Field Trip: The Providence Athenaeum!

Hullo!

So it's been exactly a month and two days since my first visit to the Providence Athenaeum, and although I posted all about our critique group meeting there on the Drawing Together blog, I didn't post it on my own site or include all the nifty photos!

Shortly put, this library is awesome!

cool maps!

beautiful shelves!

awesome children's section!

fun displays!

an old-fashioned card catalog!

kids can reach and play!

neat things on the wall!

extended children's section, and our meeting place!

the main lobby area!

I can't wait to come back for our next meeting here in June! :D

Library Run: Melissa Sweet

*For some weird reason this blog post got UN posted. So I am RE posting it here today. Strange.*

I've got a confession to make.

I'm a little sweet on children's book illustrator Melissa Sweet. (She probably gets that all the time- sorry, but it's true!)

My awe-crush started last fall, when someone brought to class "A River of Words: the Story of William Carlos Williams." The cover grabbed me immediately- a rainbow of ripped paper!!! Be still, my heart!

I seriously could not get enough looking time with the book, and had to get my own copy to get lost into. Which then also led me to purchasing "Carmine, A Little More Red," and then "Tupelo Rides the Rails." With each new book that arrived, I was captivated by her simple childlike renderings loaded with color, texture, typography and recycled book covers. I can practically smell the old faded library cards, graphite and lined paper- and when art makes me want to eat it (don't ask why I start wanting to chew art and touch the texture of butter cream... I have no logical answer to give to you), then I know it's good.

My three favoritist books right now. Yes I know favoritist isn't a word-
this is a blog for goodness sake! Let me have my cake!!

And on top of it all, I realized she and I must have one very important thing in common (and this is based on my very scientific deductive reasoning method- this has yet to be confirmed in real life): we are both pack rats! How else would she be able to use all these wonderful fabrics, textures, and re-used materials? She must have a pile of goodies collected from various treasure-hunting escapades, just waiting for their turn to be featured in her latest book! And I'm willing to bet she's got them organized by color, too. Ummm, hero!

So in my own personal quest to find my absolute favorite books, I ran to the library and found some more yummy things indeed:

Want to hear something cool? She's also my Facebook friend! She doesn't post very often though- I am thinking she is spending her time wisely doing things like painting and drawing, (yes, yes, unlike myself lately... shush!). But I hope to meet her one day, perhaps at a conference or a book signing! Wouldn't that be just dandy?

Library Run: Potential 2011 Caldecott Winners

This month I was supposed to meet with the judges for the RI Mock Caldecott award, but I wasn't able to attend. (I was off in Fantasyland...) However, I had indeed checked out all but three of the books that made the Finals, and wrote notes and such to send to the committee.

All the books I read so far this Winter!

After reading through all the books, I began to feel a bit downhearted. Here is what I wrote in my "Journal," (the Notes app on my phone):

So I'm on the committee for the RI Mock Caldecott award, (which will be meeting early January) and I've just read all the books on the potential nominee list, and I'm finding myself asking...


What makes a Caldecott Medal winner? What distinguishes the art of the winning books from the other books?

Yes, I know each winning artist is talented, and each in their own way. And I know some of their creations were a breakthrough in the childrens' book world- no other artist had done it that way before. Some excelled at pen and ink, some at the brush, and others at graphic elements or use of color. And even some had lacked in story, which was made up for in art.


But what makes the art in a children's book better than all its brothers of that year?


I'm staring at this stack of books in front of me and I'm astounded. It's like comparing apples to oranges! I may like the color of the orange best, but I might just prefer the taste and texture of the apple instead. Of children's books, There are the realistic, the comic, the dramatic, the subtle, the serious...collage, Sculpey, paint and ink...pencil, sketchy, tightly rendered and plain old fun. (And I'm having the same problem deciding on which style to "stick to" in my own work!)


How could I possibly say that this art was better than that one? That the past two years this artist spent picking himself apart did not indeed deserve a gold medal?


I can only sort them into piles: the ones I could see a medal on without having a complaint about it, the ones that if they had a medal I would understand why but perhaps it could have been another book, and the ones that if I saw a medal on them I would indeed have something to say.


And the things I would say would be things like this:


"A Caldecott winner would know better than to place that character's face in the gutter like that," or


"That color palette is nice, but it isn't apropriate for the story at all," or


"I've seen this particular artist do much better work, and I'm a tad disappointed,"


or even


"My two-and-a-half year old niece could do a better job than that."


