Paper/Pencil/Brush.

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My pal Margeaux Lucas has a blog, Paper/Pencil/Brush.  She shows a lovely example of underpainting in a gouache illustration. Her style reminds me of picture books I read when I was little.  It's all too easy to become heavy-handed with gouache,…

Two Bad Pilgrims’ progress

Here's the big scene from Two Bad Pilgrims, where Francis and Johnny nearly scuttle the Mayflower when they fool around with their father's fowling piece.  First the thumbnail sketch: Then the tight sketch: There was some squeamishness…

Being John Singer Sargent

I'm working on paintings (finishing them up, actually) for a story about a cat who lives in Venice circa 1890.  Since the publisher refused to send me to la Serenissima to gather visual research (hey, you can't blame a boy for asking!), I was…

Designing a cover for the new Henry

Sponge out your cannons!  Prepare to repel boarders!  Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates will storm bookstores on August 11th! Many eager customers are even now camped out in front of those bookstores, awaiting the big day.  For those…