SkADaMo!

November is a big month for different writing and illustrating cyber challenges and I so wanted to participate this year. Life has been hectic on this end with a move to a new state...first in a rental and most recently into our own home. That with steady illustration work, there isn't much time to play. I got into it a week late but decided to participate in "SkADaMo", created by the very talented Linda Silvestri.

It means sketch a day month and that is it...pure and simple. Try to create a sketch a day and post it. :)  No pressure whatsoever and that is what I love about it. I don't ever draw for myself anymore and this is allowing me to do so without the anxiety of if it will seek the approval of a teacher, editor, art director etc.
It's the middle of November but you can always jump in too...no rules, remember?  :)
Go Here to read more about it and see a list of participants.

Happy Fall everyone!

How To Price Illustration for Children's Books, Editorial, etc.

The wonderful Will Terry gives great advice on how to price illustration work. Really worth while watching!

While you are at it, make sure to check out Will's gorgeous work and books. :o)

Highlights Hello

I was so excited when I checked the mail today. I received a copy of this month's issue of Highlight's new baby magazine, Hello. Here are photo's of the poem I had the privilege of illustrating. This is such an adorable booklet, perfectly sized for little fingers! 

(Cover art by Maggie Smith)

Click to enlarge

click to enlarge

Procreate App

A fun demonstration by Will Terry showing how to sketch with your finger on the Ipad  using, "procreate".  I think I'm going to steal mine back and add this app. Looks fun. :)

Mister Dash and the Cupcake Calamity

Being a dog lover and anything food related, I was happy to get my hands on  Monica Kulling's Mister Dash and the Cupcake Calamity. This is the second book with the well mannered mixed breed, Mister Dash, who lives a "civilized" life with his owner, Madam Croissant.  In Merci Mister Dash!, peaceful days are spent until Madam Croissant's grand daughter, Daphne, comes for a visit. Life turns topysy turvy for Mister Dash and he ultimately proves himself the hero of the story.

In Mister Dash and the Cupcake Calamity, Mister Dash again has to deal with Daphne's rambunctious energy as well as becoming the delivery pooch for Madam Croissant's new cupcake business. In true gentlemanly fashion, Mister Dash works hard to please Madam Croissant and saves the day again when a calamity with the delivery transpires.
Monica has such a knack for adding subtle humor to her writing and it had me grinning throughout the story.

click to enlarge 

Esperança Melo's rich acrylic illustrations perfectly compliment Monica's fun lyrical writing style. The lusciousness of the paint strokes make the cupcake's frosting pop off the page and her illustrations enhance the humor in Monica's writing perfectly.

 (Mister Dash donning a disguise hoping to sneak away from Daphne.) 

I asked Monica what inspired Mister Dash and the Cupcake Calamity...

"I first met Mister Dash, or rather a dog with the name “Dash,” while walking my two big dogs in Toronto’s High Park. On the trail ahead a woman was calling her dog, “Da-ash! Mister Da-ash!” I thought, what a great name, and wondered what type of dog would come running. It turned out that jaunty “Mister Dash” was a black standard poodle. What a great character for a picture book, I said to myself. I spent the remainder of my walk creating a storyline and a couple more characters.

In my first Mister Dash story, Merci Mister Dash!, I made my main character a poodle. The first editor who read the story turned it down with a curt, “I don’t like stories with poodles in them.” Hmm. How unusual. In response to this rejection, I turned my Mister Dash into a mixed-breed dog, and that has probably worked out best all round because it has opened up more possibilities. Mister Dash can now rely on five different breeds in his makeup to help save the day.

I was inspired to write my second Mister Dash, Mister Dash and the 
Cupcake Calamity, by Esperança Melo’s illustrations for the first book, especially the kitchen scene in which Daphne and Dash are eating caramel popcorn. I love the blue and yellow squared floor in that spread! So I decided I must write another story and that it must mainly take place in the kitchen. But how would I do that? Madame Croissant owned a gift store in the first book. Then I thought, why can’t Madame Croissant switch vocations and the wackier the better. Throw in a third-hand van, a delivery dog, baking day with Daphne, and CUPCAKES! and away we go."


Mister Dash and the cupcake Calamity is an entertaining read that children will enjoy revisiting time and time again. I have my fingers crossed that there will be more adventures with the fanciful Mister Dash!

Chester's Colorful Easter Eggs

With Easter fast approaching, I want to recommend this adorable picture book written and illustrated by Theresa Smythe. Chester's Colorful Easter Eggs, is a delightful book that reinforces counting and color recognition skills while we watch Chester happily decorating and hiding rainbow colored eggs for his friends.

I asked Theresa how her book came into being and she explained that it was originally a sequel to her popular Christmas book, Snowbear's Christmas Countdown. The idea was born from her childhood and how elaborate her family's egg decorating was-- an article 
in a McCalls or Women's day magazine with Alice in Wonderland themed eggs still stands out in her mind.

