TEAWINGS: DESIGNFEST - Digital Image Bank

TEAWINGS: DESIGNFEST - Digital Image Bank
Check out the Teawings blog..great info in this post and more great links and things on the side

Art By Committee..an Online Challenge for Illustrators

Check out Illustrator James Gurney's blog and a wonderful monthly challenge called Art By Committee for illustrators to take a phrase that Gurney chooses from a science fiction manuscript each month and illustrate it. The next illo is due by February 12th at 10:00 am.

E.H. Shepard's Art Background

Take a look at Gurney Journey's blog highlighting Winnie the Pooh illustrator E. H. Shepard's academic background in art. Shepard's figure drawings and portraits are unsurprisingly gorgeous. I had never seen that side of his art.

(off to dig out my Winnie the Pooh books and Wind in the Willows books to study his pen and ink work.)

NVIDIA

Amazing software called NVIDIA (In Spanish envidia is jealousy..and VIDIA is somehow a root of To See or Be Seen...so it's a well thought out name)

anyway...when I saw this link I was already captivated, but here's a woman who creates animations and illustrations with it.
Look at the gallery.

A thought provoking art blog

http://jeanevogel.blogspot.com/

Mixed media sites, artists and other Cachibachis

Ok..I'm going down a rabbit trail of great links and am just going to post the URLs for now since I have to get offline...
(I have some serious painting to do and should not be on the computer, but these sites are inspiring..so it's justifiable)

Pieces Of Me...Mixed Media ATC artist.
Art With Moxie...Mixed Media Artist..tons of wonderful links as well as the gorgeous art...and a wonderful selection of jewelry on her ETSY store.
After Midnight Art Stamps....distressing techniques, stamps for creating mixed media art and way too much for me to look at right now..but I'm saving the link for myself with this post.

on a side note...
do any of you get a sort of shot of adrenaline that brings on a bit of ADD type art craziness...where you want to do everything and you can't stop yourself? At the moment I am in the midst of creating illustrations for a wonderful story by Mayra Calvani..and when I'm not doing that, I bring one of my 5 knitting projects with me everywhere I go to keep myself happy (in waiting rooms at the dentist or in the car waiting for my kids etc.)
I'm in the midst of knitting scarflettes, arm warmers and other small projects of various types of yarn. I can get away with it since they are small and easy..but the results are wonderfully satisfying.

Artsyville's Blog

Check out Artsyville, a colorful fanciful blog by artist Aimee.

Artist's Resolutions for the New Year

Check out Alyson Stanfield's wonderful Artist's Resolutions. Take some time to check her site for the resources and wisdom she shares for artists.

Althea Crone- Miniature knitting for Coraline

Kahn and Selesnick

Check out Kahn and Selesnick's amazing work. Staged photographic panoramas unlike any you've seen before. geniuses....

(found through a link on facebook from DD's page.......Facebook does have it's benefits. I have found links, info, networking and friends from 20 years back that I never would have found otherwise )

Simply Licensed..a resource for artists

Simply Licensed is a website that allows artists and manufacturers to find each other. At this time it is available for free. Interested in licensing your art? Check it out.

Updating the blog template

I'm working on blogger's newer format. Please excuse any added confusion. The holiday/Christmas season probably isn't the best time to do this, but I've been wanting to have access to the easier template format, and finally did it.

Don Tate's New Angel Diva Scrapbooking set

Check out children's illustrator Don Tate's new Angel Divas scrapbooking set. It is adorable. Tell your scrapbooking fanatic friends about it.
( I love angel themes, and this one is fun, fresh, upbeat and inspired)
If I was a scrapbooker, I'd snatch these up, but I've got to control myself as far as what new areas I venture into creativity wise..there's only so much space and time in my crammed life)

Congratulations Don on your new line and this adventure of licensing.

Rare Christmas Children's Books

As Christmas approaches it is fun to read children's Christmas books. Here is a link to some rare old children's books about Christmas.
I can still remember my parents reading T'was the Night Before Christmas and the Bible story from the gospel of Luke. What rich memories those stories and images bring.