So I guess a Caldecott winner would have to indeed be the best of the best. It isn't about whether I like it best from all the others, or that no one else can paint like he or she can, or that it was the funniest darned thing I've read in a while. It's about how they used their creativity within the rules and the parameters of creating a children's book, and if they thought outside the box while still technically conforming to the inside of the box. Its about the marriage of the words to the art- their relationship and bond. The little things that matter and small details, the surprises along the way, and how they handled the hard nitty gritty stuff.


So did the artist just get down on one knee and pop the question, or did he send off a million red balloons into the sky that spelled out "You make my heart soar"?

I guess that's how they decide who wins a Caldecott medal? That's how I would, anyway.

So with that in mind, I'm going to go back through these books and do what we do in class: pick it apart, ask questions, and could it have been done in a better more clever way?


Cleverness AND talent? Yes, I believe that DOES deserve a gold medal!

After that pep talk from myself, I decided that these are some of my favorites:
Baker, Keith. LMNO Peas.
Birdsall, Jeanne; illustrated by Matt Phelan. Flora’s Very Windy Day
Fleming, Candace; illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Clever Jack Takes the Cake.
Howe, James; illustrated by Randy Cecil. Brontorina
Nyeu, Tao. Bunny Days
Perl, Erica; illustrated by Julie Denos. Dotty

And that these are my favorites to WIN the Caldecott Medal:
Barnett, Mac. Oh No! (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World).
Hill, Laban Carrick; illustrated by Bryan Collier. Dave the Potter
Nelson, Maryilyn; illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering. Snook Alone
Stead, Philip; illustrated by Erin Stead. A Sick Day for Amos McGee
Thomson, Bill. Chalk
Winter, Jonah. Here Comes the Garbage Barge

But no matter what our results were for the Mock Caldecott, the REAL award winners are what really matter! Congrats to all the talented artists! And if you haven't heard the buzz already, here's what happened in the news.

Crazy world we live in, ain't it? Good thing we've got some books to read. :)

Library Run: Sheepies

My most recent Library Run(s... two so far) revolved around the topic of Sheep. Since my Super-Secret Project #1 is about a sheep, I picked up each and every sheep book I could get my hands on. I needed some inspiration on the topic as well as knowledge of what is already out there, and this was the best way to do it. There are plenty more books on the sheep topic I'm sure, but looking at all those fluffy woollies made me a bit sleepy after a while (no joke! it really does work!), so after I get the rest of the books on my wish-list I will be satisfied with my research.

Books I've Borrowed SO FAR: (This list sure was fun to write... but I figured out a shortcut for next time!)
Sheep and Goat / by Marleen Westera ; illustrated by Sylvia Van Ommen
Baa Baa Black Sheep / Iza Trapani
Sheepish Riddles / by Katy Hall, Lisa Eisenberg ; illustrated by R.W. Alley
Counting Sheep / by Julie Glass ; illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
Counting Sheep / by John Archambault ; illustrated by John Rombola
Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep! / Mo Willems
Sam Sheep Can't Sleep / Phil Roxbee Cox ; illustrated by Stephen Cartwright
Counting Sheep to Sleep / by Mary O'Brien ; illustrated by Bobette McCarthy
Feeding the Sheep / by Leda Schubert ; illustrated by Andrea U'Ren
Baa! Moo! What Will We Do? / by A. H. Benjamin ; illustrated by Jane Chapman
One More Sheep / by Mij Kelly ; illustrated by Russell Ayto
The Strange Case of the Missing Sheep / Mircea Catusanu
Russell the Sheep / Rob Scotton
Wool Gathering: A Sheep Family Reunion / by Lisa Wheeler ; illustrated by Frank Ansley
When Sheep Sleep / by Laura Numeroff ; illustrated by David McPhail
Sheep Asleep / by Gloria Rothstein ; illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell
Baa-choo! / by Sarah Weeks ; pictures by Jane Manning.

Counting sheep / Barbara McGee.

The Baabaasheep Quartet / Leslie Elizabeth Watts.

Sheep in wolves' clothing / Satoshi Kitamura.

Counting sheep / by George Mendoza ; illustrated by Kathleen Reidy.

Baaa / David Macaulay.

The sheep in wolf's clothing / Helen Lester ; illustrated by Lynn Munsinger.

