Wednesday, January 23, 2013

What I've been working on

© copyright Alicia Padron

Hello There!

This is an illustration I worked on at the end of last year. I usually do book work but this project was a little different. They contacted me asking if I wanted to create a logo for a non-profit organization. It was for such a beautiful cause.. I just couldn't say no. :o) 

I can't say which organization just yet but I'll post about it once I have green light.

It was important for me to convey warmth, coziness, love and security in this illustration and I wanted it to be appealing to kids at the same time. I love drawing bunnies and they seemed appropriate for this.So bunnies it is!

I've also been working on several different magazine projects which is new to me and I have to say a lot of fun! I love how fast paced they are compared to a book for example. I will share some of that as we get closer to publishing dates.

Also I recently finished a new board book for babies, one of my favorite types of books to illustrate. :o)

For this year I hope to have time to work on one of my dummies and to create new work for my portfolio. Published illustrations work for the portfolio too but I think is important to create new artwork specifically for the portfolio. Sometimes what a particular house wants in a book is great for the book but not enough for a portfolio. You know what I mean? Portfolio images have to have tons of story telling and have to grab you immediately.

Working on dummies is time consuming and hard work. I don't know why but I am always so insecure with my dummies. Maybe is because I have so many alternatives that can change that is hard to make up my mind? I am the writer, illustrator and art director in a sense.. too many people in my head! Haha.. Sometimes I think I have to go ahead with the best idea I can and just go for it.. even though I'm such a scary cat.

How about you? It is hard to work on dummies too or just a breeze? If it's the second one, please share your secret.. I need help. ;o)



5 comments:

John Lechner said...

It looks like you've been busy! Book dummies are hard, and take a lot of time. Especially fitting the story into a set number of pages.

I often do quick storyboards on paper (many squares on a page) to work out ideas, then do a bigger version when I have it worked out. It's also good to set it aside for a few days, then come back to it for an objective view.

elizabeth said...

How very charming and lovely!
our little granddaughter loves bunnies.
Both children really like your Christmas book!

oxox

Alicia Padrón said...

Thanks John! I agree, dummies are hard. I work very small at the beginning too but have a hard time deciding from tons of thumbnails, hehe. But I know that's the way to go. I like the setting aside idea for a while and the come back to it with fresher eyes. :)

Aww thank so much Elizabeth! I'm thrilled to hear that. Xo :)

Gina Perry said...

This is so lovely, Ali. Dummies are hard! I'm by no means an expert, but my 1st finished one was soooo much work (and rework!) - mostly bc the manuscript just wasn't strong enough until many versions deep. For my 2nd (nearly!) finished one, it was SO much easier because I took much more care with each step. I wrote, and thought, and edited, and thought. When it was just right, I put my illustrator hat on, and STILL kept thinking. Then the drawing, thumbnails, etc, all came together MUCH easier (and stronger, I think). Everyone finds the best process for them, and you will in time too. Just keep at it, because there is so much heart and joy in your illustration, that it's only a matter of time before we are buying your 'written and illustrated by' book.

Alicia Padrón said...

Thank you sweetie! :o)

I've seen some of your dummies and they are wonderful. It's great that you find you learned from your first one and the second one came more smoothly. For the one I'm working on, I have the manuscript down so that's good! I just have to have more faith like you said need to keep on working on the scenes. I'll keep at it. Thank youuuuu xo.