This is my journey in creating concepts, writing, illustrating, finding a literary agent, and becoming a published children's book author and illustrator for the picture book genre.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Working with the ages of 3-5 has really opened my eyes to what children are looking for in their books and illustration. They want a story. They appreciate the use of color. Life is a mystery and its occupants are stories waiting to be read. On e of the students in preschool shared a story with me about a faceless woman. Her face was on a cookie that had ran away from the bakery. This story had adventure. It had a plot. Fear not. The faceless woman found the face-bearing cookie by using her sense of smell to find the runaway cookie. She kissed the cookie and her face re appeared. the world was a happy place full of faces, cookie scents, and bakeries for as long as the eye could see.
As adults, we write a story that we are confident a child will like, but do we think like the child? An art director once critiques my work by telling me that it was too bright. I should consider a darker palette. Truth be told, I tested this out in the class of 3-4 year olds. The results were....COLORS! Art is very subjective and trends change like the winds, but I will continue to try and push the envelope with what I can illustrate.  
When visiting the conferences, they continue to state in repetition-"know your books". I can honestly say that I have been very immersed into the books that have inspired me. Reading to a class of little ones daily really helps you to see what captures their attention. What is your favorite children's book out on the market at this time?
I really love "Stuck" by Oliver Jeffers. It offers a scenario that turns into an adventure. It has a great end, too. The illustrations are lovely and juvenille. They are a different style than what I offer, but I love it!