstudio.in</span></a></div><div>Facebook: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/NRBStudio.in/&source=gmail&ust=1598292375738000&usg=AFQjCNEsVbjsumZbXwDK1Ha7HCq8AodJ1w" href="https://www.facebook.com/NRBStudio.in/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">NRBStudio.in</span></a></div><div>Twitter: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/nehrawat&source=gmail&ust=1598292375739000&usg=AFQjCNEqyEKI-FGqGLlg0fS3RnK_eUMD0Q" href="https://twitter.com/nehrawat" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">@nehrawat</span></a></div></div></span></span></div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span style="text-align: center;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyf2pAvnd5CHf7FvbCyb3Sgv7AnIx_eFDusIBMatz9crCH74vVFKIVSVDE_erD01min7EnOFNXOx10ptu5eN4nwUtpR8TfHRPzv0z7xeXAgdneLPK2aQFZfTqdl6VMB64yEt0gBE3e8P1/s959/77303597_2847797441921509_6654668808558477312_n.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="959" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyf2pAvnd5CHf7FvbCyb3Sgv7AnIx_eFDusIBMatz9crCH74vVFKIVSVDE_erD01min7EnOFNXOx10ptu5eN4nwUtpR8TfHRPzv0z7xeXAgdneLPK2aQFZfTqdl6VMB64yEt0gBE3e8P1/w200-h200/77303597_2847797441921509_6654668808558477312_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyf2pAvnd5CHf7FvbCyb3Sgv7AnIx_eFDusIBMatz9crCH74vVFKIVSVDE_erD01min7EnOFNXOx10ptu5eN4nwUtpR8TfHRPzv0z7xeXAgdneLPK2aQFZfTqdl6VMB64yEt0gBE3e8P1/s959/77303597_2847797441921509_6654668808558477312_n.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Interview by </span><span><span><a href="http://kidlitartists.blogspot.com/search/label/Meridth%20McKean%20Gimbel" style="color: #ffa400; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Meridth McKean Gimbel</span></a>,</span><span style="color: #ffa400;"> </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;">a kidlit writer, artist, & champion taco cruncher who is currently building a time machine. They are also</span><span> represented by Linda Pratt at </span><a href="http://wernickpratt.com/client/meridth-mckean-gimbel/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Wernick & Pratt</span></a><span>. You can follow their work at:</span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.meridthsayshello.com/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Portfolio</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> | </span><a href="http://www.meridthgimbel.blogspot.com/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Blog</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">| </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MeridthSaysHi" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="background-color: white;">Facebook</span></span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">| </span><a href="https://twitter.com/MeridthSaysHi" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Twitter</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> | </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/meridthsayshi/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Instagram</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> | </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/MeridthSaysHi/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Pinterest</span></a></span></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Meridth McKean Gimbelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09475089721370383445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-85834075505407211032020-08-27T06:00:00.070-04:002020-08-27T06:00:07.082-04:00Interview with Marissa Valdez - 2020 SCBWI Summer Spectacular Showcase Honor Winner<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00DWGAv6beSZRqqiZab3C_Ej5AuZ8pyUpT0HAzACR52C27DBy7RmWn_mUGeUYG3B1KRxqDNzzfj73j_4hfnAFUxdYPaHTOWjdpjx79iXpVhjrPXPlll3YMluLG5YiZXGmF7FuFstOYmhr/s2048/IMG_0258.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1583" data-original-width="2048" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00DWGAv6beSZRqqiZab3C_Ej5AuZ8pyUpT0HAzACR52C27DBy7RmWn_mUGeUYG3B1KRxqDNzzfj73j_4hfnAFUxdYPaHTOWjdpjx79iXpVhjrPXPlll3YMluLG5YiZXGmF7FuFstOYmhr/w512-h397/IMG_0258.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small; text-align: left;">© Marissa Valdez<br /><br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"></div><div><span class="im" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Hi there Marissa! Congratulations on your Honor! How does it feel <span class="il">winning</span> among so many other talented artists?