So this is the map. It reminds me of Winnie the Pooh a little.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
cover concept
I was thinking about the cover this week. And the type. I thought the type should be expressive. More expressive than the average kid's book. I'm expecting the parent to read this, not the child, so readability is not quite as important. I'd rather readers looked at my book and enjoyed it because it was different and fun to read even if it was a bit more challenging. The story itself isn't hard to understand. And the illustrations are straight-forward. So it could use something interesting.
I like the quirkiness of Cochin. I mixed it with a script and a bold font (Rosewood Fill).
After I get some feedback on the type, etc. I'm going to work on the cover more; write a description for the back cover, a blurb for the flaps, and add all the little touches it'll need.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
new inspiration explanation
Below is some work by Nessim Higson, a designer working in New Orleans who is found under www.iamalwayshungry.com. What I found inspiratoional is the way he layers photocopies and illustrations.
I've been doing some visual exploration. I'll post it above.
I've been doing some visual exploration. I'll post it above.
Monday, November 3, 2008
watercolour sketches
These are rough sketches only, for me to plan out spreads and colour. This is not how I am illustrating the mushrooms, for instance. There will be text over top of these illustrations, too.
The bottom image is a copy of Arthur Rackham's Alice in Wonderland.
Sketches
I only uploaded some of the sketches from my sketch book. Although the sketches aren't very good, they were very helpful to me because they let me figure out how to position my characters in my scenes. I caught myself when I started to draw Leon smaller than Rudge (a vole isn't smaller than a mushroom), I redrew the hawk until its swooping attack looked more accurate, and I started to picture all of the spreads in my head.
I also sketched with watercolour, to figure out my colours and how it would look. I'll upload the photos above.
My story
This is a story about Burns Bog and
Leon the vole.
He was a very lonely creature,
living in a hole.
One day, Leon woke to find
his house filled with garbage!
Humans had covered his home with their trash.
Poor Leon had to find a new place to live.
On his journey, a hawk caught sight of him.
Running for his life, Leon entered Burns Bog,
which was the only safe cover in sight.
---
Running into the bog,
Chased by a hawk,
Leon looked for a place to hide.
He saw a group of mushrooms that looked safe.
Running into the mushrooms,
chased by the hawk,
Leon bashed right into a little mushroom named Rudge.
All the mushrooms abruptly woke up
and yelled, “Hey! Get outta here!”
“Oh I’m sorry,” said Leon, who began to leave.
“No wait! Can’t you see he’s in danger?
Let him stay,” said Rudge, the forgiving mushroom.
“Thank you,” said Leon, the relieved vole.
---
“Ignore them.” Rudge said.
“They’re grumpy
because if they could just
get to the centre of the bog,
they could meet the Great Sandhill Crane
but we’re stuck in the ground
and can’t go anywhere.”
“Why would they want to do that?” Leon said.
“I can’t tell you.
The other mushrooms would be angry.” Rudge whispered.
My name is Rudge by the way.”
“CAW!”
“I’m Leon. It’s nice to meet you.”
---
“Leon, don’t move.”
“Why?”
“The hawk is right behind you!”
“CAW!”
“Run behind me now!”
Leon hid quickly behind Rudge.
The hawk attacked.
It’s beak landed in the dirt and uprooted the mushroom!
It pecked around, but couldn’t reach Leon,
so after a few minutes, it flew away.
Leon came out of hiding and
found Rudge lying on its side.
“It’s okay, Leon. I’m fine.
but I’m not stuck into the ground anymore!
That silly hawk dug me up
so that means you can take me with you!
We can find a home for you
and I can see the Great Sandhill Crane!”
Leon realized that the mushroom was determined to come. “Alright. Let’s go!”
---
Leon picked Rudge up
carefully with his tail
& they began their journey
to the centre of the bog & to find a new home.
“We can’t stay on the boardwalk,” said Rudge.
“This is where the humans walk.
They’ll step on us.”
They jump off the boardwalk.
“The ground is so springy!” Leon noticed
after they had hid from humans and hawks under the boardwalk.
“That’s because the ground is made of peat moss.
If you jump, the ground will jiggle like jelly.
It happens more in the centre of the bog.
Right now, we’re just at the edge of it,” Rudge explained.
---
“What’s so special about
the Great Sandhill Crane anyway?”
asked Leon.
“He has magic that’s connected to the bog.
He only comes to the bog once a year to nest
& he grants one wish!
He’s always wise and he sees everything.
I’m telling you this because you’re my friend.”
“I would wish for a home.
What would you wish for?” asked Leon.
“Feet,” said Rudge.
