A New Picture Book Contract Awarded

New Picture Book for Author/Illustrator Nathan Clement

For the few of you who are reading, I'm remiss in announcing that July 20, my editor from Boyds Mills Press emailed me to say they want to publish another book idea I proposed:

"We'd love to publish Job Site, and propose that we do it under the terms of

the previous contract. I'll give you a call either later today or tomorrow.

I'm very excited about this. I think it will be a strong follow-up to Drive.

This is an idea that he himself suggested: "why not a book about a bulldozer." I took it and made it a book about construction equipment on a job site. Hence my title will be Job Site. This week, my main tech editor was at our house: my brother-in-law, Bob, who is a heavy equipment operator. Really, he's a crane operator. Since I don't seem to write about topics I actually know about, a tech editor is important. He had me reorder my storyboard to make a little more sense of what happens when on a job site.

My deadline is set for May 2010. I can only hope it will be in the Fall Catalog, but they don't commit to those things until they have project in hand.

This will follow the art medium (digital) and style of Drive.

Old King Cole Was a Merry Old Toad—I mean Soul

I finished this illustration, slated for my portfolio, yesterday. I had to wait for areas in the fiddles and crickets/grasshopper to dry some in order to add some detail.

So, to remind you of what's going on here, I tried to interpret this with animals, and for some reason, a toad came to mind. Also, when doing some research into the history of the nursery rhyme (at Wikipedia, nothing too in-depth), they suggested that in the era that this may have been written, pipe could have meant a recorder or flute as much as a smoking pipe. And, since he had called for his fiddlers three, it could have very well meant that OKC was making music too.

And, if I've chosen a toad for the main character, then what other creatures would fit? His servants, the fiddlers naturally seemed fitting as crickets and grasshoppers. Those insects make music in the real world, don't they? And, is this a friendly arrangement, or are they pressed into service....?

See the frog-in-waiting in the background? He's providing a selection of pipes here. And the bowl is brought in to the king, balanced on a snail's shell. This is a fairy tale world, mind you.

I'm going to send this out to some children's magazines.

As far as technique, this is a charcoal drawing (see the below post), with oil tinting over the top. Not sure if I'll continue in this vein. I returned to it after several years, but had the same trouble now as I did then: keeping things from looking muddy. I'll probably just go to straight oils. See the upcoming illustration: Alone in the Topiary Garden—under drawing coming in the next day or so.

Oak Park Library Picks Drive Picture Book

My wife was speaking to long-time friend, Deneen in Berwin, IL (just outside of Chicago), who reports that Drive was picked for the Oak Park (also just outside Chi.) public library's kindergarten reading list.

Attending the Highlights Illustrators' Party

  I was very pleased to be invited to Highlights Illustrators' Party the first part of Oct. '08. Highlights owns Boyds Mills Press and Front Street, my imprint is part of that.

  So, I ventured off to Honesdale, PA via NYC. Yes. They had a van picking up illustrators there, so I opted for a little tour time in the city before being driven out for the big part-ay.

  Let me say, the Highlights people treated us like Kings and Queens. I was very taken with their hospitality and generosity.

  This was a full-weekend event beginning early Fri. evening at the Founders' House with a barbecue under a tent. We moved on to more eating with great breakfasts and lunches and a pig roast. There was even a square dance, a costume party, (theme: The Enchanted Forest--here I am as an Ent with a hobbit riding in my branches) and an art show of our work. All this against the backdrop of John Sandford's artwork from The Terrible Hodag and the Animal Catchers.

  But most important, I got to meet all these great illustrators from the magazine to the other imprints such as Calkin's Creek, Highlights and BMP. We had a fantastic presentation by Leonard Marcus about the history of the Caldecott which led to a great Q/A and discussion. Following, we all laid out our portfolios and took a look around. Wow! is all I can say. A bit humbling.

  I met Floyd Cooper and lunched with him, talking about school visits and contracts.

  I also finally met my fantastic art director, Helen Robinson, face to face. I told everyone she's a great art director because she let me do what I wanted. But really, she's very secure in her own creativity and role as not to need to thumbprint the books she's working on. I've found that to be the case in the marketing/design field where I've encountered plenty of that.

  A near meeting with my publisher/editor, Stephen Roxburgh--but we had to turn the car back in order to make my ride back to the airport. A big disappointment.

  But, otherwise, a great time was had by all.  ;-)