Illustration Friday Submission: Topic - SURVIVAL

Illustration Friday: RED

A Sneak Peak at My Latest Picture Book Commission.

Here is a peek at one of my most recent picture book commissions. 

Written by, Rachel A. Cedar. 

From Single to Double: Lessons Learned in Art

As we neared completion of the final drafts for the new Santa book, my client threw 

in a ringer - He asked if all of the illustrations could be expanded from a single page 

to a double page spread. My first reaction was, "Yikes, what a task!" But as things 

expanded, I grew more and more pleased at the outcome. And now, after a couple 

days of readjusting and redrawing, I LOVE IT. 

What do you think? 

Illustration Inspiration: Ciaran Duffy

Its Wednesday again! {My Favorite day of the week - because it's Illustration 

Inspiration Day!} Today's Illustration Inspiration Feature is the talented Ciaran 

Duffy.  Ireland based Artist, Ciaran, has illustrated books for Harper Collins and 

Lady Bird. And I have fallen head over heels for her Bear sketches. Doesn't 

that bear look so cuddly and dopey. 

Thanks for the Inpiration Ciaran!

ILLUSTRATION INSPIRATION: Charles Santoso

This week's Illustration Inspiration comes from Australian concept artist and 

Illustrator, Charles Santoso. I was originally drawn to his 'Into the Wonderland 

of Books' Series. His whimsical style and great color play was an immediate 

sell for me. Than upon deeper investigation, Charles's sketches were my favorite 

among his vast and beautiful works. I really adored the fishing boy and all 

of the "Spunk" in the drawings. Thanks for the Inspiration Charles. 

ILLUSTRATION INSPIRATION: Tara J. Hannon

This week's Illustration Inspiration features... Me. I have been so inspired by all of the 

amazing artists I have been discovering in my quest for the illustration inspiration post, 

that I got LOST in illustration yesterday. I sat down to create a 'master piece' with all 

of the inspiration that was swirling around in my head and hand.  And I allowed 

myself to try something new, 'Digital Painting. Its not a new concept to me but it is 

new to my work. And honestly, I loved it. It was so much fun, I didn't want to stop. 

Usually, I select the area I want color and fill it. Than dodge and burn that selection 

until it looks properly lit. Occasionally adding color with the paintbrush tool. But the

 new technique was so much more engaging. I painted every selection with transparent 

colors layering them until I was happy. I really like it and will be utilizing this 

method more and more. 

Jesse Kuhn, Adds a Smile to Your Tuesday.

Well have you giggled at these clever illustrations yet? Did you notice the anchor 

on the bottom illustration titled "Heavy"? Or the effortlessly floating bobber? {Funny!}

Jesse Kuhn's illustrations caught my eye for a million reasons, but top on the list is 

they are clever. His beautifully stylized work lends to his twisted but not so dark humor. 

Just thought I would share the good artwork... 

Jesse Kuhn is the designer and illustrator for Raw Toast Design and according

 to his bio, tries to dream on a regular basis. {xox}

Announcing the completion of...

Very Excited to announce the completion of my latest illustrated children's book: Ada 

Chewed Some Gum! What a FUN project! This book will be available to purchase 

via E-book coming soon. Stay tuned for details. 

ILLUSTRATION INSPIRATION: Aileen Leijten

Lets talk about the talented Aileen Leijten, because I have a lot to say and most of it 

involves swooning. Aileen is an Illustrator with a very impressive resume and client 

list (Including Hanna Barbera and Walt Disney Imagineering, wowsers) But what I love 

most about her are her characters. They are absolutely tangebly adorable. I appreciate 

their big puffy clothes and spindly legs and arms and really love their super big heads. 

Although these may seem like silly things to say, this is what makes her characters 

(and her style choice) stand out. She paints her illustrations and her blog offers a bit of 

insight into her process. (I am always fascinated by how other illustrators create). And Let 

us not forget her palette. Do you notice all of the nice warm hues, my eye could swim 

in the soft color palette that she uses.   

Check out a list of her illustrated books here... my favorite is The Hugging Hour

ILLUSTRATION INSPIRATION: Julie Morstad

For this week's Illustration Inspiration feature I chose someone whose style is very 

different than my own. Actual it would almost be impossible for me to try to mimic 

this style. Thats why I LOVE it so much! It is so unique. Each of Julie Morstad's 

illustrations provide her own signature and every time you see one you can pick it 

out as one of her own. 

She uses colored pencil, ink, gouache and pencil and sometimes even collage to 

create her beautiful drawings. I really admire the mixture of rough pencil that she allows to 

shine through. Each of my pieces end up having to look very clean and smooth when 

they are finished (OCD?) But I always like them best at there sketch phase. Sounds 

kind of like an identity crisis right? She keeps her drawings looking very 'hip' this way.

