How to Start First Grade

  Four and a half days without the internet is probably enough to make you want to write a blog post or something when it comes back on, right?  The sheer gratitude of  having  a connection can be an inspiration.
  The weather is turning cooler, kids have already been back at school for a while spreading new virulent strains, and recently the nice people at Random House granted me permission to show some of the final illustrations from my latest book,  a 32 page leveled reader featuring a first grader who struggles to come to terms with his waning popularity when a new girl comes to  school. The title is How to Start First Grade, and it is scheduled for release on 6/9/20.
 I really enjoyed the playground chalk art scenes, drawing kids yelling at each other, (anger is so much fun) and the challenging scenes which required me to draw the backs of kid's heads.
 I have a strong aversion to looking at my work after it is finished. I'm sure I'm not alone in that feeling. I think enough time has passed since I finished these in July and August, that I can look at them; even if it's through slightly parted fingers. 
A postscript: after I wrote this, the electricity went out for a few hours.  But now I'm back, and with a little luck I may actually get a blog post out for Monday morning.

Cover. The blackboard is obsolete, but the bulletin board lives on.

Steve and family and Dad the waiter getting fortified for the first day of school.

All of his friends are happy to see him again.

New year, new postcards

  It's been a while since I sent out any promo cards.  It's always so hard to decide which images to use. So this time I  guess I let the season and the weather decide. Brutal "polar plunge" temps here in Cleveland, and across much of the country. I wish safety, warmth and cozy dreams for you in the new year.  These brave souls on my cards will be celebrating outside only in the imagination, I'm afraid.
  Oh, except for the penguins. They will be happy.  This one is a work in progress so far... and taken from a riddles piece originally created for Ranger Rick magazine.  We had pancakes this morning, courtesy of Dave. He makes the best pancakes ever.  The key is fruit, walnuts, vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon and a good apron. Flip me one.

postcard in progress

original work

postcard

original version for Hal Leonard

postcard

original for Highlights

Nesting in Style

  Maybe it's because the snow is going to fly, that I've finally found the time to get this illustration on my blog. Nesting instincts are kicking in, and birds are fluffing up their downy feathers. About a month ago  I was fortunate to illustrate a piece for Highlights  called Spring Search, which will come out in....wait for it... the spring! The challenge for the young readers is to find as many shiny, sparkly things as they can, just like the bluejay has.

  But  they shouldn't actually try to steal people's jewelry. They can climb a tree and make a nest though, and surround themselves with their own possessions, and look down on the passersby on the street and make bird calls at them.  That would be fun.  But later.  Now it's winter, so they will have to fluff up their feathers and wait.

photoshop color

 

base drawing: graphite pencil and white pastel pencil

Really Bright Kids

  It's only November and I miss the sun already.
  Recently I had the pleasure of working on a cover with Hal Leonard, a company that creates and publishes music for schools.
   The art director took my finished illustration and further embellished it on the page.  When I saw it, my first thought was that it looks like they are looking down through a skylight. I wonder if "Up on the Roof" is one of the songs.

sketch

final

detail

cover final

Dig In

Groundhogs Day is coming early this year, and it's followed closely by spring planting.  My latest cover for High Five's June issue provided me with some good clean colorful fun in the dirt. If you can find the hidden H, you win a nasturtium. Can you dig it?

sketch

Build dams, not walls.

A new cover for the October issue of High Five.  Art director: Kelley Cunningham.  

detail

Follow your Smart Little Nose

  I almost forgot to post this cover illustration from a few months back. There's often a lag between the time I create the work and get a sample of the printed piece.  Sometimes it's like a surprise in the mail. It's so nice to get a physical sample of the work; especially when there are real mazes inside.. lots of them! Everyone wants  to wander around and try to find their way back home sometimes.  I want to be the prairie dog with the hot tub. I want to be him really, really bad. You have no idea how much.  I also want a baby grand, and I'd like more time to read. I guess I've given these dogs the chance to live the life I've always wanted.  They'll have to work for it, but they'll thank me someday.

Pajama Party!

Such a busy few months ! Could not turn down this offer from Hal Leonard for a sheet music cover for the wee ones. Songs about getting ready for bed! Sounds wonderful... "is there a monster under my bed?" they sing in unison...  I can almost hear  them.  My sketch:

 ...and the finished piece.

Just in time for cuddling up and recovering from my killer cold ( a little human interest there to  make my post captivating.)  Let's see, what else?  I  kidnapped my neighbor's kids and made them pose for me for this piece. That's how I caught this cold. No, not really. Thanks to my artist friend Sheree Boyd for providing use of her red plaid. She really did.  Goodnight!

Come On In! We Have Hot Chocolate!

A recent cover for the February 2015 issue of High Five. 

 I  start with a pencil drawing and add photoshop color, which makes it easy to adjust colors if needed.

detail.

The finished cover.

Sleepy Bees

 I'm currently working on the cover art for a Highlights Hidden Pictures issue. 

This is the base layer, drawn in pencil. I've started adding color in photoshop.

 Five fish are hiding.

 Color blocked in roughly.

 The final piece. 
 This may be the best cover to date that I've produced for this publication.
 Thanks to the inherent charming nature of bees who do actually curl up to sleep in their flowers.

Who stole my nuts?

 Ranger Rick asked me to illustrate an article on woodpeckers. This red-bellied couple is  preparing to order a tasty meal at their favorite cafe´. "Hmmm, should I have the peanuts again or should I splurge and go for the suet cake?" 

  Using the old paper background was a new experiment.  The "menu"  was not asked for in the layout, but since the space was there; I just couldn't help doing it for myself, after the illustration was sent. Who can resist a tattered empty page? Lately I just can't leave anything be; I want to push it further, into a different realm.

This squirrel thug has just stolen from the acorn woodpecker's stash. 

Just playing around again, I put some color behind him for added drama.

He will appear  something like  this in the magazine. 

So, I'm thinking he would be great on a tote bag. Although that might imply that the carrier of such a bag is a shoplifter. Hmmmm...should I?

Lizard Beach

After the brutal heat most of the country has endured in the past week; I thought it was time for everyone to get to the beach. If you see lizards there, maybe you have had too much sun. If you see 5 donuts hidden in the scene, maybe you are hungry!
One cool thing I learned about chameleons is that they can move each eye independently. They don't really like donuts though; so they have no desire to look at them, no matter how many there are.

I had fun making this cover image for High Five Hidden Pictures, a new magazine for younger kids.