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Check out The Picture Bookies

Take some time to check out our amazing group of children's illustrators at The Picture Bookies. Such talent....I'm honored and privileged to be a part of such an amazing group of artists. We also have a blog.
Not only is each of the artists talented and experienced in the field, each one is also a person of character and generosity.

Check out the Affluent Artist

The Affluent Artist...check it out. Great articles and links on this blog..and one look at his art shows why he knows what he is talking about...

Holidays

The holidays are coming. I love this time of year.

My new cafepress store
http://ping.fm/OulE2

http://ping.fm/AfubD
check out my new cafepress store and items. More to come soon.

http://ping.fm/1SNnS

Check out my etsy shop. I added a handmade Xango item and leather cuff bracelet.

CarbonMade.com...another online portfolio venue

Carbonmade.com is another free online portfolio venue. It is nicely designed and easy to navigate and use. I'm in the process of uploading images there now for my own portfolio.

Alison Stanfield's Affirmations for Artists Video

Take a moment to listen to Alison Stanfield's Affirmations for Artists video.

She is a motivator with encouragement and practical advice for artists.

Research led me to Penny Plain Twopence Coloured

Look at this blog. Penny Plain Twopence Coloured. It's a blog about a Toy Theatre Novice. The images got me hooked. (I'm researching Victorian theatres for an illustration in Mayra Calvani's book that I'm in the process of illustrating.
Here's another fascinating site about paper theatres

http://ping.fm/DPqdT

Check out Sherry Roger's Interview

Check out my wonderful children's illustrator friend Sherry Rogers' interview here.
Not only is she a fantastic person, but her work shines with joy and professionalism.

LinkedIn..networking made easy

If you are a freelance artist or creative person, check out LinkedIn. The possibilities for connections and jobs and networking are endless there.

Fwd: The museum track, collaborations, and creative incomes

Check out Alison Stanfield's amazing newsletter and blog. She is a whiz at the art biz and consulting with artists. Just this message alone leads to many sources and possibilities
or artists to further their biz as artists. Her links are here below

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Instant access to the latest & most popular FREE games while you browse with the Games Toolbar - Download Now!

http://ping.fm/9qyuo

http://ping.fm/I7DKW
Check out our collaborative illustration blog.

http://www.change.org/
Here is a new organization that helps non-profits to network

http://ping.fm/1xA3D

Children's Literature Author Illustrator Booking Service

Check out the Children's Literature Author and Illustrator Booking service if you qualify.

Orchid Necklace - buy custom personalized products from Ponoko

"This is fascinating. It is at Ponoko, created by an amazing artist."

Thirty-nine layers of plastic are sculpted into a fluid form inspired by the morphology of orchids. A stainless steel cable threads through the entire piece, underlining the simple stacked constru...

View >>

Photomake-Ponoko

WOW...have you heard  of Photomake-Ponoko? This has amazing possibilities, and you can sell what you make there too, sort of like Cafepress. I can't  WAIT to try this out.

http://ping.fm/ijmkd

It's National Library Card Month. If you don't have one, get one. It's one of the best cards you can carry with you.

The National Museum of Crime and Punishment (NMCP)

The following is an article sent to me from Eric Higgins, who works with the new Crime Museum in DC. I am looking forward to visiting this museum asap myself! Thanks so much Eric for informing us about the new Museum.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you’re planning a trip to the nation’s capital, you have to check out the latest addition to the Washington DC museum scene—the National Museum of Crime & Punishment (NMCP). Fun for the whole family, the NMCP takes you through interactive environments highlighting the history of crime, methods of punishment, and law enforcement. Other specialized exhibits include crime scene investigation and the America’s Most Wanted studio.

