Toughing It Out

Filed under: Illustration, Lessons of an Artist • August 28, 2015

"Let It Fly" sketch by Shanda McCloskey

I took a cycle class today. It was pretty tough. Going again and again is making me tougher.

This “book game” is a tough. silent. killer. I’ve heard next to nothing since I started submitting my book. I did get one “no,” but it was from a friend’s agent. I can’t help but wonder if it was as quick and gentle as it was as a curtesy to my friend more than anything. The fact is … it’s so quiet. So still. You don’t know how to adjust your technique. Is it the letter? the subject? the person? or has anyone even looked at it yet? Is it sitting in “the slush pile” getting moldy? Members in my critique group have been going through this for a while, but it’s real for me now. I wouldn’t even mind some rejections just to know someone looked at it.

This is a time to listen to my own heart I guess. I love the book I wrote. I believe it’s valuable and beautiful and funny. I believe a child and a parent would have a sweet experience reading it together at bedtime. I believe a room of preschoolers and kindergarteners would get a kick out of it at story time. I believe it would inspire a kid.

The book dummy I sent out is probably not perfect, but I think it has a fantastic chance to be a great book. I hope someone else will believe it too … in the traditional publishing world so my book could be in bookstores and libraries all over the place. I’m working and brainstorming on a new story now. It has a similar large theme of thinking bigger and believing. I need my own stories right now, because that’s what this time is requiring of me. To dream, do my best, be tough, and have some faith.

One day the silence will break. Probably :)

-Shanda

Superhero Self-Portrait Success!

Filed under: Events, Growing Up Artsy • June 12, 2015

super_portraits

I had a blast hanging out with 10 boys (yep, all boys) last Saturday at Pickens County Library in Ellijay, GA! I was able to share my drawing powers with them successfully (as you can see from the rad portraits they created above)! Thanks for bringing your kids to my program – they were kind and AWESOME! Special thanks to Brooke and the Sequoyah Regional Library System, who invited me, and to Ethan (my nephew) who was a HUGE help to me and the little artists.

green_hero

brooke_me
brothers

 

Can’t wait to see what programs these libraries will do in the future! It was a pleasure being a part of the “Every Hero Has A Story” Summer Reading Program! Now, go make the world a better place … with ART!

-Shanda

“Power Down, Little Robot” and draw a robot in 11 steps

Filed under: A Picture Book & A Project, Growing Up Artsy, HJ's Draw Show • May 5, 2015
"Power Down, Little Robot"

“Power Down, Little Robot” by Anna Staniszewski and illustrated by Tim Zeltner

 

I spied this at Target and after I read it- I just had to have it for me and my girls! The text is super clever with play on techie words which is why this book will entertain an older picture book kid as well as a super young one! Usually, “going to bed” books seem a little young for my almost 5-year-old these days, but this was right on!

The little robot activates his stalling program when he doesn’t want to go to bed. All kids and parents can relate, and this is a really fun way to talk about it!

Inside "Power down, Little Robot"

Mom scanning for rust monsters.

Now, try you hand at drawing a robot yourself…

-Shanda and HJ

My Favorite Childhood Robot!

Filed under: On My Mind, Shanda's Journey • April 3, 2015

wonder

This is Vicki, my all-time favorite robot character from the 80’s tv show “Small Wonder”! They say the best material anyone has to pull from (for writing children’s books) is from one’s own childhood. As a kid, I thought this was SO COOL to watch. Maybe it’s why I wrote a robot picture book as an adult!

It’s interesting and deep to think about what makes you care about something…even though you know its not human or even an animal.

I get a little teary-eyed when I think about moving my family out of our home that we’ve lived in from the beginning of our marriage. This house sheltered us from so many storms, we raised our babies here, we dreamed our dreams here. I know the house isn’t human, but I can’t help but imagine it feeling like we were abandoning it if we left. It would be sad. I’d probably drive by and check on it periodically to see if the new owners were taking care of it, not that I could do anything about it, but it would feel good if I knew the house was being loved like it deserves. Isn’t it strange that I think those thoughts? Do you care about anything like that?

