Anagrams

 Anagram spots I recently did for TIME for Kids magazine. Clockwise from upper left: Rats/Star, Pan/Nap, Paws/Swap, Desserts/Stressed.

A New blog: Daredevil Chicken

Just a quick note here about a new blog I started with funny illustrator Scott Nelson as we collaborate on a 32-page picture book about a Daredevil Chicken. How will two illustrators with two different styles come together in a book? Please check it out if you love the picture book making process, creativity, collaborations, and a chicken in between.

Let's Do It!

I have been an admirer of Peaceable Kingdom Press' toys and products for a while now, and they've been on my client wish list. So I was very happy I finally got to work with them last year on this Game Time Activity book, Let's Do It! I received some samples recently and noticed its out on their website.

Some interior spreads:

 

I was especially thrilled with the way the layout and graphics look; I love it when the designer and I are on the same wavelength and the whole book really represents my design aesthetics well. They were also a pleasure to work with!

Let's Do It Game Time! Write & Wipe Activity Book
published by Peaceable Kingdom Press
Ages 3-6
$12.99
Available on Amazon or at Peaceable Kingdom Press

Board Book Cover Concepts

Its always interesting to see how the cover ends up from sketches to the final. For this particular book, What Does Cow Say?,  even the title changed! We started off with Meow Bow-Wow:

And then the other animals were introduced to the cover:

And then the cat and dog wasn't the center stage anymore:

And the final cover. The cow took center stage and the title changed completely. Hey, it happens!

 

As to the reasoning behind the switch, I was told that farm animals were hot sellers. I'm glad my rooster made it on the cover. :-)

What Does Cow Say? written by Joan Holub, illustrated by me, is now out in stores. Published by Cartwheel Books.

KIds Read Comics Extravaganza!

This Saturday, March 12th from 10-8pm, I will be one of the many artists participating in Kids Read Comics Extravaganza! a free event that will be held at the Ann Arbor Art Center. All are welcome and open to the public. 

There will be free activities where you’ll be able to interact with cartoonists as they work, or participate in hands-on workshops where you can make your very own comic.

As part of this event, I'm also excited I will be doing a book signing of my various titles at Vault of Midnight from 1-2pm that day.

Lots of great local cartoonists will be there like Katie Cook, Denver Brubaker, Matt Feazell, Jerzy Drozd, Chad Sell, Joe Foo and more. Hope to see you there!

Drawing Demo

This past Sunday, I did a presentation at the Ann Arbor District Library's Comic Artist Forum. I spoke about my work and my sketchbook project/ comic story, If You Lived Here.

I did a drawing demo of my chicken characters...and here is a video of it! Now I'm on YouTube, ekk! Thanks to Jerzy for shooting the video, there will be another one of me and the whole presentation.

I can hardly watch myself in this video! :-P

Anorak Magazine-My Packed Lunch

Here is a fun illo I did for Anorak Magazine's blog for their My Packed Lunch Series.