Beginning with the Middle Ages and moving on through the Colonial times, Wild West, post-World War I era, and into the present day, “A Notorious History of Crime” showcases the evolution of crime spanning centuries in America. The weapons and technology used to commit crimes may have changed, but the motives have generally remained the same. Discover the stories of famous outlaws and mobsters that drove the police crazy, and learn about some of the most distinguished criminal events on record. Don’t forget to get your picture taken with your head and hands locked in the pillory, a rare example of punishment nostalgia.

At the “Punishment: The Consequence of Crime” display, find out firsthand what it’s like to become a criminal as you tour a replica police station. From being booked and getting your mug shot taken to life inside a cold concrete jail cell, you’ll get an understanding of our country’s prison system and why it’s a place no one in their right mind would want to be for any length of time. How cool can you perform under pressure? Get hooked up to the lie detector and test yourself.

Working in the line of law enforcement is not for everyone. The “Crime Fighting” gallery outlines what a career as a crime fighter entails, the tasks of various law enforcement agencies, and how each division works together. Observe the uniforms, weapons, and equipment that law personnel must familiarize themselves with, and even rate your skills as a gun slinger at the shooting range simulator.

Are you a fan of the hit television shows CSI: New York or CSI: Miami? If so, the “CSI Experience” will not disappoint you. Smack-dab in the middle of a murder mystery, see if you have what it takes to uncover the clues at the crime scene and analyze them back at the lab using common forensic science techniques. Next, move on to the morgue to learn the ins and outs of an autopsy, or browse through files from some of the most notable cold cases.

Everyone has watched America’s Most Wanted, and now, the longest-running series in American television history has made the NMCP its new home. Discover why host John Walsh started the show and how successful it has been in bringing hundreds of fugitives to justice. Bring your children to the Cross Match Technologies booth to have them fingerprinted. It will be an enjoyable experience for them, but it will also be for a good cause, since all prints will be entered into a nationwide database for future reference.

Whether you are young or old, the National Museum of Crime & Punishment has something interesting for all ages. Located in the heart of the city directly across from the Verizon Center, the NMCP is a “can’t miss” attraction on your Washington DC tours list.

Remembering on 9/11

My thoughts go back to that fresh sunny morning 7 years ago. My prayers go out to all who grieve and have suffered from the tragedy that day. 

I remember clearly that I was in a Bible study with dear women at church, when our pastor came downstairs to ask us to pray due to an airplane crashing into one of the World Trade Center Towers. We gathered in a circle and began to pray. 

Several minutes later he came back down and gravely told us that another plane had crashed into the other tower. We all sank to our knees to pray more. Later on, he returned saying there were rumors of planes above DC, and a rumor that a building in DC had been hit, and again with the true fact that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon. 

The husband of a woman in our circle was working there at that moment. Many of us had close friends who worked at the Pentagon and neighbors as well.

We left to see what to do to support our neighbors and to see about removing our children from school. (many of our husbands work in D.C.)

I removed my three young kids from their elementary school and tried to reach my husband. It was a harrowing time. I remember that my husband could not get through on his cell phone and that the trains and metro situation and the whole city of D.C. was in a state of chaos and shock and wondering how to get back home, or what to do. Some govt. folks were told to move to different sections of their buildings.

The shock of it all is still fresh. One of the strangest things that I remember is the beauty of the day that morning, how clear the sky was, the temperature so perfect, school had just begun and it was a fresh start. I pray that for those who lost loved ones, and are still suffering the loss, or still suffering from the mental anguish and shock, that they will find peace and comfort, and know that they are not alone. 

Ping

I'm learning all about Ping and the connections between twitter, facebook, blogger and others.

Check out Ping. You can set it to automatically post messages to a wide variety of sites. I sent the first part of this blog message from Ping and it went automatically to Twitter, Facebook as well. Very cool.

It's All About Connection....

