word from Werner

New Web Site Coming....Finally!

2011-09-16T12:29:00.003-04:00

Any day now! At long last! A new web site will live and ready for your use!

great news about books new and old
exciting new developments.
Trip to Alberta this September! I'm excited about a trip to visit schools in St. Albert later this month. I'm looking forward to meeting new faces and sharing the fun and challenges behind creating a book.

Please check back soon! There will be prizes!

Libris Award for Best Picture Book 2011 goes to Porcupine in a Pine Tree

2011-05-16T10:37:00.003-04:00

I've very proud to announce that Porcupine in a Pine Tree was awarded the 2011 Best Picture Book Award by the Canadian Booksellers Association at an awards dinner in Toronto on the weekend.

It was exciting to both Helaine Becker and myself to hear our title being called out. I truly believed that either Sheree Fitch/Sydney Smith (Mable Murple) or Rebecca Bender (Giraffe And Bird) would be the winners.

Many thanks to all the independent booksellers out there that voted for us. Their support is important to us, and your support is especially important to them. Hope you find an independent in your area and support them too.

Hamilton Boys Read to Succeed 2011

2011-05-14T11:41:00.005-04:00

Sudents and teachers from Dundana and Dundas Central School display their creations Friday

I had two great days at Brock University in Hamilton sharing drawing tips with terrific grade 3 boys from area schools.

Once again learning to draw a dragon from simple shapes was a hit. Using drawing methods that lie behind everything I do in my work students were able to turn wheels, create 3D objects from simple shapes, and of course, draw excellent dragons.

Many thanks to Deb Chabot, her colleagues and the many volunteers for once again putting this wonderful opportunity together for grade 3 and 6 boys to meet authors, illustrators and even the McMaster football team.

Proud Dragon Artists

Other presenters: Frank Glew, Jamie Bastedo, Chuck Temple, Ted Staunton, Martin Springett and an amazing group of Math Facilitators (who I wish I had had in school!)

Literacy PJ Party in Delhi

2011-05-05T12:41:00.005-04:00

I used my kids' room as the backdrop for this illustration for a German children's book. There was a second bed tucked in under the first. We called it the hobbit house and that is where we would cuddle to read. Of course it was just as much fun to get together up in the bunk and read there too.

Got the chickens packed, art selected, and paintbox ready for a great evening of fun at the Delhi Elementary School.

PJ parties are a great way to share the joy of reading, and making it a family affair. Admittedly reading is a solitary thing, something we can enjoy alone, but sharing reading, especially when you are young or have a young family makes for very special moments. My sons still remember how different my readings were from their mother yet loved both and remember them clearly.

There were times when both their mother and I had many things to do, or were tired from a long day but once the book opened, it was a special moment.

Unfortunately books were not a big thing in my family when I was young and even though my mother told us stories, it would have been so great to have shared books. Perhaps my difficulties with reading would have been less, I'll never know, but now that I write and illustrate children's books, and have a new granddaughter to read to I have that joy over and over.

So as I drive to Delhi this afternoon, seeking out the windiest roads to get there, I'll have time to think about what to say about how special it is to read together. And I'll be looking forward to another silly reading of Henny Penny.

If you are at Delhi Elementary School, I look forward to seeing you there!

Happy Reading!

ps. got my chicken slippers and Anti-sky-falling Helmets packed too!

Pocupine in a Pine Tree Nominated for Libris Award

2011-04-25T13:03:00.002-04:00

I'm proud to announce that Porcupine in a Pine Tree has been nominated for a Libris Award for Best Picture Book of the Year by the Canadian Bookseller's Association. The other nominees include Mable Murple by Sheree Fitch, illustrated by Sydney Smith (Nimbus), and Giraffe and Bird by Rebecca Bender (Dancing Cat Books/Cormorant).

The winner will be announced May 14.

Fingers (quills) are crossed!

Illustrator's Night At CANSCAIP

2011-04-12T14:37:00.004-04:00

I've not the fastest one to post things but if anyone is in Toronto tomorrow night, April 13th, I will be part of a panel with Matt James and Sean Cassidy. We'll be showing our work and answering questions. I'm looking forward to hearing how the other two work and see their process.

I've thrown in a Snow Day Print as a door prize just for the fun of it. A toonie gets you a ticket.

Come out and join us and see how it's done...the squiggles, doodles and splashes.

7:30 The Northern District Library, 40 Orchard View Blvd, 2nd Floor
Just off Yonge north of Eglington.

See you there!

Chelsea Public Library 2011

2011-04-12T13:28:00.010-04:00

This was my third visit to the Chelsea Library thanks to Roslyn Bern and the Leacross Foundation. Over three days I shared my work with kids from K to 6 including a drawing workshop full day book workshop and PJ party.

I brought a lot of things with me including the Nasty Jack and pirate loot and treasure.

Here I'm demonstrating how the arm works. This is pronation: just like pro in pro basketball. The opposite is supination, like holding soup. Anatomy is easy! On the board is a creature from the monsters we drew in the earlier workshop called 'From Stick Figures to Superheros' but instead we drew monsters. Just as much fun.

Part of the crowd for the evening PJ party. At this point I was seeking perfect pirates to help me with the reading of Julie Lawson's 'Whatever You Do, Don't Go Near That Canoe!' a.k.a 'Pirates of Captain Mckee!'

Demonstrating a nasty pirate growl.

The Chelsea library was packed with around 270 kids as well as parents; over 300! Even though the parents were tucked into every corner and between the shelves none were safe from being chosen to perform. I have to admit I got some of the best from amongst them. I only wish I had photos of Big Bart and Captain McKee.

this was the long answer to a short question: "how long does it take to make a book?" We ended up with everyone either holding art or taking a role in the production from author and idea, to banker, shipper and book buyer. A lot of fun and I think I answered the question. The answer: a long time! (at least for me)

One class brought beautiful pictures for me. Quite a group of artists!

Always a favorite of mine, I love to read Henny Penny; here with the Kindergarten class. It's song, silliness and of course, anti-sky-falling helmets.

Can it possibly get better than this?

The library has a beautiful new TV that made showing my work and studio a pleasure.

Artists hard at work at creating monsters from stick figures. I share the basics of good character drawing from gestures through anatomy to a final figure. I wish I had some of theirs to show.

Sadly I have no pictures to share from the day long Book Workshop. The Cycle 3 (Grades 5 & 6) spend the day working together in groups of Author, Editor, Art Director and Illustrator to write illustrate and produce a picture book. At the end of the day we had the G.G. Awards with gold stickers to those who got them finished as well as great stories and art. The final outcome was an appreciation not only of the creative process, but also the importance of many other aspects such as cooperation, communication and organization. They did a great job!

Thank you to Beatrice Byrne of the Chelsea Library for another invitation, to Roslyn Bern and Leacross for making it possible, and to the kids and parents of Chelsea who once again showed how much they love books and support their library and learning!

photos contributed by Beatrice Byrne

Getting Ready for Chelsea Library

2011-03-29T23:17:00.006-04:00

I'll be at the Chelsea Library in beautiful Chelsea Quebec next week. I've been spending the day rebuilding the Nasty Jack for an evening reading and re-enactment of Julie Lawson's Pirates of Captain McKee, previously known as 'Whatever You Do, Don't Go Near That Canoe."

If you're in Chelsea and reading this, please come out...I'll be needing many pirates!

I'm pleased to say that Julie and I are in discussion with Scholastic for the long awaited sequel to the first book, and if Julie gives me the ok, I plan to share it with the audience at Tuesday evening's public presentation at the library.

While I am in Chelsea I'll be working again with the students of Chelsea Public School. Over the three days there will be numerous hour long readings, a drawing workshop and a full day Book Workshop, so things will be very busy.

It's my third trip there, with thanks to the Leacross Foundation for their generous support.

From the Inside Out - Stages of a Children's Book

2011-03-29T22:39:00.006-04:00

Hanging at the Pape-Danforth Branch of the Toronto Public Library until March 31.

Contest Winners of 12 Days of Drawing

2011-01-09T12:20:00.005-05:00

Well here they are, the winners of the 12 Days of Drawing. After going through countless entries, 2 to be exact, I have decided to award both entries a Certificate of Artistic Bravery for actually sending in their entries!

Stats show me that there have been a lot of visits to the Blog and many many views of the videos so I'm certain that there have been many of you out there scribbling away at your own porcupines and Stanley Cups, but very few willing to share.

It's really disappointing but I can accept it since I too would probably been hesitant to send in and show my efforts.

THE WINNERS OF 12 Days of Drawing

So to Ed Moorhead of Chaffey's Locks I award the 1st of only 2 Official Certificate of Artistic Bravery Awards for his wonderful group study of the characters (or cousins thereof) from Porcupine in a Pine Tree.

Well Done Ed!

And to Gail Moorhead of (not surprisingly that centre of creativity on the Rideau) Chaffey's Locks the 2nd of only 2 Official Certificate of Artistic Bravery Awards for her lovely drawing of the dogs in the sled.

Gail deserves special merit for the inclusion of her very own dog Java in the composition; well done Gail!

And so ends this years 12 Days of Drawing Contest. Join us next year, pencils sharp and courage set!

(winners will be contacted by environmentally low impact carrier pigeon post to determine the drawings of their choice for prize. Certificates will follow)

12th Day of Drawing - Bear Cubs Dancing

2011-01-05T10:39:00.007-05:00

'On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me, 12 dancing cubs...."

It's hard to believe it's the 12th Day of Christmas and already the last day of 12 Days of Drawing! Today it's the bear cubs.

This one I dedicate to Barb Hacking and her class at Avon School in Stratford Ontario. Barb is not only anay exceptional teacher, but a lover of all things bear. She has sent teddy bears accompanied by letters from her students to leaders all over the world. I've always promised to do a bear book and though this is not it, I hope she enjoyed the cubs in Porcupine In A Pine Tree.

Drawing the cubs was fun since who can't love the sight of one of those cute creatures. Once again I looked at books and images on the web to do initial studies. Since there would be 12, I had to find some way of distinguishing them. Making some black bears, other brown or grizzly, and the last polar was a great answer.

Doodles to figure out dance positions

The neatest thing about doing what I do is the research. I love finding out about new things and reading about bears was once again very interesting. There's no room here to go into all the things I learned but I encourage you to go and discover too.

Simple shapes to start

Starting simple is the way to go. Bears lend themselves wonderfully to circles and spheres. Circles are the basic way to describe their shape. Spheres help if they are twisting and turning since you have to keep track of where the arms, legs, even eyes and ears will face in any position.

Shapes

counting out the bears to make sure none are missing

I hope to focus on more of that in the future. For now, here are some examples of the way I approach drawing cubs, especially ones dancing.

VIDEO EXAMPLE

Tomorrow we review all 12 Days and what we've learned about Drawing. Join me then!
Happy Drawing!

Day 11 Drawing Puffins Puffing

2011-01-04T16:58:00.005-05:00

Puffins are fascinating little birds. As stubby and short as they are, they are able to fly in the air, and in a way, fly in water. Able to dive under the waves, they are swift enough to catch darting fish, then break through the surface and fly back up to their cliff side nests and feed their young. Personally, diving into the grocery store for me is danger enough. I can't imagine having to get my groceries from the deep part of the pool, not mentioning jumping from the roof to do it!

And of course, they can play bagpipes too. At least in this book they do, and that posed somewhat of a problem: how do you hold bagpipes with wings and feathers?

