Illustration Friday: Tattoo

a new look for www.erikbrooks.com

Check out the new updates to my website :) It's still a work in progress, but after several years I have at least finally posted some new artwork in the portfolios section AND added a small selection of black & white work.

In the next several weeks, I will more responsibly deledicate my time to real work, and update the look for other pages as I can.

Illustration Friday: Insect

"Superfly"

Tennessee Summer Reading Program

In my semi-weekly scouring of the web (for word of my work etc.) I recently stumbled across the fact that Slow Days, Fast Friends is included in the recommended reading for the state of Tennessee's 2006 Summer Reading Program.

With a state population of nearly 6 million people that should translate into HUMONGOUS book sales... or maybe not :)

In any case, its nice to see that the book is being used is encouraging ways. Happy reading Volunteers!

Illustration Friday: Song

This won't scream "song" at you, but the coyotes have been yipping and singing near our house quite a bit lately. This was supposed to be a coyote, just opening its mouth to sing, but it looks a lot more like a wolf staring you down. So it goes... Arooooooo!

Doggie Dash

I spent a few hours yesterday at the 4th annual Winthrop Doggie Dash - a xc ski race for dogs and their owners :) This is by no means a professional event, but it IS a whole lot of fun. I am currently working on two different dog books, so the camera was out in full "documentary" mode. It was an excellent place to be. My own dog Max can be seen below intimidating the competition. We finished second in the large dogs category, so his strategies paid off nicely!

Illustration Friday: Simple

Simple pleasures...

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: A Novel, by Michael Chabon, was given to me as a Christmas gift by my younger brother, Colby. I had never heard of it - no real surprise - but it is a terrific book! The story chronicles the lives of two young comic book artists in the heyday of the medium - on the verge as well of America's entrance into WWII. The characters are rich and incredibly well developed, the and the story far greater than its pulp magazine landscapes. The artist in me zeroed straight in on the romantic notions of love and creative zeal that so enrapture the book's main characters, and it inspires me to push my own work further. Find this one at your library today or purchase a copy online.

A finalist for the Pen Faulkner Award, The National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Award. The cover sticker touts it as the winner of the Pulitzter Prize, but that may or not be simply a reference to the author...

In any case, read it and enjoy!

Illustration Friday: Chair

This is an illustration that I finished a little while back for a Spring 2007 HarperCollins picture book written by Emme and Phil Aronson.The book is called What Are You Hungry For? and this little girl is enjoying a warm n' fuzzy cuddle with her cat in this big cozy chair!

A Little House in the Big Woods!

After nearly a year of working at it, my family and I have finally moved in to our new house. We didn't "build" it, but we did contribute quite a bit of sweat equity to the building process. Being somewhat handy with a paint brush, it seemed that the least we could do was paint and varnish...Painting the walls, ceilings etc. wasn't so bad. Three layers of acrylic finish on untold miles of trim, windows, and doors pretty much took us to task!

Still, we moved in last weekend and it is REALLY nice. Of course, in this particular setting a tent is also really nice :)

I'll post a photo or two of the new studio space when I finally get set-up, and THEN I can really get back to work on some art!

The Arrival of Tall Tales!!

An early sample of TOTEM TALE arrived today! Yahoo! Its only being printed in paperback, but the PAWS IV imprint of Sasquatch books does a very nice job. Something about the characters, the graphic nature of the Tlingit inspired art, or the great glossy stock used for the cover, makes me feel like I've just illustrated my first professional comic book!!! Not a bad thing if I do say so myself. Perhaps I ought to send a few copies around to the handful of children's publishers that are jumping on the Graphic Novel bandwagon...

In further celebration of all things wild and Alaskan, my family and I woke up to 14 inches of snow on Monday morning and were expecting another 8-10 tonight! The shoveling muscles will get their dues and then I will finally sit down to finish my Illustration Friday Glamour artwork.

Good night and good luck!

PS: See a previous post featuring TOTEM TALE art here.

Illustration Friday: E is For...