When she initially developed her dummy book,  Snowbear starred in the show but it just wasn't feeling right for her. Next, she approached it with a quirky artistic pig named Maurice living in New York City. Although he was well received by Theresa's editors, Chester the rabbit, ultimately stole the show.  "Now it's hard to believe it started out with a bear, went to a pig and ended up a bunny. Because the bunny fits -- just like that!!! Everything is a stepping stone to get you from a to z ; nothing is wasted."

(I agree, nothing is wasted. I have my fingers crossed that Maurice will have a book of his own one day.)







I'm captivated by Theresa's richly textured cut paper style that feels as if the pieces can be pulled right off the page. Here is a fun example
of her process, click to enlarge...

Chester's Colorful Easter Eggs is a sweet treat to add to a little one's Easter basket. As well as a fun read aloud, this treasure will keep kids engaged visually as well as motivating a rainbow filled egg coloring activity!

Happy Easter!

Illustration Friday: Wool

© copyright Alicia Padron 2013

Nothing like wooly sweater and scarves. 

I wouldn't mind the itching if I could play in the snow right now! :o)

A quick sketch for this week's Illustration Friday. 

Happy Halloween!

© copyright Alicia Padrón 

Thinking of everyone affected by Sandy, specially people up in NY. Stay safe.

Have a happy Halloween everyone!

5 ways to improve your coloring...

Folio Academy 2.0

Check out this great resource for online learning. Created by Will Terry and Wayne Andreason, the Folio Academy provides art lessons for every age group in just about every area of the visual arts. Here you will find a compilation of video lessons from professional artists helping you with your craft by teaching you their secrets and techniques. Awesome!!

Babybug Blog- Cover Artist Interview

Here is an interest post from the Babybug Blog. I love it when they interview their artists and we get to see a bit of their process.

Click here to read their latest interview with Rosalinde Bonnet.

Are Ebook/Apps revolutionary? by Will Terry

"I get asked all the time if I think ebooks are a fad? If I think it's worth it to produce them? If I think making apps are better? How I found my programmers? Is it better to try to find an agent and get my book published traditionally? How I plan on marketing my apps? What should I do?

I'm flattered that so many would think I have the answers but the truth is that I'm just a dumb guy who fumbled his way into this industry and is now trying to figure out what my next moves will be.

But for what it's worth - here are my thoughts...."

Click HERE to read the rest of Will's article.

Random House- Books For Babies

This is the Books for Babies brochure from Random House. I was so excited to see it! Maybe you recognize the illustration on the cover? It's from my ABC, Baby Me! book.  :o)

I just love what the text reads on this brochure's cover, isn't it adorable? Hee!

Here is a little proof that teeny ones do love baby books and eat them too. Just watch, you'll see what I mean. ;o)

Push your poses

The Clues To a Great Story

I really enjoyed listening to Andrew Stanton. I hope you do too.

"Don't give the audience four, 

give them two plus two." - Andrew Stanton-

Rizaldy Valencia

Saw this fun youtube via an FB post and thought I'd share. The illustrator is Rizaldy Valencia and he also has a fun blog where he shows his work. Be sure to check it out. :) 

Time Management

I know, I have my own little Fan club going for Will Terry but I couldn't pass up sharing his blog post this week on time management. Great subject.

My time management skills aren't great but I'm trying to get better. I'm juggling a few deadlines right now and I admit, it is overwhelming. I am fortunate that my kids are older now, so my time is my own and I have plenty of it. Believe it or not, though, I think I got more done when they were little because every minute of my time was scheduled. Okay, I know those with little ones don't want to read that. It is hard, very hard when they are small, no doubt. But when you do have the time, you can easily waste it away.

I liked Will's idea of using the ipad to sketch. I have one and could be utilizing it more. However, I do have my work space in the living room which I love because I'm in the hub of it all. For me that is an advantage because I can be with the family yet keep pressing on with the deadlines.

My biggest time eater is my addiction to, "Words With Friends", as I've mentioned before. I haven't stop playing, it still helps me decompress as I work, but I have edited my amount greatly. I used to have at least 20 games going at a time and now I have 3 or 4 which can take several days to finish (right, Gina?) . For me that is a vast improvement and a fair compromise.

My other time management tool? SLEEP. Yes, sleep. For years, I was trying to burn the candle at both ends trying to get everything done until I realized it was backfiring on me. I was always tired and it was fruitless. Instead I've tried to give up my night owl ways, go to bed. BINGO. I don't know why, but for me that has done the trick. I'm not taking several hours of coffee and self motivation speeches to get to work each day.

Anyway, be sure to read Will's blog post. It's always interesting and insightful to see how others handle their time. I still have a long way to go, but like the deadlines, it's a work in progress. :)

Will Terry- Craft, Creativity and You

Here is yet another encouraging blog post  for illustrators via Will Terry. 

Be sure to check out the cool app that he shares.

Thanks, Will!

Publishing dates!

Hope everyone is having a great start to their summer. It is hot, hot, hot here and it looks like I will be spending most of my summer working. No complaints! I was on Amazon recently and noticed that a couple of books I wrote/illustrated for Dover have publishing dates now! These were a lot of fun to create so I'm happy to say that I'm working on a 4th book for them.

Cool links

Ladybird has a blog!

Click here if you want to check it out. :o)