What a week. Most of it spent in bed due to a bout of kidney stones. Well it's my own fault. Like all sufferers of the dreaded stones I know I need to drink more water and, in my case, drink less black tea and eat less chocolate. And of course, what are my most fav things in the world? C'est la vie. For a while, after a bout, which luckily is only every few years, I am good and drink my water and eat lots of veggies and fruit and less of the bad stuff ... but then I get busy, and I 'forget.' And then I end up hobbling around with a stick, unable to get up and down stairs and am generally helpless.
And right in the middle of a very busy work period! Wouldn't you know it!!
So I took my drawing board to bed with me (and my light-box) and luckily, as a lot of the illustrations I am working on are black and white hand drawn, I could work on them in the semi prone position. Yeah, dedication, right???
Anyway, you will be glad to know I am up and about again and drinking lots of water and cranberry juice and munching water melon.
Meanwhile the lovely editor I am working with at Kane and Miller sent me a care package! Although she had no idea I was feeling 'poorly' (as they say in Yorkshire ... which is where her hubby hails from) .... so when she heard I loved mushy peas she mailed me a pack, along with FRUIT PASTILLES and Chocolate Hob Nobs. Yes! I did say chocolate .... DO NOT INQUIRE IF I HAVE EATEN THEM. This is the kind of editor I like and one of the reasons you got to love the children's book industry!
If you do not know what mushy peas are, marrowfat peas that are soaked and when cooked are in a lovely sauce, and are eaten with fish and chips and much else. YUM!
In between groaning with the old stones and trying to work I did colour the drawing of the grandmother and her cat ... here it is. I really like the loose pencil work, combined with the pastel colours laid in using photoshop. Do you like it?
Don't have anything else to share with you, the chapter book illustrations are top secret I am afraid ....
The good news is - THAW! Spring is coming to Maine. Looking forward to getting out in the garden and getting some exercise. Even some painting in maybe. I have been much inspired by Normand Chartier's work that he has been posting on FB lately (see http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=1347803756 ). His watercolour's are beautiful ... go take a look and say I sent you!
At the moment I am scanning ... the finished b&w's. 20 scans at 1200dpi. I scan twice as large to get really good results, but it takes about 7 mins each plus cleaning up in photoshop. Also I then add gray-scale tints, so not a quick job.
So back to it me lovelies!
Pip pip
Hazel
aka The Wacky Brit
PS - Didn't even get to the library this week, so don't even look at the bedside table
And right in the middle of a very busy work period! Wouldn't you know it!!
So I took my drawing board to bed with me (and my light-box) and luckily, as a lot of the illustrations I am working on are black and white hand drawn, I could work on them in the semi prone position. Yeah, dedication, right???
Anyway, you will be glad to know I am up and about again and drinking lots of water and cranberry juice and munching water melon.
Meanwhile the lovely editor I am working with at Kane and Miller sent me a care package! Although she had no idea I was feeling 'poorly' (as they say in Yorkshire ... which is where her hubby hails from) .... so when she heard I loved mushy peas she mailed me a pack, along with FRUIT PASTILLES and Chocolate Hob Nobs. Yes! I did say chocolate .... DO NOT INQUIRE IF I HAVE EATEN THEM. This is the kind of editor I like and one of the reasons you got to love the children's book industry!
If you do not know what mushy peas are, marrowfat peas that are soaked and when cooked are in a lovely sauce, and are eaten with fish and chips and much else. YUM!
In between groaning with the old stones and trying to work I did colour the drawing of the grandmother and her cat ... here it is. I really like the loose pencil work, combined with the pastel colours laid in using photoshop. Do you like it?
The good news is - THAW! Spring is coming to Maine. Looking forward to getting out in the garden and getting some exercise. Even some painting in maybe. I have been much inspired by Normand Chartier's work that he has been posting on FB lately (see http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=1347803756 ). His watercolour's are beautiful ... go take a look and say I sent you!
At the moment I am scanning ... the finished b&w's. 20 scans at 1200dpi. I scan twice as large to get really good results, but it takes about 7 mins each plus cleaning up in photoshop. Also I then add gray-scale tints, so not a quick job.
So back to it me lovelies!
Pip pip
Hazel
aka The Wacky Brit
PS - Didn't even get to the library this week, so don't even look at the bedside table