Twitter, An Owl, a Pussycat, and a new illustration for "Fair, Brown and Trembling"

I am just getting started on Twitter (@sarahbodera).  What a great way to keep on top of what's happening.  Following mainly illustrators, writers, and publishing companies, I find myself treading in a sea: great website links, anecdotes, friendly greetings, announcements, award winners, congratulations... the list goes on. Lots of positive interaction, and a great way to connect. I'd love to add you all if I haven't already, just send me your username :)


I thought I'd share a few illustrations that I completed over the holidays. "The Owl and the Pussycat" illustration was done with Higgins Black Magic ink on paper. I used to use this ink all the time when I drew comics.  It is waterproof, rich and opaque - great for pure blacks.

And this is a second illustration for Fair, Brown and Trembling. I wanted to practice keeping a character intact through two different poses.  A better camera and some handy Photoshop skills brought up the brightness and color quality quite a bit.  I will need to re-photo the first illustration to make them match.

Pia and the Dragon

Just finished this new painting yesterday. I spent a lot of prep time on this one, first working on the characters, then several reiterations of the composition, and finally a value study.  It was a lot of work, but I think it was worth it!


This is based on my own ideas and characters.

Lately, blog-watching has really expanded my artistic horizons. Justin Gerard's blog recently switched on a light-bulb in my head about composition.  I did not employ the triangle technique, but I did consider the sizing, spacing and flow more carefully than I have in the past.  I was also inspired to try a value study because of process photos that were on illustrophile (RIP... apparently the site is gone forever).  I used Copic markers on a late draft, working from light to dark.  Then I tacked it up on my wall while painting, and voilà! It was an invaluable resource.

Here's my original sketch, so you can see how the composition changed.  I made really good use of my light box through this process... I love that thing!

This seems to be the process I am settling on:

1. Read or dream up a little story and choose a scene
2. Study (e.g., practice drawing dragons, sketch kids playing at the park)
3. Draw the first draft (using my eraser like mad)
4. Do thumbnails to help improve the composition

5. Draw a second draft (hello light board!)

6. Final, cleaned up draft on tracing paper

7. Value study

8. Color swatches on a piece of scratch watercolor paper

9. Paint!

I think I am going to do some lighter, faster illustrations after this to loosen up.  Illustration Friday, here I come...

And just for fun...

New Year, New Projects

Plans for 2012 are lining up nicely.  I worked on several new paintings over the holidays, which I will share soon (working on getting a new camera, oh boy!)

As of yesterday, I am participating in kidlitart's  Picture Book Dummy Challenge. I'll be creating my own little mock-picture-book, and it will be done by July. How fun!  I'll keep you posted on my progress.  I'm writing a poem for this project that should be lots of fun to illustrate.  It's still rough, but I thought I'd share a clip: 

When Lily falls asleep, her dreams are full of stars.

She walks on paths of stardust that glitter from afar,

wondering and wandering, as children often are.

Nearby she hears a tiny song, humming through the dark. 

There upon a silver tree, she finds three golden larks.

Three tiny larks with crystal tears, three little broken hearts.

"Oh Lily, dear," sang the first, "Our magic eggs are gone.

The second sang, "An owl came, and took them far from home."

"Come sit inside our wish-tree nest, and tell us where he's gone."

In other news, SCBWI recently announced Yvette Piette Herrera as the winner of the 2012 Tomie dePaola Illustration contest! Congratulations to her and the other people who placed! It was a lot of fun to particpate.  I look forward to trying again next year. 

And last but not least, I've been working on an illustration for a story idea of mine, called "Pia and the Dragon." I faced one main challenge: I've never successfully drawn a dragon before in my life. But after a long afternoon of practice, I think I got the hang of it.

Here's a very early version of Pia and her dragon-friend, based on a beautiful work by one of my art heroes, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law.

(Side note, I don't know how this short-winged, barrel-chested dragon would fly... magic?) I later developed Pia to have more spunk and a dare-devil attitude.  The dragon has also morphed into something more my style. I'll share the final composition as soon as I can get a decent photo.  I'm starting the painting tonight, and I'm so excited! Really, this is a lot of fun.

Happy 2012 to all!

My Website

I just finished my website. Check it out!

http://sarah-bodera.com

As I complete full paintings, I'll be replacing several portfolio images.  Right now many of them are marker drawings I've done over the years. Hope you enjoy.

Tomie dePaola Award Entry: Chicken Licken

I submitted this entry for the Tomie dePaola award. The winner will be announced on Jan 2! I did my best to put some zany fun energy into it.

So they went along and went along until they met Turkey Lurkey
“Good morning, Goosey Loosey, Ducky Daddles, Cocky Locky, Henny Penny,
and Chicken Licken,” said Turkey Lurkey, “where are you going?”
“Oh, Turkey Lurkey, the sky is falling and we are going to tell the King!”
“How do you know the sky is falling?” asked Turkey Lurkey.
“Ducky Daddles told me,” said Goosey Loosey.
“Cocky Locky told me,” said Ducky Daddles.
“Henny Penny told me,” said Cocky Locky.
“Chicken Licken told me,” said Henny Penny 
“I saw it with my own eyes, I heard it with my own ears,
and a piece of it fell on my tail!” said Chicken Licken.
“Then I will go with you,” said Turkey Lurkey, “and we will tell the King!”

Illustration Friday - Separated

Koi ponds are so hypnotizing... I colored this little scene last night with Copic markers.

Fair, Brown and Trembling Watercolor

Finally finished this painting!  It took a long time, but I am really happy with the results :)