Self-Produced Book Promotion

I met the then-primarily artist Maggie Stiefvater, online a couple of years ago. She is also a musician, and an author (and has a very high level of energy apparently!)

She has since had her first novel published with two more following closely on its heels. Lovely YA urban-faery-fantasies. For her soon-to-be-released sophomore novel, Shiver, she is running a promotional contest here. If nothing else, you *must* go to that link to see the book trailer that she 1.) cut all the paper for 2.) animated and then 3.) composed the music for! And now she is running a contest so more of you can see it.


This is the 'official' trailer on Youtube, which is lovely, but doesn't have the same charm.



Do go check it out. I marvel at the inventiveness and creativity (and did I mention energy?) of some of you people!

Sunday Sketching -

Trying to get back into the groove - all this 'real life' stuff (vs. the Art Nirvana of just over a week ago). Drawing in church. My next set of Wind Dancer book work which starts *now*. Trying to stay on top of school being out and the garden needing attention, etc., etc...

AND I've been dismal at reading your blogs. All my feeds have been coming through Blog Lines which has apparently decided to no longer let me *go* to any of said blogs, and I haven't undertaken the mammoth task of transferring them all elsewhere. I'm sorry.

Plus, I want to get this year's set of 'next professional steps' down here in writing ASAP so that I can be working towards them while I'm still feeling the afterglow of the IMC....

Real Life. 'Have at thee!

IMC - wrap-up

I realized that I was so busy the last couple of days at the IMC that I didn't post anything there at the end. There was *so much*!!

We got to meet and hear presentations from the art and/or editorial directors from Vertigo, Scholastic, Charlesbridge Publishing and of course, the lovely Irene Gallo of Tor... It was fascinating hearing about various genres within the publishing world and from their hugely personable representatives.

The faculty continued to paint on their own pieces so that we could watch them in action (Charles Vess here).

(again, the tag-team of Manchess & Fischer! :-)

Rebecca Guay - watercolor demo-

Irene Gallo, in her on-location "office". (She did a much better job than I of keeping up with posting as we went along. Plus she is a terrific photographer!)

On the last day, we handed out teacher gifts (somehow I ended up being the spokesperson for them - but that way I give everyone thankyou hugs. :-)

Then we had our 'gallery show' of the pieces we created during the week. A couple of examples - this one by Scott Murphy-

-this one by Kim Kincaid (hopefully all of the finished pieces will be posted on the IMC site when they are completed).

And we finished up the day signing each other's sketchbooks, just like High School -

- most of the time with sketches included. One of the perks of being around a bunch of artists!

Then cleaning and packing up.... The echoes in the halls of the emptying dorms..

Then back to the airport to return home, and return to 'real life'...

Here was my piece by Saturday night. I'm currently adjusting the colors and values... I'll post when I've finished it completely.

A thoroughly wonderful week...

IMC - Day Last...

I can't believe how quickly the week flew by. Now we are done. Exhausted and spent, but happy and creatively recharged.

A tremendous thank you to Rebecca Guay for organizing such an overwhelmingly full experience and to all the faculty and guests for their generous outpouring of time and expertise...

I think I probably need to sleep for a week!

IMC 09 - Day 5

This is going way too quickly!

Today there were more terrific lectures - one by Jon Foster (who is witty and clever in addition to being wicked-talented. Some of those paint strokes on pieces projected up on the wall practically brought tears to my eyes).

When not eating or listening/looking at awesome art, the studios are a flurry of furious painting activity. Companionable conversation, comparing notes, and pizza runs at midnight. There are a lot of fabulous looking pieces coming into being.

(For instance, this one, by Bobby Brown).

The faculty continues to critique, sometimes actually demonstrating on your piece. Scott Fischer and Greg Manchess tag-team critique a great deal (hilarity many times ensues). I cracked up watching them paint 'in stereo' on this particular piece.

As for mine, I got all my basic color in and have started resolving those there monkeys!

Only one more day to paint. :-(

IMC 09 - Day 4

It's starting to get difficult to remember what day it is... Up late into the nights and the day activities just run together like a surreal stream-of-consciousness art dream...

Today we heard from Dennis Nolan and Gary Lippincott - both children's illustrators whose work I have admired for years. Have any number of their books on my shelves at home. Charles Vess also gave a presentation this evening (he is always fabulous to listen to). Got to talk art, watch art, think about art and *do* art.

It took me a bit of doing to get my drawing printed out on the correct paper, but once that was done I was finally able to start getting some color down.

I've decided to go with the psychedelic flying-monkey approach. :-)

More later.

IMC 09 - Day 3

Today Michael Whelan visited -

Gave a great slide presentation. Lots of fabulous art (his more current gallery work is pretty spectacular). It was fun to hear him. He was the first fantasy artist whose name I knew, books I bought and went to hear speak decades ago... His painting is just more impressive over time. He demonstrated some paintings and signed posters for us. :-)

After dinner, Donato gave a slide presentation. Also fabulous. He is so high energy and enthusiastic about what he does that it is very inspiring (although sometimes also depressing because his work is so awesome!)

Lots of faculty painting again this evening. This time I watched Charles Vess paint with FW inks (I medium I've never painted with before). One always feels terribly torn between watching all the amazing art being made by the amazing faculty artists, or working on one's own. I try to do some of both.

I *did* get my drawing finished, and scanned and printed out on watercolor paper (about a day behind where I wish I was...)

Now, as soon as I can figure out what colors to make this thing, I'll start painting it!

