Process Story by Jason Kirschner

In preparation for this post, I’ve gone back and reread a few of my more recent posts.  It occurs to me that for a site who’s title includes the words “drawn” and “picture books”, I’ve done very little talk about either of those things.  I was also inspired about Diana’s most recent post which talked a bit about process. I thought I could do a step by step about my latest illustration.

I had two tasks I thought I could combine.  The primary task was to create a new summer-themed postcard to mail out to art directors.  The second, more minor task, was to supply myself with “sketches of the day” that I could post to my Instagram feed (which I’m woeful at keeping up with but follow me anyway).

I did a really really really rough sketch to just map out my idea.  It’s my equivalent of thinking out loud.  I think on the paper. It's usually rougher than rough. The sketch for this one was so ethereal and incomprehensible that I couldn't get a good scan of it.

Once I saw proof of concept, I sketched out all the characters separately-- first with roughs. This is how I always work. I draw all of the different pieces, characters, backgrounds, props on their own. Then I scan and “cut out” each in Photoshop.  I used the individual sketches for instagram posts to accomplish goal #2.
Then I basically collage the whole mess.  I enlarge certain things and shrink others.  I move the pieces around on my canvas until I have the arrangement that I like. I also play with opacity.  I like to fade the backgrounds out so focus remains on the characters. When I've got it mostly there I print out and draw cleaner versions of the characters and rescan.  At this stage I also add a texture layer over the whole thing. I really love jpgs of old papers I find online. It helps to keep the piece looking handmade and not digital.   I lock those down and start to color.

Layout with rough sketches.

Newer layout with more final sketches & texture applied. Moved some stuff around.

Character colors painted in. No highlights yet.

Here's my folder for Mouse.

First I block in the main color for each on a “multiply” layer above each character. For each character I also add separate layers for shadow (another multiply layer)  and highlight (normal or overlay layer depending).  Linking these layers per character allow me to move things around a bit when I need to.  Or I throw them all into a group folder. I sometimes add eyeballs later so I can control who's looking at who.
I also add shadows to ground the characters —although here none of them are on the ground.  Jerks.

Here's what I posted on Instagram.

I tweak things forever.  Seriously.  I can’t help myself. I’ve even moved things around since I posted the image.   The only thing that saves me from working on it forever is a deadline or a more pressing illustration.  I have been known to take out drawings from graduate school which was  <REDACTED> years ago and add some fixes.  It says a lot about me. Most of it--not good.

Couldn't help myself and kept moving things around. Here's the final. For now.

I think this was more of a look into my psyche than my process but either way I hope it was useful and/or enjoyable.  I'm always interested in how other people work.  If you ever want to share your process, let me know. 

By day, Jason is an Emmy nominated set designer for television, with credits that include Harry, The Meredith Vieira Show, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and The Late Show with David Letterman. By night, Jason is an author and illustrator of children's books. You can find his debut picture book, Mr. Particular: The World's Choosiest Champion on shelves in bookstores everywhere. See Jason's work, both illustrations and set designs,  at www.jasonkirschner.com . Follow him on instagram @jkirsch118. 

Art for a Cause - By Deborah Cuneo

You know how when you go to a gathering at someone's home, and there's that person sitting on the floor in the corner, playing with the dog? ...That would be me!  I've always  loved dogs, actually all kinds of animals and despite my parents protests, I've been rescuing all sorts of animals, bugs, fish, amphibians, reptiles and rodents, since I was a little kid.

 

Take Me Home - Pencil sketch

Fast forward a few years... Aside from being adopted by multiple rescue dogs and cats over the years, I have always collected for and donated to our local shelters . "Admission" to any of my home parties, is usually spare cans or bags of food for the shelters.  There are still so many animals that were either surrendered because the owners were too sick or too old to continue their care, or were rescued from horrible neglect and abuse, then put into shelters.  Some are lucky to get adopted right away, but some are there much longer and not all shelters have the funding to care for and rehabilitate them for any length of time...and, well...you know how that ends.  I wanted to do more.

 

Dog Sketches - Pencil and Liquid Pencil

So...While organizing all my artwork in my flat files, I discovered that I had a lot of dog illustrations and sketches that I've done over the years, either  as samples for submissions or for different SCBWI events. Looking at that pile of orphaned illustrations, I immediately came up with a plan! A couple of the more involved ideas are already in the works and I will be able to share them with you on my personal blog at a later date, but because I'm in the throes of finishing my book, it's hard for me to do everything right now, so I decided to start small, until the book job is done. 