First thing an artist always does is research. I have seen Puffins in Newfoundland, and even at the very northern tip of Quebec where Hudson Bay pours into the straits on its way to the Atlantic. But the best way for me was finding them in books. Drawing from photos is great if there is no real model available, so that is what I did. I wish I had a trained Puffin or maybe one that would occasionally visit and sit for a portrait. I think it would be rather civilized to have coffee or tea with a puffin and discuss fishing. I am sure they are quite the experts.

I had drawn and painted bagpipes for 'Brave Highland Heart' and even have a friend who is quite good at playing them. Perhaps I should have asked him if he knew any Puffins.

This is a puffin from my Blue Period.

This is the Puffin I drew in the demonstration on my youtube channel. You can find the other 11 character tutorials there too.

Happy Drawing and don't forget the contest!

Day 10 Drawing Hockey Players

2011-01-03T18:37:00.008-05:00

This part was quite challenging. I wanted to have the Leafs bounding through the air in a glorious attempt to capture if not all, at least one of the Stanley Cups. We all know that hockey players can take marvelous leaps and dives and of course crashes in their pursuit of a puck, but only the Leafs would be capable of such high (mostly) graceful leaps in pursuit of a Stanley Cup.

None the less, I failed to find any comparable examples on their website, on calendars or even in books. Thus I had to make it up.

Once again, one starts simply: with a stick figure. The figure can be straight if standing straight, but for all those twists and turns I had to bend the line and make curvy gesture lines to start.

Over those I sometimes put skeletons, sometimes just fleshed out the stick figure with the muscles I thought would be there. Books on skeletons and muscles are great for this. Just go to the library and look for anatomy books. You can also get it on line.

The next thing is to add the equipment: all the pads and guards. Make sure you know what will be below them as in muscles. I start from the inside of a figure and work out so I don't forget there has to be a person under all that stuff. If you're not a hockey player like me you can find all the information on the web, or you can just borrow some (careful, it can be stinky!)

The last part is to draw the jersey over all that equipment and add the details to the gloves, the skates and uniform markings like stripes.

LINK to video example

For the face start with an oval. Draw a light line across the middle of the oval from side to side. that is where the eyes go. Just for the record the head is 5 eyes wide, with the space between one eye width. That is also the width of the nose. (as I write this I know I must post an example. I will add that later.)

That line will also tell you where the helmet will start above, and the top of the oval will show you where to draw the helmet larger so that the head doesn't seem squished.

I did a lot of sketches to see how hockey players moved. You probably won't see a lot of the stages I showed above, but as I draw I think them as much as draw them. Sometimes they are so light you can't see them but they are there so I won't forget.

All this takes practice so don't be discouraged. Have fun and play with the figures.

Happy Drawing!

Day 9 Drawing Loons

2011-01-02T21:29:00.006-05:00

Loons are magnificent birds. On an Algonquin Lake I once followed a loon for what seemed like hours, probably just minutes but seemingly timeless, from a distance of course, but close enough to track its dives and observe its grace and elegance.

For the story I had to draw 9 loons canoeing; a bit of a reversal. Loons, I'm quite sure, are not particularly known for their canoeing skills, not mentioning their somewhat clumsy walking abilities on land.

However given the chance, I'm sure somewhere in Canada's north there are a few loons plotting the takeover of someone's prized Chestnut and heading out on an adventure. I guess where I envy them most is if they tip, they are champion swimmers. I, on the other hand, will stick to life jackets!

Once again, start simple:

1. draw the ground, and a gesture line that follows the feel of the shape of the bird as it goes from tail to beak. You can draw it lightly so you don't have to worry that it is 'exactly' right. It is there so that you not only see the shape of the bird, but the 'feel' of it.

2. On that line draw some ovals (squished circles) for the body and head. I suggest you do a few practice ovals on the side before you put them on the line. You can place the feet now as either standing or walking.

3. Connect the ovals. On the head make sure to put the angle at the front so characteristic of loons. Curve the beak only slightly and make it relatively long.

4. Finally add the details by drawing lines where the white and black markings separate.

I added a sketch of a real loon on the page. Before I do a character I do several studies of the real animal to learn what they really look like. Then I try to keep those characteristics for my character. I guess that's why they call it a character after all!

I didn't cover how to draw canoes, but to see a great collection visit the Canadian Canoe Museum

Happy Drawing.

Hockey Players tomorrow with video. (But no singing, I promise!)

Day 8 Mounties Munching

2011-01-01T22:34:00.008-05:00

Dawning the mounties is basically a matter of creating stick figures and filling them out. My suggestion is: Start with a stick figure.

One of the most helpful things in drawing characters is using yourself. If you pay attention to your own body it will help you discover the proportions. Take a moment to see where your elbows touch your sides. Do the same for your hands. If you want you can use the head as a standard to measure. That works well when a person is standing straight. It's better to learn how to see shapes when it comes to other positions where things look mixed up or foreshortened.

The middle point of your body is where your legs fit into the hip. If you are drawing super heroes the legs are draw longer. I kept the mounties short so they would look stubbier and more comic.

Some of my practice sketches for the book

For beginners stick figures are valuable. As you learn more about drawing, you learn to look for more, but stick figures are an excellent place to start.

For the running Mounties always dashing off in one direction or another in hot pursuit of their donuts, I planned it out with simple stick figures that I fleshed out in the same way as the drawing above.

In one of the reviews of the book one person mentioned that I should have been more representative of the Mounties as they are now, meaning different genders and cultures. In fact I had in the beginning planned to do just that: include Sikh and female mounties but somehow in the rush to draw out the pictures and paint them they were forgotten. It was an oversight for which I apologize. In my defense I just want point out the book is a lighthearted slapstick comedy and I am sure most people, including Mounties of different genders and cultures would understand.

The following drawings are by a good friend and excellent artist Todd Sullivan. Every so often one's mind turns off and you hit a wall or a block. Todd offered these sketches to me at at time like that and although his style is quite different from mine (I admire his draftsmanship) they got me laughing and inspired to me play on with my own.I'm pleased to say that Todd also teaches at Seneca College in the Animation, Illustration and Art Fundamentals program along with being a outstanding storyboard artist for many popular animated series. I'm proud to call him colleague and friend.

Enjoy your drawing!

Day 7 Happy Sledding into the New Year

2010-12-31T15:05:00.003-05:00

It's Day 7 of 12 Days of drawing and today we should be drawing dogs, but since I'm nursing a wonderful end of the year cold I'm just going to post some of my past dog drawings. I apologize that there isn't a tutorial about drawing dogs but in essence it's the same as the squirrels and beaver.

In a way the image above is appropriate since in German one wishes a 'great slide' into the new year. So being Canadian, I wish you all GREAT SLEDDING into 2011!

Happy Drawing!

Mupps

Prince

sketch for 'Listen Said the Donkey'

Day 6 Drawing Squirrels and something about pencils

2010-12-30T15:26:00.003-05:00

Day 6 and it's time to draw squirrels.

Once again it's just like what we have done until now. We start simply with gesture lines and circles.

Unfortunately there won't be a video to go with this one since I caught a wonderful Christmas cold and I don't think sniffling and coughing will make a good video.

However I did want to write a bit about pencils since they are such amazing tools.

Pencils have been one of the most amazing technological inventions and sadly most people don't know anything about their history.

You can see that I use many different pencils even though they look the same. What makes them different is that some are harder or softer than others. The way we tell them apart is by the little number and letter on the end of the pencil.

Most of us will have see an HB on the end of our school pencils. The H stands for Hard, and the B, surprisingly stands for soft. I was never really good at spelling but I know that you don't spell
'Soft' with a B. 'Boft' does not work!

The story behind the 'B' is this: long ago before pencils were invented people tried many things for writing and drawing. Burnt sticks became charcoal. We still draw with charcoal. But that was messy. Then someone tried silver and lead wires on very rough paper which was almost like drawing on sandpaper. The problem there was that it was very light and took years to get dark. Ink and quill feathers worked but it was wet and could be messy.

Then suddenly, about 400 years ago someone discovered something in the ground in England. It was shiny like lead and could make marks on paper. To keep it from breaking they would tie it like a sandwich between two pieces of wood. That was the first pencil.

And because it resembled lead, it was called a lead pencil, even though it really was graphite that was discovered. The name stuck.

So when pencil makers found a way to make it harder or softer, they started using the letters H for hard and B for Soft, because it was soft like lead, and the German word for lead was Blei
Therefore a hard pencil was H and soft B and to show they were harder or softer they would put a number on it. 6H is a very hard pencil and makes very light lines. It is good for rough paper. 6B is a soft pencil. In fact they even make 8B which makes very dark lines but can smear so you have to keep your hands off the paper.

HB is perfectly in the middle, not too hard and not too soft. That is why school pencils are HB. They make great drawing tools.

All that history aside (sorry but I love history) I use soft pencils.

This is a set of tools I put together for anyone interested in drawing. It's all you really need. I would suggest an HB, 2B, 3B and 7B pencil. There are two erasers: one hard rubber and the other a gum eraser. Both are useful. The hard eraser can be used for drawing lights into a dark drawing as well as erasing. The gum eraser is useful because it is very easy to keep clean.

I suggest a small sketchbook so you can take it with you and draw where ever you go. But just as good is a stack of copy paper.

Remember that it is more important to draw a lot rather than just a little. Don't get caught up with drawings that 'have to be perfect'. Every artist makes a lot of mistakes and every artist also knows that sometimes those mistakes are the discovery to new ways of drawing. Don't be afraid to draw 'wrong'. There is no 'wrong'.

Drawing is a wonderful thing. Enjoy!

If you want to read more about the pencil, here is the history of the pencils I use:
http://www.staedtler.com/history_gb.Staedtler?ActiveID=3042

Day 5 Drawing Stanley Cups

2010-12-29T17:35:00.007-05:00

On the 5th day of Christmas we're drawing Stanley Cups.

Along with drawing the Stanley Cup, or maybe even 5 of them, I thought I would show you how to tip the cups.

If you look at the pictures in the book you'll see that I wanted to make the pile very unstable, as if it was going to fall. To do that I made them look as if they were tipping.

As you can see on the video, all that we really are doing is un-squishing lines into flat circles. We started with that on Day 1 and it's still important. Especially now.

First thing to do is draw a Stanley Cup from the side. The web is full of great shots of Stanley Cups. I also went to the library and got great hockey books. You just have to be careful not to get lost reading them and forgetting the drawing. It happens to me.
A good thing to do is make sure you have the right proportions. That simply means checking that it is not too tall for how wide you drew it. Drawing a light box helps.
Draw a line across the page even with the bottom of the cup you drew.
Beside the middle cup unsquish a line into a flat circle (ellipse if you want fancy words) making sure it isn't wider that the first cup.
draw lines up the sides for the wide bottom half of the cup.
using the curve of the bottom squished circle. draw curves up the cup even with the divisions of the side view cup.
finish the top cup with the same curve.
connect all the sides of the upper parts.

this is the drawing done on the video (click here)

I added the drawing below to show you how squished circles and unsquished lines can make a can look like it is tipping right over. It can tip sideways and always stay straight on the top and bottom. If it is tipping towards you the straight line at the top becomes rounder until it is a full circle.

Please don't let this confuse you. Play with squishing and unsquishing circles and lines and I know you will get it.

In this sketch I want to show you how you can look up or down at an object. On the left I played with circles that became cans (cylinders) and on the right, squares that became boxes.

