I am still beavering away on Jungle Grumble from my makeshift, armchair workstation. It's not too bad at all. I have most things at my fingertips and the laptop to use for reference photos for the various animals. No scanner though, which is why the images here are not quite as crisp as usual - sorry about that.
Having worked out how the animals all change, I now have to plan the pencil illustrations for the whole book. I have been trying some layout ideas in these little thumbnail sketches.
I don't normally work with thumbnails - I prefer to draw full size from the start (so much of the humour in my work derives from facial expressions and subtle body language). However, big drawings take longer, especially if I need to visualise several different versions before I get it right, and I am slightly concerned about the deadline for this project. I have to get all the roughs, plus a couple of pastel spreads done by the end of September, ready for the publisher to take the project to the Frankfurt Book Fair, where they will be looking for co-edition interest.
I have a few other commitments in there too, plus it's a rather complex book, with a cast of 10 main characters, plus sundry others, all of whom are different creatures, so need characterising individually.
Anyway, that's why I am working smaller and, I have to say, I have found it quite OK, as long as I also do occasional larger drawings alongside.
I feel as though I am getting used to the animals as I am going along too so, hopefully, when I start drawing them a bit bigger next week, they will have already adopted many of their individual characteristics.
Wish me luck!
12 comments:
This is so interesting! Thanks for the peek into your world :)
Good luck, Lynne, but I guess luck is not what you need most ! Time would be better ! It's great to follow your work (and recovery) step by step...
Your workstation looks very cosy, is there a table on your left, with a mug of steaming tea or coffee?:) There would be in my case!! Hope your foot will be well when it's time to colour your spreads. I love the hippo! Hope to see more soon!
There certainly is! Thanks Irene x
I love hippopotamus :) good luck.
It looks magical, (watched the video)I am very inspired!
I love seeing the way your work progresses from start to finish. It's inspiring to see how much effort actually goes into each book (well, it is for those of us who take forever to draw anything well!). I also love your pictures of "home" from the various sketchcrawls - would love to see more of the Lakes.
My son Max is having a school visit from Sally Rippin and one of her illustrators, Aki Fukuoka, next week. I plan to show him your blog to give him an idea of the work that does into illustrating a childrens' book (in this case, black and white except for the cover).
Many thanks for the insights,
Alison
Really interested to see more of how you work ...thanks for the post and good luck! :D
Thanks folks - glad you are enjoying the new set of posts.
Say hello to Max from me Alison - I hope he enjoys his visit from Sally Rippin and Aki Fukuoka and finds that my blog adds an extra dimension. It might help him to ask the most interesting questions in his class :-)
Woao! I am simply atonished at your work, Lynne. Thanks a lot for sharing it and explain the process with so much detail, videos included!!! It is so useful for us, prof-illustrators-to-be ;)
Thanks Ana - you're welcome. I'm glad it's proved so interesting and useful :-)
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