Hazel Mitchell

Black and White Sketches

2012-01-26T05:57:00.000-08:00

I admit that the last few weeks since Christmas I have been feeling a bit jaded. Not sure if it was the holidays, the weather or just non-stop work. Maybe all three. All I know is that the urge to pick up a pencil/pen/brush can disappear and the batteries need to naturally recharge. After a bit the 'itch' starts and you can feel your finger tips twitch and ideas starting to trickle through, (just when you thought you would never have another).

What came out was black and white drawings. This tall, tall house first, (initially I thought I'd sketch a couple of kids watching the snow through window). I use pencil and add shading in photoshop. When I'm doing something like this I try to stop thinking and enjoy the process. When left to it's own devices my brain likes to do lots of detail and squiggles and such.

I was having so much fun I went on to draw some characters, keeping them pretty loose and free.

These will be good to send to the SCBWI bulletin.

It was fun to draw some older characters for a change.

This little girl is loosely based on a friend's grandaughter who is always full of jumping beans!

When I wasn't drawing I have been working on the marketing for 'Hidden New Jersey'. I emailed press releases to a gazillion newspapers/radio/tv contacts in NJ, as well as to my local contacts. Hoping to have a little launch at my local book store in Feb/March. And next week starts a blog tour, so I'll be posting those links ... some of the bloggers are doing giveaways too, so stay tuned!

Also excited to have been accepted into the Highlight's Foundation Workshop for Advanced Illustrators in PA. That's not until September though, so aways to go yet.

Big news of the week was the ALA awards. My favorite winner was Ashley Bryan getting the Corretta Scott King Lifetime Achievement Award. Choked me up a bit. I watched the webcast for the first time, and that was fun. Makes you feel connected in your far flung corner of the world.

That's the news from my neck of the woods.

Toodles

Hazel

On the Bedside Table:
The Art Spirit (Robert Henri) - I was in search of mine ;-)

Kid's Colouring Page - Pirate Captain

2012-01-20T08:58:00.000-08:00

This colouring/activity page is for you to print out and give to children - yours, someone else's or to use in a school or library. All I ask is that it is not used for commercial purposes.
Simply click on the image and print for your children to colour.

Don't forget to follow my blog so you will receive the latest Kid's Colouring Page.

Check out how you can be a pirate at http://www.isaacevans.com

Toodles!

Hazel

Hidden New Jersey Book Trailer on Cynsations

2012-01-20T08:27:00.000-08:00

Such fun to see the book trailer on Cynthia Leitich Smith's news page today!

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2012/01/cynsational-news-giveaways_20.html

11 days to publication .... pre order available now :-)

Pre Order Hidden New Jersey

Toodles!

Hazel

How to make an ebook with Utales.com

2012-01-13T09:37:00.000-08:00

This week I made it to the always informative and interesting blog owned by Simon and Schuster illustrator Debbie Ohi. Debbie's new book 'I'm Bored' (by Michael Ian Black) will be published in Fall 2012.

In this post I talk about the process I used to create the retelling of the book 'THE UGLY DUCKLING' using Utales.com software.

Find out more here:

How to make an ebook with Utales.com

Thanks for dropping by!

Toodles

Hazel

Visit me on Facebook at

http://www.facebook.com/HazelMitchellSketchbook

How do I make a book trailer?

2012-01-12T11:41:00.000-08:00

This week I decided I would have a crack at making a book trailer for the release of 'HIDDEN NEW JERSEY'. How hard could it be, after all?

Check out the finished trailer on youtube ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuXJfjc-Dgo

Well, as it turned out, it wasn't too hard at all. So if your a beginner at this (like me) here's what I did.

I wanted a fast solution that wouldn't take me a lot of time.
Looking at what other author's and illustrators were doing I saw many use imovies. I am PC based, so I bought http://www.wondershare.com/pro/dvd-slideshow-builder-deluxe.html. Very reasonable and available online.

The help files are excellent and the software itself is very easy to navigate and make changes.

FIRST
I made a storyboard ... what did I want to say, which images did I want to use? As I'm the illustrator of the book, I had the image files on hand. If you don't then perhaps your publisher can help, or alternatively you could scan from the book.