I've been swimming with ideas lately on and offline about networking, trends, marketing and other odds and ends. In between finishing up an illustration project and planning for a line of artwork to license, caring for my three active kids and hyperactive husband (I say that in the kindest way possible. He is a gem, but when the two of us get together to brainstorm, it is exhilarating and exhausting)

He is reading Microtrends, a book I can't wait to get my hands on. I have also been following some savy folks on Twitter (http://twitter.com/earthenvessel) and Facebook and gleaning great ideas from them. I'll try to post links soon. My PC is still down, meaning I'm dependent on my laptop, which is carrying the Lion's share of the family's online load these days. 

I wish Blogger had a way to link blog posts to Facebook and Twitter. Anyone know if it does?

For any artists out there interested in licensing their art, I have started a group on yahoogroups for Critiquing art for Licensing, to help us hone our skill and succeed in that business. It's called Critsforartlicensing, and requires approval to join.  I have also started two groups for Artists who license on Facebook. (I'm learning the biz, but am not an expert, but figure we can all help each other learn and find resources and ideas

Articles I've found on Licensing for Artists

This morning I've been scouring the internet for more info about licensing for artists. I will include a few links to the best articles here.

A recent article in the New York Daily News By ELIZABETH LAZAROWITZ DAILY NEWS BUSINESS WRITER Monday, August 6th 2007, 4:00 AM

Here's a great one in BNET Business Network

Mary Englebreit article on Licensing for Artists

Check out Mary Englebreit's article on licensing for artists. She is the queen of licensing in my view in the illustration field. The woman knows her stuff. 

Here is a quote from Mary Englebreit on the topic of licensing for artists:

 On licensing agreements:

"You have to remember that you're the one with the talent who's offering the licensees the gift to be cashed in on. You're certainly bringing something to the table, too, which you're entitled to be paid for. Always try to keep your copyright. Retaining the copyright is crucial. Plus, it's important to sign the contract for the shortest time period possible. That gives you more control if the product isn't as nice as you had hoped."

Blue Moon Studios Freelancing Tips

Check out Paul Fricke's Blue Moon Studios Blog. Along with his topnotch comics and illos, he's got a great post about freelancing tips.

Show and Tell by Dilys Evans

I recently came upon the book Show and Tell by Dilys Evans. It is a book that highlights the art of children's illustrators. Evans is the past art director of Cricket Magazine and is currently the agent and president of Dilys Evans Fine Illustrations. Here's an article about the book in Publisher's Weekly. 

The book is a treasure trove. I plan to add it to my collection.

A cool youtube video of a guitarist

I hope this works. My son plays electric guitar and found this  video the other day. I loved the technique used in filming it.

This is the cool guitar video. =2 0 Me messing around with my guitar testing yamaha crunch distortion for metal and also a few video effects

Animated movie from aniboom called I Do Art

Hey, check out this cool animated movie I found on www.aniboom.com! It's called I Do Art.

I Do Art by Stelios Polychronakis

Plus, try Shapeshifter, a tool that lets you make animation online for free.It's fun and easy to use!
Cheers,
Amy Moreno

Aniboom- an Amimation site like UTube

Aniboom is a fantastic site like UTube, but with animations. Highly addictive. I predict it'll be  a big hit! I just saw a fun animation I'll try to post here in a sec.

Have you seen Wordle yet?

Wordle says on it's site:
"Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends. "

It's fun. I haven't tried it yet, but plan to asap....

Put Your Name On The Moon with the LRO

This is So much fun...you can have your name placed on the LRO (Lunar Reconnassaince Orbiter), which will return to the moon. Do it by June 27th.
Join NASA's Return to the Moon! Names will be collected and placed onboard the LRO spacecraft for its historic mission bringing NASA back to the moon. You will receive a certificate showcasing your support of the mission.

Living Loudly for Liberty-July 4, Independence Day

The Negligent Blogger

Maybe that's what I should call this blog...the Negligent Blogger..... I've been way too busy lately...swimming along in the Northern Virginia pace of life. School has been over for a few weeks now and I'm enjoying having the kids home, but trying to juggle things at a different pace.