I strongly suggest taking a soup can and a tissue box and moving them around until you see the same shapes and forms. You truly can learn a lot from simple things.

I suppose we could have called a lot of this 'perspective' which is a great word but scares a lot of people learning to draw because it sounds so difficult. Perspective is simply the way we see things from where we stand or sit. Sometimes we look down on things, and sometimes up. How we see them should come mostly from really paying attention to what we really see, and not what we think we see. But that is a whole other subject to talk about later.

For now, just play with the circles and lines. And have fun drawing your Stanley Cups!

12 Days of Drawing Contest

2010-12-28T20:05:00.005-05:00

I'm having a contest: THE 12 DAYS of DRAWING CONTEST!

Have you done a great drawing of the Moose, or Caribou, or the porcupine?

I'm inviting you to email your drawing to me of any or all of the characters that we are drawing over these 12 Days of Drawing.

You might be one of three winners chosen.

Each winner will receive an autographed book and poster, as well as a signed drawing of mine from the week. If your moose drawing wins, you win my moose drawing done on the video. If you do a great caribou, the caribou sketch is yours!

All entries will be posted in a gallery at the end of the 12 Days, with contest winners announced on video on January 9th.

Join me with your drawings!

Contest rules:

you may submit a drawing for every day of drawing, but limited to only one per subject, (ie. for day 4 only one drawing of 4 moose.)
Please make sure to print your name clearly on the drawing as well as stated in the email.

Email your entries to: 12daysofchristmas@wernerzimmermann.ca

4th Day of Christmas drawing Moose

2010-12-28T19:27:00.004-05:00

On the fourth day of Christmas we draw Moose! Four calling moose to be exact.

Drawing the moose is no different from the caribou, only moose are taller and have funny noses and beards. Never the less it is good to get some reference. You can find great pictures of moose on the web, but since I always prefer to draw from real things I found a moose at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. He was the perfect model.

I have only met three live moose before, one beside the highway in Algonquin Park, another in a parking lot at Opeongo Lake in Algonquin, and one standing in the middle of the highway in Newfoundland on my way early one morning to Random Island. Needless to say I did not draw any of them since in all cases I was happy just to get away without being run over. I'm sure the Moose were happy about that too!

Because the moose were calling in Helaines script I thought it would be fun to make them happily calling away, oblivious to everything happening, even the desperate attempts by the Leafs to get the cups. And once again I had to make sure they were moving in different directions on every page.

And that is why in today's video I spend time drawing Gesture Lines first. They are those curved lines that I drew even under the beaver to make them lean and move in different directions.

This is today's drawing done on the video

It's always good to do a front and a side view of any character or animal you draw.

Before I end I want to apologize to anyone watching the video. I kept calling the moose caribou. I guess Christmas can really tire you out.

Happy Drawing!

Three Beaver Tails

2010-12-27T16:58:00.005-05:00

Day 3 and today it is 3 Beaver. I won't be writing much since today is another day of company and visiting friends but I wanted to post these drawings and mention that the focus of today is simple shapes and lines I call Gesture Lines. There will be a video and maybe a bit more writing when I get home later.

Have fun!

Day 2 - Drawing Caribou

2010-12-26T13:41:00.008-05:00

Welcome to Day 2 of 12 Days of Drawing. Today, the 26th of December I want to show you how I draw caribou. Here's the link to the video on youtube.

Once again I want to emphasize that keeping things simple is the most important thing to remember. The biggest mistake for any beginner, or unless you are Leonardo, is to start with details.

Step 1: stick figure. I know that sounds too simple but it's true, it is where it all begins. When you've had a lot of practice your stick figures will become less stiff and more fluid, becoming what professionals call GESTURES, but for now, simple stick figures work beautifully.

Step 2: Simple shapes. Maybe I should have put that first, before even the stick figure because it is important to look for the simplest shapes in anything you draw.

Don't be fooled....it's not as easy as you think. Learning to find the simplest shapes in even the most complex objects, even objects like animals and humans that move, takes a lot of practice.

Step 3: A square for the legs and body. Now that I have made it sound hard, lets make it simple and draw a square.

The square is for the legs and the back of the animal. Even if the legs are a bit crooked, ignore the small curves and make the lines straight.

Step 4: Neck. The neck is a triangle of sorts that attaches to one side of the square.

Step 5:The head is another triangle attached to the neck.

Step 6:Bones. We all have bones otherwise we would be gooey mushy piles of glop, so taking a moment to learn a few of the bones doesn't hurt if you want to be an artist.

Funny thing about it is that we all seem to have the same bones, except a few might be missing in the feet or the hands (some animals stand on their finger tips and toes - even elephants). We just have shoulders, elbows, knees and heels in different places. But it's not hard to learn.

Step 7: Connect the lines. If you have a good stick figure and bones it's really not that hard. Once again look for shapes and how they connect to each other. the head is like a triangle with the front tip cut off. So it the neck with another tip cut off where the head attaches.

It's important to go step by step creating your drawing from the inside out.

this is the drawing done on the video

The head in the middle is the way I use boxes of sorts to help me draw things like heads in perspective. Boxes are really valuable. This box is more like a triangle, but helps me remember what are the top, the sides and front.

Here are the simple shapes in a caribou. This works for me with most animals and I look for them when I draw.

These are the some of the first studies I made of caribou from both pictures and from a stuffed trophy in a shop near my home. I decided I didn't want them so realistic even though it was fun drawing them.

As for the video, I just noticed I got the words wrong! Better tomorrow, I promise.

Day 1 of 12 Days of Drawing: the Porcupine

2010-12-25T16:54:00.008-05:00

Merry Christmas! It's the first day of Drawing and it's already late afternoon as I post this set. For those expecting a video, that is coming later this evening or tomorrow. Being Christmas my cameraman/computer guy who is also my son is off visiting relatives and promised to get this done by tonight. Can't blame him. As for me, this will be somewhat short since I am late for Christmas dinner too!

So no time to waste, let's go!

I thought the easiest one to do would be Quilliam as he sits on the cover of the book.

This sheet shows the stages I would go through in drawing him . You'll see me draw through these stages on the video. I've tried to break them down into 10 steps. The most important thing to remember is to K.I.S.S (Keep it Simple, Silly!). Don't rush into details until you do the simple stuff first.
This is the drawing that I do on the video. There are a lot of messy lines that are the under-drawing that you can erase or if light enough just leave.

This is the simple but very important stuff that most people don't pay attention to when starting. It is the difference between simple shape and form. If you want to make things look like they are in space, like they have form, then it is worth learning.

In these sketches I show how by turning a line on a sphere, or as I like to think about it: Unsquishing a line you can give an object or character the look as though it is tilting down or up.
The pot for the pine tree below is a great example of how either squishing a circle into a line, or unsquishing a line into a circle gives you the feeling of something is round in space.

So, that wasn't so hard, was it? Remember it takes practice. Don't get upset if it doesn't work the first time. Get silly instead of getting mad. And enjoy the drawing.

See you tomorrow for 2 Caribou, and another try at the porcupine in a pine tree!

Now I better rush off to dinner or I am going to be either in trouble, or very hungry if I miss the turkey!

Merry Christmas

YOUTUBE Day 1 Porcupine

12 Days of Drawing - Starting December 25th!

2010-12-16T21:04:00.008-05:00

Come join me for The 12 Days of Drawing starting the 25th! Each day we will do another character from Porcupine in a Pine Tree.

Day one will be Porcupines, Day 2 Caribou, Day 3 Beavers...you get the idea!

It doesn't matter if you have never drawn before or you're a drawing star...you'll learn something. We'll start simply and end with something you can be proud of.

Hope you will join me for 12 Days of Drawing!

Sharpen your pencils and get your paper...it's only a few days away!

Starts December 25th!

Gift to the Troops from the Kids at Conestogo Public School

2010-12-15T21:42:00.008-05:00

This is a time of year when families belong together. Being far apart, and in dangerous places doing important jobs makes it even harder.

For this reason the Kindergarten to Grade 3 students at Conestogo Public School assembled last week to send a special gift to the Canadian soldiers who will be far away from their families this Christmas.

'A Porcupine in a Pine Tree' sung as a gift to the Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.

From the students and staff of Conestogo Public School, and from Helaine Becker and myself:

We wish a Merry and Safe Christmas to the soldiers of the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan!

May this gift make things just a bit merrier and bright!

We hope you enjoy!

Porcupine goes Global

2010-12-13T11:55:00.004-05:00

Simon Percival, owner of Yellowfoot in England just received the book as a gift. It got the thumbs up and Porcupine in a Pine Tree goes global!

Port Hope Library Christmas Open House

2010-12-06T10:12:00.004-05:00

Barbara Stephenson, Chief Librarian at The Port Hope Public Library just shared this with me:

"We had a lot of fun with A porcupine in a pine tree at our annual Christmas Open House on Sat Dec 4. Alison read through the story once and then we actually sang it with Alison and Lisa holding up the props. The children and adults had a great time."

I wish I had been there to sing it with you Barbara!

wonderful collection of props. But I only see one of each! Where are all the rest?!!

Fergus Branch Celebrates Porcupine in a Pine Tree!

2010-12-05T14:24:00.006-05:00

Thanks to Pat Kermath, supervisor of Children's Department at the Wellington County Library - Fergus Branch, and her daughter Kelsie for the beautiful murals from Porcupine in a Pine Tree now hanging at the library.

Pat and her daughter weren't around when I dropped by but two assistants were willing to hold it up for the camera. It's now beautifully displayed on a wall above the shelves.

I personally tested this comfy sofa chair in front of a beautiful copy of the cover. I can attest to the fact that it wouldn't be long before you would be snoozing by the tree if you sat here.

Blessed Kateri London

2010-12-05T12:29:00.003-05:00

Had a great day revisiting Blessed Kateri Separate School in London on the 18th of November. Here I'm with school librarian Nancy Evans and my excellent road crew who helped me move my things from car to school and back out again. The each got a book for the care they took in making sure all went smoothly. Thanks ladies and gents, and to Nancy for having me back and taking me out to a great lunch! It should have been my treat for inviting me back!

10 Leafs Leaping

2010-12-03T12:43:00.013-05:00

detial from 11 Puffins Puffing

I must admit the hardest pages to illustrate in this book were the ones with the hockey players. Just as with all the other pages things had to keep changing in order to keep the the reader's interest. That meant possibly 50 different positions, all of them leaping in different directions. I knew that keen eyed hockey players would quickly pick out any repeats and letters would follow pointing out the gaff.

detail from 10 Leafs a Leaping

The first sketches as is usual were very loose and messy, something to just get the feel of the image. I quickly realized that I had them running and not leaping.

After countless hours of looking through hockey books and pictures on the web for reference on how a player would actually look leaping through the air, and consulting hockey fans much more in tune with the game than I, I started sketching out positions and figures. As you can see, I still am very messy.

first rough linears - pencil drawings for publisher

On some pictures it was difficult to keep track of who and where each one was, and so I resorted to colour coding. Often I would cut them out, not on the computer which would have no doubt been easier, but rather with paper and scissors, and played them around on the paper until I felt it looked right. Not doubt I must have been tired to have to do it this way. Usually it gets sketched out pretty close to the finished positions.

working out positions

Once I am happy, or running out of time, I do a more finished drawing that will be copied to the watercolour paper.

I have to be careful not to keep making changes. At some point the decision has to be made not to fool around with it any further and get to the final work. Time is always a problem, especially if you don't plan it right. I am terrible at that part.

final pencil page layouts

Above is the watercolour sheet stretched on a board (you can see the brown paper tape around the border) at the stage where I am inking the drawing before starting to paint. The ink has shellac in it so it won't be washed away as I paint.

