Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
CORALINE THE GRAPHIC NOVEL
I was scanning through my bookshelves and found this. I read this a long while ago but thought it deserves mention on the old blog. I liked it. The art is nicely done and appropriately creepy. This is one of those cases where I can see why they'd get the idea to turn the story into a graphic novel. In my contracts there is a line that allows for an artist/writer to adapt my stories into graphic novel form and I always have that Xed out. It's obviously silly in my case because I am the artist/writer and I don't want my picture books in that form and if I did I'd want to do it myself! But this book totally makes sense. Gaimen did work on many projects with Craig Russell so I'm sure he had his full approval.
(portrait of Russell)
I love the talking rats. I will say that the colors are a little light and fluffy over all (the colorist is not Russell). If they were darker the book would even be creepier. Maybe the artist didn't want the book to be too creepy to maintain an younger audience?
I've read the book, and the graphic novel... now I guess I should watch the movie... right?
I will leave you with Russell at work:
Sunday, July 31, 2011
ANIMATION VS. THE STILL PAGE
I'm being swallowed alive by trying to animate little dogs moving their legs in the snow, which you won't notice anyway.
This brings me to a point. I was telling my fellow children's book author friend Julia Sarcone Roach what I was trying to accomplish (she actually knows how to animate stuff!) and she said she doesn't know how she feels about making animations on book trailers, etc. This is because she thinks books have their own rhythm and pacing and animating them is taking away from that. I agree with that completely... in a way. This is why I can't stand what ebooks are doing with things lately. But I feel like book trailers are different. They exist to tease the reader and get them to buy the BOOK. Not the other way around. I consider the two things very different mediums. What I'm doing is taking a page from my book and delving into that world and imagining what it would be like if it came to life -- very much like I would do if I were a kid sitting on the couch and having my parent read to me. I'd always animate the stuff in my head.
So it's my HOPE that my new little project won't be taking away from my books at all! I hope what I"m doing will make people want to run out and buy them.
What I'm doing, by the way, is animating little bits of the book and I'm putting it all together with me doing a reading of the book and I'm going to add real B&W historical footage and photography. Although, I do kind of like these simple little animated bits by themselves.
Anyone have any thoughts about this?
This brings me to a point. I was telling my fellow children's book author friend Julia Sarcone Roach what I was trying to accomplish (she actually knows how to animate stuff!) and she said she doesn't know how she feels about making animations on book trailers, etc. This is because she thinks books have their own rhythm and pacing and animating them is taking away from that. I agree with that completely... in a way. This is why I can't stand what ebooks are doing with things lately. But I feel like book trailers are different. They exist to tease the reader and get them to buy the BOOK. Not the other way around. I consider the two things very different mediums. What I'm doing is taking a page from my book and delving into that world and imagining what it would be like if it came to life -- very much like I would do if I were a kid sitting on the couch and having my parent read to me. I'd always animate the stuff in my head.
So it's my HOPE that my new little project won't be taking away from my books at all! I hope what I"m doing will make people want to run out and buy them.
What I'm doing, by the way, is animating little bits of the book and I'm putting it all together with me doing a reading of the book and I'm going to add real B&W historical footage and photography. Although, I do kind of like these simple little animated bits by themselves.
Anyone have any thoughts about this?
Thursday, July 28, 2011
WORK/LIFE
I was at the Strand yesterday (always a dangerous thing!) and stumbled upon this cool book:
It goes inside the homes of illustrators of all kinds -- children's book illustrators, editorial, etc. and shows photos of their spaces, which I always love! This book interviews illustrators from NY to Australia.
The book does a bio of 50 or more illustrators. Here is a sample of what some of them say:
MICHAEL BYERS
CANADA
michaelbyers.ca
"I think about how I'm going to approach the subject. I'll sleep on it from time to time. Sometimes I'll go for a walk, journal, workout, or have some drinks with some friends. Other times I have a shower. I tend to think a lot while I'm in the shower. A lot of great ideas have come to me while scrubbing my feet."