The new movie, Interstellar, explores this idea of machinery and humanity too!

It’s definitely something for character creators to think about no matter if you are drawing them or writing about them. Your characters are (usually)  not really real, and furthermore, they might be inanimate objects. So, what does a character need to do, say or look like to be loved by the readers?

I dazzled my four-year-old with this show today! The episodes are on Youtube. She can’t wait to watch another episode tomorrow. Go ahead and relive the magic too…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48WCJ84z7vw

Springing Off From Here

Filed under: Illustration, Lessons of an Artist • March 26, 2015
"Charlotte" by Shanda McCloskey

This is Charlotte. A techie, gadget-loving girl.

 

It’s Spring! (Here in GA anyway :) A time for the renewal of many things, including me. I feel energized and extra committed to my goals and dreams this year. My baby is 9 months old, and for now, things are good. I am getting more sleep at night, and I’m trying to take good care of myself. I have a wonderful mother and mother-in-law who help SO very much with my girls! I’m so grateful.

I’ve been working with the incredible, E.B. Lewis, through a Skype mentorship! It’s cool. He felt I could do better and more interesting artwork if I used real art materials rather than my self-taught, flat, lack-luster attempt at digital coloring.  (He wasn’t quite that mean about it, thank goodness). I felt the same way, deep down.

"Charlotte on Yellow" by Shanda McCloskey

So, the illustration you see at the very top of this post is my best attempt (so far) at applying watercolor and oil pastel to one of my characters. Seems simple enough, but I was at war with myself for a week just trying to get the paint to do what I wanted. I finally painted this, and I feel like it was successful … so I’ll try to spring off from here … no looking back.

-Shanda

Egg Drawing Challenge!

Filed under: Art Lessons • March 18, 2015

egg

I’ve recently been facilitating an online drawing course for a high school age home-schooled student (my nephew). One thing that I’ve noticed is that learning to shade and add value to a drawing is difficult. You must learn to SEE it first, then you can draw it. For example, my nephew sent me a drawing of his white car.

tims_car

It’s a nice drawing, but he has left white/blank every area that is painted white in real life, so it appears flat. Even “white” objects have many different greys in real life to show the form. So, I’ve challenged him to draw a white egg!

This is a video I found that shows and names all the different shadows and lights that you might see on an egg:

And here is a time lapsed demonstration that I made (using a 2B pencil, kneaded eraser, and my finger):

It’s harder than you think! I had to shade, then erase, then shade, then erase, and shade again to get it just where I wanted it- where it matched what I SAW. Give it a try! Go draw an egg!

Love,

Shanda

What I’ve drawn lately…

Filed under: Illustration, Shanda's Journey, Sketchbook • November 11, 2014

The first pencil drawing of a character is by far, my favorite part of an illustration. It’s fast. Full of possibilities, energy and texture. It’s alive! I believe my work is best when I let the sketch do heavy lifting in an image.

Image from "Dollie 1.0," a picture book dummy by Shanda McCloskey.

Here (above) is my latest color piece where I tried to let the pencil do the most work. And although this image lacks action and sense of setting in my opinion, I still like it and think its one of my best pieces yet. This image will be a color sample in my latest picture book dummy about a gadget-loving girl and a doll. My goal is to get this newly updated dummy submitted to the 2 people who requested it earlier this year before this year ends! (I have a 5 month old baby girl, so I’m moving a little slower these days :)shanda_mccloskey2 The pig (above) and pig & boy sketches (very bottom) in this post are sketches I had sent to a small publisher earlier this month when they thought I might be a good match for a story they were publishing. Unfortunately, they weren’t convinced. I guess it just wasn’t in the stars. But it was exciting for a little while! Bummed, but not defeated.shanda_mccloskey3 shanda_mccloskey4 shanda_mccloskey5

sketch by Shanda McCloskey

sketch by Shanda McCloskey

sketch by Shanda McCloskey

 

Thanks for stopping by to see what I’ve been drawing!

-Shanda

PB&P: “Ladybug Girl and the Dress-up Dilemma” and make a silly skeleton!