“So I could go anywhere I wanted to.”
---
Leon and Rudge were on their way again when,
CAW!
They heard the hawk.
“Over there! There’s a tractor I heard about
because it’s stuck into the bog.
Some human tried to steal it
but got caught by the bog’s squishy ground,” said Rudge.
“Let’s hide under it!” agreed Leon.
They huddled under the tractor.
CAW!
SCREECH!
“Wait! Leon, don’t go out there!” yelled Rudge.
Leon came out from under the tractor.
“Look! It’s not the hawk!” explained Leon.
---
There was a commotion in the sky.
Two birds were fighting each other
& one quickly vanquished the other.
A bird appeared in front of Leon.
It was a blue-grey colour.
It was tall, with a long neck.
On its head, there was a patch of red feathers.
The hawk was gone.
The Great Sandhill Crane bowed in front of Leon the vole.
Leon stared.
“Th-th-thank you for saving us,” Leon stammered.
---
The Great Sandhill Crane spoke.
“I saw something strange on the way
to my nesting ground.
A vole and a mushroom traveling together
& helping one another.
I also saw the hawk stalking you.
I think that you’re worthy of a wish, Leon.
What is it that you want?”
Leon thought about it.
He looked back at Rudge.
“I wish Rudge had feet so he could go anywhere.”
“No! I wish you had a home!” Rudge exclaimed.
“I’d be happy to stay with you, Leon.
I don’t need feet.
We have so much fun already.”
The Great Sandhill Crane nodded.
“Your wish, Leon?” he asked.
Leon thought for a second.
“I wish... just that Burns Bog will always exist.
I want it to be protected forever.”
---
“No one has ever asked me for that,”
The Great Sandhill Crane said approvingly.
“It is done.
Good luck on your search for a home...
You might want to look North.”
The Great Sandhill Crane flew away
leaving Leon and Rudge happy to go North
in search of a home.
They do find a home to the North...
but it’s a secret spot that you can only find
if you look very hard.
The End
Leon the vole.
He was a very lonely creature,
living in a hole.
One day, Leon woke to find
his house filled with garbage!
Humans had covered his home with their trash.
Poor Leon had to find a new place to live.
On his journey, a hawk caught sight of him.
Running for his life, Leon entered Burns Bog,
which was the only safe cover in sight.
---
Running into the bog,
Chased by a hawk,
Leon looked for a place to hide.
He saw a group of mushrooms that looked safe.
Running into the mushrooms,
chased by the hawk,
Leon bashed right into a little mushroom named Rudge.
All the mushrooms abruptly woke up
and yelled, “Hey! Get outta here!”
“Oh I’m sorry,” said Leon, who began to leave.
“No wait! Can’t you see he’s in danger?
Let him stay,” said Rudge, the forgiving mushroom.
“Thank you,” said Leon, the relieved vole.
---
“Ignore them.” Rudge said.
“They’re grumpy
because if they could just
get to the centre of the bog,
they could meet the Great Sandhill Crane
but we’re stuck in the ground
and can’t go anywhere.”
“Why would they want to do that?” Leon said.
“I can’t tell you.
The other mushrooms would be angry.” Rudge whispered.
My name is Rudge by the way.”
“CAW!”
“I’m Leon. It’s nice to meet you.”
---
“Leon, don’t move.”
“Why?”
“The hawk is right behind you!”
“CAW!”
“Run behind me now!”
Leon hid quickly behind Rudge.
The hawk attacked.
It’s beak landed in the dirt and uprooted the mushroom!
It pecked around, but couldn’t reach Leon,
so after a few minutes, it flew away.
Leon came out of hiding and
found Rudge lying on its side.
“It’s okay, Leon. I’m fine.
but I’m not stuck into the ground anymore!
That silly hawk dug me up
so that means you can take me with you!
We can find a home for you
and I can see the Great Sandhill Crane!”
Leon realized that the mushroom was determined to come. “Alright. Let’s go!”
---
Leon picked Rudge up
carefully with his tail
& they began their journey
to the centre of the bog & to find a new home.
“We can’t stay on the boardwalk,” said Rudge.
“This is where the humans walk.
They’ll step on us.”
They jump off the boardwalk.
“The ground is so springy!” Leon noticed
after they had hid from humans and hawks under the boardwalk.
“That’s because the ground is made of peat moss.
If you jump, the ground will jiggle like jelly.
It happens more in the centre of the bog.
Right now, we’re just at the edge of it,” Rudge explained.
---
“What’s so special about
the Great Sandhill Crane anyway?”
asked Leon.
“He has magic that’s connected to the bog.