10 Leafs Leaping prior to painting

detail from 12 cubs dancing with finished Leafs

Quilliam

2010-11-29T11:38:00.002-05:00

Helaine has given him a name! Quilliam. Here he is with some extras (every great shoot has extras!)

A Porcupine In A Pine Tree - stages - characters

2010-11-29T00:06:00.015-05:00

When I set out to illustrate Helaine Becker's text I wasn't sure of the look it would have, but my first task was to find characters that would define the story for me. I hoped they would tell me where it should go. I was right.

I always prefer to draw from the real thing rather than photos. Given the shortage of porcupine, caribou, beaver, moose etc (you can see where this is going) around my house and neighbourhood in Guelph , I was given no other option than to dig through books and spend far too many hours on the internet checking images on Google.

At least I had squirrels outside my door and once had a sled dog, so I felt a bit relieved of the burden.

Beaver were the first on the list simply because B is closer to the start of the alphabet and we are supposed to know them since they are our national animal (I think).

Next came squirrels mainly since they were outside my window and far too many hours had been consumed in the past 'studying them' (a.k.a ignoring my work).

By luck I came across a stuffed Caribou head in a local shop. I had seen caribou many times when back in the late 70's and early 80's I was a printmaking advisor to the Inuit in Povungnituk, but that was too long ago. The head was perfect but both the shop owner's reluctance to sell and my wife's refusal to have it in the house put an end to my wishes to aquire the trophy so I was stuck working from photos, but at least it was just a few blocks away for quick easy reference.

The moose problem was solved by not having to go to Newfoundland and cruise the highways (I'd met one there before, luckily not by accident) by remembering the magnificent specimen stuffed on display at the ROM. Happily I packed my sketchbook and headed off to Toronto for a day of drawing only to find it is in probably the loudest and most active childrens' area of the museum. After a few hours of sketches I gave up, pulled out the camera and shot as much reference as possible.

Moose at the Royal Ontario Museum.

possibly my favorite characters: Four Calling Moose. Imagine the sound!

Loons, especially canoeing, Puffins puffing, and cubs dancing all had their challenges but with endless messy doodles they seemed to find their way.

I've had the privilege of traveling by dog team in the Arctic and can assure you that the dogs seem to have as much fun as the humans. The get so excited at the start that if you're not careful they can take off at an amazing pace and leave you behind. I enjoyed working on the images of the sled dogs. This is the way I imagined them if they really had a chance to play.

But the one that needed the most attention and had to 'feel' right as much as look right, was the star of the who crazy mess : the porcupine. Surprisingly he (to some she) hit the paper very close to what the look ended up in the book.

Once I had these sketches, especially the last one on the bottom I was set. That is except for two looming problems: Mounties and Leafs! More in the next blog installment.

a character sheet for me to refer to so I would keep the characters the same throughout the book. Keeping them the same can be a big challenge.

Colouring Sheet

2010-11-28T22:30:00.003-05:00

This is something I have wanted to do for a long time and never got to . Hopefully I can find a way to add a link for it to be downloaded. Have fun!

Georgian College Orillia

2010-11-28T21:54:00.006-05:00

On November 17th I gave a presentation and talk to the Early Childhood Education Students about my work and creativity at Georgian College in Orillia.

The faculty

I go nowhere without my birds.

I decided to end the presentation by inviting the auditorium to join me in singing 'A Porcupine In A Pine Tree.' It went wonderfully and I'm looking forward to doing this many more times before Christmas.

St. Thomas More & St. Mary Choir School London Visits

2010-11-28T18:15:00.006-05:00

Friends at St. Thomas More Separate School

one of the fantastic groups that participated in the "From Stick Figure to Superhero" drawing workshops at St. Mary Choir School November 5th.

All workshops begin with my famous finger stretching exercise, and great work follows!

I was privileged to be invited by Barb Debniak, librarian, to visit both St. Thomas More and St. Mary Choir School at the beginning of November. Both schools are great but I have to admit that there is something extra special about a school like St. Mary Choir.

Students audition to attend St Mary Choir and once accepted are treated to a curriculum I could only have dreamed about. Along with what I am assuming is a regular course of study, students have instrumental music, arts and singing.

There is something in the air there that speaks of excitement and enthusiasm and the students that I met for both workshops were simply a dream to work with. I was also excited to meet many who I had met at area schools in the past and so happy that they earned a spot at this exceptional place of learning.

some of the talented students share their own work with me. Ryan M. had me splitting my sides with his strip "Stick Man Joe vs. Billy's Evil Pants" and Clair L. shared her talent for cats.

I also have to admit that during lunch, on my way back to the gym for the second session, I stopped in in the music room to gaze with admiration at all the instruments. No one was there, and I suppose I should have asked first but I couldn't help my self: I picked up a bow and drew it across the strings of a big bass in the racks.

The sound that resonated from that marvelous piece of beautiful wood was so amazing that I wish I could have stayed longer, but now felt like a kid who just snuck a candy from a jar. It may sound silly, but I left the music room giddy with the excitement of having had the chance to hear the sound from that bass.

If only kids could have that opportunity to partake in music in every school.

School visits and talents I've met...aka you're never too old to learn

2010-11-27T14:45:00.011-05:00

Windsor Art Lessons

"so this is how it's done..." (I'm learning)

I give it a try under a watchful but critical eye (somewhat skeptical of my abilities)

I don't think she thinks I get it yet.

I'm still trying, and she's very patient.

one last attempt to show me. I pay very close attention.

at this point I sought out new advice

I think I finally get it!

art making was followed by story telling

Full participation

This fall I've had the pleasure of visiting a number of school in Ontario, and with each I meet new young talent. I've been a bit slow in posting and hope this makes up for it before I return to the work I promised on Porcupine in a Pine Tree.

I started the fall school year off at the Greater Essex County School Board's "Vision to Practice - Dream Dare Do" Conference with a reading for the 'Parenting & Family Literacy Centres' and presentation to teachers on creativity.

It's hard not to want to put on all the photos that Sue Chanko, coordinator of the Centres sent me so I'll limit it to just a few more:

it's always fun to dig through my paint box

book signing at the end

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-29T11:27:00.003-04:00

For those of you who like to draw I'm adding the sketch that became this card. It started with a doodle on a sketch pad made up of scrap stationary using a soft 7B pencil. (I had paper that was to be thrown out from an office bound at Staples into a wonderful and cheap sketch pad.)

I then scanned it into Photoshop and painted the colours in layers. There are many paint programs out there, photoshop being but one of them but worth learning. The other I use is Corel Painter XI, and for sketching Autodesk Sketchbook Pro. But in the end my real love is simply pencil, paper and watercolour.

New Book

2010-10-28T23:37:00.003-04:00

I'm happy to announce the latest book: written by Helaine Becker and illustrated by yours truly. Porcupine in a Pine Tree is a silly new take on that Christmas favorite we love to hate to sing.

In the coming days there will be a whole new blog and web site. But in the mean time I will be posting the stages of the art that went into this book for a peek into what goes on in the making of a book.

dragon from dino

2010-04-10T16:24:00.002-04:00

Wondering what a dragon might look like based on the ROM sketches I played with photoshop on my computer and came up with this. Pretty messy I know, but it was fun.

armour and dragons at the ROM

2010-04-10T11:22:00.004-04:00

I was at the Royal Ontario Museum with my first semester Seneca animation students on Tuesday for an afternoon of drawing outside the studio.

It's always a treat to go to the ROM. Even though it's not as large as some museums I've been to, there is always lots to see and draw. I started at the beautiful dinosaur displays and ended at the armour. After it struck me I did both knights and dragons since no doubt anyone finding those bones in the middle ages would have thought they found a dragon. Next visit will be to study the birds and animals on display. Or maybe more dragons, oops, I mean dinosaurs!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-03T21:10:00.000-04:00

Robots for Rory

2010-03-13T14:00:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday I visited Montague School just outside Smiths Falls Ontario. While there a young artist named Rory asked me to demonstrate how to draw a Robot. Unfortunately he was unable to stay until I finished signing books after the evening PJ Party.

So these are for you Rory: I did a few to show you how using the simplest of shapes such as circles, squares and triangles and basing them on the simple forms of the body you can have fun creating your own. I have a workshop full of all sorts of odds and ends, from bolts and screws to pipes and flexible tubes. Anything I've drawn here is based on that magnificent pile of junk. Nothing like junk to get the imagination going, is there Rory!

What's needed for animation

2010-03-02T12:16:00.003-05:00

I met a young lady at the book mark awards who emailed me regarding what is needed to get into animation. Her goal is Sheridan, and although I no longer teach there my response to her would, I feel, apply to any other animation school. This is my answer:

Dear Edith,

Thank you for your email. It was a pleasure to meet you at the awards ceremony. Congratulations once again.

In regard to your question about entry to Sheridan (or any other college) and to particular courses you need in high school for entry your guidance (if they are still called that) people at school would know that best. As to what would be valuable for animation I strongly suggest you get as much good drawing in as possible. Many schools offer a lot of digital studies, but since computer programs change so rapidly it is not the program that matters but the principles of good art behind them: design, observation, basic drawing skills with pencil and conte, and colour studies.

I suggest you do things such as watch your favorite animated shows in b/w without any colour or sound. Watch how they use design to keep your eye in the picture and not off to the fridge or phone. Learn to draw what you see as much as what you imagine. Learn structure through skeletons. Draw from life and not from pictures. Go to the ROM or any museum and draw animals. Go to the zoo or a farm and draw them live. Or draw your pet. Go to the AGO and discover how artists 'animated' their work through time and how they keep your attention in the picture. Draw boxes spinning through space. Learn perspective. Sculpt. Paint real and abstract: all realism is based on abstract principles, and all abstraction is based on reality.

That should give you lots to do while getting the requisite courses together. I think you would be a prime candidate if you can do it all. And oh yes, read books - to fill your head with ideas and see the world through other eyes.

Finally- learn to write a good letter. You will need it.

Good luck and keep in touch.

Werner

Toronto Public Libary Bookmark Awards 2009

2010-02-25T20:22:00.005-05:00

Last evening I had the privilege and honour of speaking at and presenting awards to the 16 recipients of the Toronto Public Library 2009 Book Mark Contest. Picked from 6000 entries 300 were local library winners who went on to the final contest.

In January I joined with a select group of Library staff to make the final decisions. To say it was difficult would be an understatement; before us were tables covered with colourful delightful designs and motifs. It wasn’t easy but when we finally made our choices, we were confident that this year would have some of the best ever.

What was exciting for me was that I got to meet the winners, to shake their hands and help present their prizes. I’m not sure who was beaming more, the winners or the parents or me. In fact when it came to photo time it was as if the room was filled with paparazzi, with parents and grand parents pulling out cameras and videos, but it seemed appropriate for the wonderful mood of the evening.

Regrettably I don’t have their names or any of their bookmarks to show (I forgot to ask for them!) but I’m sure they will soon be online or at every branch of the Toronto Public Library.

A very interesting individual there last night was Mr Sheldon Fisher who has a collection of book marks from around the world. He was there with his collection of winning bookmarks going back to the very first. It was exciting to see what beautiful art had come before. We agreed that this year's work by the winners will continue that beautiful tradition and add perfectly to his collection.

