Children's Book Week

May Day

May this May Day bring you happy surprises and exciting new beginnings.

xo

Happy Earth Day!

It's a beautiful day here today! 

Enjoy!!!!!

Poodle Love

Have a very happy one!!!!

xoxoxo

Decisions, decisions...

I'm working on color roughs for a picture book.

It's set in the late 1800's to early 1900's. So, it seems a perfect time to incorporate some borders.

But, I need to figure out how much line I want to use. I need to think about it now, 

because this will have to stay consistent throughout the book.

So I try some different amounts.

Thank heavens for scanners.

And printers.

I think I want to keep it as painterly and hand-done looking as possible.

Homage to those beautiful postcards and scrapbooks of days gone by.

What do you think?

Decisions, decisions…

Voices in my head...

The illustration above is one that I did for a calendar a while back. Recently, an art director pointed to the watercolor on the dog's back and said, "You know what?... this is... act-tualllly... a raaaaather... sophisticated... little... illustration?"
The surprised tone of her voice inferred that I had mistakenly made something good. And, that nothing else she had seen of my work had been blessed by the same naive error.

And now, even though time has passed, each time I paint the spot on the dog's back in the book that I'm currently illustrating I hear that voice. "You know what???...."

Here's a big hug to all of us who hear voices in our heads. I hope that we all continue working happily until the good words are shouting waaaayyy louder than the whispers of snarky critics and reviewers!

Debut

Meet Hector,

He, along with a few of his friends, will be making their debut as cards and blank books at 

Craft & Fancy 5

Saturday, December 1, 10-5

at Home ec. in downtown Iowa City

Not from the hood? Never fear, I will be adding them soon to my etsy site 

jbreinhardt.etsy.com

If you are from the area, please consider spending a day here, shopping at all the wonderful independently owned businesses in Iowa City. I will be at Craft & Fancy with some illustration work, as well as Age Before Beauty jewelry.

My heavens, I can't believe it's this time of year already!

Boo!

 

Happy Halloween, to all!

A Show, A Show, An Illo Show!

 "When Bows Were Big"

I am participating, along with 10 other illustrators from across Iowa, in a SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) exhibit at the Gilded Pear Gallery in Cedar Rapids. 

The opening is this Saturday, September 29th from 4-6:30 pm and will run through November 10th. 

The opening night will have all of us there displaying not only our gallery pieces, but many of us will have our portfolios and published work on display at that time as well. If you have kids who are at all interested in a career in illustration, this is a great opportunity for them to see a varied range of styles and applications, so please bring them along!

The illustrators who are exhibiting are:

Jeni Reeves

Claudia McGehee

Dorothia Rohner

Natalie Groves

Patty McGrane Harms

Jane Metcalf

Becky Wirfs

Peggy Gratton

Erin Taylor

Candace Camling

and me

If you can make a day of it, I'd like to suggest a visit to the great New Bo neighborhood and a visit to New Bo books (the new Prairie Lights affiliate in Cedar Rapids). Also, take in the fantastic Alphonse Mucha exhibit at the newly renovated Czech Museum. 

If you can't make it to Cedar Rapids this Saturday, it would be wonderful if you could visit our show and the restored Cedar Rapids neighborhood some other time.

Again, thank you for your support of the Arts!

A Nod To Grant

In going through old artwork to find submissions for an upcoming SCBWI Illustrators show, I found this painting I did for a greeting card for the 'Rhinestones' line that I had with Renaissance Greeting Card company--- waaaaaay back when. 

It was a 'miss you' card and at the time I painted it I had no clue at that I would be living in Grant Wood's stomping ground!

Ahhhhh, a little blast from the past.

Wish you were here...

Bravery

Today I submitted my character sketches to the publisher. No matter how many books (or whatever) one has published, no matter how much fame and fortune one has achieved, I feel that sending your work out for critique is always a very vulnerable thing to do. 

So, if you are reading this little blog of mine, and you, too, seek to bring your creations to life, give yourself a little pat on the back for having the confidence to share your work with the world...

It is, in my opinion, a very brave thing to do.

Soaring

I did this little painting to make into a thank you card to send the art director at Harcourt Houghton Mifflin.

It's not really from anything in the book (The Adventures of a South Pole Pig), but I loved the idea of Flora (the pig) soaring into the sky with a red balloon!

Place

My parents just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary! As a gift to them, my brother (who is a writer) and I made them a book. I combined some illustrations with some black and white photos. My brother wrote the beautiful narrative. He focused on 'place'.

The land that my parent's home is built on, has been in my family since the 1950's. My grandmother always admired the hill between her family home, and their new house 'in town', and so my grandfather bought the land for her as a gift.

Our book was hit...

These are some little paintings I did from old photos of my parents as kids. I thought it was neat that they were probably about the same age in the pictures.

I'm such a pushover for old photos. And old family photos? What could be better?!

She Draws Seagulls on the Seashore

Back from vacation!

The seagulls on the beach were so funny. Each one stood with an entirely different posture. Staring out at the waves and willing a crab to scramble up onto the shore.

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful (hot) summer!

The Ugly Tulips

Easter Sunday, dear Rosemary was helping me in the narthex as my daughter and I tried to figure out which flowers were ours to take home.

There was a mix-up on the sheet and, of course, I couldn't remember what I had ordered.







"You could have a mum, or a lily, or a tulip", Rosemary said reading from the list of options.

I looked at the breathtaking wall of colorful flowers and noticed a pot of shriveled brown tulips tucked to the side.

"I like those," I pointed to the odd, hidden flowers.

"You're kidding aren't you?" Rosemary gasped in disbelief. "We thought they were dead so we hid them in the back."

"They're interesting looking." I picked up the pot and looked at the puckered bulbs.

"I think they're called parrot tulips," Rosemary scrunched up her nose, "And you are more than welcome to take them!"

The wrinkled, brown buds opened into lacey yellow, flaming orange, and burnt red petals. 

Aren't they lovely? 

All these colors tightly closed together made a muddy brown. 

But as they opened... 

all this beauty was revealed!

Spring Hare

 

This wonderful Spring air, has inspired this Spring hare.

He hopped out of here today on my latest promotional mailer.

   

Happy Spring, everyone--- enjoy!

Leaping!

I like to think there's something a little special about today?

Hope it's wonderful!

 

Good Morning, Phil

Oh, well... Happy Groundhog Day!

She Ate My Crayons!

 She Ate My Crayons--- isn't that a hilarious name for a shop?

And what a wonderful shop it is. If you are a lover of vintage treasure, pop over and take a look, click here.

I've been working on a postcard that the owner commissioned me to do. That funny name is based on a true story---  her younger sister really did eat her crayons, thus giving this shop owner a lifelong excuse for why she has 'no small motor skills'.

 So if you have a little time, browse around the wonderful world of etsy, 

and She Ate My Crayons!