He only comes to the bog once a year to nest
& he grants one wish!
He’s always wise and he sees everything.
I’m telling you this because you’re my friend.”
“I would wish for a home.
What would you wish for?” asked Leon.
“Feet,” said Rudge.
“So I could go anywhere I wanted to.”
---
Leon and Rudge were on their way again when,
CAW!
They heard the hawk.
“Over there! There’s a tractor I heard about
because it’s stuck into the bog.
Some human tried to steal it
but got caught by the bog’s squishy ground,” said Rudge.
“Let’s hide under it!” agreed Leon.
They huddled under the tractor.
CAW!
SCREECH!
“Wait! Leon, don’t go out there!” yelled Rudge.
Leon came out from under the tractor.
“Look! It’s not the hawk!” explained Leon.
---
There was a commotion in the sky.
Two birds were fighting each other
& one quickly vanquished the other.
A bird appeared in front of Leon.
It was a blue-grey colour.
It was tall, with a long neck.
On its head, there was a patch of red feathers.
The hawk was gone.
The Great Sandhill Crane bowed in front of Leon the vole.
Leon stared.
“Th-th-thank you for saving us,” Leon stammered.
---
The Great Sandhill Crane spoke.
“I saw something strange on the way
to my nesting ground.
A vole and a mushroom traveling together
& helping one another.
I also saw the hawk stalking you.
I think that you’re worthy of a wish, Leon.
What is it that you want?”
Leon thought about it.
He looked back at Rudge.
“I wish Rudge had feet so he could go anywhere.”
“No! I wish you had a home!” Rudge exclaimed.
“I’d be happy to stay with you, Leon.
I don’t need feet.
We have so much fun already.”
The Great Sandhill Crane nodded.
“Your wish, Leon?” he asked.
Leon thought for a second.
“I wish... just that Burns Bog will always exist.
I want it to be protected forever.”
---
“No one has ever asked me for that,”
The Great Sandhill Crane said approvingly.
“It is done.
Good luck on your search for a home...
You might want to look North.”
The Great Sandhill Crane flew away
leaving Leon and Rudge happy to go North
in search of a home.
They do find a home to the North...
but it’s a secret spot that you can only find
if you look very hard.
The End
What I've done lately so far
I'm going to finally post my whole story. I finished writing it over a week ago, but I wanted to edit it and also decide on what text would go on what page. And I had to decide how many pages I was doing. So I've done that. It's going to be 10 spreads (20 pages) plus a cover dust jacket plus a title page, etc.
I have left out some of the story that happens in the middle, because if there is time, I'll add some more spreads. These parts detail some different plants and animals that Rudge and Leon encounter along the way. They can be left out. So I did. The book still achieves the goal of getting kids to want to go to the bog. I think that any book I read that takes place in an actual spot, I'd love to go to that place, as long as the book doesn't suck too bad. I hope my story isn't THAT bad.
So the next step is the illustrations and I had started those a few weeks ago. I began by sketching the animals and plants that are featured in my story. I looked up pictures of voles, hawks, cranes, and mushrooms mostly. I took pictures in the bog to get a sense of where my story will take place. For every page in my book, I'm going to show an actual place that I've photographed, so that kids can find these places too, if they want to.
The style I had decided on was going to directly reference Arthur Rackham's illustrations of "Alice in Wonderland." That meant muted earth tones in watercolour/ink and a thin black outline. It also meant putting human expressions onto animals and plants. My own style lacks the attention to detail Rackham used and the originality of his characters (I don't have the patience or talent) so I've decided to use brighter colours and a different style. I still like the look of wet (watery?) colour because it seemed appropriate to illustrate a bog with watercolour/ink. The bog is very muddy and wet.
Because my illustrations were of places I photographed, I tried out some things with the photos I took. I thought about taking the photos and adding my characters into the scene. This seemed a little inconsistent. My characters aren't realistic. And my photos aren't amazing either.
So what I decided to do is to trace the photos I took, then add my characters into it. It was the easiest way of adding detail and realism to my illustrations while keeping a consistent style.
I tries not to cover the entire page with my characters, etc. because I needed space for the text of the story. I transferred my tracings onto a thick piece of paper that could hold watercolour without warping too bad, by photocopying the images backward and using a blender pen to get the faint outline of the drawing. Then I painted on top of it in a sketchy way (I love things that look sketchy). I didn't worry about the outline of everything, because I wanted the look of a bleed. Everything was supposed to blend together a little bit, as if in a dream.