E is for... Erik's ennui. Since the IF topic segues so nicely into the title of my blog, a little self portrait (sans glasses) seems only appropriate. A final penguin tribute to the dearly departed Sleep Fairy as well :)

Illustration Friday: Sea

For about a month, my daughter has been having LOTS of trouble sleeping... Improvements of late have been due in large part to visits from "The Sleep Fairy" - who leaves a small treat and a card under your pillow when you stay in bed for the whole night! It just so happens that I have been making the Sleep Fairy's cards for her. I merged worlds last night, for T.S.F's final appearance, by including just the smallest slice of the "sea."

A few additional Sleep Fairy cards are featured below -- sleep well!

Good News, Blah News...

Leading with the good :) I recently confirmed that my first illustrated book of 2005, Monkey Business: Stories from Around the World was named to the New York City Public Library's Annual list: 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing. Cool!
On the down side, I also finally received a review of my September 2005 picture book, Slow Days Fast Friends... A rather flat affair from School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 2–This simple story conveys several complex messages about friendship, healing, and perspective. Howard the cheetah lives life fast–until he hurts his leg. He is humbled by his injury and must move slowly, more slowly than the slowest creature, Quince the sloth. Now moving with Quince at his pace, Howard learns the joys of dew on orchids, a splendid sunrise, and of pleasures gained from watching, listening, and thinking. As time passes, his leg heals, and he takes Quince on a whirlwind tour of the joys of being fast, such as wind in their hair and running circles around everything that moves. In the end, they achieve a balance together. The color cartoon illustrations, full of expressive animal faces, prettify the jungle animals and give a sense of the wilds of Africa as neat and clean. This quiet story is an additional purchase.

–JoAnn Jonas, Chula Vista Public Library, San Diego, CA

Cest la vie. They didn't really rip me to shreds, but it could have been better. Howard and Quince deserve much better. I would dare to suggest that this is a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED title for any school or libray collection. Slow Days Rock!!!

Happy New Year!

Nothing illustrated today. Rather reeling from many many holiday guests over the past three weeks and thus my decided lack of contribution. Not many real resolutions for the New Year, but in order to keep myself on track with this whole self-employment business, I certainly have goals!

Reflecting briefly, 2005 was pretty great. Certainly my best year ever as an illustrator. Due in large part to my Art Exchange and a late charging entry into the Illustration Friday fray, I've painted more in the past 12 months than at any other time in my life. I intend to keep this going in 2006.

2005 was also marked by the completion of art for three different books and I have contracts for two more that are headed into the brian-storming phase this very week. Excitingly enough, this means that I will have both a spring and a fall book publication to celebrate in the coming year. It's fun to see projects start stacking up a little like this :) Hopefully, this means that at least a few folks will begin to recognize the work...

In any case, I really love what I am doing, and most simply want to keep at it. I can always be a better painter and I learn more about storytelling with every book. In 2006 I'd love to sign contracts for another manuscript or two of my own. I will promise to write more - much more - in order get there. Ideas are stashed like nuts for the winter, I just have to get busy and find them!

I'd also like to publish an illustration or in a children's magazine or garner some greeting card work. I've never gone this way with any commitment, but it seems to be a terrific extension of the work that I'm already trying to do. I promise to log a few entries on the process and we'll see what I can learn.

Simple enough. A short little list. Best to keep it that way amidst all of the other things that will no doubt come up. And then there's my tendancy to go outside and play...17 inches of snow on the ground and 200km of xc ski trails to explore!

Happy New Year!!!!!!

Illustration Friday: Imagine

Imagine what would happen if an ancient totem pole came to life...This is from a Sasquatch Books publication due out in April 2006 - A Totem Tale by Deb Vanasse.

I've been having lots of fun with the polar bear posts of late and will hopefully get in an "Imagine No. 2" posting over the coming weekend...

From the drawing board: Final Cover Art

At last, the final stage of the Boo's Dinosaur cover that has been stepping along in my postings of late. I suppose that I might bump up the contrasts a bit more to pop the dinosaur out of that sunrise background, but you get a pretty complete picture here. All art for the book will be off in the mail tomorrow, and the waiting game begins again...