Filed under: A Picture Book & A Project, Favorite Picture Books, Growing Up Artsy, HJ's Draw Show • October 2, 2014

Ladybug Girl and the Dress-up Dilemma

They’ve done it again! The husband and wife picture book team, David Soman and Jacky Davis, bring us another flipping BEAUTIFUL and thoughtful book to add to the Ladybug Girl series.

Lulu is sure of what she wants to be for Halloween… or is she? Time is running out and she is out with her family picking apples. Then something happens to remind Lulu of what she knew all along- who she is and what she wants to be for Halloween!

All the books in the Ladybug Girl series are on the longer side compared to most modern picture books, but I think it’s a good thing for kids’ attention spans to be challenged to stretch. It is written well, so you and your kiddo will barely even notice the longer format. My girl loves every second I read these books to her!

And here’s a little SILLY SKELETON you can make!

Skeleton Craft by Shanda McCloskey

1. Download and print the sheet of bones (above) onto white card stock.

2. Have a parent help cut out all the bones.

3. Watch HJ’s demonstration here:

Kids can glue them together in a silly pose. (Use brads or string at the joints if you want the legs and arms to move.)

4. Hang it up for Halloween!

IMG_0623

Happy Halloween from Shanda and HJ!

Laney and "Creepy" the dancing skeleton with a big heart! Great job!

Laney and “Creepy” the dancing skeleton with a big heart! Great job!

Introducing HJ’s Draw Show!

Filed under: A Picture Book & A Project, Growing Up Artsy, HJ's Draw Show • September 16, 2014

Check out HJ’s awesome new show – she named it :) – that teaches kids how to draw things! HJ loves art and wants to be a teacher when she grows up. So from now on, when I highlight a book (A Picture Book & A Project), HJ will have a drawing lesson to go with it!

Here is HJ’s cousin, Laney! She followed the steps to make her own spook-tacular jack-0-lantern with chalk!

IMG_6494

Books Are Babies Too!

Filed under: On My Mind • September 10, 2014
photo 2

Strange little drawing of a book-baby.

We often hear writers and illustrators refer to their books as their babies, but after just recently having my second “real” baby, I can see that this is REALLY true!

 

For example…

How exciting! You’re pregnant! What will this little one be like? Dream. Dream. Dream. (Your idea incubates and grows in your heart and head).

Then one day it’s time… to struggle, to cry, to fight and labor to get it out! (Writing the first draft)

Finally she’s born! You are so happy, she’s perfect. You did it! Joy joy joy! (First draft is done!)

Then … comes the torture. You realize this isn’t so awesome. What were you thinking?! You’ve made a huge mistake. No sleep, no schedule, no life, and so many diaper changes! (You read it again, it stinks. Rework, rework and rework. Edit and edit after endless edit.)

Then one day…She smiles at you! (You see a glimmer of hope again in your manuscript.) It’s changed a lot. Oh yeah, this is why I went through all that. It might just be worth the pain. She really is pretty cute :)

Then you keep raising her as best as you can. And it takes a village to raise a child as they say. (Husband, friend, critique group, agent, editor… ).

You feel so unfit to do this job. But you keep going because it’s the task that’s been given to you. No one can be a better mom to this kid than you can. (No one can write your story but you.) So you keep going…. (Doubting your story, doubting your calling, you never knew how much work this would be! But you’ve put in too much to quit now.)

Some days will stink. (Rejections.) Some will bring you so much joy. (Requests!)

You’ll take her to story time and play group. You’ll introduce her to the guitar, let her try art lessons, or dance classes to help her figure out who she is. Turns out, she loves to dance! Her dance instructor may see some real talent in her and even ask her to join the company. (An agent takes you on.)

You’ll always be her biggest fan :)

And hopefully…

She’ll grow up into a lovely person (a good book) because of your labor of love. Someone may even tell you that you’ve done a an outstanding job raising her. Maybe a great college or company wants your kid on their team and takes a chance on her (Your book gets published!)

And even though it was a tough journey and being published is awesome…

you’ll probably miss the days when your baby was little… (the process :)

 

 

-Shanda

 

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Shanda McCloskey, Children's Illustrator & Author