Illustration Friday - Caution

Hugo is very cautious on his way home - he doesn't want to get into any more trouble.
     I'm not able to post to Illustration Friday as often these days, but this week's topic was an easy fit. This art is from my forthcoming picture book, my first as both illustrator and author, Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón (September 25th!). Check out the book trailer I made for SOAP just the other day!

Illustration Friday: Hollow

Do you remember when you were a kid and you'd go to play at somebody's house for the first time - and you got that awful hollow feeling when you realized they did things differently there? Or that you were doing things all wrong?
     Learning how to compromise and get along is one of the early challenges of childhood. Advice for success in this arena is summed up perfectly in Ready to Play!

     Part of the ParentSmart KidHappy™ series written by Stacey Kaye, illustrated by Yours Truly, Free Spirit Publishing.

Illustration Friday: Craving

     This is a close-up view of the December cover of Highlights Magazine which won me the SCBWI Magazine Merit Award this year. Originally I had the boy sticking his finger in the icing, but that was baaaddd and had to be changed - ha!

Illustration Friday: Cracked

     Senora Soto had broken her eggs and blamed Hugo for the mess. See all those cracked eggs?
     Yup - another sneak peek at Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón! My first picture book as both author and illustrator that comes out this Fall! (Click the image to see it larger.)

Illustration Friday: Contagious

Kindness can be contagious - try it!
This is from my latest release, READY TO PLAY! written by Stacey Kaye, illustrated by Yours Truly, Free Spirit Press. (Click to see the entire image larger.)


Learn more about the book and the series - click the covers!

Illustration Friday: Hierarchy

     The principal is definitely higher than the bully in the school hierarchy. (Click to see a larger version.)
     Yet another illustration from my forthcoming Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón - my first picture book as both author and illustrator due out this Fall!

Illustration Friday: Impossibility

     It is an impossibility that Hugo will forget what to buy at the store if he shouts it out all the way there. Right? Right?
     Another layout from Soap, soap, soap! ¡Jabón, jabón, jabón!, my first picture book as both author and illustrator which comes out this Fall! (Click the image to see a larger version.)

Illustration Friday: Fleeting

     For a fleeting moment, Jellybean wondered if she'd been set up...
     Yet another layout from Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón, my first picture book as author and illustrator coming out this Fall! (Click the image to see a larger version.) :)

Illustration Friday: Talisman

     Wow, tough theme for this week's Illustration Friday. Would Hugo's soap, acquired after such a grand (and muddy) adventure, count as a talisman? Or would the cookie jar which pops up in so many of my books qualify as my talisman? Or even my dog Bernie for that matter? Hm.
     Anyhow - this is another illustration from my first picture book as both author and illustrator coming out this Fall, Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón. (Click the image to see it larger.)

Illustration Friday - Poise

     It's hard to maintain your poise when you're being dragged into the mud! (Click the image to see a larger version.)
     Yup - another one from Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón, my first picture book as both author and illustrator coming out this Fall!

Illustration Friday: Subtract

     Boy - mud = Happy Mom

     Yup - this is another sneak peek at Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón, my first picture book as both author AND illustrator. (Click the image to see it larger.)

Illustration Friday: Legendary

     Hugo was legendary for his "short cuts." (Click the image to see a larger version.)
     This is an illustration from my first picture book as author AND illustrator, Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón which will be released this Fall!

Illustration Friday: Intricate

     It takes an intricate mix of boxes, brooms, chairs and blankets to create a proper castle.
     This is from my just released Ready to Play! written by Stacey Kaye, illustrated by Yours Truly, Free Spirit Publishers. (Click the cover to learn more.)

Illustration Friday: Breezy

     Well, when you get hung out to dry, you gotta hope for a nice breeze!
     This is from the back cover of Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón, my first book as illustrator/author which will come out this Fall!

Illustration Friday: Instinct

     What is it about boys and mud? It's like instinct just draws them to it...
     This is the first piece I'm showing from Soap, soap, soap ~ Jabón, jabón, jabón, my first book as author/illustrator, which will be released this Fall! I've just completed the art and it's about to head out the door - woohoo!

Illustration Friday: Time

     This is from the back cover I did for the December Highlights Magazine. Typical of all their back covers, there are a lot of wonky things going on - including the clock. Could you tell time with a clock like that?
     Here's the entire piece - how many other wonky things can you find?

Illustration Friday: Climbing

     If you've been to my site before, you've probably seen this image already, but not as an IF submission. The cover of Paco and the Giant Chile Plant is perfect for this week's theme as Paco is climbing up the chile plant!

Illustration Friday: Pale

     Eggs should never remain pale white at Easter!
     This is a coloring book cover (front and back) I did for Mall Media. Did your local mall have these available last year? Let me know!

Illustration Friday: Contained

     Her toy chest contained exactly what she needed for a fun day with Grandpa!
     This is an illustration from an educational picture book I did a while back for Harcourt called "Pop Got a Hit." (I call this style my "big head stage.")

Illustration Friday: Resolve

     Maya is resolved to get that jar of peanut butter open! This is part of an illustration from Ready for the Day.
     Happy New Year everybody!

Illustration Friday: Clandestine

     The Prince kept a clandestine surveillance on the girl he liked to call Cinderella...
     This is an illustration from my first trade picture book, THE PRINCE'S DIARY, which was named the 2006 No.1 Valentine's Day Pick by BookSense! :)

Illustration Friday - Voices

     What do the voices in your head tell you?
     This is a sketch from my picture book dummy "Queen Bea."

