Raul Colon's colored pencil magic

Raul Colon
From an interview about his work, a description of his technique:

Your illustrations are very unique, combining bright colors with the appearance of a rough texture. Can you describe the process you use to create your art? How did you develop a personal style?

RC: I work on medium textured watercolor paper, cold press. I start with a golden wash overall. I pencil in the full drawing followed by layers of monochromatic values (usually sepias and browns) all in watercolor. I etch the paper. Then I use Prismacolor pencils and add the final multiple layers of full color to the piece. I complete the artwork with a layer of lithograph pencil (waxy black) to bring out the soft texture of the paper. Most of this technique came about through years of accidents and experimentation.

How did you create the crosshatching lines that overlay some of the illustrations, which add texture so nicely?

RC: The crosshatching lines are etched onto the paper using a scratchboard metallic instrument with multiple prongs, like a tiny comb.

Do you vary your style when you are working with different types of stories?

RC: Sometimes I’ve used pen and ink to illustrate some stories such as Mightier Than the Sword and How to Bake an American Pie. I used pure black Prismacolor and lithograph pencils to illustrate B/W pieces in the old New York Times Book Review.

Character sketches due Tuesday 10/2

Kelly Murphy

Take a look at this illustrator's website for a good sampling of character study exploration. She gets to know her characters through a series of loose sketches, finding expression through facial features and body language.

Lisbeth Zwerger

As we bid a fond Auf Wiedersehen to the Brothers Grimm, having spent a few weeks in the forest with Hansel, Gretel and friends, let's move on to some practioners of classic book ART.

Lisbeth Zwerger has devoted her entire career to illustrating folk and fairy tales, more than 30 books. A recipient of the Hans Christian Anderson Medal (aka the Nobel Prize of Illustration), she was discouraged from pursuing illustration when she studied art in Vienna, and didn't finish a degree. Her illustrations are mostly watercolor with pen and ink. Much can be learned from just LOOKING at how a great illustrator handles media, technique, composition, color and mood.

Picturebook for older readers

THE DAY I SWAPPED MY DAD FOR TWO GOLDFISH

by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKean

A good example of a picturebook for older readers. What makes it so? Concept, story, style of art, attitude?

And how old? 8, 9, 10? 

Storyboard from Uri Schulevitz p70

Just on the off chance that someone has yet to read/look at this section...

With these very simple sketches, the content and compositions take shape and reveal the cohesive flow of the story. By keeping it loose to this point, revisions are still easy to determine, and make.

This is where your story either is, OR you've progressed to the second stage- a more refined storyboard with more accurate text areas allotted.

Drawing as Superpower

Pascal Campion (on Vimeo)

Take a few minutes to watch Pascal draw and talk about his "superpower":

making a "connection" between your art and your audience is more important than perfection.

Ivan Bilibin and Maria Tatar

Thanks to Alli for recognizing this Russian illustrator on the cover of OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!

Ivan Bilibin

Just out of art school, he became fascinated by the remote countryside and dark folk tales of Northern Russia. Later, his travels brought him to settle in Paris at the height of the Art Nouveau style,
illustrating fairy and folk tales, as well as designing stage sets for the Ballets Russes.

His illustrations, above, are from the Russian tale of "Vasilisa the Beautiful", who falls into the clutches of evil witch, Baba Yaga. Read all about it in Tatar's book, chapter 9 "Cannibalism and Oral Greed". It's not a required reading, but who could resist with a title like that?!