Grow

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Since starting this blog in 2005, I have been constantly toying with art. Every time I came close to a method I was satisfied with, I would switch directions in some kooky attempt to reinvent my style.

Exploring is growing and it is fun and all but I think I need to settle down. I’ve played with a lot of methods and I have a lot to work with. So I decided to grow up, pick a style and stick with it. I figure the best way to do that is to put a dummy together. 32 pages all using the same art, now there is a challenge. ;)



And all ready I’m learning and growing. Just trying to figure out how type fits on a page is crazy hard.



Here is the method, cartoony images, colored pencil first, watercolor on top of that and finish off with the black inking.

Extremes



I think bringing a bear to school counts as extremes... kids...bears... you get it.
Just a test illustration for a top secrete project I have been working on. I could tell you about it but …

In The Eyes

Just flipping channels.. watching TV, not for me except when I’m sick.. I have a head cold…

and this guy says, “all these fish in the sea, all these colors, yet they never clash.

Not feeling up to painting or anything, the soul is willing but the flesh is weak… I decided to post some photos I took this year.

Maybe interesting to see what I thought photo worthy... where beauty can be found.



Water tower, Georgetown, SC: at dusk



Daufuskie Island, SC: greens on the wood



South Port, NC: bricks washed up on the beach



South Port, NC: Water tower (I never painted this one...)



Ocean Ilse Beach, NC: Turtle nest, very beautiful

Jirst Bluefin the First.



I have two major problems. I get ignored and I get ignored. See, I had to say it twice because you probably ignored me the first time.

My name is Jirst. Jirst Bluefin the First.

That’s a blended clip from my latest manuscript. One of my students asked to read it and afterward illustrated this rendition of Jirst. That’s Jirst’s first illustration.

A first for Jirst ;)

Today:

Goldenrod
Twigs snap
Upright bass, piano, jazz
Bent over sunflowers
Crisp
Acorns
Rake, scratching
Apple pie
Burnt sienna
Pumpkin soup

SCBWI-NC Conference First Pages

On Saturday afternoon a panel of editors read First Pages. Here is how it works.

Daring authors submit one page from their bestest manuscript for the panel to review. One person on the panel reads the first page then the other editors give their critique of the first page.

First Pages is the kind of thing that sounds like such a great idea and is a great idea as long as the panel isn’t reading your first page. Then is horrifying.

I have submitted first pages for three years now. This year was the first time my first page was read and yes, brutally critiqued.



The panel is reviewing my manuscript.

"Hey what do you think of this?"
"Well it's pretty much crap."
"Really? I was thinking double crap."
"Yes, perhaps you are right."
"So you are saying crap-crap?"
"No, I was thinking crapity crap."
"Agreed."
"I also agree."

Ok, I'm totaly kidding!! The editors do a great job and give great advice.

So, after a long cry in the bathroom, followed by another long cry in the lobby, followed by a short cry and a tear up in the hall, I finally was able to swallow the critique. Remember, I said I was out to write the best manuscript ever.

I can take this. I can do this… or maybe I’ve just been down so long that…

Oh dear, I feel another tear up…

SCBWI-NC Conference Saturday Morning



Hey, my fox painting won an award. How cool is that? Especially since I didn’t know I was going to win an award.

I was just standing there, taking photos, waiting for the winner-winner to step up... and they called me a winner.

My painting wasn’t the winner-winner but it was still a winner and I got a ribbon and a signed thingy suitable for framing. And I was very excited about the whole thing.

SCBWI-NC Conference Part 3

Sleep. I needed it. I needed to sleep a few nights before I could sit down at this here keyboard and tell you about the weekend.

The conference started Friday afternoon with a critique by my favorite editor Caitlyn Dlouhy. Nervous. Silly but I was so excited. First cause I never had a professional critique before and second cause it was my favorite editor Caitlyn Dlouhy.

Did you know my favorite editor Caitlyn Dlouhy edited one of my favorite voice books which is none other than Dovey Coe? You can’t help but talk just like Dovey when you read that book. It is written by Frances O’Roark Dowell who was also at the conference.



Frances and Caitlyn discussing what a dork I am.

Frances O’Roark Dowell and I chatted on Friday night after my critique. I told her I wanted to be her and I was working on a book very similar to her book but mine is titled Covey Doe. Yeah, I know. I said a lot of stupid things to a lot of other people who are not used to having stupid things said too.

My favorite editor Caitlyn Dlouhy gave me some excellent advice all of which I am taking to heart. My most grown up thing that I got out of this conference is that I am not really focused on getting my book published. I am focused on making Shellless, which is the story I had critiqued by my favorite editor Caitlyn Dlouhy, the most blow your socks off manuscript in the world.

Ok that was Friday. Then I went home to bed. Not sleep, just bed.

SCBWI-NC Conference



Who are these people and why are they on my blog? This is a photo taken sometime during the weekend at the SCBWI-NC Conference but I can’t tell you what day it was... looks like it was before breakfast.

I’m sure more will come to me later and I’ll update this post. Might even add a few more but I’m tired, too tired right now.