Art Process

My “Brief Process” Every story has its rhythm, and I approach each project with care, curiosity, and a deep respect for the emotional heart of the book. Here’s how I typically work with authors, editors, and art directors. 01: STORY IMMERSIONI begin by reading the manuscript multiple times to absorb its tone, pacing, and emotional beats. I sketch initial ideas and explore visual motifs that support the narrative. 02: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTI create character studies to ensure consistency and personality across the book. I focus on gesture, emotion, and how the character interacts with their world. 03: THUMBNAIL SKETCHES & PAGINATIONI…

My Painting Process & Technique for Illustrating a Picture Book. This is my favorite part! In this post, I’ll walk you through my process from concept to final for one illustration. The finals are all handpainted. I’m a Fine Artist at heart, so having a finished handpainted piece to hang on the wall has meaning to me (A post for another day). Step 01: Pencil Sketches POINT 01: Sketch like no one is watching I grab a cup of tea and sit on my couch with my sketchbook, pencil, and eraser…this is where I brainstorm. POINT 02: Super loose My…

“Layout Process” for Illustrating a Picture Book. My “layout process” for Illustrating a picture book is outlined below. Takeaways from various projects. It’s the groundwork before finished artwork (check out my other post to see!) Step 01: Manuscript to Thumbnails POINT 01: Paginate the Manuscript I play with pagination in Microsoft Word. This takes the guesswork out when I get to the thumbnails. I feel like it warms me up and familiarizes me with the rhythm of the text. I like to do a few versions, but I know it will shift around once I start sketching thumbnails. POINT 02:…