My Thoughts/Favorites: 
Loved the stocky look of the sheep in Sheep and Goat, the loose line work and liveliness in Feeding the Sheep, the simplicity of Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep! and the overall art in Russel the Sheep. Couldn't stop laughing when reading Wool Gathering, and really enjoyed the watercolor art in Baa-choo! and the story was short and sweet. Some of the other sheep stories tended to be on the longer side, and those I just scanned through instead of thoroughly reading. Hey, I'm not perfect, but at least I'm honest! (and I'm not sheepish about it... baaa haa haa haaaa.)

While at the library I found this cute little picture book called "Bear in the Air," written by Susan Meyers and illustrated by Amy Bates. I fell in love with both the story and the art instantly, and will be adding this to my favorite collection as soon as I can! I would love to see more of the illustrator's work and I intend to borrow the rest of her books in the future. What a nice little find!

ALSO - Further research for Super-Secret Project #1 will involve lots of Nursery Rhyme and Mother Goose readings. I've got a poll on the left side of my blog here (below the owl sitting on the planet) so I can find out what are the most commonly known rhymes. I'd love your participation, if you are willing! Thanks!


Until next time, my furry friends...

Library Run: Judith Byron Schachner

In my search for new techniques to try, I had purchased "Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road," a conglomerate of art by different illustrators, and there I ran into the creator of little Skippyjon Jones: Judith Byron Schachner. I LOVE the textures and colors she uses in the Skippy books, so I borrowed as many books as my library bag could handle!

Artist/Author: Judith Byron Schachner

Medium: Acrylic, watercolor, ink, sometimes pencil accents

Website: http://www.judithbyronschachner.com/, http://www.skippyjonjones.com/

Books I Borrowed: "The Prince of the Pond," "Jimmy the Pickpocket of the Palace," (both by Donna Jo Napoli); "Staying with Grandmother," by Barbara Baker; "What Shall I Dream?," by Laura McGee Kvasnosky; "How the Cat Swallowed Thunder," by Lloyd Alexander; "Mrs. Emerson's Cook," "The Grannyman," "Willy and May,"  "YO Vikings!," and a bunch of Skippyjon Jones books.

My Thoughts: I put the books on the floor in chronological order, and thought it was really neat to watch Judy's style change and develop over the years. She began illustrating in a sort of Trina Schart Hyman-ey sort of way, then some of her characters' faces had the Steven Kellogg look, and then she seemed to have found her calling in the world of color through "What Shall I Dream?" and "How the Cat Swallowed Thunder," and "Yo Vikings!" all of which are quite colorfully complex yet not messy or cluttered. And then, then, she found her favorite style to illustrate in the Skippyjon Jones series.

My favorites? Absolutely "What Shall I Dream?," and "How the Cat Swallowed Thunder." Could not stop looking at them, and didn't want to return them. So I found them online and now I have my own copies! My favorite Skippyjon Jones book: "Skippyjon Jones and the Big Bones." LOVE her dinosaurs, especially the T-Rex!

What have I learned from this? That it takes years and multiple stories to actually truly find what makes your heart sing. I can tell that she's a bit like me- she can draw well, is great with linework in pen and ink, but has a wacky stylistic side to her she wasn't so sure how to contain at first. I could go all day just doodling things and painting, but not actually come up with  a "masterpiece" per say. The stuff I work on without actually thinking about it ends up being my favorite kind, and it looks great! But how do I harness that sort of mindlesslazyfun look while still being serious about my art? How do I paint within the lines, but still feel like I'm coloring outside of them? It goes along with the way I work- if I don't follow my own schedule, then I'm happy. If I feel like I'm getting away with something mischievous, then I get great results. But if I don't pressure myself into getting anything done, I won't! How does one schedule fun?

And it goes to show that Skippyjon also does not like to follow rules... No matter how many times I've rotated that image (both on the pc and in Blogger), it refuses to face the correct way!

Library Run: Anna Dewdney & Leslie Patricelli

It's time I've begun to do some more library runs! In order for me to learn more about children's books, I need to read more children's books. So from now on, I will be regularly posting my finds as "Library Runs," where I will tell you what I've learned and what I like about each book. Yes, I know the title makes you giggle...

Keep in mind that these Library Runs are not book reviews- I haven't the slightest clue what I'm talking about, professionally. These are just mere musings from a person who loves looking at pictures and reading silly stories, and wishes she could do it all day long!

