Craig Orback Illustration

F. Scott Fitzgerald final painting

2012-01-16T11:39:00.000-08:00

Here is the finished painting of F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Jazz Age which I talked about in an earlier posting. It is my first oil painting in over a year. It felt just like old times although I could have done without the toxic oder in my small studio! I hope you enjoy the painting.

Let There Be Rock!

2012-01-05T11:41:00.000-08:00

My third blog post in a week. I am on a roll this new year! Anyway I just want to share a finished printed project I received in the mail this week. It's a slim 32 page paperback book for Zaner-Bloser called "Let There Be Rock!". I illustrated it a year and a half ago. I just now got around to tracking down printed copies. It's a cute story about a grandfather telling his grandson about his days in a high school rock band in 1957. I completed 8 small illustration for this chapter book and really enjoyed depicting the cloths, hair styles and other details from the 1950's.

Sadly for many of the smaller educational projects I have done I rarely get to see the final printed sample. For this project I made an effort to track down some copies and the publisher kindly sent me free books. It looks great and I am happy to see this project to it's natural conclusion.

F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Jazz Age

2012-01-04T10:38:00.000-08:00

I'm working on a new sample image based on the writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite books, one I like to reread every few years. Later this year there will also be a new movie version staring Leonardo DiCaprio, so I guess in a way I am gearing up for that.

I am always looking for reasons to paint images from the 1920's as it is a favorite subject, especially NYC during that time. I keep hoping an editor will present me with a story set in those times for me to illustrate! With that in mind my portrait incorporates iconic imagery of the 20's, F. Scott's writings come to life.

I will be doing the final painting in oil which I have not worked with in over a year. The creamy thick paint seems perfect for this image, a medium that most great painters of that time worked in. Below are some character sketches, my compositional drawing and a color study. I will share the final painting when I am done!

More "Can Man" news

2012-01-03T15:14:00.000-08:00

Despite being out for almost two years now great news for "The Can Man" keeps rolling in!

The Alabama Department of Education selected "The Can Man" as a finalist for the Alabama Camellia Award Program 2011-12 Book List.

It is also a Show Me 2012-2013 final nominee from the Missouri Association of School Librarians. One of just 10 books. Grade school kids through out the state of Missouri make the final vote. See the list of books here.

Ultimately these state reading award nominations along with the ones in New York and Pennsylvania that I mentioned last year mean more kids will be reading the book which is really wonderful.

Lastly 25,800 kids last summer had "The Can Man" read to them up and down the east coast as part of TD Banks summer reading program. Follow this link to learn more.

What a great way to start out the new year!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-19T13:52:00.001-08:00

This is the first Christmas after living in Seattle for 17 years that I will actually be here for the holidays. I will miss my family both in California and Connecticut but at the same time I am feeling a little giddy at the thought of being in the city this time of year. It's also nice avoiding the holiday travel hassles. Last year we were delayed an extra three days when coming back from Connecticut!

So in honor of the season I wanted to share again one of my few holiday illustrations. I completed it two years ago but it still remains one of my favorite samples. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours.

Cooking magazine project

2011-11-22T12:53:00.000-08:00

Recently I was lucky to be asked to complete two illustrations for the highly respected food magazine "The Art of Eating". They will be appearing in the next issue, out soon. It's not often that I get a chance to stretch my legs with a different kind of project outside of the children's book market. Because of that I really tried to savor this project like a fine meal. The article is about two French recipes for cabbage. My solutions were to paint a French landscape and a still life with the ingredients for one of the recipes. I set up this still life in my studio with nice lighting and painted directly from observation. I can't say I painted the French landscape from life but I can dream. It was a real pleasure working this way again as was the whole project. Many thanks to Edward Behr. Bon appetite!

Whidbey Island school visit

2011-11-16T15:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was lucky to be able to visit Wellington Day School in my old stomping ground in Clinton on Whidbey Island. In fact my first six children's book were illustrated while living in Clinton from 2001-2004.

Here is a photo during my visit. Sadly though I forgot to take pictures of the best part- the kids. It was a whirlwind visit so easy to forget. The twenty, 1st-3rd graders were really attentive while I talked to them about two of my books, "Nature's Paintbox" and "The Can Man". I haven't done a lot of school visits this year so it was a real pleasure. Also the beautiful weather made for an enjoyable ferry ride.

Celebrating 10 Years in Publishing!

2011-10-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

This fall I have been thinking about the fact that exactly 10 years ago I was working away on my first children's book project "Nathan Hale: Patriot Spy" for Lerner publishing. It is still a very vivid memory for me. At the time I was living alone on Whidbey Island, north of Seattle, commuting by ferry across the water to my old job at Fluke as a technical illustrator. I spent my evenings and long weekends painting my first children's book. Once I finished Nathan Hale I had to immediately jump to another project, coming up with all new paintings for a solo gallery show in Seattle. Maybe it was the stress that makes that time so memorable. Sadly something had to give. Little did I know by the end of that year I would be laid off from Fluke, just six months after moving to the island to be close to my job. It was a life changing event that I was oblivious to while happily painting away on my first book 10 years ago. A lot happened that fall when I turned 30.

At the time the lay off was both very scary and exciting. I was looking for a change but probably not one so dramatic or sudden. A year earlier I had made the decision to pursue work in children's publishing and mailed out my first samples prior to Halloween of 2000. The samples were my version of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". A few months later in February 2001 I received the offer to illustrate the biography on Nathan Hale (thanks Zach!) It was as easy as that! I can still remember hearing that voice mail at work while checking my messages at home. I buzzed with excitement. Today I understand how lucky I was to have that first book offer happen so fast. Illustrators can wait years for that first publishing job. It was a modest project but a foot in the door. I spent the next year attempting to break down that door to publishing even further. I was hooked. In 2002 working full time I illustrated two more books, found some new clients and started teaching my first children's book illustration class. Eventually I did find part time work to help pay the bills. In time I achieved my dream of being a full time freelance illustrator. Now is as good a time as any to celebrate!

It was also 10 years ago that I started dating Jessica, now my wife. I was lucky to find someone willing to stand by me after losing my job so soon after we started dating. It could have been a lonely frustrating time, but together we made it through and created some wonderful memories. Thank you dear for all your help and support.

Talking at this years Northwest Bookfest!

2011-09-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to let everyone know I will be part of a panel of Illustrators talking at Northwest Bookfest in Kirkland this fall. The panel discussion will be on Sunday October 2nd from 1-2pm at the downtown Kirkland Library. I will be talking about creating children's book with illustrators Richard Jesse Watson and Erik Brooks. Hope to see you there! Go here to learn more www.northwestbookfest2011.com

Another do over

2011-07-26T16:40:00.000-07:00

Below is a recent painting I choose to re-do again and it's earlier version. I decided to take this one in a more fantastical direction with the addition of the lasso and stars. I am glad to see I have gotten better at painting faces in the 8 years between the two paintings. I may add some line work to my newer painting but I haven't decided yet.

Newer painting.

Older version.

A do over

2011-07-05T09:58:00.000-07:00

Below is a painting I just finished that is a re working of an older one. After this spring's SCBWI conference I was determined to shake up my illustration style to bring more life to my compositions and energy in general. This is my first "do over" of an older painting and I am very happy with the results. Originally I thought I would use watercolor for my new work and I completed an early version using that medium with a heavy colored pencil outline but I wasn't as satisfied with the results. This painting is a bit of a compromise. I am using my new favorite medium acryla-gouache with a more subtle colored pencil outline. It's a good start and I will add more paintings here as I find the time to complete them.