Then I put together the 'text' images. (The program calls them slides). I used photoshop, but any program that lets you save as an image file will do. I saved everything as 300dpi RGB jpegs. Remember the text needs to be clear and legible to be read on small screens too. I used Garamond bold, one of my favorite typefaces. Classic and familiar. I wanted a clean look, not too cluttered and keep it professional looking. Tip: don't mix typefaces, two maximum. Use dark colours ... or reverse out on a dark, solid, background.

Here are a few of the slides ...

I also made a screen that gave all the copyright info and credit to the music at the end.

NEXT
OK, so I had all the slides and I loaded them into my slide show. I started to look at the effects I could add - pan, zoom, out, in, over and up! You can also fade in and out and flip and all that sort of thing. But to me that can make something look cheap and like a bad 70's wedding video.

So I kept it simple and in keeping with the illustrations, panning across (which makes it look like the slide is moving) and zooming in and out alternately on the images. When it came to the 'Hidden Objects' I wanted them to 'flick' through quicker.

It's very easy to change the duration that the image shows on the slideshow. Right click on the slide and set duration, in this case 1 sec per image. Most of the other slides are 2-6 sec.

THEN
It was getting pretty quiet. I needed music! And this can be an issue ... obviously you can't use any old tune - copyright rears it's head. So you either need to
a) compose your own. (I can play the tin whistle kinda sort of, but no time for this) or
b) find a piece of royalty free music.

Not as hard as you might think. Google search for 'license free' or 'public domain' music and all sorts of sites come up. Many musicians have lists of music you can use free (and yes on commercial projects too) as long as you give them credit and/or a small donation. $5 in the case of the toon I found from Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com. I listened to a lot of music, this was the must suitable (old time piano and simple). It sounded like someone on a happy journey, which is exactly what I wanted.

It's a cheery little number, but heck it's a killer after an hour or so. It's in 4 time, so I had a lot of fun setting the duration of the slides to the beat.

I watched the trailer many times, adjusted the time to make sure it could be read and the images looked at properly, but not so long that the viewer gets bored. The music is a minute long and I added the final image of the book so it all finished together.

SAVE
Then I saved the trailer as an MP4 file. You can save in many formats, this one is fine for posting on YOUTUBE.

BEFORE
I posted it online I ran it by the publisher (Charlesbridge in this case) to make sure the marketing department were happy. So much so, they are linking to it :-).

Then I opened Youtube, logged in (you need an account) and uploaded. You can add a description and most importantly TAGS that will direct search engines to your trailer.

Voila! Press and play!

Like I say ... it was fun. When your trailer is out there you can send it to all your friends and annoy the heck out of them! Seriously - it's a fab tool. Email it to your author (so she can annoy all her friends!). Post it on all your social networking sites, but most importantly of all (and I am already seeing results!) send it as a link in any emails to newspapers/schools/libraries/radio/tv ETC ETC ETC when you are doing publicity.

I'm looking forward to the next book trailer! I am already thinking about the bells and whistles you can add ... video clips, voice overs, interviews, animations. Wot a lot o' fun!

I'd love to see your favorite book trailers ... it will give me some ideas, drop a link in the comments.

Meanwhile - I hope this has been of help to the book-trailer-challenged.

TUNE IN NEXT WEEK FOR MORE ON MARKETING YOUR BOOK
OH! and there will be a New Year Giveaway!

Join the FB Hidden New Jersey page HERE

Toodles!

Hazel

On the bedside table this week:
Superfudge - Judy Blume (because I HAVE NEVER READ ANY JB!!)
Stuck - Oliver Jeffers (funny and excellent)
If you give a Dog a Donut - Laura Numeroff and Felica Bond (more cuteness from this formula)
Marcel the Shell - Jennifer Slate/Dan Fleischer Camp (wierd and yet memorable)
The Wildwood Chronicles - Colin Melo/Carson Ellis (didn't grab me)

Who won the Tomie de Paolo SCBWI 2012 Award?

