The Pineapple Diary

Pineapple what? Pineapple who?

Wow. So this week has been an interesting sandwich. Monday started off super productive. I got some great news (I'm a finalist in the PictureBook contest, woo hoo! more on this another day), had time to get the house in order and felt like I could make art this week. Then the meaty middle of the sandwich was filled with napless days, sleepless nights, endless dishes, crying, frustration, shopping, etc. Not what I planned. Today has been a return to Monday with 2 naps from the little guy (shocking!) but I chose to crash on the couch and zone out for a whole hour.

Where have I been? Where am I going? It's a blur people, a blur of aforementioned challenges.

My one victory I'm holding onto - I finally finished a picture book manuscript. Hooray! The above sketch is one of the main characters. I need to get the dummy done, but it's a big achievement for me. I'll have to keep reminding myself of it during next week's meaty middle.

I'd say more but the little guy is awake. I guess I just wanted to pop in and say HELLO, and then GOODBYE!

Crafty Folk

My friend Jen (aka Recovergirl) coordinated the above event. Doesn't it sound wonderful? The Portsmouth Library is one of my favorite places to visit.

It's timed nicely to coordinate with The Button Factory's Open Studios. I still haven't seen Handmade Nation so I'm hoping to make it to this AND the Open Studios. I've had my eye on this artist's lovely necklaces since a farmer's market earlier this year. (She's on the first floor) I think one of them might be my Christmas present, I'll even wrap it up for hubby to give to me!

What We're Reading...

I've re-discovered my town's library this month. I had been trekking up to Portsmouth because I pay for a membership there and just adore it's big, new, shiny wealth of books, magazines and media of all kinds.

But that town library is so much closer. And with an infant it's nice to have a 3 minute drive rather than a 15+ one.

And that little library is quite nice. They have book bags full of infant/toddler books, ready to sling over your shoulder and check out - a very nice assortment too.

This week I think we're both enjoying this book:

The babies are beautifully drawn and my 8 month old son was drawn to it instantly. I can see why. It's all about babies and the things they do. Nothing like knowing your audience!

And who doesn't love a little girl who makes the old man of the sea look like a couch potato:

Also, since we're both fans of Leslie Patricelli, Higher and Higher. Which is fun but a VERY quick read. I do that she put her 'baby' character in the plane window...

And I can't say enough about Ba Ba Ha Ha. This was Miles' first book, and it still makes him smile and giggle.

 

 

Flashback Friday

This Flashback Friday brought to you by... Zombie Chickens in the Cafeteria!!!!!

You know, because it's almost Halloween.

This piece would make me laugh if it didn't make me cringe. Weird muppet-mouth kids, little orphan annie eyes, jellybean feet. I think I did this in 2002, just after I took my first (and only) illustration class and was still experimenting with style and technique. I still like the idea though!

Autumn Days

Babies totally GET living in the moment, don't they? I, on the other hand, need a reminder - not for the moments with him. But the moments in between. I'm taking a media break. If any of you have done The Artists' Way, you know what I mean. So I'm putting a few blog posts together this morning to auto-post in my absence.

Check out the gorgeous quilted blanket made by our friend Jen, aka Recovergirl. She blogged about it over here. It's 100% reclaimed/reused fabrics. Including the binding. She's amazing. It will be loved for a long time to come I think. Oh, and go here to enjoy more pictures of our lovely day in the park, etc.

Working it out, keeping it a secret

I've finally broken past the mental block(s) about an idea for a picture book. I had the glimmer of an idea a few years ago (ouch, yes it's been that long!) and have struggled with character, concept, style, and story - mostly in my head since. All the while I felt like I couldn't move on to other story ideas but also couldn't get to a good place with this one.

I spent a lot of quiet night time thinking things over with my newborn, then finally picked up a lined notebook some time ago on a rare early Sunday morning outing by myself and just started writing, drawing, doodling - without boundaries or structure. A few minutes a day, or not for a week at a time. I would write lists of cool names. Doodle heads and faces. Word association. First sentences. All these things mashed together without worrying about where it was going.

And before I knew it I had my characters, I had the overall story, their names, the style. I have miles to go before it's ready to share, even with my peers, but it feels good to get over one hurdle. It's been my dream to write and illustrate but my perfectionist side usually sabotages things right out of the gate.

It's easy to get discouraged looking at all the amazing titles already out, beautiful portfolios, blogs full of progress and finished work. The little sketches above are just rejected starts. Rough and ugly. But it's the stuff you need to plow through to get to the other side, right? And the stuff we sometimes forget everyone goes through.

Illustration Friday: Flying

Boy, this seems like an easy topic for most of us to dip back into old work. This was from my 21 Days exercise last year. What's most exciting is that this year I have a little boy who loves to be tossed into the air just like this!