Open for business!

2011-06-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

Just over a week ago we made the big move back to Seattle after two years in Bellingham so my wife could earn her Masters degree at Western Washington University. With the mission almost accomplished it was time to head back to our favorite city by the water just in time for summer.

The best part of changing homes was setting up my best studio space yet! For the first time I have my own separate room that includes all the essentials needed to complete my work. Below are some views of my inspiring new creative space. Now I just need a new project! "Crickets, crickets, crickets"...

Love the summer breezes through the open window.

A computer, scanner and printer near my drawing table for the first time. Love listening to NPR (KUOW in Seattle), music, and my favorite podcasts. That's a live broadcast of TBTL on my computer.

Mirrors for any life drawing, my easel, books for reference, and a TV for distraction.

Lots of closet space for art supplies, computer files, reference (National Geographic's) and my published books.

I have been turned into a float!

2011-06-12T06:40:00.000-07:00

A young fan of mine recently created a float about me and my work for a biography project for her class. How cool is that!? Here are a few of the photos. Such an honor, I had to share.

This book cover looks familiar...

Is that me wearing a boa? Not sure how I feel about that (kidding)....

An interview about The Can Man for the New York State Reading Association Youth Book Blog

2011-06-07T21:53:00.000-07:00

Follow the link below to read an interview about "The Can Man" for the New York State Reading Association's Youth Book Blog. The interview relates to the recent Charlotte Award nomination the book was lucky enough to receive. Mrs. Carver’s fourth grade class at Edison Elementary School, Tonawanda, NY, asked me the great questions. Enjoy!

http://charlotteaward.wordpress.com/

New children's illustration classes and an oil painting class for teens starting in July!

2011-06-07T12:01:00.000-07:00

Just a quick reminder that I have new children's book illustration classes and an oil painting class for teens starting in July in Bellevue and Seattle. Hope to see you in a class and please spread the word!

Here are the details...

Children's Book Illustration I
Immerse yourself in the world of children’s book illustration with
this introductory course. Through in-class assignments using a variety
of media, you'll learn basic techniques to complete illustrations for
young readers. Also learn the business side of children’s book
illustration, including what it takes to get your work seen by the
right people. Character consistency, portfolios, contracts, and other
topics are also covered. Craig Orback is an award-winning illustrator
of over 15 children's books. Basic drawing skills are helpful but not
required. Homework is required.

Bellevue College, Saturdays, 8 Sessions, 7/9/11-8/27/11,
10:00-12:30pm, $149
Go here to register

North Seattle Community College, Thursdays, 8 Sessions,
7/7/11-8/25/11, 6:30-9:00pm, $125
Go here to register

Beginning Oil Painting for Teens
This no pressure introductory course introduces teens to the basics of
painting with oils. Learn about materials available to painters, color
mixing and some basic color theory as well as composition. Instructor
gives one-on-one feedback in this fun, hands-on studio class. Please
bring supplies to the first class and be ready to paint!

Bellevue Community College, Saturdays, 4 Sessions, 7/16/11-8/6/11,
1:30-4:30pm, $169
Go here to register

Renewal

2011-04-19T18:55:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I attended the SCBWI Western Washington conference for writers and illustrators. I have attended several in the past including the New York winter conference but never have I come away so inspired by others. I have a renewed faith in my chosen career and a desire to shake things up. Part of this excitement came from seeing the great illustrator Dan Santat talk about his career path and renewed commitment to picture books. We were all moved by his inspiring speech including Dan. His talk was that memorable.

During his presentation he mentioned a pivotal moment early on when he decided to change up his painting style. This is something I have been toying with myself for several years but was too afraid. I have been illustrating kids books for 10 years now working hard at getting better with my chosen medium (oil paint) . With my recent book "The Can Man" I was beginning to feel I was getting closer to the style I had envisioned for myself when I started out. I am not going to throw overboard my realistic, painterly style but I am ready to develop a second parallel track. During my downtime in between jobs I am commiting myself to taking some of my older oil paintings (as well as some new images) and reworking them in a new looser way aimed at younger audiences.

This isn't a crass stab at a bigger more lucrative market but a heartfelt artistic yearning to express myself in new exciting ways. I have always been drawn to this style of work and used to paint this way with watercolor in the past. Change and growth will feed my soul. After all I am in the book making business not the painting realistic at all costs business. Watercolor, pencil, gouache, and maybe some pastel and ink will be my new mediums. Mixed media in other words. Wimsy, freshness, looseness, simplification, line work and engaging characters (both human and animal), is a small part of what I am after. When I became an oil painter N.C. Wyeth and Gregory Manchess were a few of my inspirations. Now I am looking at among others, Trina Schart Hyman and the wonderful Amy June Bates for guidance on how to loosen up my line work and depiction of people.

Below is my first attempt at taking an older painting and playing with these new themes at the sketch phase. Now its time to shut up and put paint to paper. If I like it I will share it soon. If I don't, well I will just try again with something new. Its supposed to be fun after all!

More great Can Man news!

2011-04-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

In the past few weeks I have learned that The Can Man is up for two state reading awards! In Pennsylvania it has been nominated for the 2011-2012 Keystone to Reading Book Award. In New York state it will appear on the 2012 Charlotte Award Ballot (in the primary category), the state award run by the New York State Reading Association (NYSRA). With both awards students will vote for their favorite and the winner will be awarded in the fall of 2012. Really excited that so many new kids will be exposed to our book over the next year. Also the book will be part of TD Bank's summer reading program on the east coast. Even more great exposure! The Mid-Atlantic loves The Can Man!

Old Grandfather revisited

2011-02-22T15:42:00.000-08:00

Back in 2007 I illustrated a Tolstoy short story for a school textbook project. It was just one painting but I always felt I could have done a better job. My original sketch that I liked ended up being changed pretty heavily due to feedback from my client. So recently I repainted it the way I wanted to. Here it is...

My own Mount Rushmore is now complete!

2011-02-21T10:38:00.000-08:00

In honor of President's Day I recently completed my painting of Mount Rushmore. Late last year I posted a blog entry about its inspiration, a sketch and color study. If you have the day off today enjoy!

Copies are in of Clara Morgan and the Oregon Trail Journey!

2011-02-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

I recently get a stack of copies of my new book Clara Morgan and the Oregon Trail Journey written by Marty Rhodes Figley, our 4th book together. I am really pleased with how they art was reproduced in this book! If anyone is interested I can send out a signed copy including shipping for $20. Just send me an email to craig@craigorback.com.

It is a wonderful story of compassion and generosity set on the Oregon trail in 1864. Here is a description and thanks for your interest:

Eleven-year-old Clara Morgan traveled the Oregon Trail with her family. While her mother cared for the baby, Clara struggled with the cooking. Finally, she made her first batch of perfect biscuits. But she gave them up to a hungry American Indian who stopped by. Little did she know they would meet again. Would her family’s act of kindness help them farther down the trail? In the back of this book, you’ll find a script and instructions for putting on a reader’s theater performance of this adventure.

