My Portfolio for Rutgers

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!

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!"

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

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...

Here's Fly Boy!

Revising, Revising, Revising....

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

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

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

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

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

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.