2012-01-09T12:49:00.000-08:00

The news is out .. congrats to the winners ....

http://www.scbwi.org/Pages.aspx/2012-Winners

Now we can all breath again and get on with the week.

Toodles!
Hazel

Help kids with geography with a postcard!

2012-01-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

I think this is such a great idea I am asking if you will help:

An isolated library in Presque Isle, Northern Maine, USA is looking to help local children to appreciate geography. All you need is a postcard and a stamp!

Although they are hoping for postcards from USA, wouldn't be amazing if they got postcards from all over the world to help the local children with geography?

"The children's library is entering the New Year with a new project to explore geographic literacy and mapping....but WE NEED YOUR HELP! We'd love to receive postcards from where you are to post on our new wall map of the United States! In exchange, we'll document the project and post regular updates to let you see how things grow. :) Postcards can be purchased or made...just send them along to The Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library, 39 Second Street, Presque Isle, Maine 04769, USA. Thanks!!!"

Hope you will take part. Doesn't matter when you are reading this post ... no time limit.

Toodles!

Hazel

Entries for Tomie de Paolo SCBWI Award 2012

2012-01-02T10:03:00.000-08:00

Diandra Mae put together a FANTASTIC blog featuring some of the entries for the Tomie de Paolo SCWBI Award 2012.

See them here:

http://scbwicontest.blogspot.com/

Many thanks for Diandra for creating this!

Toodles

Hazel

New Year's Round up or - 'Wot happened to me in 2011'

2011-12-31T11:21:00.000-08:00

Here it is. 2011's retrospective.

It was a busy year full of work, friends and new things to think about.

Overall a good one. It had it's ups and downs ... but what is life without them?

The Numbers

8 books, 4 conferences, 7everal presentations and visits, 2 dogs said goodbye, 3 awards

and MANY new friends!

Some of the books that I worked on ....

Other images I created ....

Worked on some great projects ...

I did some presentations ...

I made new friends and met up with old ones ...

Was inspired ...

Got to go to some great places too.

And am still thankful I live in beautiful, affordable and safe Maine.

I had to say goodbye to two faithful friends.

And that was an exciting, exhausting, emotionally charged year.

2012 will be here in a little while. Outside the rain is icing. 'im indoors is snoring downstairs on the sofa. The woodstove could do with lighting. Where will we be by the end of twelve month? I'll let you know.

Thanks for visiting me here, 'along the right lines'. I appreciate everyone who has encouraged me, inspired me and kept my dream alive. Oh and paid me for illustrating. All the best and good things to you all at midnight.

Toodles

Hazel

(aka The Wacky Brit)

xox

Messy Martha

2011-12-29T06:20:00.000-08:00

In the last month I've been working on an educational project for http://Readinga-z.com. They produce printable PDF's for teachers around the world to use in their classrooms, which is a neat idea.

So sharing a skirmish of sketches from the project with you here ...

This was a fast turn around project, the kind of thing that keeps body and soul together whilst we work on our BIG and NOT YET COMMISSIONED books and I am very thankful to get work like this. And it's fun!

The images are inked with dipping pen and then coloured in photoshop.

Can you believe it is nearly 2012? I can't. This year has gone quickly ... and yet seems like an age since last January when I was preparing for the winter conference in NY with the SCBWI. I will not be going this year ... which is sad (I long to see all my buddies), but there are other conferences and workshops I want to do. And $$ are not bottomless.

Next post will be a retrospective look at the past year. Heck, you can't miss that! So join the blog, already!

Oh, I have a lot of postcards left from 2012 ... if you would like a bunch, send me a message at hazel-mitchell@hotmail.com.

Toodles

Hazel

On the bedside table:

Skellig - David Almond

The Flint Heart - Katherine Paterson, John Paterson, John Rocco

Tom's Tweet - Jill Esbaum and Dan Santat

Fancy Nancy Bonjour, Butterfly - Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser

The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse - Eric Carle

Heroes Activity Book

2011-12-28T13:50:00.000-08:00

I was more than pleased to volunteer some time and artwork to help with this great project.