This image is years old..and seems to fit the seasonal turning of children growing...mine are growing much too quickly..so I'm treasuring my summer with them. (the scan of the image is a bit funky, but I don't feel like scrounding around in my files for the better scan/image right now)

Phil Noto's comics and Illustrations

Phil Noto's art is something wonderful. Check it out on his website. I found the link on Sidebarnation's blog...a group of incredible illustrators who create comics, concept art, and paintings.

Mother's Day

Mothers Day evokes the strongest blend of emotions. May your day bring peace, special memories, hope and an appreciation of the sacrifice, love and hard work our mothers give and gave for us. If you are a mom, let go of any guilt or feelings of falling short and take hold of the miracle of bearing a child, caring for them, having the honor of holding lives in your care for a short time and the privilege of impacting them for good.
God bless each mother out there!

Two Children's Illustrator Friend's links

I am so lax in blogging lately. I've had way too much on my plate, and trying to keep up with it all, and rest and keep my sanity has been all I can do. I decided to post links to two of my favorite 'children's illustrator friends' who it is an honor to know and consider friends...
Ginger Nielson and Sherry Rogers...Their work and they themselves are incredible...take a look.

April Fool's!

Check out Wikipedia's April Fool's info...
here's another site with April Fool's stuff...

G'Day Mate with Google Australian style

Check out Google's Australian gDay with Mate...info a day ahead.

Gone so long....

Wow..It's been a long time since I've posted. It's been an especially busy season lately with various family and personal activities at home and around....school fun fairs, prep for Easter, church activities, and lots of art to do. I'll post some fun links I've found lately asap.

In the meantime...Spring is nearly here and feels like it's here in VA.
We've got a pair of birds building a nest in a birdhouse near our kitchen window, buds are sprouting, iris greenery is sprouting from the ground..the forsythia is starting to bloom and the weather has been beautiful lately...and Easter is nearly here already!

Another Pen and Ink Rendering

Here's one I finished yesterday..had to rush it out and the scan has some dark shading due to not fitting on the scanner.

The Portrait Party

Check out The Portrait Party...a blog that deals with portraits and is now accepting posts of artist's self-portraits. I don't have time to do one at the moment, but am posting about it for you all. It sounds like a fun challenge.

My Friend on Blog Talk Radio

My dear friend Tracy is now taking part in a weekly round table radio discussion, with several women called Women of Grace and Freedom. It's located here on Blog Talk Radio.

Character Design Blog

Character Design Blog has some wonderful interviews of cartoonists and artists and their creations, characters and the process of creating them.

Scrabulous

Scrabulous is an addictive site where you can play virtual Scrabble with folks from all over the world. I found out about it through facebook and am completely addicted.

Wise Elephant: Design and Influence

Wise Elephant is a new blog about art, design, illustration and related items.

For Andrew Loomis Fans.....

Here's a great treasure for Andrew Loomis fans. The Latest issue of Illustration features Andrew Loomis's work. It is issue number twenty. I was thrilled to get it and see many of the famous illustrations from his book Creative Illustration and others. You can order that issue from their website.

Pen and Ink Resources for artists

Squidoo.com has a great link about pen and ink resources for artists who use quill pens or rapidographs.

Don't cha just hate it when......

You check your art website and find that someone has been on it for 16-20 minutes, and they are viewing your art from: Malaysia, China, India, and other far off lands where copyrights cannot be enforced?
Sorry...I had to vent. It happens to me often, and I know what is most likely going on. Anyone else with that gripe?

Art-Exchange.com

Art Exchange has an online newsletter with some good articles, tips and links about promoting your art, marketing and the biz of being an artist.

Biro Drawing

Biro Drawing is the site of artist James Mylne, who uses Biro pens to create beautiful illustrations. Mylne also has a blog.
Take a sec to view his amazing work.

Bookzone TV

Check out Book Zone TV. It's an online site with interviews of authors and illustrators. There are several children's books highlighted.

Razoo....a Place where Good Things Happen!