</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p></span><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh wow, really unbelievable! I’m still in shock because there were so many </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">amazing</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> portfolios in the showcase. So feeling very grateful, lucky, and just a little bit validated about my own work. </span></span></p><span class="im" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>You should feel validated. You are fabulous! What kind of projects are you working on now?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></p></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While I can’t say anything specific about it yet, I am suuuper excited to start illustrating the first book in an early chapter book series! It’ll be my first time illustrating spots for a chapter book, so I’m pumped to dive right into the process. I’m also trying to write more of my own stories. I gained a lot of mental writing momentum from the Summer Spectacular talks so I’m hoping to channel that energy into a pile of new book dummies.</span></span></p><span class="im" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oooh! That's exciting! </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is there any type of illustration work that you’re hoping for in the near future?</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></p></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m the type of person who loves to do a bit of everything! I’m hoping to illustrate more picture books in the future for sure, and to write and illustrate more of my original ideas. But I’d also love to illustrate middle grade covers, spot illustrations, kid’s magazine covers, children’s toys and oh! Puzzles! I’m not sure why but I’d love to design a children’s puzzle one day. I mean, who doesn’t love puzzles?</span></span></p><span class="im" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>I definitely love puzzles! Is there one really helpful piece of advice that you’ve gotten since pursuing illustration?</b> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes! I actually got this advice before I decided to focus on my illustration career but it’s pretty universal: take risks. Even if they’re small risks, like reaching out to an illustrator that you admire or attending your local SCBWI chapter meeting, constantly take risks! I found out early on that it was near impossible to accomplish my goals, like getting an agent or <span class="il">winning</span> contests, without taking those little risks along the way, and I had to persevere even if I felt anxious or especially sweaty during the process.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: auto; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwjkilbl8qWluTj8lQn3bmXGTMPJSlRvwSqFmMss5iiviI-XnHXTa1uGUJzhBJkgY9kiirjDCcYXCl-C5qAqvzV0ui9wZuGD7GqR86JMcB7RusV8yZdlYlwp9RPceToE1IKKk7WptCsvd/s2048/129222044.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2047" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwjkilbl8qWluTj8lQn3bmXGTMPJSlRvwSqFmMss5iiviI-XnHXTa1uGUJzhBJkgY9kiirjDCcYXCl-C5qAqvzV0ui9wZuGD7GqR86JMcB7RusV8yZdlYlwp9RPceToE1IKKk7WptCsvd/w512-h512/129222044.jpeg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small; text-align: left;">© Marissa Valdez</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); white-space: pre-wrap;">That's great advice! Any one piece of bad advice?</span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oof, one bad piece of advice I’ve gotten is that there’s only one way to create a picture book. I’m finding out that there’s about ten million different ways to create a picture book and it really depends on what works best for you. Picture books are surprisingly flexible and it’s great to think of new ways to push their boundaries. Books like Dan Santat’s ARE WE THERE YET? and Adam Rubin’s and Daniel Salmieri’s HIGH FIVE are great examples of picture books that have pushed that boundary for me.</span></span></p><span class="im" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>I love that! What was one of your favorite quotes or lessons from the SCBWI Summer Conference? </b> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Watching LeUyen Pham talk about how she designs her picture books totally blew my mind. My hand started cramping taking notes; she was giving so much good advice so quickly that I couldn’t keep up! When she started talking about keeping a “line” for your eye to follow through a picture book, I felt like I was seeing page spreads in a whole new light! It was really inspiring. </span></span></p><span class="im" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>I'm still digesting it all. What were some of your favorite books when you were a kid?