Here’s the 5th illustration for the book project I just finished for Learning A-Z. Page 7 of The Neighborhood’s Night by Juliana Catherine.
This is the last one in the project that has fancy lighting. From here on out the characters will be indoors under regular lights, which is a lot easier, but not as pretty.
Anyway, Leena and Amir are in the backseat of the car as their mom drives them away from their house towards the evacuation shelter. Leena is sad and worried. Amir is too young to understand, so is sleeping. He spends most of the book asleep, actually.
In the sketch phase for this one, I originally drew it at a different angle because I didn’t realize two-year olds, the age Amir is supposed to be, still have to be in rear-facing carseats. I thought they could front-face when they turned one. Nope. It either changed since my kids were that age, or I was remembering it wrong. Anyway, at first I drew them both facing forward. I had to completely redraw it at this angle so that both the kids’ faces are visible. Glad I caught it before I sent it to the client.
I’ve been quiet here lately because I’ve been working on a picture book. Learning A-Z commissioned me through Storybook Arts to illustrate a graded reader titled Standing Up to the Bullies, written by Ashley Kazery. I just finished the last image this afternoon. I’ll probably have a few minor edits before publication, but I’m more-or-less finished.
Here’s the first of thirteen images.
[Edit: I’ve updated the image. This is the final they’re using for the book.]
A few days ago I was in the mood to take requests. Elaethyra asked for a mouse sitting on a mushroom using another mushroom as an umbrella. Well, the rainy April weather’s been particularly inspiring for that sort of piece, so here you go.
I was playing with Kyle’s Real Watercolor brushes, which are rather impressive Photoshop brushes.