CAMILLA ENGMAN
SWEDAN
camillaengman.com
"With Camilla, work and life are in balance, as they are treated with equal measure and consideration. 'I love what I do and it is a big part of my life. I take long walks with my dog, Morran; she is never in a hurry. I also like to go to a cafe to get other input during my working day.' Starting a new project, Camilla's creative process seems possibly learned from her beloved pup. 'First I walk around the subject, sniffing and thinking. Finding words and pictures that I associate with it. Thinking about who's the sender, the receiver and who am I. Then I just have to start to work it through and try it all out.'"
JENNY MILIHOVE
ISRAEL
mytinydream.com
"There is music in the house all day long. 'I am listening to music from the first moment I woke up on the morning to the last minute I am going to sleep. I can't paint without music!" she says" Music helps her concentrate on her work. 'I am always thinking about the thing I am painting and trying to put myself into that world that I am painting, or to become that person myself at least for a time" Jenny hopes that the joy she finds in music translates into her illustration and art works. "I really hope and want my artworks to bring happiness to everyone who is looking on my art.'"
It goes inside the homes of illustrators of all kinds -- children's book illustrators, editorial, etc. and shows photos of their spaces, which I always love! This book interviews illustrators from NY to Australia.
The book does a bio of 50 or more illustrators. Here is a sample of what some of them say:
MICHAEL BYERS
CANADA
michaelbyers.ca
"I think about how I'm going to approach the subject. I'll sleep on it from time to time. Sometimes I'll go for a walk, journal, workout, or have some drinks with some friends. Other times I have a shower. I tend to think a lot while I'm in the shower. A lot of great ideas have come to me while scrubbing my feet."
CAMILLA ENGMAN
SWEDAN
camillaengman.com
"With Camilla, work and life are in balance, as they are treated with equal measure and consideration. 'I love what I do and it is a big part of my life. I take long walks with my dog, Morran; she is never in a hurry. I also like to go to a cafe to get other input during my working day.' Starting a new project, Camilla's creative process seems possibly learned from her beloved pup. 'First I walk around the subject, sniffing and thinking. Finding words and pictures that I associate with it. Thinking about who's the sender, the receiver and who am I. Then I just have to start to work it through and try it all out.'"
JENNY MILIHOVE
ISRAEL
mytinydream.com
"There is music in the house all day long. 'I am listening to music from the first moment I woke up on the morning to the last minute I am going to sleep. I can't paint without music!" she says" Music helps her concentrate on her work. 'I am always thinking about the thing I am painting and trying to put myself into that world that I am painting, or to become that person myself at least for a time" Jenny hopes that the joy she finds in music translates into her illustration and art works. "I really hope and want my artworks to bring happiness to everyone who is looking on my art.'"
Monday, July 25, 2011
BOOK TRAILERS
I'm working on a few book trailers so when I do that I look at others to get inspiration. I saw a new book on the kids' table yesterday and decided to pick it up because the artwork is really nicely done. I won't comment on the book itself but the trailer is just right. I think the key to making a good trailer is picking the right music and words and letting the pictures tell the rest of the story:
At the moment I'm trying to write my own music for my latest endeavor in the hopes that my publisher will agree to put it on their website. OR I might hire a friend of mine to play the sax. We shall see!
Do you have any favorites? Let me know and I'll post them!
At the moment I'm trying to write my own music for my latest endeavor in the hopes that my publisher will agree to put it on their website. OR I might hire a friend of mine to play the sax. We shall see!
Do you have any favorites? Let me know and I'll post them!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
OLD CONEY ISLAND VIDEOS
I'm working on making either
1) a teaser for Balto
2) a straight reading of Balto with images
3) a reading of Balto with images mixed with film clips
I'm not sure what to do yet. I'm confused.
Anyway, during my search for noises and such I came upon this odd bunch of Coney Island clips, all put together.
It's kind of creepy yet I like it. I thought I would share.
1) a teaser for Balto
2) a straight reading of Balto with images
3) a reading of Balto with images mixed with film clips
I'm not sure what to do yet. I'm confused.
Anyway, during my search for noises and such I came upon this odd bunch of Coney Island clips, all put together.
It's kind of creepy yet I like it. I thought I would share.
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