Part of the evening was my presentation of what I do. It was a lot of fun showing pictures or my studio, my family and of my art. Before I finished I left them with a few words of advice that I’d like to share with you too, stuff that I wish I had learned earlier. I am sure I was told but I’m sure I wasn’t listening. It’s just simple stuff but very important.

No.1 Learn to be organized. I know it’s fun to be messy, but if you want to accomplish a lot of fun and exciting things in life, there is nothing better than being organized. That just doesn’t mean putting your things away where you will find them, but also learning to plan your time so you can get things you have to do done. That way there’s lots of time for the things you want to do.

No.2 Keep your promises. If you say you are going to do something, do it. Don’t find excuses why you couldn’t. Later you will sign promises that are called contracts, and you don’t want to break those. They are promises too. If you break your promises sooner or later no one will trust you and want you.

No. 3 Learn to work with others. We sometimes want to keep to ourselves, which is good too when you need to concentrate, but for most things you will need others to help you. You can get great ideas by working with others, and if they like to work with you, they will tell others. It just gets bigger and better, but don’t do it if you feel you have to do something wrong just so others will like you. Know your limits. Probably the most important skill you can learn here is to listen.

Like someone said in a book, it is stuff we learn in kindergarten. And we can use it all the rest of our lives.

Using Web for Models

2010-02-18T16:29:00.002-05:00

Nice thing about the web is the incredible access to images to study. I need cubs for the illustrations for the book I am completing. No guarantee I would find any at the zoo but lots on the web. Here's today's sketches.

fun with squiggles

2010-02-18T16:16:00.000-05:00

How to draw a silly bird

2010-02-14T17:52:00.002-05:00

I thought it would be good to post a step by step of how I doodle and draw characters such as the silly love bird that I posted today for Valentine's Day. The most important thing is to start simply and keep it simple, and that means leaving any details until the very end.

Have fun and good luck!

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T15:21:00.002-05:00

Panda & Croc hat

2010-01-14T16:46:00.002-05:00

I used photoshop over an old sketch of my son's panda and a costume hat from Hallowe'en.
It's amazing the drawing and painting toys we have now. I wanted this to look like an old print in feel.

Drawings of Mouse

2010-01-13T23:25:00.003-05:00

Mouse is my cat who thinks he's a dog, or at least he sometimes acts like one. He's the cat in my book Snow Day. Lately he hasn't been well and it has made me sad. The thought of perhaps losing Mouse has not only made me want to spend more time with him, but also made me want to draw him more. As I write he's sitting beside me on my desk waiting for me to finish for the evening. Last night I grabbed a pencil and did some studies of him before my eyes got too tired. I hope to do many more in the next few days.

It is hard to lose something when you have loved it so much.

It starts with doodles

2010-01-08T20:55:00.004-05:00

I'm posting these doodles to show how I start with simple shapes and lines and work it up into a figure or character.

First I think of what movement my character will be doing and do what I call a swoop line that goes from one end to the other. You can see that best in the line going down the tail and if you look carefully it continues through the figure.

Then I draw a few basic shapes, usually circles or ovals that will indicate the head, the rib cage or chest, and the last the belly (seen from behind it will of course be the butt.)

Next I try to figure out where the skeleton will be so that I get all the joints in the right place. For that I either check my anatomy books or in this case I looked up squirrel skeleton on Google Images.

Finally I do a whole bunch of doodley lines around and across the shapes to give them form. Some call this cross contour. For me it is like wrapping a string around an object. It gives you a feeling for the form.

Finally I will either paint it or use it for a clearer drawing that will become the final piece.

That's really all there is....get the feel, the shape, the structure and the form. Good luck.

And when you can, draw from the real thing. Luckily for me, my models come to my door looking for seeds!

2010-01-08T11:20:00.003-05:00

Happy January everyone!

The holidays were wonderful, but so is January. I love all the snow. I see in the news that Britain and a lot of Europe are having Snow Days. Too bad the grown ups don't love it as much. I guess that is understandable if you have to go to work, but if you are small and there's snow, what could possibly be more fun than a day at home in the snow.

I'm in my studio working on a book with a lot of animals. Some are bears and I did the sketch above last night thinking of how they too might want to dance and play in the snow.

Below are sketches done yesterday of one of the squirrels that comes to my door waiting for seeds. I'd forgotten to spread some new ones for the doves, and of course the squirrels too, and this is how I imagined him waiting.

I wand to apologize for not posting 'how to draw Santa' as I had promised. I was never able to get anyone to stop long enough to film it for me. My project now is to build a stand for the camera so that I don't have to ask or wait for anyone.

Have a wonderful start to the new year!

Werner

What if Santa really was an elf?

2009-12-20T01:15:00.003-05:00

The thought came to me that what if Santa wasn't the guy that Thomas Nast first drew, but rather really was just an elf, albeit a jolly one. Would he look like this?

the rope is for getting back up chimneys (just in case the nose didn't work).

More animal drawings

2009-12-18T01:40:00.002-05:00

I don't think I showed these pages from my sketch books on this blog before, but I wanted to show you that drawing your own pets is fun. On the left is Prince and Mouse (from Snow Day) on the right.

If you don't have a cat or dog, even an iguana will do. I don't have one (I drew this one at the Toronto Zoo) but if you do, draw it.

I did this drawing when I was in Grade 5. It's not that bad although I have seen many other kids of the same age do much better. Practice, practice, practice....

The tiger was done many years and much practice later. I didn't always have a tiger around so I went to the ROM in Toronto where I drew the animals there. I bit easier because they didn't move, but I did so that I could get many views.

Here are some drawings of horses that I did before painting them a few years ago

I put them on to show you how messy it can get while you work out the shapes and form of the horse. They are beautiful animals and not that easy to draw but once again....practice, practice, practice.

While we are talking about beautiful animals, I should point out that the one below doesn't actually rate as quite beautiful to me, but the other night I went to see the new Disney movie about the Princess and the Frog and loved the Gator. He stole the show for me.

,

I hope to do a book based on a horse named Taxi who seems to be quite a character from what I've heard. Just one more idea of many. If I don't get started on it soon as well as all the others I have, I'm going to need another 100 years to get it all done.

Drawing Animals

2009-12-17T14:12:00.008-05:00

I know I promised a tutorial on how to draw Santa, but while I wait for my cameraman Justin to return from University (it's hard to hold a camera and draw at the same time) I thought I would post some of the drawings I did for both Pippin and Listen Said the Donkey. It's not secret that I love drawing animals since they can express so much, and are quite beautiful as well.

For you artists out there I want to emphasize that when you draw animals you have to remember to keep it simple. Look for the simplest shapes (squares, circles and triangles) and for the simplest forms (cubes, spheres and cones, or to say it simply boxes, balls and cones [I always think of ice cream a this part]).

Check out the web or the library which I prefer and look for images of skeletons.

As for which animal to draw, might be lucky to own a horse or live on a farm with animals, or even near a zoo but if you don't, there are always books with pictures. I know you can use the web, but books don't need to be plugged in or use batteries.

Of course if you have a cat or dog, start there. Best is to draw from the real thing, and not from pictures. Pictures are flat. Your cat and dog let you see them from many sides, and even when they move they are doing you a favour by showing you a new view and new information.

Whatever you do, don't get frustrated. I know that is easier to say than do, but it is better to do many quick sketches than one long one. Animators know this: they do what is called gesture drawings. Gestures are quick and sometimes very messy drawings of an animal or person, or even of an object.

Most important...doodle and draw for fun; you'll learn more.

Below are drawings done for Pippin The Christmas Pig.

If you look closely you will see the circle inside Pippin. And if you look even closer you will see a light line in his neck that I use to set the gesture. Remember...keep it simple.

How to Draw Santa

2009-12-14T22:27:00.005-05:00

Not exactly Santa as you know him, but I enjoyed putting Farmer Joe into the costume and into the spirit. Feel free to print and colour.

Coming soon - how to draw Santa!

What Really Happened to Henny Penny

2009-12-14T20:03:00.003-05:00

I just got a request for a sketch of Foxy Loxy patting his tummy, filled possibly with some poultry. I don't always have time for such requests but since after every reading of Henny Penny I have requested stories from the audience on what really might have happened to Henny Penny and friends I thought I should sketch this one and post it. I've purposely left it just line so that you might download and colour it. Have fun and feel free to send me your piece and I'll post it.

And yes, all those stories I've received to date? I will someday soon post them too. They have been quite impressive and hopefully one day soon I will put them all together into a book.

It's about time I got back!

2009-11-20T12:04:00.002-05:00

Yes, it's about time I started putting things back on this blog. Honestly, I want to do it more than you may think (yes I am speaking to the 2 of you who actually read this out there, and thanks for that) but I just never seem to have enough time. But enough of that complaining and apologizing. To start with the return, here's a sketch I just did for my lovely niece Natalie who's birthday it will be in a few days. It is of my cat MOUSE and my son's cat MEETCH who lives next door. Mouse is the grey cat in Snow Day. Meetch is twice as big and has the most engaging big eyes that always make him look like he is simply in awe of everything around him. He probably is. I could agree with him...there really is a lot to be in awe of: my unfinished fence, my unfixed bike, my Japanese garden that hasn't quite learned Japanese yet! Meanwhile Mouse always looks just a bit on the perturbed side of things...as if everything either bores him or just isn't worth his time. I know it's only because of the set of his eyes and not what is in his mind, but the two are a study in contrasts and I just love watching them together.

The beginning of Green Visits

2009-05-28T21:51:00.004-04:00

For a while now I have been wanting to take time to develope a format for on line visits to schools and libraries. Given that some schools are either remote or lack the funds to bring me in for a full day visit with all the costs of travel and accommodation, I've wanted to find a way to connect. The other concern, and a big one at that, is the environmental cost of a trip. Many times I've found myself stuck in traffic on the way to or from a school, thinking there must be a better way.

I'm not going to deny that being there in person is the best kind of visit, but if done well in an engaging and richly informative manner, with live interaction as well as demonstration, I think there is room for this.

And so Thursday was a special day, the day I linked with the kids from Chelsea Elementary School at the Chelsea PQ. library. Beatrice O'Bryne had invited me to work with the kids over 2 days on presentations and workshops in April. One of the workshops was my daylong Book Challenge. At the end of that exciting day, everyone had a chance to present their work, but time ran out. Buses had to be caught and some groups were left out.

On Thursday, thanks to Skype we linked. I was in my studio looking at and talking with the groups who proudly wished to share their work but hadn't been able to. It was great. It was truly like being there, hearing them talk, asking questions, laughing at the humour of their work and sharing with the rest through a TV monitor. Joanne Joliffe, one of their teachers, promised a DVD of scans of all their books which I will post once it arrives. They have also videotaped the presentation and it will be also posted.

And for me, my work is now cut out to develope this further so that I can truly bring the amazing talented kids I meet into my studio. Stay tuned. Coming soon to a monitor near you.

thanks to The Leacross Foundation for their support of the Chelsea Workshop and to Ken O'Byrn for his tech help

No time to catch my breath

2009-05-06T20:41:00.010-04:00

It's been over a month since I added the last entry and I apologize to those of you who have checked in and found nothing new. I've been so busy with the book for Christmas, the final touches for the TD summer reading club web page, teaching (and with that all the marking) and of course all the school and library visits at this time of year, that I have hardly had time to catch my breath. WHew! Even that last sentence was a long one!