I found Razoo over a month ago and was fascinated by it.

This is what their site says about it:

What Is Razoo?

Razoo is a community united around making a positive difference in the world. Where passions are connected with actions, showing us that when connected, our small contributions add up to a big impact. Go ahead, have a look.

Choosing Life with Pastor Bob

Our Pastor has a new blog. He is an amazing man and pastor.

GoofButton.com

GoofButton.com...another great blog about illlustrators and their work.

Joseph Clement Coll's Illustrations

Wowie....take a look at Joseph Clement Coll's incredible pen and ink line work. It'll make you drool if you love pen and ink and linework. And here's a site full of great art books, Flesk Publications (I want them all)

The Art Department

Wow. Here's a fantastic blog I haven't seen before.
The Art Department. Take a look at the origami Christmas tree at the Museum of National History. I'm hoping it is still up. I can't believe I missed seeing that.

Check out Illustration Art's newest drawing

Illustration Art (David Apatoff's blog) has a gorgeous Rembrandt Pen and Ink rendering posted. Check it out.

Happy New Year 2008!

2008! Happy New Year! May your year be one of wonderful discoveries, enough challenges to keep you on your toes, learning new things, success, health, joy and greater connection and communication with friends and loved ones.
My husband and I spent a much needed time together in Warm Springs VA, soaking in the 200 year old Warm Springs. What an experience.
We also visted 3 Hills Inn. Gorgeous and beautifully appointed.
With three kids, time alone without them is a rare occasion.
I've been gone from blogging for so long. What a relief to be back. Our Christmas and New Year's celebrations were a whirlwind of wonder, challenges, good connections with family and friends and ending with a need for a good rest for all.
Here's a New Year's link for you. It's a fascinating view into the process of how James Gurney creates the Dinotopia art.

Persnickety Pup....Products for Dogs and Cats

Check out my friend's wonderful dog and cat collars and other products. She creates them herself and is incredibly talented. All of her work is top quality..I can vouch for it due to knowing her personally.

You Make Me Smile Award

My illustrator friend Ginger Nielson gave me this You Make Me Smile Award and I had to post it here. What a wonderful idea and kind gesture. Check out Ginger's wonderful children's illustrations.
Thank you Ginger. You make me smile too.

A beautiful House for Sale in Oregon

Anyone in the market for a home in Oregon? Check out this beautiful home for sale in Oregon. My friend Sherry (talented children's illustrator) is blogging it for her parents. The house and the people are wonderful. I'm hoping maybe the eyes of the new owners will see the post there and buy it!

Mayra Calvani on The Author/Illustrator Relationship

Below is an article by Author Mayra Calvani. (I am illustrating a children's picture book written by Mayra)
This is Mayra's blog-tour stop on my blog.

For anyone who leaves a comment, she will be giving away a $20.00 Amazon gift certificate on Christmas day to the winner of a drawing if you leave a post after you have read the article.


On the Author/Illustrator Relationship…
By Mayra Calvani

For most authors, working with an illustrator for a picture book can be a thrilling yet stressful experience. Having created the imaginary world in their stories, authors often wonder whether or not the artist will be able to grasp the essence of the setting and characters—not only physically, but tone-wise as well. After all, it is up to the artist to bring the story visually to life. Sometimes the artist may have a different idea for the artwork than the author, and this can create problems.

When working with the big publishing houses, authors hardly have any saying as far as the artwork goes. The art department assigns the illustrator who they think will be better suitable for the book, and that’s that. With small presses, the author has more influence in the matter and often authors and illustrators work side by side. This, by the way, doesn’t necessarily lead to a better book. It’s okay for the author to indicate her vision for the book, but it’s also important to allow the artist to be creative and do her part. Likewise, an illustrator should keep in mind the author’s vision for the illustrations. Mutual respect and communication are essential in any relationship, and for authors and illustrators working together this is no exception.