Look for further news about the publication of this book in summer 2006!

Illustration Friday: Surprise

Electric Sunrise

One of those nights: Final

After slight derailment, the night train rallys! I'd have been better off letting a few more of these plastic dinosaurs get to work, but in any case I have succeeded in finishing off 3 additional images for the book.

The cover made less progress than desired, but this is where I'm at. I will post the final when I get there, and then its all off to Henry Holt!

Thanks for punching your ticket. Stay tuned for a new Illustration Friday image ("surprise") coming soon.

Ciao

One of those nights: part 4

I will make a few more additions and then post the final art. The "one of those nights" theme has been further enlivened by the fact that our daughter has been inexplicably awake since 1:45AM. Not sick. Not able to hear me working from her bedroom. Not usually prone to this behavior... Nonetheless, she is sitting in my lap right now and has succeeded in clouding that aforementioned "endless potential" of an evening :) I've gotten some work done, even with her company, but far far less than I'd hoped. So it goes...

One of those nights: part 3

Inked. It has been drying for an hour + and soon will be ready for the wash and just a little bit of colored pencil.

One of those nights: part 2

After some time adjusting the sketch, adding just a little "age" to Boo, and refining the foreground/background perspective on her brother Sammy, this is ready to trace onto clean paper and ink.

Also, here is an early digital photo of the cover work-in-progress. Currently grooving to some music from my brother-in-law. Something called Le pas du chat noir by Anouar Brahem. Good drawing music. That's all I know...

One of those nights: part 1

Here it goes, one of those inescapable realities (for me at least) of work as an author & illustrator: the all nighter! Part of me loves it. The family tucked soundly into bed, the dog rumbling and squeeking on the couch, the BBC awaiting at midnight, and 8 blissful hours of uninterrupted time stretching with endless potential... Sensibly enough however, I don't indulge in such practice on too regular a basis. More than most I imagine, but it can't be healthy. Deadlines light the fire however and I always need a few of these wonderful evenings to get a book project finally put to bed. Get cozy. Here we go!

I'll be working on several paintings tonight, including the one that springs from this thumbnail sketch at the right. The real deal for the evening is cover art - which usually means that I am close to finishing the book. I will add some before and after shots of that tomorrow afternoon -- after a nap ;) Have a good night...

Stu stu studio... oh ooh oooh!

With due respect to Phil Collins, here is a current view or two of my studio:



Also, its going to be one of those nights... With the Boo deadline looming and only so many hours left until Dec. 15th, I will be up LATEarly. I'll post a before and after shot of either me or perhaps more interestingly, a painting, for your general amusement!

Illustration Friday: Blue

Blue Mondays...

Art Exchange No. 22

Gone is gone.

Illustration Friday: Small

A small contribution from my current book project. Back to creating IF originals next week!

From the drawing board: Boo's Dinosaur - full page spread

Hope that everyone had a happy turkey day! A pleasant surprise in my neck o' the world as we woke up to 5 inches of snow and cold cold temperatures yesterday AM. Brrr. I love it, but 7 degrees on a November morning is still a little shocking :) As promised, here is a full bleed, double spread piece of artwork from the current book-in-progress, Boo's Dinosaur (Henry Holt & Co.), written by Betsy Byars. This should hit shelves in Fall 2006 and I am very much enjoying the painting process to this point. About half of the book to go. Tally ho!

From the drawing board: Final art

In the midst of artwork for BOO'S DINOSAUR written by Betsy Byars. I posted a sketch for this image earlier and now you can see where it ended up. Black & white, ink & pencil, etc. is a different way of working for me, but I am liking it quite a bit. This particular spot illustration is very small so details are kept to a minimum. I will post a larger double page spread in the next few weeks.

Illustration Friday: Free

Freed at last from his ancient prison, the Monkey King quickly proved himself a demanding, boastful, arrogant beast -- rampaging though the world. Some treat their freedoms with grace and dignity...others wreak havoc. So it has gone. So it goes.

