Halloween ABCs-Work In Progress

Boo! So I couldn't finish this Halloween ABCs in time, but this is a sneak peek/work in progress I posted over at Dribbble. I can always save it for next year. :-P

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Halloween Round Up!

1. The Haunted Ghoul Bus, 2. The Haunted Ghoul Bus, 3. Halloween is Here, 4. Halloween Stickers, 5. Halloween Stickers, 6. You Can Draw Series, 7. You Can Draw Series, 8. Box o' New Books!, 9. Halloween Howlers

I've done my fair share of Halloween art so this is a fun round up of all of them! To picture books to stickers to how-to-draw monsters :-)

The Haunted Ghoul Bus 

written by Lisa Trumbauer   illustrated by Jannie Ho

Published by Sterling, 2008

Told in fun and appealing rhyme, and featuring holiday-bright illustrations of a cast of unforgettable characters, this playful picture book has sturdy cardstock pages and embossing throughout.

Buy on Amazon

Halloween is Here:
Peek inside sticker book

Written by Megan E. Bryant    Illustrated by Jannie Ho
Published by Running Press Kids, 2010

Celebrate Halloween with a house full of excited kids in this look at a child’s favorite Halloween activities! Peek-inside to see the kids get dressed in their costumes, carving pumpkins, and going trick-or-treating.

Buy on Amazon

You Can Draw Monsters
and Other Scary Things

by Jannie Ho    Published by Picture Window Books, 2011

Do you like creepy characters? Then check out this book, where you can learn to draw a spooky spider, a googly-eyed ghoul, or a slimy brain. You'll have lots of fun being an artist!

Buy on Amazon

Halloween Howlers:
Frightfully Funny Knock-Knock Jokes

Written by Michael Teitelbaum   Illustrated by Jannie Ho
Published by HarperFestival, 2011

With hilarious lift-the-flaps throughout, this bewitching book contains dozens of ghoulishly funny jokes.

Buy on Amazon

Chicken Girl Design by Jannie Ho

Photo polymer Stamps

Happy Halloween

These photo polymer stamps featuring cute and spooky designs for Halloween are perfect for a some crafty fun. Use them on cards, gift tags, and much more.

Buy on I {heart} Papers

My Process: Lift-a-flap Books

I worked on this cute little paperback joke book for HarperCollins before I worked on Road Work Ahead. It was where I got the idea to start making dummies of the sketches. There were alot of lift-a-flaps inside to work out, and the art director had sent me this dummy that they did after I submitted the sketches to them. I thought it was really useful.

There were at least 2 flaps but 4 jokes on each spread. The biggest challenge was the layout. Leaving room for the text, but having the flaps work out too. Now I have a whole new appreciation for books with flaps (especially where there is art on the other side!)

Knock knock! Who's there? Ghouls! Ghouls who?

Ghouls and boys both love Halloween!

Overall, I love working on Halloween books, they give me a chance to do something funky and use a different color palette than usual. Grab a copy here :-)

Its October and a new book!

Its October and I'm happy to say I have another Halloween book out this year, this time its Halloween Howlers: Frightfully Funny Knock-Knock Jokes written by Michael Teitelbaum, illustrated by me, published by Harper Festival.

Its got tons of lift-a-flaps on every spread and I'll be showing more of that in another post. In the meanwhile, I want to thank Ann Arbor with Kids for a wonderful review of the book. 

You can also get it on Amazon, BN, or your favorite indie bookstore. More Halloween fun to come!

Evolution of a Halloween Book Cover

It is fun to show the process of a cover-from sketches to the end product. I did this with The Great Matzoh Hunt, and now I thought I would show it for Halloween is Here, a sticker book I illustrated that was recently released.

 

1st Sketch: All 4 of the main characters were featured. It is a bit too crowded for the cover.

 

Revised Sketch

Color Art

With Type and at the stores! (took this pic at Borders)

Hope you'll get a chance to pick Halloween is Here up at your local bookstores. Happy Halloween!

Hooray for Halloween Book Giveaway Winner

Using random.org, the winner is Nina Seven! Congratulations, Nina! 

Thanks to everyone who entered the book giveaway, and the tips for chicken costumes. I ended up  sewing chicken and rooster hats out of felt I had around the house. More on that later.

And it seems like alot of folks are into Reeses peanut butter cups and M&Ms! Will probably pick some up to hand out to the trick or treaters. Happy Halloween! It is one of the best holidays, isn't it?

What will you be for Halloween this year?

I know, there is no chicken suit! I did these illos for Kindermusik. What's everyone going to be this Halloween? I thought I was going to be staying home passing out candy, but it looks like I will be going to a party, but a costume is neither required or suggested. Hmm. Perfect since I'm always too cheap to get a costume together!

lllustration Friday- Flying

I haven't participated in Illustration Friday in ages but this week's topic-"Flying" really inspired me. A mixture of the topic and my desire to do something Halloween-ish made this illo. So happy since I did it for fun-without thinking how it can be used as a portfolio piece or some other purpose. I think us illustrators fall into that trap sometimes and become stuck. I know I do.

Although I think it looks sort of like a greeting card. (Hey Hallmark! Hey American Greetings, are you out there?!) I would love to do a whole line of wacky cards like this. :-)

New Chickengirl Design Stamps: Monsters and Halloween!

Halloween is just around the corner and I'm celebrating another 2 set releases from the Chicken Girl Design stamp line over at I {heart} Papers!

Let me introduce to you Silly Monsters:

and Happy Halloween:
They are wonderful polymer stamps made in the USA:

I would love to show some fun projects using these stamps some time. For now, I have a fabulous design team whipping up some wonderful things, check them out:

Lori
Meredith
Natasha
Shelly
Kate
Shannon
Judy
Tammy
Kendra
Loretta

I'm quite excited about Halloween this year because I just might get some trick or treaters!! When I lived in New York, I was quite fascinated by the fact that kids went to the stores to go trick or treating instead. I never had anyone knock on my door (or was it because I was out and about?) Now that I live in a house in a small town, I'm looking forward to the kiddies. Signs of old age, maybe!?!

Have a good week, everyone! And oh yeah, hope over and check out my stamp line, ok?

Halloween Characters

If I had my own sticker line, it would look like this. Happy Halloween!