Since my last blog entry I have had the pleasure of visiting

St. Jacob's Public School, April 2nd
Newmarket Public Library, April 16th
Alexander Muir Public School April 16th
Chelsea Public Library with Chelsea Public School April 2o & 12 (many thanks to the Leacross Foundation for their support)
Monseigneur Claire & St. Monica's School on Barrie April 27
St. Mary's Central School, St. Mary's May 4
Riverview School, Port Lambton & Queen Elizabeth II School Sarnia May 5 as part of the Lambton Need to Read Festival
May 6 & 7 Hamilton's Read to Succeed Conference

And that is where I was today: in Hamilton for another one of the excellent Read to Succeed Boy's conferences. Once again I got to meet boys in area grade three classes who spent the school year reading in their book clubs. Each year the school board brings them together to meet authors, illustrators and even some top sports figures for a day of fun, sharing, and excitement.

In forty minutes there isn't a lot one can share but today in my workshops I shared what I think are the important parts of drawing: keeping things simple. Starting from doodles and moving through the important shapes to 3D forms and finally to dragons, we had a lot of fun. I once again was very impressed by how quickly they were able to follow me and what wonderful dragons they were able to create.

I didn't collect any of the drawing or I would have posted them, but when I got home I played with one that I did in the workshop and wanted to show what could become of the simple shapes we started with. Of course there's a few years of practice behind the ones on the upper left, but with some practice on the part of my friends, I am sure they could do the same, if not better.

Before it gets too late tonight I still have work to do on the final touches of the TD Summer Reading Club Web Site art work, so it's time to sign off.

Tomorrow is another exciting day in Hamilton and I'll need to get my rest.

Thanks for stopping in, and I hope it won't be so long until the next entry!

Werner

p.s. the perks to this job are in the lovely cupcakes you get when you visit a school. Here I'm enjoying one of the best at St. Mary's Central. Yummmm

silly moose

2009-03-25T02:03:00.000-04:00

a study for the next book. Stay tuned.

Chipmunks outside my door

2009-03-19T13:22:00.003-04:00

Seems I have two chipmunks outside my door. One has a very short tail probably due to a cat. Hopefully it wasn't mine. The doves are outside too. They are so beautiful with their form and colours which seem to go from tan to light violet. The chipmunks are funny in the way they can pack their cheeks to bursting with seeds before darting off to their homes.

These drawings are from a few minutes ago.

Birds and the coming spring.

2009-03-18T22:06:00.003-04:00

Spring is just a few days away and here in Ontario you can feel it in the air in all the smells and sounds as much as in the temperature. Yesterday I decided to walk to do errands instead of driving (one of the beautiful things about living in the old part of Guelph). Even though I probably could have done everything in a fraction of the time with the car, I wouldn't have strolled past the lovely houses in the neighbourhood, or walked through the park where I bumped into people I knew, and where Prince could run and play with the dogs. All along the walk I heard the sound of the birds chirping as they established their nesting areas. Fat robins hoped through flowerbeds seeking the first worms. Cardinals chased each other, no doubt trying to impress the females and ward off the competition. Everywhere tiny little shoots of green were magically forcing their way through the the still frozen ground.

I may love winter for its white beauty, but it is wonderful to see and hear life come back with spring.

Mouse & Mail

2009-03-08T23:08:00.003-04:00

I'm just shutting down for the night and turned to find my cat Mouse sitting on my desk looking for all the world as were he reminding me to answer the mail. The drawings are from Bennetto school, some of which are posted further down. Thanks for the reminder Mouse.

Benetto School, Hamilton

2009-03-06T22:19:00.004-05:00

The mail brought a nice packet of lovely drawings from the students at Benetto School in Hamilton. I was there a few weeks ago, and it's always a pleasure to get mail afterwards. I wish I could show them all but not possible yet. Someday when I have the time I will set up the student art gallery on my web site and fill it with all the scans of art that received and have saved for a number of years now.

The beautiful drawings above are by Shannon and Lucas in Grade 1 at Benetto. They are just two of the many lovely drawings I received. Thank you to all of you at Benetto for your thoughtfulness.

Ethan's Dragon from Diefenbaker School

2009-03-06T19:41:00.003-05:00

I was at Diefenbaker School in East York this week. Part of every presentation is a demonstration of what I feel are the important things to know about drawing, ending with the drawing of the dragon (see the tutorial).

In the grade one audience was a young fellow who his classmates very eagerly told me was the class artist. I have to admit that they are absolutely right in their description. I've posted a dragon drawn by Ethan prior to my visit in which it is very evident that this young fellow really knows what is important. His Dragon has a beautiful flow, lovely form, good structure...all the things I myself try to put into a drawing. Just look at that terrific face on that dragon, and you will have to agree that Ethan is going to be one very impressive artist if he keeps going. My only advice to Ethan: don't forget the other stuff at school. As much as drawing is important make sure you learn to write a good letter, read a good book, get as much science, history, geography and math as you can (of course this will all happen in the years to come). In the mean time, that's one excellent dragon Ethan!

Captain McKee and Big Bart Return?

2009-03-06T19:30:00.004-05:00

For those of you who loved Julie Lawson's "Whatever You Do, Don't Go Near That Canoe!" (now released as Pirates of Captain McKee) will be happy to hear that they may, and I emphasize MAY, return. Julie has just finished what I think is just an absolutely fantastic sequel that left me laughing so hard I could hardly type a reply to her. It's now with Scholastic and it's anyone's guess whether or not they will accept it. We'll just have to wait and see. But if you are one of the many who ask me at presentations when the next adventure will come, you can help by sending a letter or email to Scholastic Canada and let them know you're waiting for their return.

Prince & Mouse Sketches

2009-02-26T11:41:00.004-05:00

With all the paper I have in my studios you would think I would pick a sheet of good stuff, but instead I find myself drawing on envelopes and cheap copy paper. I think it goes way back to when I was young and really couldn't afford good art supplies. Good paper was special and not for just any sketch or doodle. So I still find myself grabbing anything near, the cheaper the better, and happily sketching on it. It's not that I don't love great papers, but a roll of kraft wrapping paper is oh so wonderful to draw on. 'Just not permanent.

My other failing is buying sketchbooks and never really filling them before I buy another. I guess all that matters is just drawing, and not worrying on what, unless of course it belongs to someone else. Never a good idea.

Meanwhile I end up struggling with lots of sheets of cheap paper, rolls of kraft, boxes of envelopes, and shelves of great papers just waiting to be used. Ah, will I ever get it right?

Some Days Are Like This

2009-02-25T12:37:00.003-05:00

Some days just seem to be like this....you wake up and it feels like you have something on your head you just can't shake. For me it is just the number of things that have to be done. Maybe I should say "want to have done."
I'm in a lucky position of getting to choose what I want to do and my problem is I want to do too much for the time I have. If only I learned how to organize my time and my studio better.

That's why one of the things I always point out when I visit a school is to learn to be organized. When I say it, I mean it from my heart: ORGANIZE!!! Life really is wonderful, amazing, incredible...even on those days when you wake up with a problem, whether it is something that has to be done, or wants to be done, or just a problem of getting something done. If we can learn how to decide what is important and what is not, what we need instead of what we want, and simply putting things where we can find them when we want them, life really can be easier. Now if only I could remember that and do it!

The picture is a study (practice drawing) for an illustration from Kent Baker's Finster Frets, originally published by Stoddart, and now available from Fitzhenry & Whiteside. It was a book I enjoyed working on immensely, and one I identified deeply with.

There was a funny moment when I did the book. I had a very tall friend don a flannel nightshirt and wear a huge stetson on his head as a model for this book. He was posing in front of a mirror in an upstairs bedroom when the door bell rang. Because I was busy with the sketch, he offered to run down to check the door. I can still imagine the face of whoever was at the door as my friend came bouncing down the stairs in nightshirt and ten gallon stetson to open the door. I was told the fellow at the door took one look and fled. I guess he must always have remembered afterwards our house as one very strange place!

Snow Day in Newfoundland

2009-02-18T13:37:00.011-05:00

I was just listening to the radio as I was watching the softly falling snow here in Lion's Head and heard it's a perfect snow day in Newfoundland. Congratulations on your success!

detail of illustration from Snow Day

Of course I hope those who are driving are safe and those waiting for planes and ferries are not too inconvenienced, but one has to admit, a snow day is special. Snow angels, snow forts, toboggan slides and frosty feet. Hockey outside until it's dark. What could be better?

study from Snow Day: Monster Slide

Along with a few other provinces, Monday was a holiday in Ontario called Family day. The holiday came at just the right time: we've had lots of rain and then a flash freeze making fields up here on the Bruce Peninsula small frozen lakes, or in the eyes of many kids , endless hockey rinks. Driving back to Guelph it was great to see cars and trucks parked on the side of the roads with families gathered, some with barbecues and folding chairs, getting together for a game of hockey or some endless skating. The ice seemed to stretch to the distance and the clear blue sky made it a perfect kind of day.

study from Snow Day; Snow Fort

Personally I love it when the wind is blasting with the snow going sideways and sticking to walls in wonderful patterns. Here in Lion's Head, if not in the studio I can sit before the fireplace and watch it all happen through the glass doors, but I'm sure it's a bit different for those stuck outside or animals seeking shelter. I can't help but think of those old maps with a face off to the side, cheeks puffed, blowing winds across seas and continents. Maybe it really does happen that way?

All too soon we won't be complaining about snow, rather complain about the heat. So to all of you in beautiful Newfoundland with all that snow blasting around, I wish you a happy time with your snow and bright blue skies to follow.

Lion's Head Harbour

Valentine's Day

2009-02-10T22:09:00.004-05:00

I just answered a letter from a girl named Danielle in Brooklin Ontario. In the letter she asked which was my favorite book. Never an easy question to answer I mentioned a few. One I did forget was this one: A Circle Is Not A Valentine.

Since it's Valentine's day in a few days, I thought I would post it. It's special to me because it really was my first attempt at a book. Done in response to a request for something with shapes for valentine's day by Miss Dunn, my son's wonderful Kindergarten teacher at Victory School here in Guelph, I'm still happy with it so many years after.

It started out written in French since my son was enrolled in French Imersion. Alphonse,
the character came from a sketch done in a letter many years before. As a jolke in the letter I portrayed myself as a Da Vinci type figure. The letter was never sent but luckily I still had it in my doodle drawer and I adopted the charater for the book. The inspiration was simple: a valentine is a heart, which is a shape of course. And artists all know that simple shapes are the basis of all thier art. So my charcter would try to paint a heart, but ends up painting the shapes, not without some problems.

When the teachers and kids liked it and I was encouraged and decided that to have it published. That didn't turn out as simple as I thought it would. But it did end up pubished later on and I'm still happy and proud of it.

Rabbie Burns Day / Brave Highland Heart

2009-01-25T22:26:00.010-05:00

Today is Robert Burns Day for all the Scots around the world. I've never been to Scotland, though it is on my list. I look forward to one day seeing the highlands. The closest I've gotten I suppose (in spirit) is the highlands of Cape Breton when I worked on the paintings for "Brave Highland Heart" by Heather Kellerhals-Stewart.

It is one of my favorite books I worked on and even though it was nominated for the Governor General's Prize for illustration it never sold well. I have so many beautiful and funny stories about making that book, from visiting Cape Breton to my cat Mouse vs. a bagpiper.

One of the nicest things about illustrating this book was getting to love the sound of bagpipes. Sadly I never liked them until I spend time studying pipers and going to the Fergus Scottish Festival. Combined with the landscape of Cape Breton and Newfoundland, the experience of doing these paintings is something I will never forget. Nor will my cat Mouse.

