In the next year and a half I will have four (yes, four!) new picture books released. I've never had this many books come out in such a short time period, and I'm very much looking forward to celebrating each title. They include:
IT'S A TIGER!, illustrated by Jeremy Tankard, which will be published this summer,
HOW MARTHA SAVED HER PARENTS FROM GREEN BEANS, illustrated by Mark Fearing, which will be published in the spring of 2013,
MOO., illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka, which will be published in the fall of 2013,
and a book tentatively called ART ATTACK, which will be published in late 2013, and illustrated by...me!
I am currently working on the revised sketches for this book. Today was a day of frustrations, where the revisions came painfully and slowly. How can it take me so long to do one tiny cartoon sketch of a baseball poster? I think about how much work I still have to do with these sketches, my shaky confidence in doing the final art, and the shrinking time frame I have to accomplish it all, then I start looking forward to when it will all be done....
But that's not the attitude I want to have. Instead, I want to look forward to working on this book each day. I want to recapture my spirit of trying to make this the best book I can. I don't want this to be chore, and it doesn't have to be. So I'm also looking forward to reframing my outlook as I tackle a challenge that I very much want.
7 comments:
David!!!!
How thrilling! My goodness. Congratulations x 4.
I do hope you savor this last book and build confidence as you go. I suspect as you are pulled into it more you'll get your stride. I find that if I am stuck on something, I just move on. Often tackling the next problem helps me solve an earlier one. Do enjoy this great opportunity to wear both hats.
David,
Four cheers for you! Very exciting to have 4 books released in a short time and to be both author and illustrator of one of them! Good advice from Christy to move on to something else instead of being stuck on one point. I've found that true in writing, as well. And I'm very interested in HOW MARTHA SAVED HER PARENTS FROM GREEN BEANS. I needed saving from green beans a few times in my life, and they remain one of the few foods I simply cannot swallow. :>)
David!!! Congratulations on four books in one year!!! Wow! Being familiar with all of them, I happen to know they are all excellent and a gift to all readers of picture books!
What you express about the process of illustrating with a deadline is all too familiar. I have been telling myself the same thing-- don't make this a chore, have fun with it, etc. and still making art under time constraints is just plain hard. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I will be done with my deadline. If you need a studio visit after then, I would be happy to come over and give you a pep talk!
Four for four, David. I am looking forward to each of them and am so impressed with the range of subjects and styles. I hope Art Attack drawings are going better today. We are cheering you on.
That is amazing! Congrats on all the books. I love the title of the green bean one...
Go outside for a walk! Come west a few miles for some brownies. I know you will get through the frustrations. I am sending warm thoughts your way as you struggle through this process.
Four more books in an already impressive body of work -- nice!! I know you'll slog through the tough days, David, because you're a proven creator. HOW MARTHA SAVED HER PARENTS FROM GREEN BEANS is such a hilarious title I can't wait to see it.
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