My first graphic novel book

2011-02-01T11:19:00.000-08:00

In the last week I finished all of the art for my first graphic novel. It is a 24 page book with 45 individual paintings. To say it was a lot of work was an understatement! I'm not one to shy away from a challenge though and this was a fun creative one. With picture book projects I am used to editing double page spreads of story and text into large full size paintings capturing the essence of whats being said. With a graphic novel though you get to break down the action into little scenes and play more with composition, perspective and viewpoint. It feels a little bit like I would imagine a film director would feel when it comes to depicting action and playing with camera angles.

The art will later have bubbles and banners with dialogue and story added by the designer. I look forward to seeing it come together. Unfortunately for now I can't post the art here. I worked smaller than my usual oil paintings in gouache paint to save time and for easy detail work. Recently I bought a large format scanner so I was able to scan the final art myself and download it as digital files to their FTP site. Very convenient as the art never add to leave my studio. Clients are preferring that more and more these days so it feels good to change with the times. I hope you enjoy the art!

Some nice 2010 accolades

2011-01-09T17:38:00.000-08:00

As creators of children's book know the end of each year and the beginning of the next is award season time. In the last month two of my books from last year have won some acclaim.

The Can Man was included on Smithsonian magazine's list of Notable Books for Children in 2010. Also Hot Pursuit: Murder in Mississippi was named a 2011 Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Older Readers.

Fingers crossed I will have some more good news to share in the near future. Either way this was a great way to begin 2011!

A featured story in my hometown newspaper

2010-11-15T09:20:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was an exciting day for me as my local hometown newspaper, The Tribune in San Luis Obispo, California featured a story and interview about my illustration work. It was timed with the opening of a show at The Morro Bay Art Association (in California) that features a few of my children's book illustrations. This organization helped launch my career in art when I won several scholarships while in high school and college in California.

Here is a link to the article in the Tribune newspaper

A photo of the paper is below. This is the first real article about my work and a thrill!

Carving Mount Rushmore

2010-11-08T09:41:00.000-08:00

During our month long road trip/honeymoon across the country this past summer we stopped at many iconic places, none more so than Mount Rushmore. It's one of those places if you haven't seen it in person you might think it's a bit cheesy or what's the big deal? I also had mixed feelings about the idea of taking a beautiful and natural rock formation and land that is sacred to Native Americans and destroying it with cultural symbols of their oppressors, but I digress. Once we arrived though it was impossible not to be awed by what was accomplished on such a grand scale during the hard years of the Great Depression, a subject and era that already pulls at my imagination. It didn't hurt that we had the quintessential park ranger with white beard and brimmed hat sharing captivating stories about the presidents on display and background on it's creation. He also happened to be from our old stomping grounds in West Seattle.

With this in mind I decided to create my own interpretation of it's creation based on some old photos of the workers I came across, including the sculptor Gutzon Borglum. Below you can see my final line drawing, value study and color study (done in Photoshop). All that's left is to paint this thing, in oil. I just hope it also doesn't take me 14 years.

Craig Orback Illustration on Facebook

2010-10-12T13:46:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say you can now find Craig Orback Illustration on Facebook. It would be great to have you as a "fan"!

Painting a cover step by step- "Clara Morgan and the Oregon Trail Journey"

2010-10-09T12:54:00.001-07:00

Pull up a chair, grab a drink, and be prepared for a long blog entry but also an interesting one I think. This past week I mailed off all of the art for my 18th book and I wanted to share my process of illustrating the cover. It was a bit unusual for me.

Over the summer (when not preparing for our wedding and month long honeymoon!) I was finishing the interior art for my book "Clara Morgan and the Oregon Trail Journey." Usually cover ideas are finalized when the interior paintings are close to being done so even though we had decided on a cover concept, the actual painting of it had to wait till I got back from our trip.

Luckily for me our honeymoon was taking us on a road trip from Chicago back to Washington State so a stop in Nebraska where the book is set was on the agenda. Thanks Jess for your flexibility! Usually I don't get the opportunity to visit the places where my books are set before starting work so this was a real thrill. It would add some authenticity to the cover at least and stir my imagination!

I am now going to walk you through how I illustrated the cover step by step. I hope you enjoy this peak behind the curtain...

This is my early rough sketch of the cover that was approved before we left on the trip. It is part of a series of books called "Picture books plus reader's theater" covering different topics, hence the red curtain. At the back of each book kids get a script and act out a scene from the book. Lots of fun!

This is a view of Scott's Bluff Nebraska where Clara's wagon train would have passed through in 1864 (as depicted on the book cover). Her and her family are fictional but their journey is based on the stories of real pioneers.

They had a great museum and some wagons on display. This is basically just like my original cover concept come to life! Only needed to add the family, oxen, dog and Clara.

A close up of the wagon.

Another view of the bluff from the cover. We even happened to be there late in the day just like I wanted for my painting. Perfect lighting!

Here is the view looking west. I told you we really went there!

I took some photos of my model once I was back from the trip. The only problem was I didn't have the dress we used from the first series of photos I took for the interior paintings. I made do with my existing photos.

This is the dress from the photos I took before leaving on the trip.

Here is my final drawing based on my reference photos. I projected this drawing onto my illustration board. The notes were done while I was painting the cover.

The board has two layers of gesso then I do a wash of transparent acrylic paint so that I am working on a colored surface. I hate painting on a white board and this helps to unify the whole painting as bits of this color will show through on the final. I dont paint the sky brown as that tends to pollute the vivid pure blue sky I am going for.

Now I begin working in oils. The sky is covered and the landscape begun. I prefer to paint all of the negative space around the main character first. Plopping them into a completed setting and solving issues of lighting and color first in the landscape always works best.

Here is my messy desk next to my easel in mid painting. I have my reference and some supplies there, as well as some of the completed interior paintings so I can match the cover correctly.

Most of the background is complete. I don't layer paint much. I prefer the immediacy of painting thick and completing an area and then moving on.

Pretty much done with this area. I will tweak it later once the whole painting is covered.

Only Clara is left!

Me sweating the details.

Her figure is now blocked in. Saved the hardest part for the end- the face!

I am tempted to leave it like this but I don't think the publisher would be happy! My original drawing tends to be pretty simple (as you can see). The realism happens as I am painting. I prefer the flexibility and challenge of working this way.

Almost done! Now just need to detail her dress and polish her face and the rest of the painting.

Still needs more work!

Now this is starting to look right!

And here is the completed painting!

This is just a rough version of what the final design will look like. They may end up going with white type and slightly darker grass to match other covers in the series. I should have copies of the completed book by the end of the year and it's officially released this spring! Keep an eye on this blog for details!

October's Scholastic Storyworks Magazine

2010-09-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

I am very excited that the story I illustrated for Scholastic's Storyworks magazine is out now! It appears in the October issue. You can view the interior of the magazine here:

http://storyworks.scholastic.com/reproducibles-quizzes

The story I illustrated is called "How To Save A Baby Dragon" and is listed under FICTION. It is thrilling to think of all the kids around the country now viewing my illustrations. Thanks again to the Art Director- Albert for remembering my work.

John Greenwood's Journey To Bunker Hill

2010-09-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

I have a new book out this fall called "John Greenwood's Journey To Bunker Hill". It's published by Millbrook Press a division of Lerner Publishing and is a part of there new Readers Theater series where kids get a script at the back of the book and get to act out a scene. A really engaging concept. I will add the book to my site with images in the next couple of weeks.

The editor of the book recently posted a blog entry on Facebook about what it's like to receive the final art in the mail. It features the art from my book and they also shot a video of the art when it arrived in their offices about 6 months ago. It was an honor.