My first batch of books consist of stories illustrated by, (and most of them written by), artists Anna Dewdney and Leslie Patricelli. Let us begin...

Artist/Author: Leslie Patricelli

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas Paper

Website: http://www.lesliepatricelli.com/

Books I Borrowed: "Big, Small," "The Patterson Puppies and the Rainy Day," and "The Patterson Puppies and the Midnight Monster Party." I am also quite fond of "Higher, Higher," "The Birthday Box," and "No No, Yes Yes."

My Thoughts: I really enjoy Leslie's cute and simple style. It reminds me a lot of how I draw things when I'm in that kind of mood. I enjoy her bright colors and the scuffed paint texture that comes from painting on canvas. At the end of "Big, Little," there are two pages that show a bunch of big and little things. My favorite? The Binkie! Her Patterson Puppies are also super sweet. Each one has its own personality, likes and dislikes, and it is evident which puppy is which throughout both stories. It gives kids a chance to identify themselves with one of the characters, and therefore helps them to learn from the puppies' silly mistakes (such as making a puddle in the livingroom!). My little 18 month nephew loves her books, too.

Artist/Author: Anna Dewdney

Medium: I cannot say for sure, because it isn't written anywhere that I can see, but I'm fairly certain she paints with acrylics on canvas.

Website: http://www.annadewdney.com/Annas_website/Home.html

Books I Borrowed: "Llama, Llama, Red Pajama," "Llama, Llama, Mad at Mama," "Grumpy Gloria," "Little Pangolin," "What You Do Is Easy, What I Do Is Hard"

My Thoughts: I have been dying to read Llama Llama Red Pajama for ages now, and I'm so glad I finally did! The story rhymes in a fun way, and I find the words feel nice the way they roll off my tongue. The sentences in all her most recent books are short and quick, and the stories deals with topics that toddlers can relate to. I have always been drawn to Anna's art from her book covers, but looking at them more closely makes me like the painterly quality even more. It makes me want to pick up a paintbrush and do some of my own! I noticed that most of her characters are the same brownish-tan color, and they all have the same eyes, yet each character stands on its own. It's a good way for her to keep her work looking familiar, so people can say "Oh that one MUST be by Anna." I also like her use of color- the moods are captured and the action feels real. Like 'em a lot!

More Talk on Style

Monday night was the last night before our last night of class. Which means next Monday is the night where everything we've worked on all semester must be complete, final, and perfect! Not only that, but we will also be looking for secret messages in our work that tell us each what our style looks like, and what it's all about.

I think I'm slowly starting to get a few clues to what my style is...what really drives me.  Cheryl said that anything that makes you insanely happy, (before, during, and after) is a good way to go, since picture books  have a lot of art in them, and we will be so very tired of the book by the time we finish drawing it.  Thinking back over the years at the projects that I loved doing the most, there are some things about them that are very similar.  Cheryl noticed during our crit that I have a tendency to draw a particular way, and it showed up in "Mother Nature" and "Mooin," and I realize now in a lot of other things I've done as well.

But I think I'm going to wait to reveal what that style actually is...mostly because I don't have all the photos I need to show you at my current location.  But I will.  (If you want a hint, though...when it finally came down to the implementation of my ideas for "Mooin," I really enjoyed the technique!)

Anyhow, we talked a lot about style in class, and looked at a bunch of amazing books from our Bookshare table.  There were two books in particular that showed a lot of different styles all within the same story!  The first one won a Caldecott Medal!

 

"Black and White" by David Macauley  

"Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?" by an assortment of artists!

Both books were very useful to demonstrate different styles, looks and techniques that an illustrator may use when creating a picture book.  Also mentioned was the artist David Shannon, who has multiple styles in which he works. Some of my favorites: 

"The Ballad of the Pirate Queens," by Jane Yolen

"No, David!"

"How I Became A Pirate," by Melinda Long

"Duck on a Bike," by David Shannon

There will be many more talks on style, versatility and technique as time goes on.  That's the topic we talk most about in my classes, because it is the thing that makes you different from everyone else, the thing that makes you stand out... and the thing that could potentially get you a Caldecott Medal!

Did I ever tell you that was one of my life goals? Yep, I'm going to get a Caldecott Medal if it's the last thing I do!  It probably will be the last thing I do...I've got a LOT of improving to do.