Then I scanned it onto the computer and manipulated the levels and curves so that it was as bright as the original. I faded the edges so that my text would be fairly readable. I chose a typeface that was large so that kids could try to follow along and so that it was very easy to read and see. For instance, if a child wanted to bring it into the bog while they go on a little walk, they could still read it even in low light or even if they were walking around.
When I started playing around with typefaces, I thought I would use something clear and traditional, like Garamond. But when I saw how boring that looked with my illustration, I decided to try something different. I noticed that when I used a retro typeface from the 60s or 70s, my illustrations reminded me of some of the illustrations from that time period. I don't know anything about illustration from the 60s and 70s, but it just reminded me of it. So I thought about using Gill sans for my body text, since it's a "friendly" humanist typeface and I thought I could use it with Cooper Black as display type so that the page looked a little retro. I need some advice on this.
One of the things I'm going to do in the future is play with the typeface (colour, font, placement, etc.). I have only illustrated one spread in watercolour. I have 9 more to go, plus the cover, etc. I also want to create a map of the bog, including the trails and Leon's journey and markers for areas of the bog that kids should look at or pay attention to, like the tractor, plants, etc. I want them to find markers in the bog that have more information about animals and plants in the bog, so that they can learn more about the bog if they want to. My book is supposed to entertain them, not bore them with facts, but if they choose to, I want there to be facts available for the curious child.
I have left out some of the story that happens in the middle, because if there is time, I'll add some more spreads. These parts detail some different plants and animals that Rudge and Leon encounter along the way. They can be left out. So I did. The book still achieves the goal of getting kids to want to go to the bog. I think that any book I read that takes place in an actual spot, I'd love to go to that place, as long as the book doesn't suck too bad. I hope my story isn't THAT bad.
So the next step is the illustrations and I had started those a few weeks ago. I began by sketching the animals and plants that are featured in my story. I looked up pictures of voles, hawks, cranes, and mushrooms mostly. I took pictures in the bog to get a sense of where my story will take place. For every page in my book, I'm going to show an actual place that I've photographed, so that kids can find these places too, if they want to.
The style I had decided on was going to directly reference Arthur Rackham's illustrations of "Alice in Wonderland." That meant muted earth tones in watercolour/ink and a thin black outline. It also meant putting human expressions onto animals and plants. My own style lacks the attention to detail Rackham used and the originality of his characters (I don't have the patience or talent) so I've decided to use brighter colours and a different style. I still like the look of wet (watery?) colour because it seemed appropriate to illustrate a bog with watercolour/ink. The bog is very muddy and wet.
Because my illustrations were of places I photographed, I tried out some things with the photos I took. I thought about taking the photos and adding my characters into the scene. This seemed a little inconsistent. My characters aren't realistic. And my photos aren't amazing either.
So what I decided to do is to trace the photos I took, then add my characters into it. It was the easiest way of adding detail and realism to my illustrations while keeping a consistent style.
I tries not to cover the entire page with my characters, etc. because I needed space for the text of the story. I transferred my tracings onto a thick piece of paper that could hold watercolour without warping too bad, by photocopying the images backward and using a blender pen to get the faint outline of the drawing. Then I painted on top of it in a sketchy way (I love things that look sketchy). I didn't worry about the outline of everything, because I wanted the look of a bleed. Everything was supposed to blend together a little bit, as if in a dream.
Then I scanned it onto the computer and manipulated the levels and curves so that it was as bright as the original. I faded the edges so that my text would be fairly readable. I chose a typeface that was large so that kids could try to follow along and so that it was very easy to read and see. For instance, if a child wanted to bring it into the bog while they go on a little walk, they could still read it even in low light or even if they were walking around.
When I started playing around with typefaces, I thought I would use something clear and traditional, like Garamond. But when I saw how boring that looked with my illustration, I decided to try something different. I noticed that when I used a retro typeface from the 60s or 70s, my illustrations reminded me of some of the illustrations from that time period. I don't know anything about illustration from the 60s and 70s, but it just reminded me of it. So I thought about using Gill sans for my body text, since it's a "friendly" humanist typeface and I thought I could use it with Cooper Black as display type so that the page looked a little retro. I need some advice on this.
One of the things I'm going to do in the future is play with the typeface (colour, font, placement, etc.). I have only illustrated one spread in watercolour. I have 9 more to go, plus the cover, etc. I also want to create a map of the bog, including the trails and Leon's journey and markers for areas of the bog that kids should look at or pay attention to, like the tractor, plants, etc. I want them to find markers in the bog that have more information about animals and plants in the bog, so that they can learn more about the bog if they want to. My book is supposed to entertain them, not bore them with facts, but if they choose to, I want there to be facts available for the curious child.
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