Here is the link to see the video on Youtube, my first time on that site!

John Greenwood's Journey to Bunker Hill Artwork

And here is the article. Thanks again Carol!

The Artwork Is Coming!

by Millbrook Press on Monday, September 13, 2010 at 6:00am

By Carol Hinz
Editorial Director, Millbrook Press

Working on an illustrated book is always exciting—you’re never completely sure how the book will look until the artist sends in the final art. Art often comes to us digitally (whether it’s because the artist works digitally or because the artist scans or photographs the finished pieces), but we still work with plenty of artists who mail in the final art.

It’s always a thrill when final art comes in. I carefully bring the package down to the book’s designer and let the designer open it. (I don’t want to damage anything!) The designer then spreads out all the art in the conference room and calls in the art director and me to come take a look at it.

When Craig Orback’s art came in for John Greenwood’s Journey to Bunker Hillby Marty Rhodes Figley (part of the series History Speaks: Picture Books Plus Reader’s Theater), we took a quick video so you can get a sense of what it’s like to have all that wonderful art spread out in front of you. Craig used oil paints on canvas for this book. The art actually came in a tube because Craig rolled up all the canvases before sending them. If you look closely, you can see that some of the edges of the canvases still have a little curl in them. I’ll also point out that Craig likes to work at a size larger than the actual book, so if the canvases look big, it’s because they are. You’ll see a letter from Craig that was included with the art—it’s a standard 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper, if that helps to give a sense of scale.

After we admire the artwork, we send it out for scanning. And after the high-resolution scans come in, the designer can place the art in the layout and soon we’ll have a finished book!

P.S. Yes, the title of this blog post is meant to be a play on the phrase “the Redcoats are coming” since this particular book is set during the American Revolution.

A side trip to Lerner Publishing

2010-09-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

"Crickets, crickets". That's the sound of my blog this past summer as I have been busy working, and oh yeah busy getting married and taking a month long honeymoon! Well the calendar says it's the first day of fall today so now is as good a time as any to update my blog.

So back to that honeymoon. We were lucky enough to be able to schedule a 25 day road trip from Chicago back to Bellingham stopping at such beautiful places as The Badlands, Mt Rushmore and Yellowstone. The list goes on and on. We were also lucky enough to spend several days in Minneapolis the home of my tried and true publisher Lerner. They gave me my first book job almost ten years ago and I am eternally grateful. My wife, parter (still trying to figure what to say), let's call her Jessica was patient enough considering it was our honeymoon after all to let me pay my publisher a visit.

Below are some of the photos of my tour of the warehouse, bindery and main headquarters. Thanks to all who made me feel welcome especially Anna my editor who gave me a thorough tour of the offices. Also thanks to Zach my Art Director for meeting me for lunch. Enjoy!

Beautiful Minneapolis. Reminds me of Seattle in many ways.

This is the warehouse where all of Lerner's books are kept including around a dozen of mine. A dozen titles, not individual books!

Jess is wondering, "are all of these Craig's books?"

Next I was lucky enough to be shown around the bindery where the books are bound. I was told a lot of interesting information that sadly went in one ear and out the other. My fault not there's!

This machine looks important but sorry, I can't remember what it does!

Ditto with this piece of equipment

I think this one applies stickers to the books. Glad I could remember something!

A few days later I visited the head offices of Lerner. I visited 5 years ago as well but I got to meet lots of new people this time.

The entrance. I love the plaque. They are an institution in this part of town.

The main entrance. After this I forgot to take anymore photos. It was a flurry of warm conversations and handshakes. Thanks again everyone!

Fall Illustration classes at Whatcom Community College

2010-08-24T06:36:00.000-07:00

To those in the Bellingham, WA area that are interested I wanted to let you know I have two Children's Book Illustration classes starting in late September.

They are :

Children's Book Illustration I

Immerse yourself in the world of children’s book illustration in this introductory course. Through in- class assigments using a variety of media, you will learn basic techniques to complete illustrations for young readers. Also learn the business side of children’s book illustration, including what it takes to get your work seen by the right people. Character consistency, portfolios, contracts, and other topics are also covered. Craig Orback is an award-winning illustrator of over 15 children's books. Basic drawing skills are helpful but not required. Some homework is required. Materials list will be sent with class receipt.

Follow this link to register: Children's Book Illustration I

Children's Book Illustration II

Craig Orback invites you to explore in greater depth your passion for children's book illustration. In this intermediate course, you will learn, step-by-step, how to create a children's picture book dummy that, when finished, can be submitted to publishers for possible publication. From developing an initial story board to completing full page sketches, this is the perfect course if you have a children's story you have longed to illustrate and potentially publish! Materials list will be sent with class receipt.

Follow this link to register: Children's Book Illustration II

I hope to see you in one or both!

Latest project

2010-07-06T17:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been very active with blog updates lately but it isn't due to a lack of new work. In fact I am having a VERY busy summer so I wanted to take a moment to share a new project. Below are paintings that will appear in a Scholastic kid's magazine this fall. I should keep the story under wraps for now but here is a sneak peek at all four paintings. It was a really wonderful and unexpected project. It's a thrill to be working for Scholastic again, seven years after receiving another kid's magazine project during my first trip to NY to show my portfolio. I am very excited that so many kids around the country will get to see my work!

Enjoy! Now it's time for me to get back to work.

"Can Man" event this Saturday June 12th at Barnes and Noble in Bellingham

2010-06-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let NW people know that I will be reading and signing copies of my new picture book "The Can Man" at Barnes & Noble in Bellingham, Saturday June 12, 11:00am to 1:00pm. I will also be showing some of the original art from the book. Should be lots of fun. Hope to see some of you there. Please invite anyone you think might be interested!

My latest project

2010-05-12T14:45:00.000-07:00

I have been busy working away on my latest book project and want to give you a sneak peek at one of the early paintings. I can't share details of the story but by the looks of this painting you can deduce the subject matter. I am having a lot of fun painting the landscapes along the Oregon Trail, specifically the scenes of western Nebraska and Wyoming. Imagine seeing this rock formation for the first time?

One change for me has been working on smooth illustration board rather then my usual textured canvas. I really like being able to add the extra detail without the distraction of the texture and I think the art will look a lot better in the final book after being scanned. I hope to share some more paintings later as the project progresses!

Actual page from the Chicago Sun Times

2010-04-25T10:38:00.000-07:00

I ordered a copy of the actual Chicago Sun Times paper the review of "The Can Man" was in. Enjoy! As someone who grew up reading papers like the L.A. Times this is a pretty big thrill.

The Can Man reviewed in the Chicago Sun Times!

2010-04-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

I just came across this review of "The Can Man" in yesterdays "Chicago Sun Times" Sunday paper. So great! Definitely the coolest place I have ever had one of my books reviewed. Glad to see it is getting some wide exposure!

The Can Man (Lee & Low, 36 pages, $18.95), by Laura E. Williams, illustrated by Craig Orback, focuses not only on recycling but also homelessness. Mr. Peters was young Tim’s apartment neighbor before he lost his job and home and became known as the “Can Man.”

Tim wants a new skateboard for his birthday more than anything. After seeing Mr. Peters out collecting cans, Tim decides he will collect cans too — before Mr. Peters can get to them. He works very hard and earns the money he needs. When he bumps into Mr. Peters with his empty shopping cart, he realizes that a new skateboard is not as important as surviving in the streets and gives Mr. Peters all the money, learning an important lesson.

