Great article below written by Harold Underground reviewing the 2011 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market

"Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market, also known as "CWIM," is one of the few essential books for a children's writer or illustrator. It includes an annually updated "yellow pages" of children's book, magazine, and other publishers, information about conferences and agents, basic how-to information, and interesting feature articles. And so I've been reviewing it annually--since the 2004 edition." Read more...

Illustration Friday "He He He...That'll Teach Him A Lesson!!"

"He He He, that'll teach him a lesson!"  18x 12"  Pastel Pencil

OK, so I took a sketch I worked on a few weeks ago for IF topic "Toy" and finished it in color for this week's topic "Lesson". I know I cheated a bit. Oh well, such are my mischievous ways. I think staring at this bear for a long time influenced me! Anyway, I thought it appropriate since the little devil of a bear here is booting clutsy rescue guy off the shelf for good. How dare he think for a minute he can share space with someone of such furry distinction! "That'll teach him a lesson!!"Green squiggly alien man is scared out of his mind he'll be the next once noticed. Poor thing.  My 8 yr old son enjoyed this piece a lot since his prized possession, the bear, is at the center of it all. Hope you enjoy. 

Illustration Friday "Duet"!!!

Ok, so for this week's topic "Duet", I thought of all the times I looked like this mom pulling her hair out with little ones clinging to her screaming at the top of their lungs simultaneously! Ahh .. the wonderful moments of parenthood that make you want to scream yourself. This is a duet in "C" major and that's C for crying. Luckily these moments are outweighed by all the magic the rest of childrearing brings. Hope you enjoy! Oh and if you're experiencing this remember it always seems to get worse before it gets better. He He He...

Illustration Friday: "Toy"

Bad Teddy, Bad!
11x14" Graphite on Paper

OK so this week I got my illo up by Tuesday, Yay!!  Even though it's just a sketch, concept is the toughest thing for me to come up with and it takes me forevvvvvvvvvvvvvvver.  I thought of a couple of different scenarios to illustrate relating to toys but none of them really did much for me until I was distracted by the never ending battle I have right here in my on house. Sometimes it even seeps into my studio space, argh!!! And that is my 8 and 10 yr old sons' debating or fighting is more like it, over anything and everything. A topic that surfaces on a daily basis is that of who's got the "Best or Better or super better or whatever TOY. Give me strength! Anyway, the famous "Teddy"  with the checkerboard pads/ears was on the agenda and I thought of him fighting with the other toys about who's the best or bestest or super bestest! He's in an extra ornery mood and decides to shove Mr. Rescue Squad off the shelf to have the throne all for himself. Little Alien guy is hiding hoping he's not the next victim. That's it my friends. Hope you like. 

Final color on "Stir" illustration

Ok, this one took me a lot longer than expected! It's the final version done in pastel and colored pencil on last week's Illustration Friday topic suggestion, "Stir". This witch has traded in her broom for a snazzy sports car and caused a huge "stir" upon her arrival at the witches' convention taking place here at the Riviera Witch Hotel. This one was a lot of fun to finish. Got lost for hours coloring away! Anyway, hope you enjoy. Looking forward to seeing what tomorrow or better said today's (east coast midnight exactly) topic is for IF. Skipped a week but hope to start a new illustration this weekend.

Color Updates on "Stir" Illustration- Will I ever finish.

Thought making different colored witches would make for a more interesting crowd!
Done  in colored pencil. 

I'm enjoying tremendously coloring these crazy looking witches but goodness I bit off way more than I could chew for last week's IF piece! I'm praying I can finish the rest of this in pastel by Sunday so I can start on the "Cultivate" topic Monday. With regard to the crowd scene here I once actually saw a blue haired witch on a NYC subway!God only knows if she was real or not. You never know what you're gonna see on the subways. Thought she would make for a good character reference. Hope I don't mess up the background!!!!!!!!!!! Off to color some more.

Illustration Friday: "Stir"

Wed Mar 16 :What a "Stir" she caused when she showed up in her Bagatti racer.
18x24" Pencil/Ink Sketch with partial color done digitally

Sat Mar 19 . Below are some color updates and close ups. I'm So Behind!!!!!!!!!

Here's the sketch I came up with for this week's Illustration Friday topic "Stir". I 'll be posting the final color version in pastel hopefully by tomorrow. Ran out of timmmmmmmmme today, argh!!!! Figured I'd put  my main character here in a sportscar, or like my 21 year old son likes to describe it, the most expensive, beautiful set of wheels on earth, a Veyron Bagatti ( it sells for 2million bucks) and if it actually went as fast as the speedometer says it can ( 245 mph) the tires would melt! This time around I wanted to place her in a hipper scenario among her witchy friends. Thought the audacity of her tossing a broom in for a snazzy set of wheels is something that would make heads spin at an annual witches' convention she's attending on the coast of uh, Witch Riviera maybe? They have conventions everywhere and for everything right (work with me here). Anyway, I'm very much looking forward to throwing the color on this one. Until tomorrow then.