Picture Book Marathon 2011 - Day 23

I think I'm bending the rules on this one, but technically this isn't a new picture book idea and I didn't write it.  It was actually written by Rick Walton, a buddy of mine.  But I am illustrating it.  So I figured I would use it for the marathon.

I'm still in the planning stages of the book, so these are really just some quick compositional sketches that I colored.

Plot Synopsis:

There is a little girl who is afraid of monsters but she figures that monsters are not very scary if she just calls them bunnies.  Then she races all around the house checking out all of the places that "bunnies" usually hide.  In the closet, under the bed, in the attic, in the basement, etc.

She runs into the backyard and there finds a cute little bunny (a real one.)  She sees it and cries, "Monster!" and runs away.

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It's more involved than that but that is the gist of it.

Look for more info on "I'm Not Afraid of Bunnies" coming soon on this here blog.

Picture Book Marathon 2011 - Day 11 & Day 12

And now for something completely different.

I built this guy out of cardboard and painted him up all pretty with acrylic paints.  He's actually a box for my wife's valentines (5th grade party tomorrow.)  They go in the mouth.

And then I liked him so much that I decided to come up with a simple story.  And then another.

It may sound funny but I would love to illustrate a book this way.  Though if I were to really go for it I would need to learn how to take a decent photograph (these look much better in person.)

(Also, I'm sorry about the lack of decent cardboard backgrounds.  These are just sketches after all.)

Picture Book Marathon 2011 - Day 9

I had so much fun with yesterday's preschool book that I did another one (in which my favorite shoes make a cameo.)

MONSTERS LOVE CLOTHES (by Will Strong)

Tall monster wears shoes.

Short monster wears a hat.

Chubby monster wears pants.

Bumpy monster wears a dress.

Slimy monster wears a coat.

Fuzzy monster wears underpants.

Skinny monster wears a tie.

All monsters love clothes.
They're delicious.

These are fun.  I can't promise that there won't be more of these before the Picture Book Marathon is over.

Picture Book Marathon 2011 - Day 8

Today's book is called "MONSTER MOVERS."  It is intended for preschool kids.  It would be nice and chunky (good for chewing.)  The illos would all be very simple too.  One quick and lively image per page.

MONSTER MOVERS (by Will Strong)
Fuzzy monster jumps.
Tall monster waves.
Bumpy monster crawls.
Slimy monster slides.
Short monster runs.
Skinny monster hides.
Chubby monster flies.
All the monsters dance.

I think I need some more pages.  Oh well.  Any excuse to draw monsters, right?

Today's idea was inspired by Will Terry's new e-book.  Check it out.

One of These Things Is Not Like the Others

Some early character sketches for a story I'm working on with a friend.  (click to enlarge)

Yeah, a real story, with a real friend too.  The story is called "I'm Not Afraid of Bunnies" and it was written by Rick Walton.  I'll keep you folks updated on the progress of this book.  I'm already having fun with it and I've only just begun sketching.

TIff's Classroom

This is how the outside of the classroom turned out.

Yeah, that's a lot of kids for one classroom.  34 kids in fact.  Ridiculous.  And that's not even the most crowded class in the building.  Nice job on Education this year Utah.

The Double Dip

I made this card for Jed.  Happy Birthday Jed.

How I Work

People ask me all the time, "How did you come up this?" when referring to my illustrations and other creative things.  It's sort of hard to explain because I don't always end up with what I started out to find.  The following is a demonstration in my stream of consciousness creative process.

The Assignment:  Tiffany needed me to make her some kind of notice board where she could post supplies she needs for her classroom this year.  Because I had done the rest of the room in monsters I figured that I should continue with the theme.  So I set out to create a "donations monster."

Here is the end result of my process:

Now let me walk you through it.  First I think, "the monster needs to hold lot's of little notes."

So, yeah, that's how I think.  I just follow ideas around until they take me somewhere.  If I work long enough I get something good.  This is how it turned out for Tiff's class:

I'm pleased with it.

Monster Name Tags 2

As promised:

If anybody uses one of these name tags I want to see it.  Print it, color it and send it to me: bign.strong@gmail.com.  Then I can post it on the blog.

Monster Name Tags

Occasionally I get to help out in my wife's 5th-Grade class (she recently moved from 6th) with some kind of cool project.  Each year I get to help decorate my wife's class list that goes up outside the classroom door.  Last year I did monkeys.  This year it's all monsters (because that's kind of my thing recently.)  You might recognize some of these guys.

Bonus:  these can double as coloring pages.  Just print them, cut them out, write in your name and color away.  More coming soon.

Monsters Make Me Happy

They do.

I don't know why but drawing monsters makes me happy.  Come and share my joy.  My BFA Final Show goes up on Monday and runs through the end of July.  The reception (big art party) is on Teusday, July 20 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.

What's the point of all of this?  Basically it proves that I know what I'm doing as an illustrator and as a provider and as a human being.  After this I'm a grown up.

Here's the theme image of the show:

You Know You Want One

Okay folks.  The time is at hand.  My BFA Final Show is near.  The show is going to include a whole bunch of children's illustrations, some plush toys and even a picture book dummy of a story I'm writing.  The show goes up mid July in the HFAC (Fine Arts Building) on BYU campus.  The opening reception is July 20 (that's a Tuesday.)

I've been working on an illo for the invitations that I'm going to send out soon.  This is what I've got so far:

The name of the show is:  Monsters Make Me Happy (an art show for kids).  The name was Tiff's idea.  I love it.

So if any of you out there would like a copy of this image (in color) for your very own to keep and cherish forever, then please send me an email with your mailing address in it.  (My email address is bign.strong@gmail.com).  In about two weeks you will receive a postcard invite to my awesome show.  Then all of your wildest dreams will come true.

I Love Sewing

A couple of weeks ago I got to use a sewing machine for the first time.  Honestly, sewing by hand is just stupid.  It takes longer and doesn't look nearly as nice.  I still don't really know what I'm doing, but I'm having fun learning.  Notice my glee and intense concentration.

So, after some effort I came out with this guy.  His name is Brutus.  He is loved by adults and children alike.

Sometimes Brutus likes to pretend that he's one of the couch pillows.

This photo is really just for size reference.  I swear.  Also, Brutus has a wicked underbite that is very had to duplicate by non-monsters.

More plushie monsters to come.