To keep with the sketching theme, I am going to put up some sketches for my new book "Christian the Hugging Lion" written by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell and which comes out this month.

In the 1950's there was a "Famous Artist's School" which was a correspondence school put together by Norman Rockwell, Albert Dorne, Robert Fawcett and few other fantastic illustrators from back in the day. These books are the best books on illustration out there, bar none, thats it, the end. Period.
There is a section in these books about Animal Drawing which basically compares the anatomy of humans to animals- the point being that basically the bone and muscle structure is very similar between most animals and humans. So I could go on and on about this. My point is sometimes I am asked how my animals look so "human" well the answer is that they basically are.
So, for example drawing the lion Christian pretty much ended up being my own children posing for the lion. Particularly since I don't have any Lions hanging around posing for me (Insert cheeky comment, Alex). From toddler to kid to adult it is pretty much my own family wrestling and roaring and acting like wild animals- just like any day of the week I guess.

sketching

I LOVE TO DRAW. Here are a couple of drawings of my kids. I have been wanting to draw Juniper on her bike for while just because she kills me. I have to say I got it. The way she rides with a mixture of being so proud of herself and completely in her own world.
The other two are of Sean. He rides his little car with SO much energy. I am here to tell you that he can ride that thing at least two miles. Of course playing with his trains.
I've done a couple of school presentations lately and we have been talking about body language. Kids are so amazing because they have learned body language and it speaks in volumes. But kids haven't learned how to hide their emotions so every movement they makes speaks about how they are feeling.
With these drawings I included a couple of gestures. I always do a very quick little sketch that helps me map out the structure of the body and how I want the whole drawing to go.

Martin Luther King Jr

Here are some of my favorite images from the book Martin's Dream by Jane Kurtz. The book came out a year ago. A couple of thoughts on this book: First I love the look of this man. A Passionate speaker. A pleasure to draw and to capture the look of him. Very long eyelashes. Classic curved upper lip so distinctive.
I also remember two years ago on this day, MLK day, I was taking pictures of the Lincoln memorial for this book and got separated from my husband and children. We couldn't find each other for another 41/2 hours by which point I was about hysterical! Then again he had the three kids.
Anyway what a remarkable man Martin Luther King Jr.
-"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." MLK

The Kennedy Brothers

My new book The Kennedy Brothers comes out January 26. I love the research part of my job. There was SO much to learn about the Kennedy's. Their amazing contributions to politics for the last 100 years, the horrible tragedys that have followed them as well the individual personalities of these amazing people. Every moment of their lives it seems has been documented by the media- including the very private sorts of grief. The challenge was to create images that we the public have not seen. Here are a few of my favorite spreads from the book-enjoy!

The New Kid on the Blog

My first post of a new year and it is going to be about a Blog.

Blog (blŏg) n. scandinavian a large thick-witted beastie that lives under ground, under bridges or in a Bog. If exposed to sunlight will turn to stone.

In addition this particular Blog enjoys shopping a Ikea for things that sound like the word Blog- of which there are many. This chair for example which comes in red or black. Blog chose red. Also, being a beastie of little imagination he eats only Blogna, a sandwich meat which bares little if any resemblance to food.

A new year a new blog

To blog or not to blog.