World Teacher Day

Sunday, October 5, was World Teacher Day.
Thank a teacher.
Here's a rare moment from me: I'm sharing work that isn't very good. This sequence is the thought process I went through in trying to illustrate one spread for a picturebook that comes out next fall.
My art mentor, SCBWI great E.B. Lewis, has been pushing me to see things differently, and now, after about 2 months of working with him I *finally* understand what he meant when he said I wasn't putting myself into the story enough.
I totally understand now that illustration is the same as writing.
I get it.
Because he's a good teacher.

 Wrong. All wrong.

A little better. But still no.

A little better but the reader isn't IN the story yet.

No.

No.

Yes.

This is just the rough pencil sketch -- the designer, art director, and various editors at the publisher will have their own opinions. But this is a lot better than I'd have done before taking art lessons. 

Thank you, E.B.!

-- Ruth McNally Barshaw

Wild card!

We get to pick any subject sketch to share this week, and I pick this:

It's black ballpoint pen in my Moleskine sketchbook, from my trip to NYC a few days ago, for the SCBWI Winter Conference. On Monday I had about an hour free between seeing my editor and heading to the airport for home, so I soaked up the ABC of It: Why Children's Books Matter exhibit at the New York Public Library and took visual notes while there. This is my tribute to the greats in children's literature.
(Go see the show!! Exhibit details here: http://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/abc-it)
I ran into Priscilla Burris at the exhibit.
(Fellow Sketchables illustrators: Were your ears burning while we discussed how cool you are?)
-- Ruth McNally Barshaw