And to balance the gray of the ink and pencil she throws in those brilliant punches 

of bright color. Its just makes my eyes swim across the page, I just adore her style! 

Hope you do too.

Illustration Inspiration featuring: Lia Marcoux

Happy Wednesday and welcome back to our Illustration Inspiration Feature. 

This week, my drawing hands are totally jealous of Lia Marcoux's unique style and amazing 

ability to pick the most perfect color palette. Looking at her work you can't help but notice 

her brilliant choice of color to separate foreground from background, and to set the 

mood in the illustration. Her light and shadow are fantastic. Do you kind of get a a folk art 

feel from her work? And do you notice the noses of her characters? They are all red...

I really adore any artist with a signature that sticks out like that. 

Illustration Inspiration: Priscilla Burris

Cute Right? Priscilla Burris is our feature in this week's Illustration Inspiration. 

She creates characters that are so adorable and spunky I could pluck them off the 

page and take them to the zoo. I really appreciate the shape of the heads. {Thats 

strange I know} But it definitely contributes to the adorableness of the character. 

She uses a sketchy, low detail, style but adds perfect touches to melt your heart 

or get you laughing. That last drawing at the bottom looks just like my little sister 

Kelsey when she was little. {so cute}

For more from Priscilla Burris visit her site: Priscilla Burris

Illustration Inspiration: Matt Phelan

Matt Phelan ladies and gentlemen. (pause for applause) 

How could you not adore his loose whimsical style? 

This talented Philadelphia, illustrator/Author, uses a combination of pencil, watercolor 

and ink to capture these budding moments of real (sometimes desperate) emotion, 

(ie; look at that hamster eyeing up that sandwich, I could melt.) I love the loose lines 

and sketchy quality of his work. I also love the way he draws his children. Look at the 

large cheeks and tiny eyes. He manages so much emotion with so little drawn detail. 

Of his many illustrated books some include: The Seven Wonders of Sassafrass Springs 

(his first publication), The New Girl, and The Storm in the Barn (written and illustrated). 

The hugely talented Matt Phelan is surely an inspiration to my illustration. 

Many thanks to him for sharing his work with us. 

This weekends book signing was a great success! I saw some of the world's CUTEST kids!

And we were visited by our County Executive, Ken Ulman, who read our book to the kids. 

My favorite part was coloring with the kids, you know what the most popular thing to draw was?

A rainbow!

What a relief that rainbows are still top priority, so I drew rainbows all day and signed books and spent the remainder of each day with great friends that came out to support me. 

Thank you to my GREAT friends and Family and Clark's Elioak Farm!

I really feels good to see our book in the hands of kids!

Hot off the PRESS! 

Copies Available now at Clark's Elioak Farm

Trusty the Tractor, by Martha Anne Clark 

Illustrated by Tara J. Hannon

I am so thrilled to show you just a little peek at the pages I got to illustrate for this book about an adorable tractor named Trusty and his little pal Eli the goat.  

Mark your Calendars! 

October 23 from 10 - 2 

I will be doing a BOOKSIGNING and hands on drawing instruction for your little ones at 

Clark's Elioak Farm!

10500 State Route 108
Ellicott City, MD 21042

While you are there grab a pumpkin and hop on TRUSTY himself! Let Trusty take you and your Children through the Enchanted forest that I had such a delightful time illustrating. 

Its the final draft revision game...

Final Revision Process

Its kind of like that picture game where you have to find the differences between two photos. 

Below are two illustrations { er, the same illustrations, with minor and major adjustments } 

Final Draft #1 and Final Draft #2. 

If you look closely you can see the changes and additions that were made after meeting with my fabulous client Ken Rochon. 

Look at the bottom right, we switched the French and Russian characters completely... added a little cheesy love, some accessories and adjusted some skin tone. 

It is kind of interesting to watch it all evolve..isn't it?

VS.

Trusty, you cutey you.

Its a world of make believe here and its all coming together before my very eyes... Story, character, triumph over bad weather and hay bails ( you'll see )... This is my favorite part of the illustration process, spirits are highest now because with ever dash of color I add more life pops out of the page. And the closer I get to a finished copy to hold in my hands. 

May I introduce,  Page #1 drum roooolll

Chasing fire flies in my dreams tonight

In Lou of the rain outside my window this morning, I thought I would leave you all with something a bit more reminiscent of summer... I remember catching fire flies and thinking they would survive in a jar like my hamster did in her cage... wouldn't it have been lovely to have a jar full of "lightning bugs" as your night light!? Oh summer, come back to us. 

More on the New Book illustration

Its been a beautiful day outside... but I have been practicing good will power and have been chugging away on my commissions... Please enjoy another peek of one of the books I am currently illustrating.