 

More Dog Art - acrylic/colored pencil/ digital

Character Study - pencil sketch

A couple of months ago, I started  posting one piece of dog art from that pile of illustrations and sketches, on Instagram every Friday.  Once my book is done, I will begin sharing a newly created piece of dog art, hopefully each week. While I work on my drawing skills,  I am also hoping to encourage  people, through my art, to consider the shelters and rescue organizations  when looking for a pet. 

 

Mini Sketch Series - Pencil

 Some of the art is kidlit, some of the posts are more fine arts pet portraits, but all are posted with the same intention...to hopefully lead to placing as many shelter animals as possible,  in a loving,  "fur-ever" home. 

 

Dog Character - Pencil sketch

More to come, so feel free to follow along at:

Website: www.deborahcuneoillustration.com
Blog: Creating Out Loud  deborahcuneo.blogspot.com
Facebook: Deborah Cuneo Illustration

Twitter: @debcuneoart 

 Instagram: @ataleof2studios

Getting a Nonfiction Picture Book Published - by Patricia Keeler

The fire alarm in the Macmillan building is really loud! I know, because I set if off. I was so excited about having sold my nonfiction picture book, I couldn't wait for the down elevator. I ran into the stairwell, not noticing the Emergency Exit Only sign, setting off lights and sirens. Later, my editor said, "I knew that was you." 

So things got better on my second visit to New York.

With Marsha Marshall, Senior Editor at Atheneum Publishers/Macmillan

Making A Sale

Even though I'd rather chew ice on a bad tooth then market a picture book after my initial 'not-going-to-happen' rejections, I started mailing dummies to editors. I did get some pen and ink illustration work for textbooks, but it wasn't until I saw David Macaulay's The Way Things Work that I got the big idea to make an illustrated book showing where everything comes from. The biggest concept I could think of would sell, right? I called it Sources.

Sample dummy page from Sources

Sample dummy page from Sources

Amazingly, Marcia Marshall, Senior Editor at Atheneum Publishers/Macmillan, got back to me. Sources didn't work for her, but she was good with a picture book about where clothing fibers come from. Unraveling Fibers was to be published in 1995.

Marcia came to my Virginia home on her way to visit her daughter in Florida and collected the finished work for Unraveling Fibers. (So cool to direct my editor past the Virginia Museum and Dogwell Dell ampitheater and up my street. And there she was, munching cheese crackers in my kitchen.)

Marcia was surprised when I gave her a photo book layout and I'd done with my husband, Francis McCall. Switching from illustrations to photographs wasn't really something I thought I needed to talk to my editor about. We had to take the pictures anyway, and it seemed like a lot of extra work to copy them in watercolor.

There are some challenging editors, but Marcia Marshall has got to be the kindest, most understanding of them all.

Unraveling Fibers Photos

Francis and I grew silkworms. You can see silkworms still spinning themselves into the cocoon.

Jenny Wagner holding a llama. Alpacas on the right.

Unraveling Fibers Cover Designs

I did submit an illustrated cover design.

Original cover painting I placed on a bed of wool fibers.

 They rushed out a cover with black and white photos. I think that might be my fault. 

My final cover design on left. Cover created by Atheneum on right.

Unraveling Fibers made the New York Times book review!

Website: www.patriciakeeler-author-illustrator.com

Facebook:  PatriciaKeelerBooks

Twitter: @patriciakeeler
Instagram: @patriciakeeler

represented by Liza Royce Agency www.lizaroyce.com

Groundhog Waltz, Illustration Process - by Diana Ting Delosh

Here's a peek into my illustration process.

My tools from L to R: mechanical pencil, 0.7mm HB black lead, kneaded eraser, Micron  Brush Pen, Higgins Black India Ink, brush, 00 Rapidiograph pen, Black India Rapidiograph Ink Universal waterproof for paper & film, assorted brushes, paint palette for mixing my colored inks.