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></p></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One book that’s stuck with me since I can remember is AESOP’S FABLES by Charles Santore. I used to pour over his illustrations like I had a little art museum laying in my lap; the book even included a fold out poster page that I remember being about as tall as me. I always loved the expressions he illustrated onto different animal characters because they could tell the whole story on their own. That emotion and evocative storytelling through illustration is something I strive to include in my own work now. </span></span></p><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"><span class="im"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb63xJEmFJy-DHbZGXu8Ze1_losGdXJgyNeX2RMRs9WQHdX7VlfNbWh1Jbxi9ZxloCFvG4QoD_Q5UaXCq97f6xHGJWej6mjC1xS5wyN-58lXYwvF0oZVUsGpy5-XuHTEz3I0_m4ytqBNAa/s2807/IMG_0763.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="2807" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb63xJEmFJy-DHbZGXu8Ze1_losGdXJgyNeX2RMRs9WQHdX7VlfNbWh1Jbxi9ZxloCFvG4QoD_Q5UaXCq97f6xHGJWej6mjC1xS5wyN-58lXYwvF0oZVUsGpy5-XuHTEz3I0_m4ytqBNAa/w512-h205/IMG_0763.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">© Marissa Valdez</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Where can we find you online?</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></p></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can find me on Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/marissaarts/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">@marissaarts</span></a>, Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/marissaillo" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">@marissaillo</span></a> and feel free to peruse my portfolio at </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.marissavaldez.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">www.marissavaldez.com</span></a></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Also feel free to reach out to me just to chat, I could talk about children’s books all day!</span></span></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Me too friend! See you 'round!</b></span></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyf2pAvnd5CHf7FvbCyb3Sgv7AnIx_eFDusIBMatz9crCH74vVFKIVSVDE_erD01min7EnOFNXOx10ptu5eN4nwUtpR8TfHRPzv0z7xeXAgdneLPK2aQFZfTqdl6VMB64yEt0gBE3e8P1/s959/77303597_2847797441921509_6654668808558477312_n.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="959" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyf2pAvnd5CHf7FvbCyb3Sgv7AnIx_eFDusIBMatz9crCH74vVFKIVSVDE_erD01min7EnOFNXOx10ptu5eN4nwUtpR8TfHRPzv0z7xeXAgdneLPK2aQFZfTqdl6VMB64yEt0gBE3e8P1/w200-h200/77303597_2847797441921509_6654668808558477312_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyf2pAvnd5CHf7FvbCyb3Sgv7AnIx_eFDusIBMatz9crCH74vVFKIVSVDE_erD01min7EnOFNXOx10ptu5eN4nwUtpR8TfHRPzv0z7xeXAgdneLPK2aQFZfTqdl6VMB64yEt0gBE3e8P1/s959/77303597_2847797441921509_6654668808558477312_n.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Interview by </span><span><span><a href="http://kidlitartists.blogspot.com/search/label/Meridth%20McKean%20Gimbel" style="color: #ffa400; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Meridth McKean Gimbel</span></a>,</span><span style="color: #ffa400;"> </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;">a kidlit writer, artist, & champion taco cruncher who is currently building a time machine. They are also</span><span> represented by Linda Pratt at </span><a href="http://wernickpratt.com/client/meridth-mckean-gimbel/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Wernick & Pratt</span></a><span>. You can follow their work at:</span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.meridthsayshello.com/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Portfolio</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> | </span><a href="http://www.meridthgimbel.blogspot.com/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Blog</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">| </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MeridthSaysHi" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="background-color: white;">Facebook</span></span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">| </span><a href="https://twitter.com/MeridthSaysHi" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Twitter</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> | </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/meridthsayshi/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Instagram</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> | </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/MeridthSaysHi/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Pinterest</span></a></span></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Meridth McKean Gimbelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09475089721370383445noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294715919128215201.post-36644456260790188862020-08-26T06:00:00.060-04:002020-08-26T06:00:00.393-04:00Interview with Leanne Hatch - 2020 SCBWI Summer Spectacular Showcase Honor Winner<p><span style="text-align: center;"></span></p><span style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJhwsSTQJToIdiZUb37Z_5hBiqBV2p8tmsRuyH0zdssxRPzJNgytFeXThdjg-ztJN_wjQyBy8e6mAHya1bhs4CuvGDTiPzQXLfzx2sWvh-U-o_FgrkxScKWGw-j-E1nd4qHtIRDmQVC_C/s1243/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1243" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJhwsSTQJToIdiZUb37Z_5hBiqBV2p8tmsRuyH0zdssxRPzJNgytFeXThdjg-ztJN_wjQyBy8e6mAHya1bhs4CuvGDTiPzQXLfzx2sWvh-U-o_FgrkxScKWGw-j-E1nd4qHtIRDmQVC_C/w512-h397/1.