I had a great piper, Robin Aggis, come to my studio to pose. Mouse was asleep in my studio chair when Robin began to play. It is the day I saw Mouse fly.

Signed copies of the book are available through my web site.

more squirrels & visitors from all over

2009-01-09T11:51:00.005-05:00

A few centimeters of fresh snow fell last night and this morning. It's the soft fluffy kind that sits on and defines even the tiniest detail of every twig and branch it touches. My friends the squirrels have been back seeking seeds I toss out for the doves and junkos. As they search they bury their heads in the snow and usually come up with a flake or two on their noses. Here are more quick sketches. For you artists keep in mind that simplicity is the most important thing. Drawing squirrels is no different than drawing dragons...same rules apply. K.I.S.S - keep it simple, silly! Have fun!

This beautiful drawing came in the mail today from my little friends in Edmonton. They wrote that they check my blog every day. Thanks for telling me. I'll make sure to have something new and special each day for them and others like you. This month I have received visitors from cities and towns all across Canada, as far north as Cape Dorset, west as Courtney on Vancouver Island, and East as New Glasgow Nova Scotia. Others have visited from countries all around the world. Please feel free to leave a comment on what you see and what you would like to see or know more of. Thanks for visiting!

January 8 thoughts

2009-01-08T15:14:00.005-05:00

Regarding colours, I try to understand them and yet they perplex me: so many combinations that can say so much. I look at the art of the masters and the work of the masters at Pixar, Disney and Dreamworks. They are all poets with colour. Wall-e, Ratatouille, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Prince of Egypt and many others....they are all inspirations and pieces of wonder for me. If you want to learn colour, study them and those of the Impressionists and artists like John Singer Sargent.

Above is a page from my contrast studies.

Back to my work.

Richard Scrimger

2009-01-07T20:33:00.002-05:00

http://www.scrimger.ca/home.htm

this is one very special site that perfectly describes Richard Scrimger: intelligent and humorous. I've have the pleasure of sharing days at schools doing presentations and although I've never had the opportunity of sitting in on one of his presentations, just sharing time in the staff room gives you a glimps at the mind behind his humour. No doubt his presentations are just fabulous.

And don't go to the 'nothing' tab until the end!

Hello 2009!

2009-01-06T15:02:00.005-05:00

the year just started (ok, 6 days ago) and I'm busy on a painting for the poster for the TD summer reading club. I got great help from the students at John M. James in Bowmanville and now it is down to the last few days of make or break. Watercolour can go beautifully until the very end then mess up and it is a matter of start from the beginning! That really hurts but part of the challenge. Doesn't make it less scary even after all these years. In fact I have to admit at this moment, even though I have done a ton of pencil and colour studies I am quite nervous about it turning out just as I wish.

the last comment was from Calvin Tsang who I had the priviledge of teaching drawing too for three consecutive years when he studied at Seneca. He's now a very talented animator in Toronto. He has asked for a cat tutorial! I bet he could draw cats better than me but I will do one as soon as I am finished with the painting this week.

Calvin, I will, I promise! In the meantime here is a sketch of Mouse as he was sitting on my paper as I was trying to draw the squirrels outside my doors this morning.

I am also adding these sketches of the dog in the poster for my friends at John M. James. Thank you goes out to them for thier suggestions. I'm looking forward to visiting in the spring to have a launch party of the poster!

Have a happy and creative 2009 everyone!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-17T21:05:00.004-05:00

Happy Holidays everyone, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukka, Eid'ul-Adah or Kwanzaa, it is a wonderful time of the year. Hope you can find peace and joy with your family and friends this season; make a snowman, go for a walk in the woods or the park with someone special, cuddle and watch your favorite show of the season, or just sit and rest and think of all the good things we have.

Calgary 2008

2008-11-16T20:07:00.008-05:00

Kathy Oster from Delton Elementary in Edmonton was my excellent host at the Kaleidoscope Conference in Calgary. She brought along a drawing done by one of her grade two students, done after watching my dragon tutorial. Kathy told me that her student did his dragon drawing after had 2 quick views of the tutorial. He went home that evening and added the two dragons to his drawing. I've attached them for everyone to see his marvelous work.

Kaleidoscope Conference

2008-11-02T14:27:00.002-05:00

I'm off to the West on Tuesday evening for the amazing Kaleidoscope conference. I'm very excited since there will be other authors and illustrators I have long desired to meet. Others will be there that I haven't seen in a long while.

This year it was my honour to create the painting for the conference's special gift poster.

If you are one of the lucky ones who will be attending I hope you will be joining me for one of my two sessions or stop by when I am signing to say hi and get a bunch of bookmarks for your students.

See you there!

visit the conference web site at http://www.kaleidoscopeconference.ca/

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-30T17:13:00.003-04:00

From 'Zero is Not Enough' a book I wrote and illustrated about what happens when you eat your candies before anyone comes to the door!

Dragon sketches

2008-10-24T11:10:00.004-04:00

I've been showing kids how to draw a quick dragon using some basic methods. With basic shapes turned into forms over a line of action (swoosh line) you can get a pretty good dragon. But what about other shapes and more details? Here are some sketches done based on simple shapes (2D) turned into forms (3D) with details added. I wish I could spend more time showing more detailed stages. That will come soon I hope.

In the meantime, if you look carefully, you will see the basic shapes underneath the details.

Mya's Drawings

2008-10-20T22:07:00.006-04:00

Seems I talked to a lot of budding artists at St. Vincent de Paul and Sacred Heart in Strathroy and Parkhill last week. These are Mya's drawings done the evening after my visit. You can see from her beaming face that she is mighty proud of her drawings, and very justly so!

Lovely work Mya. I can see you are ready for Halloween. I have to admit my favorite is the drawing on your left (my right) with Medusa's Hair so beautifully done. I like the way you used the paper so fully. If I can suggest something: don't be afraid to fill your paper with more of the image on the other two. And don't be afraid to draw darker. If you drawing is good, as it is, then you should not be afraid to attract attention. I often tell my students that they should try looking at their drawing from across the room, and if it doesn't attract their attention, then make it darker or stronger. Of course this isn't a rule that can't be broken, but I find that often we make things just a bit too light and weak. Let it scream! Especially on Hallowe'en!

Keep drawing Mya! And keep that wonderful smile going.

Pictures of my visit to Sacred Heart Parkhill:
http://www.ldcsb.on.ca/comm/news/spotoct17schools.htm

WYVERN - Andrew So's Vista Heights Dragon

2008-10-20T21:29:00.006-04:00

I just got these wonderful dragon drawings from Andrew So at Vista Heights. Well done Andrew! You even got me toasted and running from the dragon.

I like the way you doubled the wings, and you got some very good claws on No. 2. You must have paid very good attention to claw making with your hand. Nicely done Andrew.

If anyone else has a dragon drawing as Andrew has done, I will be collecting them for a Dragon Gallery. Feel free to send. I'd love to see them.

Stick Figure to Super Hero Workshops at Vista Heights

2008-10-10T12:49:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I had a great day at Vista Heights School in Mississauga. Author and Librarian par excellence Anne Laurel Carter squeezed three sessions of eager and talented grade 6 kids into the library to spend a session making stick figures into superheros.

In the limited time (the workshop is usually a minimum half day) I shared with them how to create very expressive stick figures that moved just like real figures. The stick figures they created would have the ability to express almost any attitude they themselves could imagine or do. Had there been more time we could have looked at muscles and finally making real super heroes, but time ran out so we quickly drew some very impressive dragons based on the tutorial on this blog.

Even without having gotten to the super heroes, we all had a great time jumping up and down, bending our bodies to make sure we knew how they move, and to act out the expressions we wanted to draw. I am sure from what I saw at the end that they are set to do the best every stick figure graphic novels and picture books anyone will every see.

And of course, they are set to continue if they wish, to develope their figures into any character they want.

Things we covered:
Use yourself as a reference when drawing.
Act out your characters
Doodle to warm up.
Be expressive.
KEEP IT SIMPLE, SILLY (silly sometimes being the most important part).
Shape / 2D is important, and how.
Form / 3D is important, and how
Starting the drawing from 'how it feels', is more important than 'how it looks'

I wish we had been able to spend much longer together, but I feel good about the start they had.

Anne Laurel Carter

I mentioned that Anne is the librarian at Vista Heights, and they are very fortunate to have her. Anne is a published author and a very very interesting person. I took every opportunity to hear her tell me about her experiences visiting Palestinian families in the West Bank city of Ramala for research on her latest book 'The Shepherd's Granddaughter." Visit her at her web site and check out her other award winning books.

http://www.annecarter.com/

more info about From Stick Figure to Superhero' workshop, or check out school visits on my web site.

Some Drawing Stuff 2- boxes and balls

2008-09-20T15:36:00.003-04:00

Here are a few more things you might want to try. I find that the circle and square can be quite useful if turned into spheres and cubes. Of course you can call them balls and boxes if that sounds less technical ( I sort of like it that way) and easier to play with.

Drawing

2008-09-19T14:36:00.007-04:00

Holly from Rousseau school wrote to me the other day:

"I was wondering if you could send me some tips on how to draw art !!"

Well Holly, I am more than happy to help but you have to remember that there are no quick tips...it comes down to the willingness to practice. My students at Seneca@York are always in a hurry to do good drawings and all too often rush past the important things only to have to return later when the drawings just don't seem right.

That's why I will be posting these tips over the coming days. They are all based on the important principle: K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Silly.

Oh, and the moose? What has he got to do with all this? That is a quick sketch I did while researching for the book I am working on. I was at the Toronto Reference Library and found a photo I really liked and drew it. (Unfortunately I have no moose nearby and need to use the web and photos). It was done quickly with a marker on photocopy paper. I put it up to show you that although you won't see it, that drawing contains all the important tips I am going to share with you. In fact, there is nothing I draw that isn't based on these tips, so be patient, practice and K.I.S.S!

2008-09-19T12:51:00.004-04:00

yoiks! one of those days again where there is a lot to do in the studio and once again I am letting myself get distracted by anything and everything. It doesn't help that it is a beautiful day outside. My studio doors are open, I can see the garden and hear the fountain in the Lilly pond (should say 'puddle') and it is taking every bit of self control to stay in here and work. It's not that I don't like what I am working on. In fact it is a new book for the fall of 2009. I'm doing the illustration and it's got silly animals ranging from puffins to moose and all are fun to draw. In another room are clay sculptures I am working on, and upstairs on the dining room table is another project that just came through the door.

So why the problems? I call it a severe lack of self discipline. Oh I hate that term but I have to call it what it is. It is the ability to focus and stay on task and I am simply not good at it. Never was. And it hurts me. Not physically of course, unless you consider the ache of not enough sleep when crunch times comes.

I strongly encourage you, if you are a young artist, to develope that skill. I think the ability to be self disciplined enough to stick with it, and stay to the end, and finish, whether for the day or the project is more important that talent. At least it feels that way today.

The picture above is from a book I illustrated for Raimund Pousset, published by Lappan in Germany in the early 90's. Some days I feel like that penguin.

Knights from New York.

2008-09-17T13:06:00.004-04:00

I received a request for some art from a reader. I can't send anything from what I am working on so I dug out this drawing done at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. They have an amazing collection of armour there and I love visiting that part of the museum. Most exciting is a display of knights on horseback that look as though they were riding right through the room. They must have been very impressive in life, and maybe a bit scary too. It's so sad that things so beautiful have to made for death and destruction.

