Penny Weber Illustrations

New Work

2010-10-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

Princess
acrylic, collage and mixed media

Yuck

acrylic, collage on paper

Prelude to a Kiss

charcoal, collage and light molding paste on paper

Who Answers
acrylics, collage, mixed media

Doug
acrylics and collage on paper

The Amulet
Acrylic on canvas

The folowing illustrations are a few from "Growing Up With a Bucket Full of Happiness" which will be released in November I believe!

Spirited Away

2010-06-09T07:49:00.000-07:00

Michelle- I've been neglecting my blog - thanks for reminding me!

This is the next in the Miyazaki series- Chihiro and Haku from Spirited Away. I tied for third place with this last week at the NJ SCBWI juried art show!
Next up will be from Howl's Moving Castle.

I Love Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli movies...

2010-03-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start a series of paintings based on my favorites. The first here is my version of a scene from My Neighbor Totoro released in 1988. This is when Totoro's magic makes the garden grow. My Totoro was based on a Tarsier which is a small primate from the Phillipines.

I know... he looks like a big cat!

This next one is based on "Princess Mononoke " from 1997. Ashitaka is the main character and here he's riding his Red Elk Yakkul. Miyasaki is a master of light and shadow.

My Portfolio for Rutgers

2009-10-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

So I'm trying to decide what to bring.
I know it seems like a lot but they ask you to bring everything to this one-on-one Rutgers conference I'm going to on Saturday. I've included some older stuff that I like but- I'm not sure if I should.... (I'm sort of attached to that Barkbelly, the wooden boy- but it's pretty old now)

I've been neglecting my blog!

2009-09-28T06:07:00.001-07:00

Here are some new portfolio pieces

Here's the cover image for a picture book for Raven Tree Press!

Above are some images from "On My Way to School", to be published by First Person Publishing.

Wow- I've recieved a "Scribbler!"

2009-08-10T02:25:00.000-07:00

Ginger Neilson, http://gingerpixels.blogspot.com/, was so nice to send me this award- thanks Ginger!

Here's the rules for the award- Each Superior Scribbler must, in turn, pass the Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy buds.Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to this post, which explains The Award.Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List (!?) at the Scholastic-Scribe's blog. That way, we'll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives this prestigious honor!Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

OK, I've met some amazing "scribblers" who have been a great inspiration to me are so deserving:

Sam Kirkman http://samkirkman.blogspot.com/
Chris Mix http://chrismixkidsillustrator.blogspot.com/
Kelly Light http://prettygoodforagirl.blogspot.com/
Deborah Cuneo http://deborahcuneo.blogspot.com/
Gerard Weber http://thedailydrivelnews.blogspot.com/

Plain Jane

2009-06-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Here they are- almost completely done in gouache. I'm really moving away from my colored pencils. I find painting the entire peice more fun and actually quicker. Of course I'll probably change my mind and use pastels tomorrow but for now I'm happy:)

Finished Product- I think...

2009-06-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

Here's Fly Boy!

Revising, Revising, Revising....

2009-06-14T04:15:00.000-07:00

I'm learning to slow down! I re-drew Plain Jane- she looks more like a girl now- and I started the clouds in fly Boiy. I tried a computer color layout first- that's so helpful! The old me would have already been done painting. Slow and steady ....

Illustrations Revisited

2009-06-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

I'm re-working two old peices. These always got me great comments when I first started to take my portfolio around late in 2007, (I think that's right?) I work so differently now. Plus, I think the boy in the first one is too old, although I want to draw him somewhere else. These girls were inspired by my very first Illustration Friday topic, "Plain".

I hope to post these finishes early next week!

Udated Wild Horses

2009-06-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

After great critiques from the conference, I wanted to add a touch of color tot he horses as well as ome more black. The horses are unfinished on purpose. I hope this makes sense but it's tough without the text. Tim Gillner, from Boyd's Mills Press by the way, really liked it though.

Wild Horses for NJ SCBWI Conference

2009-06-04T09:28:00.001-07:00

We were given text by Tim Gillner, and art director from... oh, I've got to double check. (Bad me!) I picked one about penned up wild horses needing rescue. I decided to do them in black and white because the text described them as having "dull eyes, and "rusty coats" when imprisoned. The cowboy notices the lead mare still has fire in her eye - hence the color there. I hope he likes it!

Finished "Contagous" and some new samples

2009-06-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

This is Sophie getting ready for her big brother's return from the Army. I wanted to do some more sequential character peices plus I discovered mixing gouache with matte medium and glazing medium.

It's a lot of fun and it really worked well with the camoflauge pattern!

Contagous

Need to work on the baby a bit I think - he looks like a little old man. (It's Benjamin Buton!)

IF Cracked and Contagous

2009-05-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

I ran out of time for my Contagous idea but this is a very rough sketch I did while waiting for my son to finish piano lessons. I hope to finish it soon. As for Cracked, I had to post this one I did months ago based on the story by Cat Weatherill called Barkbelly about a little wooden boy. (It's definitley not Pinnochio but a great story in it's own right!) I did a bunch from this book which are on my website.

