Meet Katharine!

I got the ok from the editor so I'd like to introduce Katharine, the Almost Great! The author, Lisa Mullarky has posted more about the series on her website and journal. Lisa is a great writer and I really have enjoyed working on this fun series of chapter books over the past 6 months. I think the kids are going to love reading these!

Available January 2009 through Magic Wagon, a division of the ABDO Group, www.abdopublishing.com or your favorite educational wholesaler!

Here is a peek at three out of the six cover images.

The smell of sharpened pencils

Late summer has been fairly mild here which is a rarity for Missouri in August! The grass is still green and the nights are just beginning to cool. It's back to school time and the smell of sharpened pencils and boxes of new crayons are in the air.

I know I am WAY early with this sketch but it's been in my head for a long, long time and I finally put a rough on paper.

I'm sure we'll have the 90's again next week but I'm enjoying the Fall-like weather anyway!

with blue added

Here it is with blue added. I had to get some actual paying work done today as well so I didn't get to paint it anymore than the addition of blue but I think I like it like this. I think I would like to do a whole book in this palette.

Color experiment

Here is my first attempt at painting this piece. I tried it in digital watercolor, first. I've been wanting to try a sepia watercolor and thought this would work nicely for an upcoming Fall promo post card mailer.

I may try painting it in my regular watercolor palette as well. The great thing with doing it digitally is you can experiment a lot.

Best Friends

On another blog that I am on, the topic is best friends so I came up with this. I may try to paint it tomorrow. I really want to write a book about my dog before she leaves this world but I'm afraid that probably won't happen so this piece is dedicated to my sweet Brandy dog.

Another illustration process

Here is my attempt at traditional watercolor. It's been way too long and watercolor is so tough for me to stay loose. I am in love with my friend, Paige Keiser's work and I so wish I could stay loose like that.

Anyway, I decided to document the process on this piece I did over the past couple days for fun.

Here's stage 1, my original sketch:Then, I cleaned up my sketch, although trying to keep that spontaneity of the first sketch. That is so tough for me.
Stage 2:
Next, I do the first layer of water color washes.
Stage 3:
Next, I add shading and a little more detail without going too crazy. That's another tough thing for me...not to overwork my piece. Especially with watercolor.
Stage 4:And lastly, here is the final painting. And as I load these images I realize that I scanned these a bit dark but oh well. You get the idea.
Stage 5:

My illustration process

First off, let me explain why the big copyright on illos from now on. Unfortunately, in this new world of technology, folks just don't understand that it is illegal to lift images from the web to use for their own purposes without asking permission first so from now on, I will be putting my copyright on all images that I own the copyright for.


OK, now back to blogging...

Here is a sketch I did for my portfolio a year or two ago for the tween market. I thought it might be helpful to share my process.

First, my sketch done on the Cintiq



and then a color study(which I don't always do), done in watercolor washes


and then, finally the acrylic final.

It's still hot!

OK. It's 100 degrees today with high humidity to boot! That's what I get for complaining about the 80's and being humid.

Here's another piece pulled from the old archives. It was for another ed. publisher.

I'm dreaming of those cooler Fall days to come in about a month or two...where you can actually go to the park and play.