The Journey of a Thousand Illustrations

Part of the joy of creating anything, is the process of watching it develop from a kernel of an idea, through the various stages of development (some more frustrating than others!), and finally into the finished product you show to the world.

Truthfully, it’s a lot like raising a child. But hopefully doesn’t take quite as long and doesn’t eat you out of house and home when it’s a teenager 😉

As I traveled this journey with my latest release “Rabbit’s Bad Habit,” my characters experienced several evolutions. I’ll consider it all part of my finding my “illustrator’s voice” for the book… essentially, what did I want my characters to look like? It was often a tough decision, and I’ve saved a few of those early sketches to show you below. To see how the final evolution of these early sketches, check out the book here!

Sketched some expressions… still working on what Rabbit will look like.

Played with a triangle-shaped Rabbit… I liked it, but found the shape limiting.

Toyed with giving Mr. Rooster the teacher a stress-induced “comb-over.” Lol!

Pig was tricky. She had a wide range of facial expressions… and a bit of an attitude! 😉

Sooo close… But still not quite how my Rabbit will look.

Rabbit or puppy??

 

The Journey Begins

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one, old, possibly rash, statement.” — Lao Tzu, loosely translated to fit my life.

Sorry to butcher, er, I mean, paraphrase Lao, but this pretty much sums up why I am beginning my career as a children’s book author/illustrator. Because who doesn’t say “I should write a book about [insert subject]” at least once in their lifetime?

Who can resist this precious baby?

 

 

In truth, I’ve toyed with the idea for awhile. Even outlined a few based on experiences with my own kiddos as they’ve grown and learned about life. Wanna see the world in a whole new light? Get eye-level with a three-year-old who hasn’t yet had “what could be” drilled out of them by “what really is.” But what pushed me off the edge of hollow declarations and into action was the slow decline and eventual passing of my 14-year-old dog, Bobb.

Children and pets are such fodder for inspiration, aren’t they? They fill our hearts with joy and love. And when they are gone (even if only a geographical separation), we miss them dearly. When they are in our lives, there is no room for half-measures. Loving and caring for them are “go big or stay home” adventures.

I am fortunate to have children and pets in my life… so my heart is full and my reserves of humorous stories abound. As long as I can keep writing and drawing, I have stories galore to craft. And in doing so, I hope to share the love and laughter that they have brought to me.