Sophie and her Brother, character study

2009-05-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

I'm hoping to send these out for promotion. I'm trying to get some more emotion into my paintings. Did this make anyone shed a teeny tear?

Sticking with emotions- I decided to paint an example of two people having different reactions to the same experience.

Check out my new website- www.pennyweberart.com

2009-05-16T05:00:00.001-07:00

I have a website! www.pennyweberart.com

These are for a wonderful group of stories for kids about cooking. I've never really done food before- it was fun and made me hungry. Let me know if you want the recipes!

Illustration Friday topic - Theater

2009-04-24T11:00:00.001-07:00

The Prodigy

I had done this a little while ago when trying a new more wimsical style. A publisher wanted a Fancy Nancy type look. I don't know if I pulled it off but it was fun!

Illustration Friday Topic: Impossibility

2009-04-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

Priscilla of the Wild

2009-03-25T08:36:00.001-07:00

Gouache and colored pencils

Priscilla character study

Two More of My Latest

2009-03-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

updated portfolio

2009-03-09T07:50:00.001-07:00

Please page down to see all of my updated portfolio.

This next piece was for the cover of a chapter book called, The Curse of AmunRa by L.A.Reiss

The folowing three are a promo for book Titled Let It Fly by Robin Hoffman

Here are a few with a more wimsical feel for the easy reader market.

Next four are a character study titled Rosie for the tween market.

Here are three from a true story I've written called Pamela and the Twins, (I was one of the twins!) Dummy is available upon request.

The folowing 5 pieces were done for the book proposal The Tayke Off Travel Adventures by Jilliane Hoffman

Here's another group of pictures for wonderful cooking stories for kids called Cooking's Cool by Cindy Sardo

Now some images from one of the two books I've done for Compass Publishing- Anne of Green Gables.

The next four are some portfolio pieces I did based on the book Barkbelly by Cat Weatherhill

Thanks for looking!

2009-02-27T08:06:00.000-08:00

Whose Lost A Toothe?
gouache and coloered pencils

My Guardian
Gouache and colored pencils

2009-02-25T08:15:00.000-08:00

The new book by L.A. Reiss is out! http://lareiss.com

2009-02-25T08:08:00.000-08:00

Here's a collecton of pictures I did in an attempt at a style suitable for easy readers. These are from a story called "Dirty Larry".

Pony Ride

2009-02-17T11:28:00.000-08:00

Gouache with colored pencils. I did this as one of two- the first one being the prequel so stay tuned for that.

Please Page all the way down to see my newest work

2009-02-09T10:16:00.001-08:00

2009-02-04T08:39:00.001-08:00

I'm trying a different style here- a bit more wimsical.

These two were just finished for Sparkle magazine's April issue.

Let It Fly

2009-01-12T07:06:00.000-08:00

Three images commissioned by Robin Hoffman for a wonderful manuscript entitled,"Let It Fly".

Gouache and colored pencils.

2008-11-20T10:22:00.000-08:00

Here is a new image for the Holidays. Guoache and colored pencils.

2008-11-20T09:58:00.000-08:00

I've re-worked my Rosie character study concentrating on expanding my color pallet and using a more saturated underpainting. Also, the paper is Bristol smooth, the other had a tooth that I didn't like.

Chapter Book Portfolio

2008-11-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

I've grouped my images depicting older children here. I hope to show art directors not only that I can draw the age group but that my characters are consistant.

Here are some new images for a job I just completed for Compass Publishing. Ten images from the story "Anne of Green Gables". Keep in mind Anne grows form the age of 11 to about 18 here. This was a super fast deadline. Lots of stress to finish in time but I was happy with the results.

Next are some samples I did from the book "Barkbelly" by Cat Weatherhill. Sort of a modern Pinocchio.

Cover for The Curse of Amun Ra. Acrylics, guoache and colored pencils

Selection of pieces for the Tayke-Off Adventure Series, page down for more of these. Guoache and colored pencils.

Sample from Cooking's Cool book proposal. Guoache and colored pencils.

Samples of illustrations for a version of The Jungle Book, coming soon by Compass Publishing. Guoache and colored pencils.

The Tayke-Off Travel Adventure Series

2008-11-06T09:51:00.000-08:00

These are images used in the proposal as passport photos. Colored pencils only here.

These are a collection of pictures for a book proposal. It's a travel book series written by Jilliane Hoffman. Amanda, the main character, is keeping a journal and taking pictures of her family's trips around the world.

Picture Book portfolio

2008-11-06T09:40:00.001-08:00

I'm assembling images that will suit picture books and seperating them from my chapter book samples or pictures of older children.

Some examples of sequential images from a story idea I have called, My Hair is Fine.

Cooking's Cool proposal

2008-11-06T09:24:00.001-08:00

These were commissioned by a wonderful writer named Cindy Sardo. She wrote a bunch of stories about a teacher who uses cooking to teach her class many lessons including eating healthy and creatively. Watch for these to be published soon!

Chapter Book Cover Amun Ra

2008-11-06T08:44:00.000-08:00

Here's the cover for "The Curse of Amun Ra" by Lisa Reiss to be released soon!

The scarab will be used as a header for each chapter.

Character study for my chapter book portfolio

2008-11-06T08:36:00.000-08:00