Happy Chanukah!

Happy Chanukah!

I'm not Jewish, but I absolutely loved learning about the Jewish holidays, customs, and traditions while working on Rabbi Benjamin's Buttons. The art director at Charlesbridge Publishing, Whitney Leader-Picone, is Jewish and was gracious enough to share her knowledge, passion, and personal stories with me.

Rabbi Benjamin's Buttons, written by Alice B. McGinty, was released in August and received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly. 

In the back are yummy recipes passed down from Alice's very own family members (now disguised as those of the Goldwassers and Muchnicks)!

Celebrate with Rabbi Benjamin and his loving congretion!

Happy Chanukah, everyone!!!!

(Rabbi B is available online, 

but please consider supporting your local bookstore if possible.)

"tis the Season

Here we go!!!!

xo

Happy Earth Day!

It's a beautiful day here today! 

Enjoy!!!!!

Poodle Love

Have a very happy one!!!!

xoxoxo

Night and Day

One of the most wonderful things about being an illustrator is that each project is so different, and for an infinite number of reasons.

I have been working on a non-fiction picture book about Henry Ford and Thomas Edison. While the first round of sketches are with the publisher for review and fact-checking, I have been working on my own project. 

It's a dummy of a picture book that I wrote. 

How fun to go from "make Henry look more like the real Henry", to putting neckties on pigs just because I want to!

Or a crown on a frog?

I hope you find joy in what you do. 

Today and everyday!

We Grow them Big in IOWA

I seem to have odd nature experiences. It also seems strange that this trait is apparently inherited from my father. 

This morning I opened the front door and saw this beetle. It's huge!

I would say at least 2 inches long. So I took these pictures and spent a little time looking it up. I think it's a Grapevine Beetle. And they are supposed to be 1 inch long.

I might also mention that while standing in my doorway, holding my camera to my face with my zoom lens zoomed, a bird flew right at me and smashed into the glass door! 

If I hadn't screamed and jumped 2 feet I would have had some really neat action shots.

p.s. Bird is fine, but my blood-pressure is not.

The Cat King

"The Cat King's Daughter" by Lloyd Alexander, published in Cricket Magazine, Feb. 2013

Artwork Copyright, Jennifer Black Reinhardt

When the art director from Cricket magazine asked me to illustrate an upcoming two-part story I told her that I really had too many other commitments at the time.

"But it's funny," she said, ..."and there are cats." I couldn't resist.

So, please find in this month's issue of Cricket magazine, some illustrations by me for a fun story called, "The Cat King's Daughter," by Lloyd Alexander.

Carus Publishing is the umbrella company for kid magazines for all ages; Cricket, Babybug, Ladybug, Ask, and Spider. They do a phenomenal job of consistently hiring illustrators at a time when it would be less expensive and more cost effective to seek out other resources. So just a little shout out of thanks to them for using a wide range of styles and mediums and exposing our kids to the wonderful world of illustration each and every month.

Silly Little Things

I bought these funny little pins at Artifacts years ago. 

I didn't know why I bought them. 

And I don't know why I kept them. 

But when I was drawing a pincushion this morning, look who appeared? Suddenly they were there without me even meaning to put them there--- without me even seeing them.

It's a snowy, blowy day here today--- 

I'm keeping warm, and drawing inspiration from silly, little things ;-)

Boo!

 

Happy Halloween, to all!

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.

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 Elephant in the Room

Here's to the proverbial elephant in the room. 

I found him appropriate to feature on my blog as I apologize for being away for a while. I'm sure it's the same as for many of you--- I find myself in the chaotic throws of summertime. Pulled this way and that as I mourn the loss of my peaceful work-from-home weekdays.

This is a piece that will be going out on my latest promo. It is from an assignment given to us by an art director at a recent SCBWI conference. It is from an excerpt from Kate DiCamillo's, THE MAGICIAN'S ELEPHANT. It was really fascinating to see how other illustrators saw the same scenario.

So here's a big shout out to all of you who love your families and kids dearly, but who also suffer the loss of spontaneous creative expression.

Happy, happy summer!

Diving In...

This is how I feel...

I finally, FINALLY, replaced my old pc with an iMac.

 

Problem--- I've been a Corel Draw gal since art school. 

Challenge--- learn Illustrator, InDesign... oh my. 

Feeling a little bit like an old dog trying to learn new tricks!

Leaping!

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

Hope it's wonderful!

 

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!

 

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!

A Little Ho Ho Ho-ing

 I promised you, in an earlier post, that I'd give you a sneak peek at what's on my art board. I'm hoping to have some fabric made for a holiday project that I'm working on. How cool is it that you can make your own fabric? Check out Spoonflower for amazing ideas and inspiration.

 

I have some big plans for gift wrap sheets and (hopefully) some gift tags which will be available at www.JBReinhardt.etsy.com, but not tooooooo soon!

I don't like it that stores start to sneak holiday sparkle in so early. Back-to-School immediately morphs into Halloween and Christmas Season nips at Halloween's heels--- basically snubbing its nose at poor, overlooked Thanksgiving. Usually by mid-November I am forced into a brain-washed-panic that I don't have all my shopping completed, wrapped, and shipped. Catalogs are delivered to my door over a month before Christmas, trying to consol me by stating that, "It's not too late to still recieve your order in time!". 

I guess I'm really not much better, am I? Well, I can promise you that none of this will be in my shop that soon!

They're Ba-aaa-ack!

 For me, it's kind of like seeing an old friend again!

I illustrated these calendars for several years (1993-2005?). Sellers Publishing has brought them back again for 2012!

 

These are 12" x 12" wall calendars with 12 different funny illustrations and captions on each page. 

So, if you know someone who loves their cat or dog too much, these make great gifts!

Available at your local bookshop, mall kiosk, or online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Reborn

Big news! I have an all-new web page design thanks to the fabulously talented Ken at Rain Shadow Web Design! He is both brilliant and PATIENT. 

I began by saying... "I want it very simple".

"Easy". 

"Just artwork". 

"And here's some old wallpaper that you might want to use for the background". 

"And I'm going to send you some artwork for the homepage--- maybe some frames". 

"And a cat... 

or two... 

 or three...". 

Ahhhhhh thank you, Ken. I love it. It makes me smile! Hope it does you, too. Please check it out at

at JBReinhardt.com