Writing on Wednesday: Picture Books

I had two little news flashes to share with you today.

First of all, I'm working on a picture book, and I'm seeing if I can illustrate it myself. Whilst doing this, I learned two things about picture books and illustrating that I'd always known, but never really realized until this moment.

1.) When you are drawing a child (toddler-ish age or a little bit younger) you want the diagram of the child's body to equal four of its head sizes stacked one on top of the other. Like so: Dani Jones at danidraws.com

2.) When you are writing a picture book, read it through carefully to make sure its a picture book and not a short story. You're probably thinking, "What's the difference?" Well, I'll tell you.

A short story contains descriptions. It has a full plot told in very few words with well-chosen phrases used to inspire the imagination in as little space as possible.

A picture book is like a poem, where it makes you feel, but there are undertones that the reader has to understand on his own. A picture book uses those undertones as pictures which the illustrator interprets in a series of drawings that complement the words. What the words don't say, the pictures reveal.

Coolio, hey?

That's all for now, peeps. I'm off to do a dummy layout of a PB. Maybe it'll turn out to be fantastic! You never know. :-)

God bless!

Six-Sentence Saturday 10/08/11

Here we are again.

First, an announcement: I've been so busy I just haven't been able to get in my three blog posts a week, so I'm whittling it down to two posts on Wednesday and Saturday.

Now, here we go!

1.) I went to the library today, looked up a couple books I really love, and turned to the back to see who the author credited as their agent, and compiled a list.

2.) I got some lovely critiques back on a PB that I want to sub, so I'm going to be working on that over the weekend.

3.) My next two seasons of Psych came in the mail today... HOOT HOOT! I'm so 'cited!

4.) I just finished a rather remarkably good book called The Lost Conspiracy, by Frances Hardinge, and I utterly LOVED her descriptions.

5.) I just started the first chapter of Maximum Ride... very interesting.

6.) I think I'd like to seriously learn how to do sepia illustrations.

That's all for this week. See youse all on Wednesday! God bless

Six-Sentence Saturday 10/01/11

Today is the first day of October, and WOW! Does it look like Fall out there! My fingers are cold. *sigh* Here comes winter. :-P

Here are my six things:

1.) I really do like Autumn - really! - it's just the thought of the following winter that I eye with a lack of enthusiasm.

2.) I 've been cleaning like a mad thing... I thought that was something you did in Spring? Hmmmm...

3.) I've been listening to tons of music - soundtracks, (Thor, Iron Man, Captain America: LOVE YOU, GUYS!) singers, (Camilla Kerslake, Sara Kempe, Ed Ames) Nature Sounds, on different kinds of media: mp3, CD, and vinyl.

4.) My friend Kelly Hashway made it to the 113 finalists of the 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading (Conga Rats, Kelly) and I voted for her.

5.) I drew yesterday, and found myself struck with a book idea for woman warriors.

6.) The Phantom of the Opera will be playing in Reno, and I'M GOING TO GO. I've decided. Just now. I'm going. :-)

So that's all for this Saturday. How 'bout you?