Steve Russell of York, Maine put time and effort into producing an activity book for injured military personnel recuperating. There are lots of things to do: puzzles, colouring, interesting facts. Steve is an illustrator with the Technical Publications Team, at Natick Soldier Systems Center. He and his colleagues certainly possess the right skill sets. Russell thought they could take it a step further, however.

"We could throw something together a little more family-oriented," said Russell, "or something that would interest all ages. You can only color so much."

What began as an hour-long team-building exercise for the Technical Publications Team two years ago morphed into volume one of the "Heroes Activity Book," a 29-page, 11x17-inch publication filled with illustrations, word searches, other brain teasers and associated stories meant to entertain, challenge and occupy veterans and their families.

"It's designed to be lap-top friendly," Russell said. "The bottom line is things that are healing or healing in nature. Hats off, really, to the writers -- a lot of them put their time and creativity into it."

In addition to Russell and his team members, others also volunteered works.

"I deal with people from all types of fields," Russell said. "I actually recruited a few artists from the Maine Illustrators' Collective. Having to build a book takes more than what we had on the team. That's when I had to open it up."

Some 1,400 copies of the book were produced thanks to funding from Army Community Services at Natick. They are now being distributed free to local veterans' hospitals and other organizations that support Wounded Warriors.

"They're just now starting to get out there," Russell said. "Now we have something in hand. We'd like to see it be well received. I'd like to know how it affected people, too."

Russell pointed out that colleague Donna Leon played a big role in getting the book finished and into the hands of veterans.

"If something wasn't happening," said Russell, "she made it happen."

Leon said that Russell "was truly inspired to do something for our heroes and welcomed any other willing participants. I hope that others will want to participate, as well. We appreciate the enormous response from people here at the NSSC, as well as from those in other states"

"We thought that the activities could be a means to facilitate recovery," Leon continued. "This book contains activities to enhance motor skills, serve as a form of relaxation, aid memory, and to in some cases challenge thought process in other ways."

Now that the first book is complete, Russell said he hopes to make it an annual project.

"It's still evolving," Russell said. "I know there (are) other people in our community who might have some awesome ideas and even talent. If you can write it, I can illustrate it."

bravo Steve!

KID'S CORNER - MESSY MARTHA

2011-12-27T05:59:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to follow my blog so you will receive the latest Kid's Colouring Page. I will be posting regularly in the New Year.

Toodles!

Hazel

Advance Copy is a Nice Christmas Present!

2011-12-24T04:46:00.000-08:00

One of the best Christmas presents I can think of is getting an advance copy of a book you have worked on.
I wish for this every Christmas, please Santa.

Available on pre-order now!

That is all.

Toodles!
Hazel

Solstice and Stores

2011-12-22T11:05:00.000-08:00

Sounds like I'm going to say something profound about our capitalist society? No. You will have to go to an intelligent blog for THAT sort of thing.

Here's the Solstice bit:

My critters lazing in the last of the day's sun.

And here's the store bit:

Visiting Hanover B&N last week, found 'Autistic Kid' on the shelf. Always nice!

This week I find myself with FREE TIME. As in no projects on my board with deadlines - been a long time. I've thrown off the darn flu too. Time to pull out the dummies! First, some research into where to submit the math concept books. (Remember them?) Seems a truly long time since I did anything with them. They went out to a couple of publishers this year, but no bites ... that was single submissions. Now's the time to look at publishers interested in this subject and do a targeted submission, just a few at a time. Amazon is always handy for narrowing down subjects with their nifty search facility. And I use the CWIM handbook.

That will keep me out of mischief over Christmas.

Hope you have a peaceful season wherever you are and whatever you are doing. Me, I'm staying right here at home with 'im indoors, by the fire, with books and movies and season's eatings.

OH! If you haven't seen HUGO already what the heck are you waiting for? GO!!!!!!

Toodles
Hazel

Ont he bookshelf"

The Invention of Hugo Cabret - Brain Selznick
The Elements of Style - Strunk and White

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - Judi and Ron Barrett

Olivia Saves the Circus - Ian Falconer

KID'S COLOURING PAGE - Chicken Licken

2011-12-16T05:04:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to follow my blog so you will receive the latest Kid's Colouring Page. I will be posting regularly in the New Year.