IMC 09 - Some initial photos

Just a typical day here at the IMC-

Here is our illustrious faculty (from left to right): Rebecca Guay, Donato Giancoloa, Dan dos Santos, Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, Scott Fischer, Charles Vess, Irene Gallo and Greg Manchess. (Plus there will be some other day lecturers..)

There are two studios, each with some 40+ students each. Each is a bustle of creative energy and activity.

Here are initial critiques (Irene Gallo, Boris Vallejo and Scott Fischer). It's great getting new input, correction and wildly conflicting advice. :-)

There are a couple of awesome lectures daily. This one was on shooting photo reference.

And in the evenings the faculty works or demos right along with us (here Boris and Julie).

Scott Fischer - painting on watercolor canvas... Interesting surface. I'll have to think about that one...

And the awesome and ever gracious Greg Manchess starting on his futuristic, sort of goth version of Oz. They are all incredible to watch.

I've finished working out my drawing (boy, this half-speed thing is bothersome!), now need to trace it all into a cohesive whole, scan and print out to paint. I'll post another version when I've got it scanned...

You can see more photos and get more coverage of the goings on over on Irene Gallo's blog. (Or follow her on twitter. She posts much more clever and entertaining tweets than I :-).

In the meantime, back at it.

IMC - Initial Critique -

I'll try to add more IMC info/pictures if/as I have time. But intro stuff went well. I'm only half-way jet-lagged/sleep deprived. Is great to see how many people I know from last year. Plus many more new friends to make. AND I have a fan in my dorm room + one in the studio (thanks to generous friends who were driving) - so I may survive the humidity. :-)

I'm going with the steam-punk Wicked Witch of Oz (I was critiqued by Boris Vallejo and Scott Fischer)-

(I have one more revised version since this scan, but ah well - Will post as I can.)


Which my darling mom posed for when she was visiting last month. Isn't she cute? And the best.sport.ever.!!

Sunday Sketching -

I think I am feeling better. I've had three fairly long days in a row and am feeling OK. Still need to rest periodically, but less and shorter.

I am finding I can do a bit of life drawing (like my tiny Moleskine pages of nickel-sized heads from church) but am still finding illustration nearly impossible. Not so great when I have some cover comps due and NEED to get back to my IMC assignment. I leave a week from today! Gah!


It hasn't helped the drawing that there have been a number of 'life' things going one as well, including my husband returning from his 48 day Europe-business-trip and my baby's 17th birthday.... All good, but, double Gah!

Life Drawing AND the Farmer's Market!

Finally made it back to life drawing this week (it's the first time since the first of May!) I was terribly pleased to be able to sit through it - both physically (I needed a pillow by the last hour, but it wasn't bad) and stamina-wise.

Had this darling, little, round older guy - bald, bandanna-ed, and bearded - as our model.

I haven't learned how to effectively indicate older or textural skin - there was lots of crepe, and body hair. Maybe not the most important details, but it'd be nice to be able to at least allude to that kind of thing...? Anybody have any suggestion for this kind of texture? In charcoal?

When we finished and headed out to our cars we saw that the seasonal Farmer's Market that they hold weekly in the parking lot had just begun that day!

The mini-train ride was going strong!

And all sorts of people were there, including some folks from a wildlife rescue - with this 'special needs' possum (she, and her litter-mates were born cross-eyed), who is currently playing surrogate mother to this abandoned baby....

...who did nothing but hand on for dear life on the adult possum's back. So cute! I don't think I've ever seen a baby up close like this before.

We meandered further past the flower vendors, those with live plants, crafts, jewelry, live music, and Kettle Korn....

...and then we got to the food! The freshly made mini-donuts! (after which I got so distracted that no more picture-taking happened - so no showing you the amazing spring produce, or the Great Harvest Bread Company, etc...)
*

Ah, so glad it's Farmer's Market season again.

Richard Jesse Watson - (relatively) New Blog

Readers of this blog may remember the field trip that my critique group took at the end of January to visit the home and studio of fabulous children's illustrator Richard Jesse Watson.

Well, I am so pleased to announce that he has since then started blogging .

We had discussed various online networking and marketing approaches during out day together, and I tried rather strenuously to twist his arm re: blogging, I think. :-) For not entirely self-less reasons either. He is a completely delightful human being, who (along with his equally delightful wife) leads a rather enviable, thoroughly artistic life. And I, for one, am looking forward to reading more about it as it happens.

The Vendor-Client Relationship in Real Life:

I know this has been making the rounds lately, but in case you haven't seen it, it is worth viewing:



It amazes me what business practices are accepted in some arenas when you would never consider them in others. I've lost count of the number of 'offers' I've had for the luxurious remuneration of 'exposure' or 'it'd be good for your portfolio'.... You know, steak/beef - it's all 'cow'...

Sunday Sketching -

Since this is supposedly an art blog, I thought I ought to, I don't know, post some art? Not that I've made much of any in the last three weeks or so...

(And Shannon, I know this doesn't look like you at all. You are hard for me for some reason)

I did manage to sit through church this week, although felt very rusty with the drawing (how does that happen so quickly??) I've *got* to start sketching SOON - there are cover roughs to submit, and workshop sketches to work on. Every day I think that *this* is the day I'll be able to draw... Alas....

I *did*draw some in church though, which feels like a positive stop. Spent the last part of the day drawing mummies for wiggly little 8-year old boys (it did have something to do with the lesson, I promise). It kept us both engaged enough to stick it out. :-)

Maybe I'll be able to do some actual sketching... tomorrow....?