 It all starts with a rough pencil sketch. Usually I refine it. Sometimes I'm bold and reckless and just plop the sketch on my light box, throw my watercolor paper on top and begin inking. Ideally, IF the sketch is spot on I should be able to ink totally on the light box that way there are no pencil lines to erase. However reality is messy and sometimes in the middle of inking I realize that the foot looks off or whatever and I start fixing it and then it's hard to see where I should ink so I'll finish inking on my drawing board.

Groundhog Waltz - Rough Pencil Sketch © Diana Ting Delosh
Haven't decided if they should wear hats or not.

Lately, I'm using either the Micron Brush Pen, truly water proof -Very  important as I paint over my ink work, or a brush and a bottle of waterproof ink for some of my line work. The problem with felt tip pens is that the point wears down and the black greys out. Love the thick lines and the ability to taper off to nothingness. Some details I add in with  Rapidiograph pens.

Before inking, I decide on the hierarchy of my illustration. What's the focal point? I use the more dynamic thick/thin lines on my primary focus. Thinner lines on my mid-ground/background. I'm right handed so I go from left to right to avoid smudging my ink. I also begin inking something crucial, so if I screw up, I haven't just wasted oodles of time. On the other hand, sometimes I just keep going and fix it in Photoshop later. Scan my inks after erasing any smudges or pencil marks.

After the ink is scanned I'll add in any pencil marks that I want for texture or further delineation.

Groundhog Waltz - Ink © Diana Ting Delosh

Sometimes beginning makes me nervous so I will ease into a piece. Sneak up on it. I'll start by painting the eyes or something else small. Lay down shadows in indigo and or sepia. Before I know it I've found my way into the illo and am painting away. After the paint has dried, I adjust colors as needed. I paint with colored inks, using them like watercolors. I like the brilliant colors. Like watercolors, it is a transparent medium. I can darken, mute or slightly alter a hue but I can't lighten. Thankfully most oops may be fixed digitally. Scan, Photoshop - Voila - it's done. Now off for a sugar fix.

Groundhog Waltz - Final Art © Diana Ting Delosh

Website: dianadelosh.com

Blog: dtdelosh.blogspot.com

Twitter: @dtdelosh

Q&A - Diana Ting Delosh

Before I introduce myself via the Drawn to Picture Books' Q&A, I'd like to say how happy I am to be a part of this group. FYI: we will be posting weekly on wednesdays by noon, introducing ourselves over the next few weeks.

What are you working on?
Currently, I'm working on a few stand alone illustrations, sort of as a warm-up before I dive into my picture book dummy.

Groundhog Waltz

© Diana Ting Delosh

What is your medium?
Ink, Watercolor, Pencil and Photoshop. Currently, I make my lines with: brush pen, marker, Rapidiograph pen. Sometimes there's pencil showing through for texture and subtle delineation. I mostly paint in the colors with water soluble colored inks. Sprinkle in some Photoshop magic and voila!

Little Red

© Diana Ting Delosh 

Who are your creative influences?
To name just a few, on the illustration side there's Beatrix Potter, Richard Scarry and Maurice Sendak. I think you can see some of their influence in my art.  Then on the writing side, there's Jane Yolen and Ray Bradbury. This is not to say I write like them just that I aspire to beautiful lyrical writing. There are also gazillion other illustrators and authors whose works I adore but I think the artists and writers of my youth are the ones who made the strongest impression on me. My childhood art heroes definitely helped me develop my visual language.

Nerdy Chick
© Diana Ting Delosh

Your picture book process: do the words come first or the images or both?
I tend to daydream my stories until they're more concrete. And then it depends on the story, which comes first: the writing or the drawing. Most of the time when I try to write down the story the words evade me. Sometimes I draw out the story in very rough, hairball sketches and add captions.  Then do more drawings and go back and forth between writing and drawing until I have something cohesive. Every now and then I begin a story with the words. My current project started with the words.

Ballerina Bunny
© Diana Ting Delosh

If you were an animal what would you be?
Rabbit. If I were to draw myself as an animal I would immediately personify myself as a bunny. Perhaps it's the Beatrix Potter influence.

Strawberry & Cream Cupcake
© Diana Ting Delosh
Hope it's chocolate cake underneath that cream.

What is your favorite yummy?

Cake, preferably chocolate.

Fox Dreams
© Diana Ting Delosh

Website: dianadelosh.com

Illustration Blog: The Hare Illustratere

Follow me on Twitter: @dtdelosh