Not So Simple

I'm currently working on the roughs for a poem book for babies. Seems simple enough. Just create simple pictures, add some bright colors and I'm done. Right? Wrong. Sometimes the simpler the assignment the harder it seems to get it right. Why is that?

Please weigh in on this subject by leaving your thoughts and comments. I'd love to hear not just from artists, but from creatives from all disciplines.

Pages in Blogger and More fun for all...

Recently Blogger added some neat new updates. One of those is PAGES.  With pages you can create stand alone pages and use tabs under the header on  your blog for navigational aids to your visitors.  I am doing this with the Blogger in Draft . This is the first step and you can get information on the new format for Blogger, new templates and more.

Because I was looking for an easier way for people to Naviate the Adventures of Winston the Wonderhound, blogger in draft led me to explore PAGEs.  Pages in Blogger will allow you to create stand alone pages that can be accessed via tabs just under your header image.  You can see what I mean if you visit Winston's blog.

Traditional vs. Digital

I've been asked what I enjoy working in more. "Traditional art supplies or digital art programs?" My answer is, "I enjoy what I'm working with at that specific time." I'm not just saying that either. I really mean it! Once I start creating a piece I literally get lost in the process. Hours can go by and I'm oblivious to it. I'm simply excited to be trying a new softer colored pencil, working in tempera paints with a palette knife or simply clicking my mouse on a new filter.
That aside, the business of creating art for a living requires you to "BRAND" yourself. Or in other words, create and market a style that is recognizable as YOU! So how can you brand yourself in traditional materials AND digital? Over time I've learned to not force my style to change to keep up what is popular but rather allow the materials I'm working in to change it for me. My water colors will always look different than my Corel colors so it'll be different__ yet the same. Thus my love for drawing every day has never diminished and I'm still excited to be trying new stuff.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patty's Day to everyone here at Picture Bookies!
Have a wonderful one!

Letter from a Mom

I just did a series of programs at some schools on the Washington coast a couple of weeks ago. I received this note from one of the parents who ordered one of my books. During my program I had given her child one of the pens that I use for my drawing, a Micron Pigma pen. I frequently give away some of my pens that are on the "downside" at my school appearances. This was her note:

"Mr. Smith: Alyssa guessed that you were drawing an egg and you gave her your pen as a prize (she says it was the very pen you wrote all your books with). She took it out of her back pack to show me the first thing she got off the bus, then held it the entire way home telling me all about it. She wanted to write with it first thing she got home but had to wait until after bath and dinner. She then skipped on reading stories and wrote three of her own instead! Thanks for inspiring our daughter! The Brock Family"

This is why I so much enjoy doing my school programs.

Stories For Children Final Issue

Here's an illustration done for a poem in the last issue of Stories for Children Magazine. They're closing their doors for a while, but vow to come back in the future!

Picture Book Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature

More great news: CORA COOKS PANCIT was the Picture Book Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature! Last year, the winner was WABI SABI, which is an incredible picture book, so I'm thrilled to be in such amazing company!

The award ceremony is during the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. in June.

Pattern Making in Painter

I had some fun with pattern making this morning and I wanted to share. The process is made easy in Painter. You just need something you love to start with. In this case I used an illustration that I had finished.

I selected parts of it to generate into a Kaleidoscopic image and then captured the image as a pattern. Here are the results and a small sample of what they look like as a pattern. The patterns can be adjusted to any size so they can be larger for more visual reference to the original picture or smaller for a design effect.

©Ginger Nielson 2010

©Ginger Nielson 2010

©Ginger Nielson 2010

And this last one is my favorite. I think it would make a great TILE in kids bathroom. Not all the tiles, but just a few scattered here and there. Or maybe PJs with the child's initials in the blank spot or a different animal in the center of each square.

The center of this looks so much like a trampoline that I could even try putting one of the characters there being tossed up by the others. How much fun!

©Ginger Nielson 2010

City Life in the Winter

©Ginger Nielson 2010

I only lived in the city for a short time, but I remember WINTER... and these guys up very, very high on the rooftops. They always looked so forlorn and forgotten. This one is a baby. You can tell because he still has feathers on his head. When he is older the feathers will slowly give way to the more recognizable balding head of a vulture.

Children's Greeting Cards

I have been asked to do a few illustrations for a card company.
I would really like to do more work with greetings cards.
It's my favorite type of illustration. This is the sample card
I worked up. Have any suggestions I would love to hear from
you.
Thanks everyone

Happy Read Across America Day!

Reading The Picnic Day and Ellwood's Plans to students today was fun. I hope all of you Picture Bookies had the opportunity to share your books and talent today as well.


(You can read all about it by clicking on the picture.)