Art Exchange No. 21

A little advanced posting of my newest Art Exchange. Mike doesn't know that this blog even exists, so I won't be ruining any surprises. Will post to erikbrooks.com on Saturday AM. Shhhh!

Its that time of year already... I suppose.

Jumping the gun on Thanksgiving - just like everyone else* - here is a sample of my holiday card offerings at the Practically Perfect Press. I'll add 2-3 additional images in the next week or two. You procrastinators out there, myself included, will therefore have even more choices available for sending holiday cheer and new year's resolve.

*While not at all a supporter of ever excellerating Christmas and New Year's into September, it is at least reasonable to start thinking about stationary... or so I will justify ;)

Illustration Friday: Strength

Strong women x 2: the birth of my daughter (2 plus years ago but still amazing...) as endured by my lovely wife, was the single greatest feat of strength and determination that I have ever witnessed.

Like Quicksand...

I once heard an author reference the period of time just after publishing a new book as " dancing on quicksand". I must say, totally true! On the one hand, I am always very excited to have a new book out there - first, third - whatever, energy and excitement are in great supply. I want to get it into the hands of as many people as possible! For several months leading up to release, I ponder promo ideas (IE this BLOG), schedule book readings, and practice my "talk" about the new book from every possible angle. The book arrives, and all of that kinetic energy pours fourth -- rather quickly... Somehow, the first weeks and months of a book's release never quite measure up to my visions. I'm no "big ticket" by any means, but I do feel good about my work and want to see it soar. Unfortunatley, the "dancing" and elation can so easily turn to slogging about and stagnation -- flinging your newest book towards too distant a limelight. It is so easy to get lost in that - to drown in expectations and bog down completely. Thusly, a reminder to myself: This work -- like so many others -- is about persistance and patience. Develope the ideas, work hard at the craft. Keep focus on the books -- the stories and the telling -- and perhaps, with a little luck your work will find its way into a reader's hands. x

Shades of Grey

My previous post lends credence to the fact that I have finally started the final artwork for a chapter book that has been hanging around for quite some time. BOO'S DINOSAUR, by Betsy Byars, will be my 4th book illustrated for another author, and my first "early reader." I've really enjoyed this story, and can only hope that my illustrations add just a little bit extra. I'm also excited to be working in almost entirely black & white (sans cover art) for the first time. As chapter books go, early readers etc., this is pretty much the norm, but new for me. Its great to be thinking entirely in terms of line and texture, light and shadow. No doubt it will help me in my other work as well. BOO will be followed by another chapter book with Henry Holt, so it also extra nice to be getting in the black & white mindset. Speaking of which, I should get to drawing!

Ciao

From the drawing board: Dino Days

Winter is well on it's way with our second snow of the season - a solid 3 inches last night! This recumbent Parasaurolophus from my current early reader in-progress, is still languishing in summer's heat. So it goes :)

Illustration Friday: Night

Up most of the night working on a book project... stayed up later to finish this. I've been very taken with a rediscovery of comic art lately (after stumbling onto Flight), and will likely try some more line art like this for future Fridays.

Prints for sale!

A quick post as well to announce my first official "prints" for sale. I've uploaded several images to my online store at zazzle.com: The Practically Perfect Press, and in addition to notecards and a few t-shirts, I can now sell some pretty nice (but not too expensive) reproductions of my illustration work...wonders never cease.

Robert's Snow 2005

The 2005 Robert's Snow: for Cancer's Cure online auction is off and running...

Check out an amazing variety of children's book illustrator art, and bid on a snowflake or two.

Last year's auction raised over $100,000 for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and this year could be even bigger. My own snowflake hits the e-bay auction block on November 13th. Bidding on that particular item continues through the 2oth. Ciao!

Illustration Friday: Broken

Somehow I am always too busy and not online enough to follow through with my "every other day" format... Making my first official Illustration Friday post to this site instead. I love the concept, the trading of images, a community of illustrators, but we'll see how well I handle the punctuality...

In time, I will try to dedicate a part of my own portfolio site to these images...