Toodles!

Hazel

Tomie de Paolo Award 2012 - Chicken Licken

2011-12-16T04:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the deadline for the Tomie de Paolo SCBWI award 2012. The theme ... if you didn't guess already ... is the classic tale 'Chicken Licken'.
Here's what I did ...

First Sketch

Inked with hand dipping pen

First colouring ... didn't like colours

Final colouring in watercolour. I changed a couple of details in photoshop. If you look at the inked copy you will see I tweaked the shape of Turkey Lurkey's tail, the size of Henny Penny and removed some of the 'marks' on the road.

The piece took me a couple of days.

Wish me luck! The award is announced early January - the winner receives $1000 and all expenses paid to the SCBWI conference to NY in Spring. And as I haven't scheduled to be there this year, it would be sweeeet.

Whatever, it was a fun piece to do. Lately I seem to have been drawing a lot of fowl!

Toodles
Hazel

'Hidden New Jersey' on pre-order

2011-12-15T06:18:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the holidays! All those of you waiting for the search and seek book I illustrated for Charlesbridge's imprint 'Mackinac Island Press' can now pre-order!

If you would like to know more the press release is available here

This book is lots of fun with hidden images to find.Children in New Jersey will enjoy identifying areas they know and for children in other states it's a great way to learn about NJ.

I will be available for school visits and signings .. please contact me at hazel-mitchell@hotmail.com.

Toodles!

Hazel

Communicating

2011-12-06T06:33:00.000-08:00

I joke that when I go to another country where English is NOT the first language that I end up playing Pictionary to get my meaning across. I find I'm tempted to try the same thing here in the good 'ol USofA. For example: we bought a new (to us) car last weekend and it's registered in my name. Gah! Suddenly it's as if I start talking in tongues. 'Mitchell' I say and then 'MITCHELL'. 'And how are you spelling that?' they ask. On to the address. '4' I say. 'Huh?' 'FOUR!' (blank look) 'F-O-U-R'. (Shake of head.) I hold up 4 fingers and the bulb goes on. At least here in Maine they try to humour me. In South Carolina (where I used to live), they just walked away.

My job is all about communication ... so it's a good thing I am better at drawing and writing than speaking. (Although those of you who know me will no doubt chuckle. No smart comments please!)

The Tomie de Paolo competition this year is all about communication. The piece of text Tomie set is a passage from 'Chicken Licken' about the passing of information and rumour. In the piece all the birds are speaking at once, an interesting puzzle to portray. Well, I did me best and pressed send. Here's a sneak peek of 'Goosey Loosey'. Judging is early Jan 2012 and the winner gets all expenses to the SCBWI conference in New York. That would be nice!

Last week I visited my excellent local bookstore in Waterville, Maine, 'The Children's Bookseller' and caught up with Stephen Costanza who is promoting his latest release 'A Christmas Spider's Miracle'. Beautifully illustrations from this excellent artist. It's always fun to get out and meet fellow creators and have a good chinwag!

Back here in the studio I've been lighting the wood-fire regularly. The weather is chilly in the mornings and it's comforting to hear the snap and crackle of burning logs. Right now I'm finishing up an educational book for Reading A-Z and then it's back on to my own dummies. This isn't a great time to send out to publishers. I'll wait till after the holidays are all wrapped up (excuse pun) and then hit 'em with it.

Have been getting to grips with my ipad2. I haven't a smart phone so it's kind of a new animal to me. It's a little frustrating. Where IS everything? How do you get things, change things, add things? And delete things!! I ended up googling stuff online to find out, and although it would seem to be intuitive, you could be poking around forever trying how to work out how to delete an app. When I did find out, though, I very much appreciated the way all the icons shivered as if in anticipation - 'Who will it be? Will she send ME to the trashcan?' I finally sat down and fiddled with it for an hour or so last night and fathomed it out. Very happy to get my head around itunes and now have a full library of classics (FREE) to read ... soon I will also figure out how to get my portfolio on there. Sigh.

Well if you will excuse me have to communicate to 'im indoors that it is time to GET OUT OF BED. More from the world of The Wacky Brit soon.