Of course, an author has the most control over the artwork when she hires an artist for a self publishing project. This is how I found Amy Moreno. Initially I was planning to self publish my children’s picture book, The Doll Violinist. I had sent it out to dozens of agents and publishers, without success. I got some good comments on it, but apparently the editors and agents found the story’s tone too ‘quiet’. Nevertheless, I had faith in my project and set out to find the right illustrator for it. My plan was to keep submitting while the artwork was being done, and in the event that I didn’t have a publisher by the time it was finished, then I would publish it myself.

But to go back to Amy … I spent about three months searching online, studying illustrator’s styles and querying the ones whose work I liked to learn about their fees and work schedules. I found Amy via ChildrensIllustrators.com (http://www2.childrensillustrators.com/illustrator.cgi/art4kidsbooks/). I believe in the sixth sense, and I instantly felt a connection to Amy’s beautiful illustrations and renderings. I got in contact with her. To make a long story short, I sent her The Doll Violinist and she loved it. Amy’s background in music and the cello was a huge plus, as I really wanted someone who would understand the musical aspect of the story. After I described her what I was after and we exchanged ideas, I asked her to send me a sample illustration, which she did. When I saw it, I was spellbound—in that single black & white drawing, she had perfectly captured the essence of the story. This was in the fall of 2006. She’s still working on the illustrations, 24 in all, and in the meantime I have been sending off the story and sample artwork to various publishers. The Doll Violinist won an Honorable Mention Award at the Writer’s Digest Writing Competition and was one of 12 finalists this year at the ABC’s Children’s Picture Book Competition, so I’m still hoping that it will catch the attention of a publisher. Working with Amy has been a thrilling and rewarding experience as we see the story, setting and characters come to life. Since the story takes place in Victorian Europe, Amy has done a tremendous amount of research for the fashions and architecture of the time. She spent a long time studying the postures of violinists and even bought a violin so she could get the violin illustrations perfectly right! Thanks to her skill and vision, I know the book will turn out a beautiful product, whether traditionally or self published.

In the case of The Magic Violin, however, it was my publisher, Lynda Burch of Guardian Angel Publishing, who assigned the artist, though she asked my opinion before a decision was made. As soon as I saw K.C. Snider’s website (http://www.olaharts.com/kcsnider.html, or http://www.portfolios.com/profile.html?MyUrl=KCSnider) I was very impressed by her drawing and paintings, especially of horses, which are her specialty. So I accepted her suggestion to have K.C. illustrate my book. K.C. was wonderful to work with, even though I made a few mistakes initially. For one thing, I didn’t give her enough information about the setting and especially about the correct postures for a violinist. This created some delay as I found errors in the artwork which had to be fixed. I blame myself for this. If I had spent more time communicating, I would have made both our lives a little easier. She was very open to suggestions and wanted me to be happy with the result, so I’m really grateful to her for that. Part of the reason for this lack of communication was my hectic schedule, so this has been a valuable lesson—to always give my writing projects 100% of my attention. Fortunately, I’m happy with the results and especially with the cover. I think K.C. captured something special and even magical in that cover.

Every children’s picture book is an adventure and I can’t wait to dive into the next one. Finding the right illustrator can be difficult, but once you do, it’s really a worthwhile and exciting experience. The secret? Mutual respect and communication.



http://www.mayracalvani.com http://www.thedarkphantom.wordpress.com http://www.mayrassecretbookcase.com
http://www.violinandbooks.com
http://www.thefountainpennewsletter.blogspot.com

Free Rice - a U.N. Cause to bring Rice to Poor Nations

Check out this fantastic site Free Rice, by the United Nations. You play a game trying to guess the right definitions for words, and for every one you get right, 20 grams of rice are donated through the UN to end world hunger. It's great fun for an important cause, and it doesn't cost anything except the time to try to figure out the definitions.

