Quick post...

I just finished my first 100% digital illustration.  It's fun, and competent, but I have a long way to go.

First Fangbone!

Aside from a few doodles, this is really the "first" Fangbone drawing I ever completed.  It's still very rough, and sketchy, but this image nailed down what I was thinking about.  "Bonesword" was the kid barbarian's name for a short while, but was changed to Fangbone very early in the project.

Bill also became bolder, and a more important part of the story.  In this drawing he looks like the just tags along being scared.

I think that original title of the book was "Bonesword and Bill" for a bit as well.  The main reason "Bonesword" was changed is that it was a tough word to read correctly.  It could be read as "Bone-sword" which was correct, but people also read it as "Bone's-word" which was not my inattention at all.

I like this drawing.  When I was first thinking about this idea, it was more of an illustrated chapter book, and not a comic, so this detailed, fussy style might have worked.

Sketchbook and updates...

Again, I can't believe how much time has passed since my last update.  I finished the last Icky Ricky book (#6), and went right into drawing a new picture book.  Animation has started on the Fangbone! TV show, we've got a large chunk of the 50, 11-minute scripts written, and episodes are in all different stages of production.  It's a lot to keep up with.  I've also completed my school visits for the year.

I'm going to post a few sketchbook pieces just to keep up with this, but I am planning a few specific updates soon.

With no particular logic here are some kids, an old car, and some raggedy aliens...

Fangbone! wins!

I'm very happy to announce that the Fangbone! pilot won the 2015 Kidscreen award for Best One-Off, Special or TV Movie.  We're off and running!

Unit 77 sketches

While I am working away on the art for last Icky Ricky book, I’ve been spending a good amount of time trying to figure out what to do next.  One of the things I’ve been interested in is something that is true sci-fi.  I’ve always loved science fiction, and have gone through phases where I’ve read a ton of it.  But as much as I love something like Star Wars, I’m really interested in “hard” sci-fi.  I don’t want to read about magic, and I don’t think I could tolerate another story where there is a “chosen one.”

I’ve been messing around with a character called "Unit 77" who is a clone.  He’s been created to do one certain job, but he thinks that there has to be more to life…

That’s the short version of it.  I’ve been sussing out other characters, and locations, and how the stories would move.  Right now, I’m thinking about it as a graphic novel series, or possibly illustrated chapter books.  I’m not sure.  It’s still pretty early in the idea stages.

As I have said in other posts, I do believe that when one has an idea, it is good to make it concrete, and to get it out there in some way.  It becomes real.  I also feel that if I post these conceptual stages on my blog, I really force my self to keep thinking about the idea.

Here are just a few “Unit 77” sketchbook pages.  Mad Max made his way into the last one, but I guess I lose some street cred because he’s driving on the wrong side.  I kept that sketch in there because it also shows a bit of my process.  I spend a good deal of time trying to remember what got me excited about drawing and story telling when I was young.  I haven’t lost any interest in these pursuits at all, its just that I like trying to get back to creative ground zero every now and then, and see if there’s something there that I have yet to explore.

Astronaut #19, and more

My "50 Astronauts" continues to roll along with no end in sight. It's really just a place for me to try out new things.  I'm really happy I found this guy who was lurking in one of my sketchbooks.

Below is a drawing of a kid named "Worm" that is the star of something I've been playing with forever.  Here he is, lost many years in the future, trying to explain Rock'n'Roll to a robot, and extolling the virtues of "The Modern Lovers."

Awards...and not winning...

Congrats to the mighty Dan Santat on his Caldecott Medal for "Beekle."

Days like today are hard for most writers and illustrators.  We are happy to see our friends win, but I'm sure that the thought of "Why didn't I win?" goes through everyone's mind.  For me, I know it's no longer a jealous, or angry thought, but more of a clinical, academic thought.

What does the winner do better than me?

What skills does he posses that I don't?

Is it the technique being rewarded, or the content of the image?

Are people impressed with the technical accomplishment of the drawings, or the emotional weight that an image can carry?

Why do some books affect readers more than others?

Is there a style that is currently popular?

Hopefully, one can learn from theses questions, as tough as some of the answers might be.  The other thing that has always made me feel less grumpy on a day like today is numbers.  Thousands of picture books were published this year.  Only a few will win awards.

The truth is, I haven't even released a picture book since 2010's "Furious George Goes Bananas." I wasn't even in the running. I have been working on a few ideas, but haven't been able to find the time to really flesh them out.  Between the Icky Ricky books, and the Fangbone! tv work,  and school visits, I'm plenty busy.

This is a cover sketch/idea for one of my new stories.  Excuse me while I go think...

2015 News...

Happy New Year!  I feel that I can still say that since it's only January 31. I haven't posted since October, which I think is one of the longest lulls I've ever had.  The truth is, I have been crazy busy, and things are amazing right now.  In a few weeks I'll have a ton of news about Fangbone!  I'm also working on the art for Icky Ricky 6, and the picture book I wrote about in the previous post.

I was going through my phone and deleting pictures that I no longer need, and I came across these 3 shots from a school visit.  I had eaten lunch with some kids, and then we drew on the table cloth.  Truthfully, I can't remember what school it was, but I had a lot of fun, and this kids seem to enjoy it as well.

I'll be posting often in the next few weeks.  Enjoy.