Earth Day 2020: Flora & Fauna

Happy 50th anniversary, Earth Day!

...Away...

Truthfully? I sketched this on the back of an envelope, and I think it's the first thing I've drawn in a month. Oh, except for that doodle face I drew in the middle of a meeting at work today because I just couldn't stand it anymore... and I think one of the guys I was meeting with caught me. Oops. But that's what happens when I have to work nearly every weekend and at least one evening a week over the past month, including tonight and this Saturday. However, this old post says it all, so I will not rant again.

Enough negativity! I was tagged by talented illustrator (and chef, it seems!) Kathleen Rietz to share 7 random things about myself. I promise no negativity forthwith.

1) I acted in The Wizard of Oz twice: as the Wicked Witch of the West in 7th grade and as a munchkin in 10th. The first time was more fun because, let's face it, nothing beats a dramatic death scene that includes a trap door and lots of applause.

2) I have never had my driver's license. I didn't get it taken away, I was just a very busy 16-year-old.

3) I would really like to find a copy of the first edition of The Ordinary Princess (by M.M. Kaye) because I LOVE the book but hate the cover of the new version. Yes, I often judge books by their covers. I know I shouldn't, but I like to think it's an illustrator's prerogative.

4) I've always said that my favorite movie is The Princess Bride. Lately I've been thinking I should re-evaluate, because it seems unlikely that nothing since childhood rates. Candidates for the title of "new favorite" would have to include Amelie, Empire Records, and Millions.

5) I believe the Cincinnati Reds will contend in 2009. Or 2010. Either way, we're coming, so watch out National League. Also, I once convinced my high school to close school for Opening Day.

6) When the weather's not too awful and the hour's not too late, I walk to and from my day job... uphill both ways. (And, okay, downhill both ways, too.)

7) I made my first mix CD my first summer home from college, when I wanted to bring music from my computer into the kitchen while I made a pile of salami roll-ups for some now-forgotten event. I named that "Salami Mix," so every mix since has gotten a food name: Guacamole, Snickerdoodle, Lemonade, Falafel, Parsley, and Zucchini.

So now you know me just a bit better. I hope to be back to drawing and posting art soon!

Oh, I forgot-- I'm supposed to tag more people to pass this thing-a-ma-jig forward. So you're up, Aimee, Lindsay, Beth, and Gina.

Illustration Friday: VACANT

The twelfth princess looked back as she left the grove with the silver leaves. She was sure she'd heard a noise, like a snapping branch. But these woods were vacant, weren't they?

One of the first picture books I remember buying with my own money was the version of The Twelve Dancing Princesses illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. Luckily, Sanderson's style is completely different from mine--realistic oil paintings with exquisite, intricate detail vs. stylized, simplified pastel drawings. Otherwise I think I'd be too intimidated to take on this story--which would've been a shame, because I had a lot of fun with this one.

Come critique-ing!

Have opinions or insights about illustrations (yours, others)? Join in and speak up. Lindsay at Curly Illustrator has set up a critique group for beginning and aspiring illustrators (like yours truly!) to share thoughts and feedback with each other as we work toward illustrating professionally. Check it out--and consider joining us!!

What's for dinner?

Sketched this while watching The Devil Wears Prada. (A full-length movie= lots of detail and hatchmarks!) Anyway, I'm a little peeved at the film's implication that my illustrative hero, Mary Grandpre, would hand over a top secret children's book manuscript. I mean, really.

Currently reading The Mysterious Benedict Society. I'm about a third of the way in--it's fascinating!

Iiiiiit's Caldecott and Newbery time!

The American Library Association recently announced the winners of their various prizes (including the well-known ones mentioned above, and others including the Michael Printz, Coretta Scott King, and Pura Belpre awards) for children's literature.

I've not read (or for that matter, HEARD of!) any of the Newbery-cited books, but will remedy that shortly, I hope. Library, here I come!

I HAVE read the Caldecott winner, the delightful The Invention of Hugo Cabret-- thanks to a Christmas-day lending from my aunt Lisa and cousin Emma. I think it took me about a day and a half to get through, and is really worth looking at as a unique storytelling exercise. Part chapter book, part graphic novel, part animated flipbook, part homage to movies... I don't know, hard to categorize, but easy to enjoy.

I've also read one of the Caldecott honor books, Henry's Freedom Box-- the true story of an enslaved man, Henry "Box" Brown, who literally mailed himself to freedom. At the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center here in Cincinnati (where I used to work) there's a special corner featuring Henry's story, including a box kids can crawl in to see how cramped his journey was. Illustrator Kadir Nelson is fairly new to me, but I've loved all of his books I've come across.

Any thoughts on the winners? Any surprises?