Rich oil paintings complement this heartfelt story for readers ages 6-10.

You can copy and paste the link here to find it on their site.

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/books/2163418,kids-books-041810.article

Lummi Island School Visit

2010-04-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of taking a short ferry ride north of Bellingham to Lummi Island for a school visit. Thanks again to the wonderful faculty and students at Beach Elementary School! I had never visited this small island in the north sound before so it was a real experience. The school was built in 1919 and is filled with great historic atmosphere. Driving around the island only took about an hour. I felt like I was in Maine or another quaint area. Below are some photos of the school, students and the beautiful scenery.

They have only 58 students K-6 and it's the islands only school. Amazing!

Here we are meeting in the gym. Eager minds ready to learn about illustrating kid's books.

A visit always ends with the kids creating their own art. Always the most popular part!

This a view from the ferry dock on the island. The boat ride was only 5 minutes!

Spring is definitely in bloom.

Just add some balloons and this house would look just like the one from the movie "Up".

The island had lots of beautiful, but rocky beaches with views of the San Juan Islands. Very quiet and peaceful.

Praise for "The Can Man"

2010-03-31T19:12:00.001-07:00

Here is some recent praise for my book "The Can Man", written by Laura E. Williams. Because I was the illustrator I am singling out comments about the art. I will post more reviews as they come in!

"Orback's realistic oil paintings on canvas bring the tale's urban setting into clear focus in warmly lit scenes that illuminate the characters' feelings—notably Tim's unease and his beneficiary's gratitude—and readily transmit the weighty themes at work." -Publishers Weekly

"The full-page oil paintings have a quiet realism reminiscent of Edward Hopper in scenes of Tim’s close multiracial family indoors and the Can Man alone outside. A humanizing story that reaches beyond easy messages."-Booklist

"What makes this title a standout are the carefully thought-out details of Craig Orback’s illustrations. To Williams’ few hundred words, Orback seamlessly adds a few thousand more with his pictures. The result is a definitively noteworthy collaboration indeed." -Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program

"New York, New York"

2010-03-31T16:14:00.001-07:00

It has been a few days since returning from my trip to New York to visit publishers and now it's time to share some of my experience. Over all I think it was successful as far as making it to my meetings on time and plantings seeds in minds when it comes to looking for an illustrator for future projects. I appreciated so much the art directors, editors and designers taking time out of their very busy schedules to review my work. That was my takeaway from the publishers, EVERYONE is super busy, which is encouraging for a hungry illustrator. In total I had 13 meetings and also dropped off my portfolio at 7 different publishers so it was a very busy week.

People seemed genuinely interested in my work and I got lots of great feedback. Now it's time to process it all and hopefully create some new work based on said feedback. I was particularly thrilled when picking up my portfolio at Penguin Putnam. It was passed around to most of the children's book divisions and I was excited to find a letter from G.P. Putnam's Sons & Philomel Books an imprint who create beautiful picture books. The feedback I received was a highlight of the trip. Here is an excerpt:

"We are very impressed with your portfolio as a whole, particularly your realistic rendering of people and textures. In addition, your vast experience as an illustrator makes us confident that you can bring the variety and quality of scenes and compositions needed for a picture book. We feel that your traditional, dramatic style of painting would be well suited to our list here at G.P. Putnam's and Philomel. We will certainly save samples of your work, and keep you in mind for future projects. Please remain in touch and keep us updated so that we can try to find a place for you to contribute here at Penguin."

What kind words from a great publisher! It's encouragement like that that keeps me on this path. Having a copy of "The Can Man" with my portfolio and several images as part of my portfolio really helped publishers to see I could create consistent characters throughout a picture book. It made the difference with Penguin this time. Thank you Ryan at Penguin who two years ago gave me the tip.

Below are various photos taken while touring the city, portfolios in had and an umbrella as well on occasion. Another highlight of the trip was visiting everyone at Lee & Low Books the publisher of my recent book "The Can Man". Hannah was so great introducing me to everyone and it was a thrill seeing behind the curtain as they say and hearing about all the effort now being made to launch the book out into the world.

Here is the reception area at Lee and Low.

And look at all the beautiful books they have created!

Madison Avenue near Lee and Low.

Love Washington Square and its arch.

This grocery store really grabbed my imagination in Greenwich Village. Wish we had some like this on the west coast.

Lunchtime at Bryant Park. Beautiful weather that day.

View of Rockefeller Center. Believe it or not it was POURING rain that night like only NY can. No wimpy Seattle drizzle.

On my last day we visited this diner near the Metropolitan Museum. I LOVE NY diners. I had to have at least one experience on the trip.

Should I take this as some kind of omen? I'd like to think it means my life and work will be merging with NY in the future but in reality that is a view of New Jersey. Just my luck!

Like a moth to the flame

2010-03-13T11:40:00.000-08:00

My portfolio is updated, two new ones created. Samples and business cards are printed and appointments are being made. In a week I will be leaving Bellingham, destination New York City! The center of my business world and many others. I am excited, nervous and hopeful. This will be my fourth trip to the city to show my illustration portfolio. I have been illustrating children's book for nine years now and I have learned that journeying to the heart of the publishing industry can really make the difference when it comes time for a publisher to find an illustrator for a project. It also happens to be incredibly inspiring and fulfilling taking charge and marching the streets of New York City portfolio in hand.

The first such trip was in the fall of 2003. My first couple of books had been published in Minneapolis and I was eager to take my career to the next level with the goal of working with a New York publisher. This was before I had an agent so the major effort of contacting publishers ahead of time and making appointments fell on my shoulders. Luckily I managed to arrange a pretty full schedule worth of meetings. Those days were a blur of catching subways, lugging heavy portfolios and hoping not to get lost. Even though I was VERY new to this business most people were kind and had lots of good advice and encouraging words to say about my art. The best part came on the third of four days, when visiting the school magazine division of Scholastic Inc. I was there to meet one person but others were invited and soon our table was surrounded by interested designers and art directors. I left that meeting with my first New York publishing job! It was a series of illustrations for one of their school magazines. Of course I had dreamed it might happen like that, receiving a job right on the spot, but it still seemed to good to be true. If I am feeling discouraged about my career I like to think back on that early success.

Arguably my best jobs have come about after making a visit to a publisher. Six months after my first trip to NYC, Simon and Schuster contacted me to illustrate the book "John Adams Speaks For Freedom." In 2005 a few hours after visiting with my publisher in Minneapolis I was on the plane home, reading the manuscript for my future book "Nature's Paintbox". That book allowed my to illustrate poetry and nature, explore different art mediums and get away from being the historical go to guy for awhile. It has also been a book that has really connected with kids during my school and library visits over the years. In 2008 a few months after an epic one week trip to New York where I had 24 meetings with around 60 people I heard from Lee & Low Books with an offer to illustrate "The Can Man", a dream project. Here was the book I had been waiting for. It was a fictional, contemporay picture book for a New York publisher, and a beautiful story as well. I tried to savor every moment of that project.

Which brings me to the present. As exciting as these trips can be filled with hope and inspiration they can also be emotionally exhausting. It's like a roller coaster, elated one moment, feeling a bit discouraged the next. I try to take in the comments, while leaving my ego at the front door. I have gotten better at this but it's not always easy. I have heard many times concerns about realism's place in todays market and have felt a bit pigeon holed as the guy who does historical educational books. Granted I have done a lot of those but with projects like "The Can Man" and "Nature's Paintbox" I am hopeful that people are beginning to see my work in a new light.

