This my friends, is called the Six Minute Warm Up.
Some of the illustrators I know have been doing this. Many of them went to the NE SCBWI conference and attended a workshop, Character Design 101, taught by Kelly Light in which this was included. Unfortunately I wasn’t there, but I hear the class was fabulous and she cooks a mean chocolate chip cookie!
You might want to give this a try… it’s fun.
He gives me but a few seconds… I sketch his outline. Thirty seconds to catch the essence of a squirrel.
He’s my live model.
I pay him with corn.
So what to do while you’re waiting? Maybe you’re waiting for that next assignment, that next conference, or contest?
Well, I’m going back and practicing all the stuff that sometimes gets overlooked when we’re on a tight deadline or have gotten a little rusty, or maybe just too close to see it. Ya know what I mean? I believe that you’re never to old or experienced to learn something, all over again. It’s being creative with your time and nurturing your art. So go create something while you wait!
“Assiduus usus uni rei deditus et ingenium et artem saepe vincit.” ~ “Constant practice devoted to one subject often outdoes both intelligence and skill.” ~ Cicero.
Click on the picture above to see the next page.
Here’s a new character for a story that I wrote last month while participating in the 12 x 12 writing challenge. It’s been interesting to do a book design and character that was funny, but still sweet like the story. After wrestling with him for about a week, I think I’ve found him. Now you don’t have to illustrate anything to participate in the 12 x12 challenge.
That’s just what I did with this one, but I am learning a lot about myself as both a writer and an illustrator.
There are eleven more to be written, and I doubt there will be eleven dummy books to go with them…. for now ! :)
sketch [skɛtʃ] n
A peek into my sketchbook of some morning warm up sketches…. rodent inspired!
I really like Home Alone. Though, I didn’t like the sequels much. Okay, I did like the pigeon lady in Home Alone 2. So…… I watched this movie the other day with my six year old and now I hear the Home Alone scream constantly. She screams if her shoe comes untied… she screams at commercials. It was cute in movie, but to live with it 24/7…. not so much. It’s pretty funny to a kid, but to a grown up who has just waited a half an hour in the car rider’s line, it’s a little daunting. It will wear off as the year rolls along, only to be picked up again at next year’s holiday movie viewing. And, as I sit I here writing this, I have a sinister, but funny thought that I just might reenact that Home Alone scream on the day she introduces me to her first boyfriend!! :)
A peek inside my sketchbook. I seem to be drawing a lot of squirrels!