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small; text-align: left;">© Leanne Hatch</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">Hi there Leanne! How does it feel </span><span class="il" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">winning</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"> the Honor among so many other talented artists?</span></b></span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Receiving one of the portfolio honors was an absolute surprise and I couldn’t be more excited! I almost didn’t submit my portfolio since the conference was online and more accessible to so many amazing artists. I was so sure mine would just get lost amongst a sea of incredible talent (and there was A LOT of incredible talent!) At the last minute, I decided it’s important to take every opportunity to put your work out into the world and it turned out, my portfolio did not get lost!</span><br /><br /></span><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Absolutely! I'm so glad you submitted your portfolio. What kind of projects are you working on now?</b></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am wrapping up my first picture book, <span style="color: #ffa400;">UNRAVELED</span>, which comes out Summer 2021 and am working on revised sketches for my second picture book which will come out the following year. I have enjoyed every second I've spent working on these projects and can’t wait until others can enjoy them too!</span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><b>Wow! Congratulations! Is there any other type of illustration work that you’re hoping for in the near future?</b></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">So far, my stories have been written and illustrated by me. I would love the chance, as an illustrator, to help bring someone else’s story to life.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpkZyGeM_KVLQqKjLbnrTrEIv9P8v3PZLC9HvNm9tqgO2sJC3JJvhMq-mRF3tff8oaw2Ge0KmLsXk8rDQQHQaOIhiT4ZLGoI_GVSBcG-rqKXTYB4sYfql7gHGYACo-LN5ONISc40MwoRa/s1083/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1083" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpkZyGeM_KVLQqKjLbnrTrEIv9P8v3PZLC9HvNm9tqgO2sJC3JJvhMq-mRF3tff8oaw2Ge0KmLsXk8rDQQHQaOIhiT4ZLGoI_GVSBcG-rqKXTYB4sYfql7gHGYACo-LN5ONISc40MwoRa/w410-h364/2.jpg" width="410" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small; text-align: left;">© Leanne Hatch</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><b>That would be lovely. Is there one really helpful piece of advice that you’ve gotten since pursuing illustration? </b></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am pretty new to the children’s book industry so I’m still taking it all in! I think one important piece of advise is to always be open to change and suggestions. Writing and illustrating is very personal and after spending a lot of time with your ideas and characters as you develop them, it’s easy to get attached and used to them being a certain way. Discussing your work with your editor or critique group or even children is so valuable in getting a fresh perspective which almost always results in a better story. </span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0061ff;"><br /></span><b>That's good advice! What was one of your favorite quotes or lessons from the SCBWI Summer Conference? </b></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>I learned something from every single presentation but as an illustrator, I was most inspired by LeUyen Pham. She’s amazing. From her suggestion that understanding design far outweighs the ability to draw to her lessons on how to create compositions that carry the reader through the entire story. Who knew that the figure eight could hold someone's attention? I’ve already started incorporating her techniques into my current project</span><span>!</span><br /><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes! So many good tips! </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">What were some of your favorite books when you were a kid?