Creating Awe and Wonder
One Illustration at a time.
Perfect Penelope.
Perfect Penelope could scuba dive, play soccer, fish, fly kites, wash dishes and even brush her teeth without being asked.
Birthday Postcard Reset
I think the most time consuming part is picking out a card for each person. Most of them fall into categories, however: Young child, pre-teen, teenager, young adult, young adult with children, middle age parents, older age grandparents and great grandparents.
Picking up Juicy Morsels off the Cutting Room Floor.
There are always these nuggets of delicious writing or illustrations that have to be cut to help a story stay on topic. They can often be made into a different story.
Crafting a Pitch
As I reviewed my notes from NJ SCBWI conference from this past June, Katrina Moore, author of One Hug (2019), Grandpa Grumps (2020), and Grumpy New Year suggested that we write out our pitch. Try to keep it less than 4 sentences.
Other Things to Keep in Mind: Graphic Novels
I didn’t realize how much I learned from Sharee Miller’s workshop “From Picture Books to Graphic Novels” at the NJ SCBWI Conference until I went through my notes. At the end of her workshop, she had a bunch of tips to keep in mind when you are creating graphic novels:
Pitching a Graphic Novel
How to pitch a Graphic Novel….or at least the pieces you might need to communicate your ideas according to Sharee Miller at the NJ SCBWI Conference June 2023.
Graphic Novels
Sharee Miller and Elise Gravel teach me a little bit more about creating a graphic novel. Insight I gained from the NJ SCBWI conference.
Editors and Agents are People
What do you say to agents and editors at conferences? You are suppose to pitch them ideas for stories and get to know them and help them like you so they will want to represent you or hire you or buy your project. It is just SO MUCH PRESSURE.
NJ SCBWI 2023
The main reason I chose to attend the NJ SCBWI conference was to get feedback on Paige and Webb. Specifically, I needed agent and editor feedback. I thought I had a great manuscript and I even dreamed the night before about having the agent being really excited about the possibilities.
Paige and Webb Evolve
The process of writing Draft #9 with pictures has made Paige and Webb Evolve.
Metal Flowers
The most beautiful art installation I’ve done so far. So much fun! I love the result. Thanks to all the kids in the 5th and 6th grade Art Club at Brownstone Intermediate School.
Let’s Talk Turkey
I printed each turkey on a card and then we passed them around the room and everyone wrote something they loved or were grateful about that person inside the card.
A New Art Exhibit!
One weekend in October, I happened to be at my local library while they were having an exhibit opening. Last year at this time, the library was not having any exhibits.
Epoch Arts: Art Show!
One of my goals for 2023 is to increase my local following. And since it is being held in November, I think my Alien Thanksgiving Painting is perfect for the event.
My Historical Creatures
Today, I finished 2 more Monster Portrait paintings and decided to hang all of them on the wall. There were still nail holes from 2020 when I hung them up the first time.
Discovering the Favicon
As I was messing around somewhere behind the curtain, I came across the Favicon.* It is the little icon that shows up in a browser’s tab on your computer.
Don’t Polish a Turd
One of the first things our instructor Perry Stewart told us was a story of a road trip where he found a unique souvenir: cow dung covered in a high gloss polish. He told us to stop polishing turds.
Monsters Come Alive
Today I worked on the Minotaur. He has only been waiting for me to finish him for almost 2 years.