Because of those books this trip feels a bit different. Over half of the work in my portfolios is new. A balance of contemporary and historical with a nod to illustration styles of the past. I see the growth in my work and I am eager to share it with others. Unfortunately I am also arriving at a time when publishing like many industries has take a real punch to the gut since my last trip. Vast layoffs occurred, budgets tightened, people are working longer hours with little time to meet and greet visiting illustrators and authors. Besides showing my work and making connections I am also traveling to take the pulse of the industry, seeing for myself the state of things. The Northwest is about as far away as you can get in the states from the center of publishing so I look to these trips to reconnect with my chosen career. Wish me luck!

An interview about The Can Man

2010-03-02T10:20:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share an interesting interview with Laura E. Williams the author and myself about the creation of our picture book "The Can Man". You can read it here www.leeandlow.com at my publishers web site. Let me know what you think! It raises some interesting issues about depicting homelessness in children's books.

Bright lights, big city, NYC here I come!

2010-02-26T10:01:00.000-08:00

BREAKING NEWS! I will be flying all the way from Seattle to NYC from March 22nd-25th for a week of portfolio reviews. It's been two years since my last such trip and I have lots of new work and books to share. If I am lucky enough to have an art director, editor or designer in NYC stumble on my blog please send me an email to craig@craigorback.com to schedule an appointment!

Looking forward to what lies ahead!

Order your signed copy today!

2010-02-17T09:55:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update to let you know I received a big stack of "The Can Man". It looks great! If you would like to purchase a signed copy from me send me an email to craig@craigorback.com. I charge $20 which includes shipping and taxes! I will have some events coming up this spring in the Puget Sound area so return back here in the future to learn more.

Fresh off the easel

2010-02-15T19:20:00.000-08:00

Today I mailed off the final paintings for my 17th children's book. That is always a nice feeling. I have to keep the story behind the images under wraps for now but I wanted to share some of the paintings. Enjoy!

Research, research, research

2010-02-12T12:55:00.000-08:00

This past Monday I made the finishing touches to the paintings for my recent book for Millbrook Press. On Monday I will be mailing the paintings off. That is always a good feeling! Work on my latest project began the next day when I made a trip to the library. It always helps having another project to jump into to dull the bittersweet feeling of finishing my latest book. In what has become a bit of a tradition for me, I made the journey to my favorite library in downtown Bellevue. When I moved to the Seattle area almost 16 years ago, before starting art school I was living in Bellevue and remember spending some lonely hours visiting the cavernous library. Where I grew up in rural California we had nothing like this. Now when I visit the Bellevue library I sometimes stumble across one of my previous book projects now on display on the children's book shelves. This is always a nice full circle feeling.

So the Bellevue library is where a new project is born for me. As you can see it is a treasure trove of research materials! As much as I try to limit myself to the amount of books I will check out I always end with a pile about two feet high. As the illustrator working on a historical project images will come to mind when reading the manuscript but there are many gaps that my research helps to fill. My new book is about a girl and her family traveling across the Oregon Trail in the 1860's. It is a fictional family but based on the experiences of thousands of pioneers that made the real journey. The story takes place in northeastern Nebraska and Wyoming. Reading a story raises more questions for an illustrator than it answers. What does the landscape look like? How do I depict Fort Laramie? How do I accurately paint a Sioux Chief of that era? So many questions but luckily existing non-fiction children's books are a treasure trove of old photographs and paintings. I get a little jolt of excitement when I finally stumble across that elusive image I was looking for. If I can I will travel to the area the story takes place as I did for my book "Survival in the Snow" set at Donner Lake California, but that's not always possible. I also have lots of existing photos I have taken of places like Boston or Philadelphia that have helped me illustrate stories set during the American Revolution. For my current project though I will have to satisfy myself with what's discovered through arm chair travel.

The next step for me is to go through the books at home and scan the images that will be most helpful to me, then print out the pages and pages of images so I can begin sketching. I am always a bit nervous, is that illegal, scanning from books? But I figure it just serves the greater purpose of making my paintings more historically accurate. If there are still any holes to fill after all this research there is always Google images. Time to start scanning!

It's For Sale!!

2010-01-28T14:37:00.000-08:00

For anyone who followed my work on my picture book "The Can Man" for Lee & Low Books last year this is an update to let you know it is now available for sale! Copies can be ordered at www.leeandlow.com or your local book store or online retailer. Here is a description of the wonderful story written by Laura E. Williams:

"Money is tight, and Tims family cannot afford to buy him a skate board for his birthday. Watching a local homeless man called The Can Man collect empty soft drink cans gives Tim an idea. He will collect cans too, and cash them in for the redemtion money. Soon Tim has reached his goal- until a couple of chance encounters with The Can Man change everything."

I am very excited to spread the word. I will have some events coming up this spring in the Puget Sound area so return back here in the future to learn more. If you would like to purchase a signed copy from me send me an email to craig@craigorback.com. I charge $20 which includes shipping and taxes!

Hot Pursuit: Murder in Mississippi

2010-01-18T13:04:00.000-08:00

Almost a year ago I finished work on the chapter book "Hot Pursuit: Murder in Mississippi" for Kar-Ben Publishing. This true story is written by Stacia Deutsch & Rhody Cohon and I was lucky enough to complete the 31 individual paintings.

Here is the description of the book provided by the publisher:

"It was the Freedom Summer of 1964. Civil rights workers Mickey Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney were driving through rural Mississippi. When a police cruiser flashed its lights behind them, they hesitated. Were these law-abiding officers or members of the Ku Klux Klan? Should they pull over or try to outrun their pursuers? The last day in the lives of these courageous young men is relived in this gripping story."

Being that I was born in 1971 I did not know a lot about this event in the Civil Rights Movement. I had seen the 1988 movie "Mississippi Burning" that recounts the investigation of their disappearance but nothing is shown about the work they did before their tragic deaths. The time seemed right for an illustrated book for kids telling their story so I jumped at the chance to illustrate it.

As an illustrator, research always comes before pencil hits paper so I found lots of books and images on the internet to help familiarize me with the three main characters. I also read through several books about the civil rights movement and their story specifically. Usually I am looking for images that will help me to make my illustrations more accurate but reading the text provides me with important details not available in photos.

I had difficulty finding many photos of Mickey, Andrew and James. Below are about the only images I could find.

In my research I learned that Mickey, the leader of the three civil rights workers, being from New York City was a fan of the NYC Mets baseball team and was seen most times wearing a baseball hat. That was a detail I had to include.

Since I didn't have a lot of photos of them to help me my next step was to take the photos I had and translate them into sketches which would help me later when painting them at various angles.

Two other characters important to the story are the law enforcement officers of Neshoba County Mississippi that arrest and jail the civil rights workers. I mostly show them in the shadows but these photos were helpful nonetheless.

Also in my research I learned that during the days before their disappearance in Mississippi they were driving around in a blue 1964 Ford station wagon. There were going to be lots of scenes of them in the car so I wanted to have some good photos of the inside and out of that kind of car. One day I decided to look on craigslist for similar cars for sale and amazingly enough found someone near Seattle was selling a car of that exact description. He was nice enough to let me take photos of his car. It wasn't blue but it was a great find nonetheless! Here is a photo of the real car from the story and photos I took of the similar one.

