APRIL 2016 – Been puttering away these last few weeks, haven’t quite had that breakthrough moment yet. As what I’m attempting to do is venture into a new drawing style for my second book. Have this distinct image in mind of what I’d like the illustrations to carry stylistically, and I haven’t been able to create it yet. Which means I’m still on illustration one, chapter one, haha. Have drawn it a few times and while I might not be getting closer to success, I don’t feel that I’m straying away from it either.
My drawing tends to be rigid, cold, precise, and filled with detail. Which under most circumstances suits me just fine. But I’m looking for more of a soft, whimsical, rounded, sketched type quality for these illustrations. At least at the time of writing this news entry. Not unlike in the first book, the illustrations for this new title will also be black and white. And I want to use the entire page to frame each illustration and have them disappear into the fringes, as if you are merely glimpsing into a world of imagination. And not have them feel distant and boxed in. Will be working on sketching more tonight, results remain elusive.
Warmer colors have returned to the woods, fields, and open spaces around where I live. Which has been most welcomed, let me tell you! Took my bike for a short trail ride through some woods today, woods that are normally silent, but are alive again with the chatter of birds and other restless woodland folk.
Finished reading the book ‘Subterranean’ by James Rollins, who I had never read any of his works before. Was a rollicking adventure tale, which I would sort of describe the subject and writing as maybe Michael Crichton meets Jules Verne? Regardless, I enjoyed it and would certainly recommend it to others in search of a suspenseful tale of underground exploration with fantastical elements. Which you know I appreciate, haha.
Where do we go from here? Would like to enjoy Spring for the season that it is and keep working and pushing ahead with the illustrations. Maybe that breakthrough will come tonight, or maybe next week, or maybe next month. Won’t know unless I keep pushing forward, and that is precisely what I intend to do. And I hope for the same for you, in whatever your endeavor is, work, school, a dream, a goal, keep at it. If you never quit, you never know where you’ll find yourself!
– CS
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