The Art of The Line in a Picture Book Dummy - Patricia Keeler

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I've always created dummies in pencil, (digital notwithstanding), because dummies are just sketched ideas. Since the story and art will probably be changed, any effort more than a loose sketch is probably not the best use of my time. I might have a couple of finished color images from the dummy, but they would be included separately. All this makes perfect sense.

But I also know how hard it is to sell a picture book. I might have a great art with brilliant writing, (kidding), but I still need to show it in the best possible way. Pencil sketches may be fine, but using the same amount of time, are they my best sketching tool?

Before finalizing your dummy for an editor/art director it's possible to analyze the art and story to decide what drawing tool would best work for the sketches.

If you are not doing backgrounds — just focusing on an animal or child for the dummy — you might consider using a brush pen. That's because in one stroke, the line can vary from thin to wide. This can make a simple image pop.

©patriciakeeler

I love my Pentel Arts Pocket Brush pen. Look at the fine point and the fat top! It takes an ink cartridge just like a fountain pen.

I haven't had the courage to try this for an entire dummy, but I've seen dummies created with Prismacolor's Col-Erase — erasable colored pencils. The dummies were created using a single color. It may be subjective whether the editor/art director thinks using color to create a dummy is appropriate, but the dummies created in color that I saw, have stayed in my mind for their unique look.

©patriciakeeler

Another interesting drawing tool I've seen used is a wide graphic pencil. This seems to work well with dummies that have a lot of trees and grasses, or rows of buildings. This seems to soften a busy landscape.

©patriciakeeler

Children's book illustrators are expanding artistic possibilities in every step of the book creation process. However book dummies are not often shared publicly because author/illustrators don't want to present an idea before it's time. 

But the look of a book dummy is evolving. Now artists are creating more original dummies while working within the 'just-sketches-please' parameters. If using a certain drawing tool to make your dummy doesn't take any longer than using a #2 pencil, why not create with panache?

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represented by Liza Royce Agency www.lizaroyce.com

How Do You Turn An Idea Into A First Draft? by Patricia Keeler

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Most author/illustrator groups will critique your manuscript once you've got it as finished as possible, but are there groups that help develop a seed of an idea into a first draft?

In a large room with two walls of floor to ceiling windows, about 20 graphic designers, theater people, art teachers and others, gather to develop portfolios and create children's books. They make up Monica Wellington's Monday (and Wednesday) night class, Children's Book Illustration, at the School of Visual Arts in New York City on 21st Street.

Monica's class is different from other classes I've taken. In the past I haven't presented a picture book idea to a group until I had at least a rough draft. In this class, we begin by drawing a sample illustration of a picture book concept that we are thinking about. We post our images on the wall.

©patriciakeeler

Sometimes Monica introduces a story prompt. In one class we wrote down jobs that our extended families have had. I was thinking of my brother-in-law who is a chef, so developed the idea of a witch who was a chef. (Think Oily Snail Soup and Crispy Spider Legs.)

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For each new story idea, we create an illustration. Monica asks each artist how their artwork relates to their story idea. The class critiques the artwork, and discusses the possibilities of the related story concept.

We are entering the second half of the semester, and the class has introduced a lot of new art and ideas for picture books. We now choose one story and are asked to create a thumbnail dummy with the story written under the pictures.

©patriciakeeler

From here our art will expand in size and detail as the story line evolves.

My classmates have a unique, insightful and sometimes funny takes on the work. They are kind and sharing, and bring a wide variety of illustration styles and techniques.

For me, Monica Wellington's approach to creating a picture book from one sketch feels like tiptoeing up to a sleeping tiger. It's a smoother, easier method than sitting down at a keyboard facing the open jaws of a blank screen. And artwork that doesn't develop into a picture book, works as a portfolio piece.

©patriciakeeler

©patriciakeeler

As a visual thinker, I appreciate Monica Wellington's unique approach to creating children's books. It's wonderful to have support from a terrific teacher and classmates when you're going from the fragile, uncertain beginnings of an idea, across that wide abyss to a picture book dummy.  

Helpful comments from Sophia Dookh, Estella Morgan and Monica Wellington.       ©patriciakeeler

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Twitter: @patriciakeeler

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represented by Liza Royce Agency www.lizaroyce.com

DIANA DELOSH WINNER SKY PONY MANUSCRIPT REVIEW

Congratulations Diana Delosh in winning the Sky Pony Manuscript Review! 

Sky Pony editors will be critiquing Diana's wonderful and whimsical picture book dummy, 

THIS STINKS, with color samples.

So excited for Diana!

When life gets in the way... by Barbara DiLorenzo

A year ago, I was a workhorse. I'd wake up and get my son to school by 7am, drink my coffee, then dive into drawing and painting. Some days were interrupted by teaching or other social obligations. But I was dogged in my determination to bring my picture book projects to publication. I'd post sketches and paintings-in-progress on social media. I was proud of my productivity. A year ago, I had sold my first book, and was about to embark on a research trip to Italy. My life was solid. My determination to reach my career goals, unshakeable.

