Pirate!

I've been working on a children's picture book that has a Momma Loon as the 'star'.  Sometimes, when I'm 'stuck' or (my favorite) "Nothing good's comin' out of the pen!  It's the pen's fault!", I will reframe the main character.  You know, something completely out of character.

So, I made Momma Loon a pirate.

Using an ugly, old calligraphy stick (dip it in the 20 year old bottle of India Ink) pen, I drew her quickly on scrap 24 lb. cheezy paper.  Dried her with a hair dryer.  Then, slathered water color all over her.  I was after Idea, not Final Art.  And then...

She bled.  Bad.  Cigar ran.  Face ran.  Nose ran.

(Remember that for next time, Brooke, India ink runs in water.)

Then, I placed the Seriously Rumpled 24lb. sheet of paper in my scanner and spent the next three hours taking out the vast bulk of the 'bleed-ification'.  The final result you see above.

After all THAT, I'm not sure I even like the Cleaned Up version.

So, I repeated the excercise on a much larger sheet of (still very cheezy) paper.  (Oh, and sans cigar.)  I really like the Unexpected Messes.  All the watercolor bled, instantly.  So, red cheeks become, ah, well, not, shall we say?  I had to put the brush in places, and at speeds, I'm not used to.

Gee, if I'm not careful, this could become my favorite media.

The fly, by the way, was drawn with another pen and ink combo.  Bad idea, eh?

Thought you might enjoy the process.
Brooke

Jesus is the Reason for the Season

Once upon a time, Joseph wanted to marry

a young lady named Mary.

When Joseph found out Mary was with child, he was surprised.

Then Mary told him that this Child was actually 

God coming to Earth as a little baby.

Joseph was worried about it. But an Angel came

and told him it was all true.  And, that he could marry Mary.

The Angel also said to name the Child Jesus.

So he did.

Then, they had to go to Bethlehem to have their baby.

It was a long, dusty trip.  

When they got to Bethlehem, 

there was no room in the Inn.

The Innkeeper told them about a great

little stable nearby.  And that's where

Baby Jesus was born.

Jesus thought the manger made a pretty cool bed.

Then, God sent a whole bunch of angels to sing to

all the shepherds, and to all the world, 

and to YOU!

Here's a sheet torn right out of the Angel Hymnal,

so you can sing the words they sang that night!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

All illustrations are from My ABC Christmas Book,

copyright 1995, illustrations Brooke Carlton

Blob-ification

As an illustrator, ever been, well, just stuck?

That expensive piece of watercolor paper just dares you to 'mess it up'?

No ideas come to mind?  The hours tick by and nothing  (productive or otherwise) comes?

The ink dries in your hand held, in-the-air, ready-to-draw-in-an-instant-upon-inspiration pen?

When nothing 'works', try (what I've labeled) Blobification.

Illustrator Carla Sonheim has several playful books out (visit her at carlasonheim.com!) from which I have selected The Blob to play with.   It's just so much fun that I wanted to share it (and give Carla all the credit for the idea).

Directions are simple (even an adult can do this).  Immerse watercolor brush in lots of color.  Smudgie onto paper, leaving white spot in it somewhere.  Let dry.  Take dog for a walk.  Return. Take dry paper, rotate.  Expect.

Then.

Go big.  Risk an entire sheet.  Really.

What You Didn't Know Was On Your Church's Stained Glass Window

Thank you, Carla.

Brooke