Dragon by Max

2008-05-16T19:07:00.003-04:00

The last few weeks have been very busy with trips to Regina, Muskoka, Exeter, Hamilton and Elmira. With a few days in NYC in between, I'm ready for the last visits of the season to North Bay.

On friday I was at John Mahood P.S. in Elmira On. It was another great day of presentations. I got to meet terrific kids and teachers. I've posted a great dragon drawing done by Max in grade 2. After a quick demonstration of how to draw a dragon, Max went back to class and drew this one. Nice work Max!

My Pal's in Ms. Harding's class at Ritson Road School

2008-04-17T20:59:00.005-04:00

Ms. Harding sent me this photo taken with her class when I visited Ritson Rd. School in Oshawa. They were part of the group for the afternoon drawing workshop. As you can see, this is one very amazing group of kids.

Questions from Ms. Hardings students:

Meagan W: What gave you the idea of writing books?

Megan, I started my first book to help my son in kindergarten with learning French. His teacher asked me to make something for valentines day and my first book was born. I never thought there would be more, but it was so much fun (ok, and work too), and so many people liked it that I wanted to do more.

Luca D: Have you ever written a legend? No, but that is a great idea.

Have you ever written a book with Eric Walters?: He once asked me to illustrate a Christmas book for him, but I was so busy I had to say no. Maybe in the future. I know him and he’ll be visiting soon, so I will mention it to him, Luca.

Ms. Harding asked whether I studied journalism in University? I wish I had, but my concentration was on fine art. I loved writing stories in high school and was told I was good, but because I was so self conscious about my terrible spelling (that problem with letters!) I chose to follow art.

Did I take any preparatory courses for children’s book writing or illustrating? No, but I wish I had. I have worked with wonderful editors who help me see my mistakes and help me find better ways to express my ideas. But if I had taken some courses I may have saved a lot of time in the long run. I still am considering taking some courses with established writers. There is so much to learn, and I want to keep learning.

Dana's silly animals.

2008-04-17T12:51:00.008-04:00

I've been meaning to post these photos that Dana Sorensen brought to me when I visited the Goderich library during March Break. During a visit to her school we had talked about how funny animals can be. That's when she told me about her dog Savanah who liked to sit funny, and the cow across the road from her house that ate kneeling. I guess I have to say 'why not?' since they have just as much of a right to be silly as we do. Anyone else with silly pictures of their pets feel free to send them. I always enjoy posting.

thanks Dana!

Ritson Rd. Public School

2008-04-07T20:13:00.005-04:00

On April 3rd I visited Ritson Rd. P.S in Oshawa. The first two presentations were to the kids from JK to grades 3& 4. In the afternoon we had a two hour drawing workshop with the Grades 5 & 6. Everyone had a clipboard with paper and was busy on the floor of the gym. I showed them what to me are the important things in drawing. I showed them things like K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple, Silly!), important shapes and forms, how to create expressive figures starting with stick figures, and of course how to draw dragons. I have to admit that I was impressed with the drawings as I walked around during a break and looked at the work on the floor. I wish I had some to post.

The kids were great. Some people consider Ritson Rd an "inner city" school and with that comes the impression that it just isn't as good as others. My impression was the opposite. Not only did I like the feel of the building, one of those big old schools with three floors, wide halls and high ceilings, but also the excitement, the interest and the intelligence of its students. I'd go back in a minute.

I should add that my visit was a celebration of the fact that combined the students read a lot of books, popping their book thermometer in the hall. I want to once again congratulate everyone who read books to hit the target and hope they do it many more times.

I also want to say that Ritson has the wonderful staff that makes great stuff happen.

I've added a beautiful drawing by Dru of the twin engine sleigh from Julie Lawson's Whatever You Do, Don't Go Near That Canoe (now re-released as The Pirates of Captain McKee).
Thanks for sharing your picture Dru!

Bloomsburg School.

2008-03-28T20:51:00.008-04:00

I had a wonderful day at Bloomsburg Public School on Friday. It was the kick-off to their month long writing and illustrating program. By the end of April, students in each grade will have written and illustrated a book. On the 30th they are having a special night for the parents to come and see the work.

Along with the opportunity to see the books created, each family will get a passport that evening when they arrive. As they visit each classroom, the passport will be stamped. It will be just like traveling country to country. At the end of the evening, after seeing all the great books, the visitors will be eligible to win a prize. I'm including one of my prints in the draw.

Bloomsburg may be a small school, with perhaps only 200 students, but what a terrific place! Everyone I met seemed to simply love it there. Far too often small schools are closed and children bussed further away to bigger schools. It may be for financial reasons, but I can tell the difference a small school can make. I hope school boards realize their value and retain them whenever and wherever possible.

While at Bloomsburg I presented my work to all the students from JK to Grade 6. I found everyone to be full of energy and ideas. The day seemed to disappear quickly, with hardly enough time to share everything I would have wanted to.

One of the most exciting things for me was creating with the excellent help of the JK's, SK's and Grade Ones the Bloomsburg Zoo of Imaginary Creatures. Everyone had creatures to offer to the zoo, and they have promised to draw and send them to me so I can post them here.

Thanks again for the great day Bloomsburg!

I'm looking forward to what will be coming!

of course we drew dragons too.

Mad Adventures of Dr. Marvin BLAHBLAHBLAH

2008-03-23T21:33:00.009-04:00

A few days ago I wrote about visiting Goderich Library. During my visit we all came up with a character and I asked my audience if they would write a story to go with the drawing. The first to arrive has been written by Meghan Kirkpatrick.
I'm attaching it with along with what I would call a first edit...a few small changes that an editor would make. Because I didn't ask Meghan first, I kept it minimal; mainly breaking it up as if I were illustrating it. I also made a few changes but you can see Megan's original below.

If I get some time in the next few days, I just might add some drawings. I think it would be a cool graphic novel. A real scary one.

By the way, I really liked her line about birds barking and cats mooing. Made me laugh and think how funny it really would be.

Enjoy!

The Mad adventures of Dr. Marvin Blahblahblah and Doggy In His Underwear!

Written and Illustrated by

Meghan Kirkpatrick

Once upon a time there was a mad scientist whose name was Dr. Marvin Blahblahblah.

One day he wondered why people talk and dogs can’t. He said “well then, I will make a potion to.”

One thing was he didn’t have a potion, so he whipped up everything he had. He had a potion for making a bird bark, a cat moo, just not a potion for talking. So he tossed everything he had into it. Then he went to bed.

Just then the room began to shake! Dr. Marvin Blahblahblah woke up and there in front of him was a monster! Dr. Marvin Blahblahblah looked at his name tag and said “Doggy in his Underpants? What a strange name!”

The monster started chasing Marvin. Marvin ran into the snow covered streets. The dog ran after him, but he started to shrink.

Marvin looked back. The monster was shrinking! Marvin thought what was happening to the monster is he [was] dying from the snow maybe, so Marvin kept running.

Marvin looked back again to see, and the monster was gone!

It was now spring so Dr. Marvin Blahblahblah decided to move all the way to Goderich to build a new house.

Thanks for the story Meghan!

Alphonse Knows....The Colour of Spring

2008-03-20T13:48:00.039-04:00

It's Easter and I hope you had a great one, with lots of chocolate eggs and fun. Painting eggs has always been a special part of the holiday for me, and a few years ago I wrote and illustrated this book. I thought I would post some of it for you. Especially those of you who love painting eggs as much as I do.

The story is about an artist named Alphonse and his little mouse. They like special days and the fun that goes with them. Painting eggs means Spring to Alphonse, and so he wants to find the colour of spring.

It doesn't take long until...

and after a few other mishaps.... he comes up with an idea...

hmm...can he figure it out?

In these books the little one always has the answer.

get ready....sometimes this is the way I paint too.

have they done it?

It seems so!

oh-oh!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Happy Easter.

p.s. special thanks to Kathyrn Cole who helped me in making this and many other books. Happy Easter Kath!

Let's hope the Easter Bunny is an Arctic Hare!

2008-03-20T10:26:00.006-04:00

they are predicting sunshine for the weekend here in Ontario. Somehow I think it will be more like this.

On the 12th I was at the Goderich and Exeter Public Libraries. It wasn't a huge crowd, but it was an excellent one at each presentation. We had a great time sharing the art and most fun of all was drawing. At each library the kids helped me create a character, or should I say, I smiply drew what they suggested.

Here are two of my authors who were visiting with thier grandmother in Goderich, and who promised along with the rest to write a story that would go with the character we created together. The title of the story is "The MAD ADVENTURES of DR. MARVIN BLAHBLAHBLAH and the Mad Doggy in His UNDERPANTS! I'm looking forward to their stories and posting them when they arrive.

Our character started with a circle. Then came a dog's head, robot hands (one with a peace sign), bat wings, mohawk hair do, 16 feet pointing off in all directions, and of course underwear....we didn't want him bouncing around naked!

I'll post the drawing from Exeter soon.

Speaking of Exeter and Goderich, both towns have beautiful libraries. Goderich Library is over 100 years old and has a modern addition, that fits beautifully. In Exeter, even though the library is new, it fits beautifully to the wonderful old town hall beside it. My congratulations to the people of both Exeter and Goderich on jobs very well done.

Drawing Dragon Tutorial

2008-03-15T15:32:00.012-04:00

http://www.wernerzimmermann.ca/tutorials/dragon.htm

For much too long I have been promising to post something on my website on how to draw a dragon. Well finally here it is. It's all based on the the important fact of keeping things simple. When I was finished I decided to colour it. I had a lot of fun. I couldn't stop and did the pink dragon. It too is based on what I show on the video. Enjoy!

Not really my sister

2008-03-11T22:43:00.004-04:00

I'm off in the morning to Goderich and Exeter Public Libraries for readings. While packing I came across a picture I like to show, and kiddingly say is my sister. Well, it's really not! In fact I want to impress on all readers that it is neither sister of mine...older or younger. I say this not only to clear up any misunderstandings, but also to, well, let's say...keep my life safe. It's not that my sisters are mean, only that when my older sister was bigger than me....let's leave it there. Some things never change. I am sure everyone with a bigger sister will understand. Oh well, I love them anyway.

CM review for Snow Day

2008-03-09T16:10:00.009-04:00

I just found out that Snow Day got a 4 stars out of 4 review in the January 11 issue of the Manitoba Library Association's CM Magazine. Thank you Jonine Bergen, library technician Westdale School in Winnipeg, MB. and your readers for the lovely review.

http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol14/no10/snowday.html

Snow Snow Snow

2008-03-08T19:21:00.002-05:00

Yikes, will it ever stop snowing??!! March break has started and with it another dump of snow. It's not that I don't like snow...I actually really love it. Outside the house here in Guelph the street looks exactly like in the book. It's actually quite beautiful. I just feel sorry for everyone who is trying to get away for the break and is either stuck in an airport, on a highway going north to ski or south to the sun. Personally I was going to go up to Lion's Head but decided that it would be safer at home.

A few days ago when we had a similar dump of snow I had the experience of reliving one of the pages in the book. I had painted the snow plow coming up the street and the kids waving to the driver who was happily waving back. It had happened that way years ago. And once again the snow plow came up the street and there was my son Chris, now a grown man, waving to the driver and the driver happily waving back. All that was missing was Mupps barking!

For more on Snow Day click here

Meanwhile inside Mouse is happy to snooze in my arms as I type. Not easy but worth the pleasure.