Process Post: Keep Calm! My Stress-Busting Tips

In my last post, I declared that one of my New Years Resolutions was to be more observant. Another resolution of mine is to document more projects and the process involved. Luckily, I had this in mind early on in 2013 when I began work on Cloverleaf Books for Millbrook Press! 

My first book in the Healthy Habits series is Keep Calm! My Stress Busting Tips, written by Gina Bellisario (who happens to be in my kidlit family at Andrea Brown Literary Agency)! I also had the privilege of working with Laura Waxman (Editor) and Emily Harris (Designer) from Lerner Publishing. At the time I had signed on for three books and didn't know that I would continue on to work with Emily on FIVE books throughout the year. It was truly a blessing.

The beginnings of bookmaking are usually for my eyes only. I spend an afternoon ordering pages, making doodles, and sketching characters that most likely nobody else but me can understand. It looks like this:

From there, I keep sketching, but I go bigger and more detailed. These will be sketches the client will see. The next round of sketches will usually go through one more pass before I start coloring, but I will show some of them here side by side.

The first thing I do is decide on a main character. This is Anna. I read through the manuscript and develop her personality based on the text. She has a little "Stress Monster" that follows her around. I decided to keep him cute.

She is really stressed out! So much to do: homework, chores, and soccer practice! 

Her parents are a little stressed, too. Their mornings are just a little bit hectic. This is what my mornings look like when I wake up late. Please click on the images to make them larger!

I often overdo it when I'm sketching, it helps me to figure out the world the characters live in. I delete a lot of the details that get in the way and make room for text. You can see this in the soccer game spread top left. 

I always add details that I'm familiar with. At the time, I had just organized my colored pencils into canning jars, which made it into Anna's room, and I was thinking of my high school when I added he cougar paws to the bulletin board. Go cougars. (Haha!)

This is just a sweet little moment that I am fond of, but in the final art they have opposite emotions because Anna is starting to learn how to manage her stress. 

This book and the others in the series will be available in April 2014 on Amazon, at Barnes and Noble, and other retailers! Look for a process post video demo soon over on my other blog, Simply Messing About!

Cheers!

~Renee

A Little Trumpet Dance

A Little Trumpet Dance from Renee Kurilla on Vimeo.

Just a few seconds of fun for your day! I've been experimenting with the puppet tool in After Effects and thought it would be nice to bring back my bird characters for a quick dance! If you haven't seen the other two animations, please visit my Vimeo Page!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!


Cheers,
~Renee

Splash!

Meet Grace (Front), Christina (Left), and Mike (Right) of the Pool Girls Series, written by Cassie Waters for Simon & Schuster. Reading the manuscripts for these books (to be released in May, June, and July of this year) brought me right back to my dreamy, wishful childhood. Remember those days where you just couldn't put your Baby Sitters Club book down? This makes me really excited for young girls who happen upon these wonderfully written books. These characters are right around the age where emotions and pride take over, and you learn just enough about each of them to love even the most villainy of the villains! (Because exactly what is a middle grade novel without at least one slightly devious person?!) 

Here's a sneak peak at all three covers, illustrated by yours truly:

Betta Wall

I've been spending lots of time at pet stores lately and can't help but notice the stacks and stacks of betta fish bowls. I used to have one, his name was Delphinium and I drove all the way home to PA with him (5 hours both ways) and back about 3 times. I feel bad for the bettas, they must get bored. Luckily, my friend Tami recently rescued one from utter pet store boredom.

*This piece is also part of the latest project I've been working on in between all the others. :)

WTD?: "Espouse"

This week's "What the Doodle?" word over on Creative Juices is espouse.

"Espouse" (v)

Their Definition:
to adopt, embrace, take up, accept, welcome, support, back, champion, prefer
to adopt or support a cause, belief, or way of life
My Definition:


Blue Pen sketch:

Thank you South High!

Zebrafish! If you missed my previous post about GenerationCures.org, check it out!

"The Event"
This webisode is #9 of 10 found on generationcures.org. You have to sign up to watch
them all.. but it's free! By now, in the storyline, the 6 main characters of Zebrafish
have formed a virtual band and made a music video. They are confidently performing it
in front of their high school classmates. (Gutsy in high school!)

The entire episode was done in Adobe Flash with the exception of some backgrounds done
in Photoshop. The uber talented team: Animation/ Didi Mitove and Lars Edwards,
Zebrafish Backgrounds / Keith Zulawnik, Photoshop Backgrounds/ Tami Wicinas /
Storyboards, Character Designs, and Art Directing / me!

Let's not forget the musical talent of Kate Radio, from the former Boston based
band  My Little Radio  who worked with us, letting us use instrumental versions of
some of her songs. We rewrote some of the lyrics to match the webisodes, but the original songs
are on the My Little Radio MySpace page.

A Zebrafish version of Kate:



In this webisode, the song is performed by our Vita vocal talent.
Enjoy! And feel free to ask questions. This webisode was made entirely in Flash and
completely (I believe) pushed Flash to the limits beyond belief. To the point where
it almost didn't work. I am admittedly really proud of my ability to maneuver Flash
around and make it work. :)