Illustration Friday: Similar

     One of the hardest things to do when illustrating picture books is making a character consistent throughout those 32 pages. And when you consider how subtleties can differentiate even the most similar seeming creatures - a litter of warthogs for example - you begin to realize what a challenge that can be.
     I did this ages ago for a dummy which never grew wings.

Illustration Friday: Balloon

Well, this piece would have been perfect for this week's theme, but I already used it for "Wind." So, I'll offer up a sketch I did recently as an optional coloring book cover for a client. He didn't choose this one, but I may have to color it one day when I have time. To see the one the client did choose, click here.

Illustration Friday: Opinion

     Another one from Ready for Bed! One of the secrets of proper parenting language is to offer choices. Let children feel powerful by giving them a chance to have a say - express an opinion.


Learn about proper parenting language and the power of choice in, Ready for Bed and Ready for the Day - click the covers!

Illustration Friday: Pretend

     It's always easier to get something done when you pretend you're doing something else! This is also from Ready for Bed!, part of the ParentSmart/KidHappy series.

     I'm off to speak at the Savannah Children's Book Festival - hope you'll stop by!

Illustration Friday: Wise

     Why do parents always seem so wise? How can they already know all the new things their kids discover?
     This is an illustration from Ready for Bed!, part of the ParentSmart/KidHappy series written by Stacey Kaye, illustrated by Yours Truly, Free Spirit Publishing. Click the covers to learn more:

Illustration Friday: Vacant

Why are old vacant houses always so spooky?
Because they rarely are truly empty . . .
     Have a Happy Halloween!

Illustration Friday: Repair

     Sometimes Mom has to repair the attempts at proper pajamage. It's tricky getting all your arms and legs in the right tubes!
     This is an illustration from Ready for Bed!


Learn about proper parenting language and the power of choice in, Ready for Bed and Ready for the Day - click the covers!

Illustration Friday: Late

I think I showed a portion of this piece once before, but here's the whole thing. Dad is running late, but luckily he applied good parenting language he learned in Ready for the Day! (part of the ParentSmart/KidHappy series written by Stacey Kaye) and everything went smoothly!

Illustration Friday - Sugary

     Here in the south "give us some sugar" means a kiss or love. This is a crop from the cover art for "Ready for Bed." It's very sugary. :)

Illustration Friday: Packed

Bubbles helped pack fun into this dirty job.
This is an illustration from "Ready for the Day."

Illustration Friday: Island

     Ever feel like an island unto yourself? Bea sure does.
     This is yet another sketch that I can't fully render unless the book sells, which despite winning numerous honorable mentions in writing contests, it has yet to do.
     Perhaps I went too cartoony with the sketches, or maybe my art just plain doesn't fit the story. It happens. Just because I'm a professional illustrator, it doesn't mean my style fits every story I write. I get enough work that I don't take it personally. And Queen Bea would look lovely in watercolors, which I don't do...
     But I sure would like to see this story out there, because I know there are a lot of kids who would connect with Bea, trying to figure out where they fit in the world despite being a little overweight or shy or whatever. We've all been there. We've all been our own island at some point.

Illustration Friday: Clutter

     This is a spread I did last year for an easy reader - decodable book for Harcourt School called "Pop Got a Hit." (It's available to teachers now.)
     The little girl had to dig through her clutter to find her baseball glove.

Illustration Friday: Routine

     What is your morning routine? For Maya and her Dad, it's making peanut butter toast with banana slices shaped like smiley faces!
     This is from one of my latest picture books, Ready for the Day, part of the ParentSmart/KidHappy series created by Stacey Kaye. This book is an iParenting Media Award Winner for an Outstanding Product for 2008; and was named a Top Title for Back-to-School by the Association of Booksellers for Children!

Illustration Friday: Detach

     Oscar wants to be a badger, but that would mean detaching from his dachsund, Doodles. Dachsunds don't like badgers, so what is Oscar to do?
     This is an illustration from Oscar the Badger, written by Arianna Foosterdoodle (the Nom de Plume of an International Best-selling Author), illustrated by Yours Truly, MacAdam Cage Publishers. It will be released this November.

Illustration Friday: Sail

     Okay, so it's not exactly sailing, but it is boating. And it's not exactly smooth ... boating at that, as it took Marco's Mom quite a bit of effort to get him into the tub, and now will take even more effort to get him out.
     Anyhow, this is from one of my latest, Ready for Bed, written by Stacey Kaye, illustrated by Yours Truly, Free Spirit Publishing.

Illustration Friday: Poof!

This is from my picture book dummy, "Lula's Brew."
When you create a dummy, you only end up rendering a few of the illustrations fully, so I end up with a lot of pencil drawings that I would love to color, but don't have time to unless the story sells. I hope this one does because boy would I love to color Lula failing at yet another attempt to make a proper potion - *POOF!!

Illustration Friday: Foggy

     One of the things you have to think about when selecting your color palette is how the light, atmosphere and weather of a place effect color. For example, what colors do you see when you picture London? What colors do you see when you picture Arizona?
     This is a spread from "Oscar the Badger" which comes out this November. It takes place in London, a foggy place with lots of rain. The overall feel is muted colors and faded details - lending a slightly more "designery" look.

Illustration Friday: Fierce

     Another image from my latest picture book "Ready for Bed," part of the ParentSmart/KidHappy series written by Stacey Kaye, illustrated by Yours Truly, Free Spirit Publishing.
     Marco needs to brush his teeth and declares that he is "a very hungry crocodile!" Fierce indeed.

Illustration Friday: Hoard

     Despite hoarding toys, kids usually have only one or two favorites.
     This is from "Ready for the Day" - part of the ParentSmart/KidHappy series which was just released!