After all my research I was ready to start the paintings! Again I had 31 individual paintings to do when typically I only have about 15-20 to do for a book. Early on it was decided that this book should have a graphic novel feel which would mean there would sometimes be several illustrations on a page showing the action from different angles. This was a new challenge for me but I loved thinking of compositions in a new way.

Now it was time to start drawing! I will be showing you the steps I took to illustrate the scene from pgs 20-21 in the book. It's one of the scenes showing the main characters being chased by the local sheriff. The story jumps several times from past to present showing them being chased by the sheriff and the hard decision Mickey has to make.

With any illustration I start with small thumbnail sketches. I liked to explore lots of ideas. Theses are the ones I came up with for that scene.

Eventually I get an idea I like and a larger sketch is made.

I liked this one because in two illustrations it captured both the dramatic chase between the cars as well as the fear felt by the young men. All my larger sketches for the whole book were then reviewed by my publisher, some changes were requested, and then I was ready to complete the final paintings!

As my work is pretty realistic I like to have reference photos of models to paint from. For this book I was mostly able to use my self as a model then later made them look like the real life people I was depicting. Here are a few photos for that illustration. Note Mickey's Mets baseball cap.

Next I do a final line drawing for myself based on my research and model photos.

I use a projector to transfer this small drawing to my final larger surface and can now finally start painting!

For these paintings I used oil paint on smooth illustration board. Oil allows me to rework a painting while still wet and I love the painterly look I can achieve with it. After a few days of painting this is the final page as it appears in the book!

As you can see there are a lot of steps when completing an illustration, especially throughout a book like "Hot Pursuit". One of the pleasures for me was depicting details from the 1960's: a favorite decade for me with its great music, fun fashion and design, even if I did miss being a part of it by a couple of years! This book was a challenge for me in many ways but I felt lucky to be a part of sharing this important story with young readers. "Hot Pursuit: Murder in Mississippi" is released in January 2010.

Tavern scene

2010-01-13T16:51:00.000-08:00

This isn't the greatest quality image but I wanted to share this new painting from a project I am currently working on. I am really pleased how this came out. Our hero John the fifer listens intently to the militiaman. Really love his rapt expression and the warm firelight. Enjoy!

IT'S A BOOK TOO!!!

2010-01-09T11:59:00.000-08:00

What a great start to the New Year so far. Yesterday one long year after mailing in my art I finally received a copy of my chapter book "Hot Pursuit: Murder in Mississippi"! This moving true story is written by Stacia Deutsch and Rhody Cohon and published by Kar-Ben Publishing. It recounts the work of three civil rights workers, Mickey Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney, in Mississippi in 1964 before their tragic deaths.

I was blown away with how good the art reproduced in this book. The color and contrast is spot on. Thanks to my wonderful designer Danielle in Minneapolis for her striking design work and for insuring the art looked its best. I couldn't be more pleased with the results! The book is now out in both hardback and paperback versions. Go here to order a copy www.lernerbooks.com! To view art from the book go here www.craigorback.com.

IT'S A BOOK!!!

2009-12-30T12:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday after returning home from a trip to California to spend time with my family for Christmas I received an unexpected Christmas present. A finished copy of my picture book "The Can Man"! Thanks to my editor Louise at Lee and Low Books! It was a genuine surprise as I wasn't expecting my finished copies until February. It looks great and I can hardly wait to get out and start sharing it with others.

It was just July when I sent off the final art. Feels like the book was designed, printed and bound at record speed. Next to first receiving a project, seeing the finished book is a real thrill. Thanks to all at Lee and Low Books in NYC for choosing me for such a wonderful project and of course to Laura E. Williams for starting it all with her beautiful story. I will have information later for anyone interested in buying a copy. It's officially released in March. Now it's time to celebrate. Happy New Year to all!

A Christmas Carol 2009

2009-12-09T11:43:00.000-08:00

Just before the holidays I wanted to create a new sample to promote my work. I decided to revisit a painting completed way back in 1997 while a student at Cornish College. The subject is the perennial favorite "A Christmas Carol". Here is the older painting...

While I liked the concept behind the original painting I knew that I could execute it better now so I spent the past couple of days completing a brand new painting. I made the hands smaller and changed some things about the crystal ball concept as well has making some color changes. I am really happy with it now. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!

By the way I am ending the year on a happy note as I now have a new book deal in the works. Glad that I will be staying busy well into the new year!

My books and original art are for sale

2009-11-20T09:10:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the plug but I put together two pdf files that feature my published books and original art for sale. Just in time for the holidays.

Click here to find and view the PDF's

Below are a few of the paintings you will find for sale. Let me know if you have any questions!

Happy Holidays!

London

14x22 in. oil on canvas

$500

Lincoln Park

11x14 in. oil on canvas

$200

Untitled Still Life 1

(around) 14x18 in. oil on canvas

$150

School visits

2009-11-06T10:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I visited two schools to talk about my book "Survival in the Snow" and illustrating kids books. First was at English Crossing Elementary and the other at Cougar Creek Elementary. Both near Arlington, WA. It was a new presentation based on the true life survival story of Moses Schallenberger and I think the talks went very well! Both presentatione were to huge groups of 3rd to 5th graders. One around 200, the other over 300! Below are a few photos. Nothing like kids to make me feel like a rock star! Thanks to the librarians Molly and Sharon and all at Sno-isle libraries! Looking forward to my other two school visits in the next week.

This welcomed me at English Crossing Elementary. Pretty nice.

The students and I at Cougar Creek Elementary

Me rocking the mic at English Crossing Elementary

Show and tell

2009-11-04T15:29:00.001-08:00

Just a quick post to share two recent paintings.

I was inspired to complete one last painting on my Amelia Earhart theme to go with my previous painting. I wanted something dramatic this time that showed her on her solo crossing of the Atlantic in 1932. Hope you like it. By the way the I found the recent movie "Amelia" to be disappointing. Too bad.

Also I finally finished the landscape for McGraw Hill. I covered my process working on the project in a previous posting. Enjoy!

Amelia Earhart 2009

2009-10-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

Well it's finished! I spent the last couple of days painting my new Amelia Earhart illustration. I think it came out pretty nice. I especially like the color scheme. Let me know what you think! Here's hoping the new movie is decent as well.

Amelia Earhart

2009-10-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

This week there is a renewed interest in Amelia Earhart with the bio pic movie starring Hilary Swank playing soon and an exhibit of her story with original belongings opening up at The Museum of Flight in Seattle next weekend. This movie really has me excited (I hope it's good!) and has renewed my interest in Ms. Earhart. I have long had a bit of a crush on her. I have read some books and magazine articles about her and ten years ago completed an oil painting portrait after being inspired by her story (see below). I am a sucker for stories of adventure especially set during the 1920's and 30's. I love the look of that era. Her life story has it all as far as i'm concerned.

Anyway, in the frenzy of new interest in her story I have been inspired again to complete a painting of her, this time geared more as a sample for the children's book market. The older painting above I like but I wanted something lighter and more fun and also frankly I think I am a better painter now. I will be working on it this week. Here is a color study and a little drawing of her face for the painting. I hope you like them! I will post the final painting when completed. If any one in the publishing world is reading this, please consider me for a picture book bio on her. It would be a dream job for me!

Color studies-which one do you like?

