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.

Alone in the Topiary Garden:

New #illustration. Peek at each stage in the process. Here you see #thumbnails of the #illustration idea.

I always say that no one can understand my thumbnails but me. That's OK because they're intended to help me work out my picture design and placement of elements. If an art director wants to see thumbnails, then I'll do cleaner, crisper thumbnails for him/her.

Next stage will be the under drawing. This will be an oil painting, so the drawing will be done to size (5.5"X8.5"—such as a book cover), then enlarged 200% in order to make painting it easier.

The narrative behind this is a girl briskly making her way out of a topiary garden full of odd characters and apparently also full of activity. I have some notes on my sketch in the upper right. While sketching, I had to decide what to include. What makes a good topiary? Flamingo, ostrich, urn, dolphin, dinosaur. I settled on the flamingo, ostrich, urn and way in the background, up high, will be an Egyptian, walking just like Egyptians always do.

Here's a help: the girl is in the lower right corner hustling out of the picture to the right. We, the viewers, are kind of low, looking up at her—that gives us a good underneath view of the topiaries. The ostrich (neck and head only) comes in from the left and is trying to nab her by the skirt.

That's all for now. Update on Old King Cole. I thought he'd be done and posted by tomorrow, but some of the small foreground detail is still wet, and it needs to dry so that I can finalize highlights and sharpen some edges.

Sorry for my cryptic opening and the pound signs (#). My blog is fed into my Twitter, and I want it to stay within 140 characters and contain good search term potential. The #s are supposed to help with that.

Southern Kentucky (SOKY) Book Fest

I haven't said anything about it on my blog, but since I spent the weekend in Bowling Green at this nice book fest, I'll say something now. 9—4 on Sat. Sat between two very nice gentlemen: Marvin Jarboe, illustrator of several books including My Sailor Dad; and, another gentleman whose name's escaping me now. He was a sub-in so he's not in the program. But, he introduced me to everyone he knew.

   I was also on an illustrator's panel with Indianapolis illustrator Adam Seif (no link yet), Susan Eaddy, clay illustrator (who sold out), and Dennis Calero, X Men comic book artist (follows me on twitter). That was fun. Answered a few questions. Short.

   Chuck Barris was there. Yes, the gong show host. I met Gaby Triana (bestselling YA author) who follows my twitter, chatted with Marlis Day of Indianapolis (twitter), Dana Canedy, A Journal for Jordan was there. She was on Oprah a few weeks ago. Can't forget Janice Ian, Society's Child and singer songwriter of that 60s Seventeen song.

   Glad I went. Forgot my camera.

Illustrating Old King Cole

Old King Cole was not only a merry old soul, but he was also a toad…

   …in my world, at least. 

   His fiddlers? crickets and a grasshopper. A snail balances his bowl and a frog-in-waiting has brought a selection of his pipes--oh, and these aren't specifically p.c., non-smoking pipes. I found on Wikipedia, an interpretation that since OCK was so merry, that it stood to reason that "pipe" could have meant a recorder or flute, which he played along with his fiddlers three.

   These are the initial thumbnails.

Kansas State is my Friend

My publisher informed me yesterday that I've made the Kansas State Reading Circle 2009 Recommended Reading List. I'm recommended! at least in Kansas.

Life in the Spotlight

  Now, why would I want to pursue something like this? I've done school visits, and want to be better at them. That's why.

  Peter Jacobi: I.U. journalism professor and former newsman for NBC and ABC; longtime friend/speaker for Highlights Foundation—both at the Founder's House and Chataquah.

  There's another reason.

  I learned to be a better speaker. To grab attention. To offer something of value to students from grades 1 through 6. And, I connected with many cool and very friendly people who are great writers and generous souls.

  ...reason numbers 3 through 9.

  Read all you can from Joyce Moyer Hostetter, rising star in the YA market. Here's her blog.

  Google alert Anne Greenawalt. She's finishing a book, Thigh Flashers, about Spartan women in the Olympics—300-something B.C. She's in final edits; she's got an agent; she's sure to be published; and if nothing else, she's very sweet. Also, check out her book of short stories, Growing Up Girl.

  Take a look at Mary Corcoran's science book, The Quest to Digest (Parent and Children's Choice Awards). She has another coming out soon about the circulation system. Here explanations about science in the body are perfect for classroom use and her illustrator, Jef Czekaj, is fanatastic.

  And also, among the published, is Carol Murray. She's a poet who knows it.

  Deb Rossi is concerned with character education, and didn't wait around for anyone to catch up. She's published her own book for kids, No Horsing Around, and is talking to guidance counselors to get her program into schools.

  Seems Melissa Starr can write about anything, and is serious about a couple of novels. She is also working on a series of picture books using Aunt Agnes as a backdrop for the antics of an apparently never ending stream of precocious nieces and nephews. Aliens..ants..'nuff said.

  All these fine people are now trained and ready for school and library visits, so sign them up!

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.  ;-)