Cakespy's website and Etsy shop

Cakespy left a kind comment on my blog, allowing me to find her blog and ETSY shop...so now I'm blogging them. Look at those Dee-lic-ious cupcakes on her blog! Love her ETSY shop too.
I recently updated my ETSY shop and have more to add finally. It has been on my t0-do list for quite awhile. If you've never visited ETSY...go and visit..but be warned, the all handmade item site is very addictive. I think it's one of the best venues online to see wonderful handmade items at excellent prices. It costs very little to have a shop there. They take a percentage from sales, and only a small amount to post each item.

Town of Cochrane Mural-Mosaic

The Town of Cochrane displays an amazing mural composed of many small paintings. Click on the squares to see the individual paintings that compose the large image.

Send an online Thank you card to the troops

I blogged this awhile ago, but recently found it and wanted to reblog it.
You can send a free online thank you note to the troops here at Let's Say Thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving

May you be filled with a sense of thankfulness for the blessings in your life, loved ones, friends, your home, school, church, place of worship, community, your talents, gifts, hopes for the future, goals, and dreams, and just the ability to draw breath, see and hear..to taste, walk, run, read....so much....

Here's a pic from our backyard this morning. We're getting ready for a houseful of 14, so we've let the leaves lay there for all to enjoy. I love the Autumn leaves. The turkey is in the oven...yum....

Crack Scull Bob's blog- Educational Illustrations

I love this guy's sense of humor, and his illustrations are even better. Check out Crack Scull Bob's blog.
I started my own blog about Educational Illustration. (I know...I know...like I need another one)

Craft Skull Monkeys

Here's a blog by illustrator Amanda Kavanagh whose work is fantastic.

VWater Flash Ad

Golden Autumn

Every time I look out my kitchen window, I see this gorgeous tree. It has lost several big limbs in the past few years due to their sheer weight, but it is still incredible. Today the leaves were bright yellow. This photo was from yesterday. It doesn't do the tree justice.

Scott E Franson and His Post about Lookybook

Check out Scott E. Franson's blogpost about Lookybook. Lookybook seems to be an online site that allows whole picturebooks to be viewed, page by page. I haven't read any more other than taking a short peek at Scott's post. It's fascinating, but I hope there are clear copyright protections in place before books are posted.

Yaytime-Advice for building a career as a freelance artist

Check out Yaytime. Dave Roman gives Advice for building a career as a freelance artist.
George from the yahoo illustrator's list gave the info...thanks George

Children's illustrator Brian Selznick's Video Interviews

Check out Brian Selznick's fun interviews through Reading Rockets. I got a kick out of the first one about GI Joe Island and the trolls he used to have. In the next one he talks about how he didn't want to be a children's book illustrator...so funny.

Support Homeless Youth

VISIT HOMELESSYOUTHAMONGUS.ORG FOR MORE DETAILS

Article on C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald and Writing for Children

Into the Wardrobe, a C.S. Lewis website has an interesting article about C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald and their writing for children.

Find Out Your Hobbit Name

Check out this site that gives you your Hobbit name. There's a link at the bottom that leads to another page for an Elven Name.

One Laptop Per Child in Developing Worlds

Check out this site One laptop Per Child that has a program going on to donate laptops to children in developing worlds.

Christmas and Holiday Cards for Recovering Soldiers

When you are making out your Christmas and holiday cards this year, how about including the following on your list:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001

Order Customized Holiday Art for Cards and Gifts!

I'm offering Customized Holiday Card and Gift Images created from client's photos from now until early December. I mostly do pen and ink renderings, but can create colored pencil work as well. You can also give customized art as a special gift for loved ones. I do not create the cards, but the artwork for them.

Nanowrimo

I've been working on my story at Nanowrimo. It's a blast even though at this point it's a lame rambling sort of tale. I'm up to nearly 10.000 words so far. There are fun aspects to the event of National November Write a Novel in a Month. YOu are supposed to write the story without editing it at first and then go back later to deal with the editing. I like that aspect. I would be tempted to edit it to death at the beginning and kill all the creativity. There are writers of all ages and from all over the world taking part in this. The forums are interesting too.