But then, in the fall, my husband of 15 years and I decided to part ways. Although the build-up to this decision was logical, and we truly did exhaust all our options, we ended up vowing to remain friends and cooperatively parent our amazing son. Despite the amicable nature of our separation–this took the stuffing out of me. And him. I stopped drawing for awhile. I stopped answering emails or posting on social media. I didn't want to face people. I didn't know how to navigate this new territory, other than putting one foot in front of the other, taking care of my son and showing up to teach my art classes.

The late fall and holiday season were sad for me. But even in that dark time, I found comfort in loved ones–and enormous joy that my debut picture book, RENATO AND THE LION, was suddenly moving forward. The book had been in a holding pattern of sorts, which had made me wonder if it would ever come to light. At my most depressed point, I suddenly felt buoyed that this project was indeed, alive.

The publishing team had approved the text, and asked me for rough thumbnails. What would normally take two days of solid effort–took me over a month. Despite my excitement for the book, the impact of a pending divorce had slowed me down mentally. I had to get my sh*t together, or I'd risk losing my lifelong dream of creating a book–a book with a story that I love.

The team at Viking was gracious, and didn't say anything about my delay. Instead, they brought me in to discuss edits to help me proceed to the next stage. Their suggestions were smart and helpful, and I was excited to be back on track. I worked like a dog for a week and a half to produce more refined sketches, and was proud to turn them in. Currently, we are at an exciting point in the book production–with the deadline for final art approaching in September. And now, I am working at an efficient, effective pace again.

I am grateful to my loved ones and to the publishing team that believes in my book. Their faith in me, especially during a dark time, has lit the path to help me find my way back–back to my normal, workhorse flow.

Website: www.barbaradilorenzo.com

Illustration Blog: Paint & Paper
Follow me on Twitter: @wavepaint

The value of time away from your work... by Barbara DiLorenzo

I love coming up with a book idea that feels solid. If it is strong enough, and I feel a real connection with the characters, I jump into the long process of building (or problem solving) a story using words and pictures. A brief outline of the plot comes first, followed by thumbnail sketches scrawled loosely on a micro storyboard. After this stage, I try out my idea on fellow artists, friends and family members. Sometimes glaring errors pop up and I realize it's time to revise heavily, or possibly rethink the idea. Was it as good as I had imagined? But sometimes folks seem to resonate with the concept, and I feel a green light to move forward. Usually my thumbnail drawings are hard to read, so sometimes the refined sketching stage flags new problems with the plot or the characters. The more I revise and work on a book dummy, the more I lose my perspective on whether certain moments work or not. If I am trying to pull a book together to submit to a contest, I will doggedly work on the drafts without a real break, in order to make the deadline. And that is usually when I run smack into a wall. I show the dummy to someone after weeks of hard work–expecting that their reaction will directly correspond to the huge amount of work I did. (I worked so, so, so hard=they will love it.) Only, normally, it doesn't happen this way. The person recognizes that the pile of pages is a labor of love. But for some reason, they don't love it. Why? Sometimes it's because they don't understand it, and I think, "How could they not understand it? It's so clear to me!"Of course it's clear to me. I'm immersed in the project. I don't know anything else as I sleep, eat and breathe my new book. I have no perspective.

This problem is the result of not stepping back from my work. If I paint a watercolor painting, I constantly work up close, then step back to check everything makes sense. I encourage my art students to take breaks and put their work up across the room from them to see it from a distance. Yet when making books, I sometimes neglect this crucial step. Every book on writing says some version of this. Step 1: Write the best book ever. Step 2: Put it in a drawer and forget about it. Step 3: Start a new book. Step 4: Eventually return to your first book after months away, and you will see it wasn't as amazing as you thought. Step 5: Revise like hell and listen to feedback that makes sense. Step 6: Rinse and repeat until the book doesn't stink. 

Recently I felt guilty about taking about a month away from a book project dear to my heart. I planned to tackle smaller projects and clear time for the big book project. But the small projects kept dragging on and on, and I finally used up the few weeks of free time I had planned to finish the big book project. I felt guilty and frustrated. But amazingly, the extended time away gave me what I never give to myself–perspective. Suddenly I saw the plot more clearly, and in no time I had thumbnails scrawled across most of the pages. Although I had waited longer to get started, I was actually working faster and with more clarity after the time away. 

I point this out only to help other bookmakers, struggling to hammer a manuscript or book dummy into shape. Sometimes all you need is a little time away, and then the work becomes clear. You can see exactly what needs help, as well as what is truly working well. 

Website: www.barbaradilorenzo.com

Illustration Blog: Paint & Paper
Follow me on Twitter: @wavepaint