2009-10-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned earlier I am working on a new project for McGraw-Hill. It's a landscape for the cover of a teaching guide. Eventually I will do it in either oil or acrylic but for now I wanted to play a bit with color. I took my original drawing into Photoshop and pretty quickly applied color. Though on the final I will use a traditional medium, at this stage it's nice to save some time. I know the benefits of Photoshop!

The first color study is more traditional and the second is more in keeping with the colors they wanted me to use.

Which do you prefer..?

Option #1

Option #2

2009-10-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

Last week I hung a bunch of my landscapes at a friend's workplace as a little mini show for the enjoyment of her cubicle co-workers. I wanted to have a few new images so completed these two paintings for the show. The one of the barn is from our new place n Bellingham. This scene is just a few hundred feet from our house. The lighthouse image is from our trip to New England in 2008. It was in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.

They are available for sale if you are interested. "Yew Street" (11x14 inches, oil on canvas) is available for $175 and "Old Saybrook" (14x18 inches, oil on canvas) is $200. Hope you enjoy them! It's always good to break out the paints just for fun outside the confines of an illustration project. On a side note, this week I received a new project from the publisher McGraw-Hill in Chicago to paint a landscape for a school textbook. Yeah! They seem to be a recurring theme for me lately.

"Yew Street"

14x18 inches, oil on canvas

$175

"Old Saybrook"

14x18 inches, oil on canvas

$200

The waiting is the hardest part

2009-09-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

One thing many people don't realize with publishing is what a long process it is to get a new book in the book stores or libraries. This past year I finished two books that I am now waiting to receive the finished product on. The art for the book "Hot Pursuit" (Kar-Ben Publishing) was completed in February and I am hoping to receive my copies by the end of the year. It is currently waiting to be printed in Minneapolis. I imagine my art is sitting in a drawer in that fair city. My other book "The Can Man" (Lee & Low Books) which I finished in July is in the beginning process of being printed. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will see color proofs of the book show up on my door step. I can hardly wait! I just found out the art is currently at the printers in Hong Kong! This is the first time my art has been sent over seas. It just blows my mind. I even looked at a map to gage the distance across the Pacific Ocean. I love maps. My art is better traveled than me!

This all brings me back to the topic of waiting. I probably have the worst type of personality to be in the book making business. I am so impatient. When I finish the art I have a need for instant gratification. I want to see my art in book form, like, now. Luckily I have other projects to distract me from my impatience, schools to contact, landscapes to paint, a class to prepare for, a little house cleaning? My thoughts though always return to the projects I am waiting on. Until I receive the final package of books in the mail some 6 months or more after mailing the art I can't quite get the project out of my mind. I need the finished product to feel some closure.

Time to get back to work. After painting a couple of landscapes for a show, my Bunker Hill project is calling. Another book I will eventually have to add to my wait list.

Survival in the Snow poster image

2009-09-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

In November I will be presenting my recent book Survival in the Snow at various Sno-isle libraries and schools and needed to give them an image for a poster. I decided to create a collage of one of the scenes that shows some of my process with sketches, photos, and the final painting. As it relates to my previous post I thought I would share it. Enjoy!

Illustrating a book cover step by step

2009-09-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

This past summer I finished work on the picture book "The Can Man" written by Laura E. Williams, published by Lee and Low Books, due for release in spring 2010. It's a wonderful fiction story about a young boy who wants a skateboard for his birthday but due to tough economic times has to earn the money himself by collecting can in his neighborhood. The title refers to a local homeless man he meets along the way. The last painting I did for the book was the cover and I wanted to share my process of completing the illustration. While this was the cover, I use the same steps for all of my paintings. I hope you find this enlightening!

So when starting work on the book I began with sketches of all my characters and what I wanted them to look like. These are the main characters Tim and "The Can Man".

Also at this time I did lots of research traveling around Seattle looking for settings for the book and taking lots of photos. I found a perfect street and used a great apartment building there as Tim's home.

When it came time to start coming up with ideas for the cover I began with several pages of sketches called thumbnail sketches. I try to explore all the possibilities until I get something I like. I usually show all of them to the publisher and together we choose a few we like best. This is one of the pages.

We narrowed it down to two thumbnails. We liked the concept of showing Tim beginning to develop the idea of how to earn money for a skateboard. A moment that isn't really shown in the book. The next step was to take the ideas and draw them larger so a final decision could be made by the publisher. You can see here that they are both pretty much the same except for Tim. We were unsure if he should be more interested in what "The Can Man" was doing or not.

They decided on having a more curious Tim which I agreed. The next step for me was to do a few color studies which makes it much easier having the color decisions made when doing the final painting. I take my original drawing into Photoshop and apply color. Its so easy if I want to try out different colors! You can also see the designer and I were beginning to think where the type should go.

The next step is to take photos of my models dressed in costume. Since my paintings end up being pretty realistic I like to have great reference with good expression, lighting and details to work from. Here are a few of the photos I took.

I loved painting Tim's shiny warm coat! Now its time to complete a final drawing based on my original drawing and reference photos. After the drawing is completed I will often take it into Photoshop and make any final adjustments, moving and scaling elements etc.

I then take this drawing and use my projector to transfer it to my stretched and gessoed canvas. Finally its time to start painting! I usually work in oil paint. Its thick, painterly and dries slowly which allows me to rework a painting. Below is the final painting!

Usually it takes me 2-3 days to actually paint it. You may notice if you compare the final drawing and painting that there are some subtle changes. The Can Man is looking up more and Tim's head is not tilted as much. I made the changes while painting because I felt they made the scene more engaging. Hope you like it! I will post the final cover design here once it has been approved for release. My art will soon be shipped to the printer in Hong Kong. You will be hearing more about "The Can Man" in the next few months. I am very excited about this book!

A nice suprise

2009-09-05T15:26:00.000-07:00

On the day we moved into our new place I found a package waiting for me on the front step. I knew what it was and with some hesitation I opened it up to find my advanced copies of my latest book "Paul Revere's Ride" for Picture Window Books. Usually I am thrilled to receive my free copies after a long 6 month wait after completing the art. The illustrations were finished earlier this year and I took the project on because I liked the subject and had lots of great photo reference from a trip to Boston several years ago. Places like Paul Revere's house, the Old North Church, etc. Overall it was a fun project but I was saddened at the end because the format of the book changed and they had to fit all of my art that was tall into a wider horizontal format. Much cropping and altering at the publisher took place which for any illustrator sends shivers down our spines. So when I received the books I wasnt really that excited until I saw the cover design, which I think is really cute and the color of my art looks good. So its a mixed bag but overall I like it. If you would like to buy a copy visit the publishers website at www.picturewindowbooks.com. Here is the cover image and a view of my set of copies.

A new home and studio

2009-09-05T13:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog! I am joining many of my favorite illustrators and jumping on the band wagon with this new technology! I will try and add something interesting as often as I have something interesting to show or tell. It will focus on my latest illustration projects.

Well after five years of living and working in West Seattle I am now living in Bellingham, WA! It was an emotionally hard move leaving a place I loved and knew so well but Bellingham is looking equally appealing in its own way. I am here for at least two years as my fiance Jess earns her masters degree. I had to end teaching some art classes in Seattle but hoping to start up some new ones this winter in Bellingham.

Here are some photos I just took. One of my new studio space and another of the view from our backyard. The trees go on and on. Pretty nice and so different from crowded West Seattle.