</span></b></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I grew up in the 70s and 80s and loved Maurice Sendak, Dr. Seuss and Richard Scary books. I remember daydreaming about being a little mouse and getting to live in my dollhouse. Another book I will never forget was called "My Mama Says there aren’t any Zombies, Ghost, Vampire, Creatures, Demons, Monsters, Fiends, Goblins, or Things" by Judith Viorst. One of the illustrations frightened me so much, the book remained shoved under my parent’s bed for the rest of my childhood. It’s possible that it’s still there!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBwRAKSHz8iEP2P8Vra2s5aWgkqUBoMpnUPalmhPTai69Olrem8r1qfYLPoZvUsP7uRum99RMuFwxKH2Wn-QM7qBUOtqOvOwLrwfRFSNe0dm3O2-pu3cFgXH4e49zkTZ75b5rrjpkKWKb/s1243/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1243" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBwRAKSHz8iEP2P8Vra2s5aWgkqUBoMpnUPalmhPTai69Olrem8r1qfYLPoZvUsP7uRum99RMuFwxKH2Wn-QM7qBUOtqOvOwLrwfRFSNe0dm3O2-pu3cFgXH4e49zkTZ75b5rrjpkKWKb/w512-h397/3.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small; text-align: left;">© Leanne Hatch</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Hehehe, I love that book! So where can we find you online?</b></span></div></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>My website is</span> <a href="https://www.leannehatch.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">www.leanehatch.com</span></a></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and I can be found on instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/leannehatch_illustration/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">@leannehatch_illustration</span></a></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="color: #0042aa; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span></div></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyf2pAvnd5CHf7FvbCyb3Sgv7AnIx_eFDusIBMatz9crCH74vVFKIVSVDE_erD01min7EnOFNXOx10ptu5eN4nwUtpR8TfHRPzv0z7xeXAgdneLPK2aQFZfTqdl6VMB64yEt0gBE3e8P1/s959/77303597_2847797441921509_6654668808558477312_n.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="959" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyf2pAvnd5CHf7FvbCyb3Sgv7AnIx_eFDusIBMatz9crCH74vVFKIVSVDE_erD01min7EnOFNXOx10ptu5eN4nwUtpR8TfHRPzv0z7xeXAgdneLPK2aQFZfTqdl6VMB64yEt0gBE3e8P1/w200-h200/77303597_2847797441921509_6654668808558477312_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyf2pAvnd5CHf7FvbCyb3Sgv7AnIx_eFDusIBMatz9crCH74vVFKIVSVDE_erD01min7EnOFNXOx10ptu5eN4nwUtpR8TfHRPzv0z7xeXAgdneLPK2aQFZfTqdl6VMB64yEt0gBE3e8P1/s959/77303597_2847797441921509_6654668808558477312_n.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Interview by </span><span><span><a href="http://kidlitartists.blogspot.com/search/label/Meridth%20McKean%20Gimbel" style="color: #ffa400; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Meridth McKean Gimbel</span></a>,</span><span style="color: #ffa400;"> </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;">a kidlit writer, artist, & champion taco cruncher who is currently building a time machine. They are also</span><span> represented by Linda Pratt at </span><a href="http://wernickpratt.com/client/meridth-mckean-gimbel/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Wernick & Pratt</span></a><span>. You can follow their work at:</span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.meridthsayshello.com/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Portfolio</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> | </span><a href="http://www.meridthgimbel.blogspot.com/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Blog</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">| </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MeridthSaysHi" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffa400;"><span style="background-color: white;">Facebook (</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">professional)</span></span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">| </span><a href="https://twitter.com/MeridthSaysHi" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Twitter</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> | </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/meridthsayshi/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Instagram</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"> | </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/MeridthSaysHi/" style="color: #787878; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Pinterest</span></a></span></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">-------
This content originally appeared on KidLitArtists.com. All content and images (c) KidLitArtists.com member who posted them, unless otherwise noted. Please do not redistribute / copy without permission, thanks.</div>Meridth McKean Gimbelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09475089721370383445noreply@blogger.com0