Toodles!
Hazel

On the bedside table:
Inkheart - Cornelia Funke
On Writing - Stephen King

In stitches

2011-11-25T13:08:00.000-08:00

And I'm not talking about laughter but REAL stitches. On Nov 19th I attended NESCWBI Illustrator Day in Manchester, NH. The keynote speaker was Sally Mavor. I did'nt know Sally's work prior to the event .. and I was blown away by her creativity. You see, Sally STITCHES all her illustrations!

Her recent book is 'Pocketful of Posies', a celebration of nursery rhymes and poetry, it's equally popular with both children and adults.

Talk about patience ... it took 5 years to complete. I don't usually say BUY THIS BOOK. But BUY THIS BOOK!!

Sally handcrafts each element in the illustration and then puts them together as a 3D artwork which is then photographed for the book. Included in the details are found objects, often from nature. Just beautiful!

Do visit Sally's website and find out more about Sally and her beautiful work. Also see a fabulous movie here!

Other presenters included Carol Goldenberg Rosen (book designer) who gave an excellent presentation on book layout, highlighting books by clients such as David Weisner. Jennifer Marsh Morris and Carlyn Beccia gave an overview of Painter XII and Photoshop CS5 for digital painting .....

Some photos from the day ...

Anna Boll and Casey Girard - great organizers!

Casey and yours truly (I've had a horrible cold!)

Jennifer Marsh Morris - some great hints!!

Russ Cox and Casey Girard

The event was held at the NH Art Institute.

And then it was Thanksgiving. All plans for a dash to NH for dinner with family were thwarted by SNOW. So we stayed home, cuddled our puppies and ate rib-eye steaks. Yep, we saved a turkey.

Right now I am working on a PDF for an eductional publisher, so can't share sketches I'm afraid.

Next on my list is this year's entry for the Tomie de Paolo SCBWI award for NY conference in January. The theme is 'Chicken Licken'. So I had better get a move on with that as the deadline is Dec 15th.

I will leave you with a pic of snowy Maine on a sunny day ...

Toodles!

Hazel

On the bedside table ...

Pavement Chalk Artist - Julian Beever

Raucous Royals - Carlyn Beccia

'Time will come and take my love away' ... a visit with Ashley Bryan

2011-11-14T07:42:00.000-08:00

This weekend I was privileged to visit Ashley Bryan's house and studio on Cranberry Island, Maine.

How it came about is as follows ...

Back at the summer SCBWI conference in 2010, in LA, Ashley received the Golden Kite for his book 'Words to my Life's Song'. (Which I recommend you read if you haven't already). I was lucky enough to sit next to him during a keynote session and we had a good chat. I told him I lived in Maine and he invited me to his house on Cranberry Island to visit.

When I got home I printed out a photo of Ashley at the conference in LA during his keynote closing session - I stuck it next to my computer screen and I see it daily and hear his voice 'COURAGE!'

Then, earlier this summer, I met author/illustrator Stephen Costanza at a book signing and found that Ashley had been one of his early mentors. Although they had met many times, Steve had never visited Ashley ... so we decided it was time! Steve called Ashley and arranged the visit. On a blustery, grey day, we set off for Acadia State Park to catch the ferry to Cranberry Island.

Here we are - 2 very excited creators!

I say 'ferry' but in actuality it was just a little mail boat. Luckily neither of us suffer from sea sickness! The waves tossed the boat around mercilessly. It was loaded with supplies for the islanders (much beer and cider I noted), folks with dogs going about their every day business, tourists out for a breezy day and - we two looking forward to a visit of a lifetime.

The ferry called at a couple of little stops on the way. We scrambled ashore at our stop and hopped up on the dockside. Waiting for us was a lovely lady called Suzy ready to take us the short drive to Ashley's house. Suzy is quite a character and apart from helping Ashley with many administrative jobs and picking up his visitors, she creates wonderful soft bear sculptures and runs the island shop! She gave us an insight into island life and the kind of person who lives there year round. It's not for the faint hearted - and her advice - don't come to live on an island too early.

Ashley met us at his door. A typical island clapboard house surrounded by trees on a quiet street. His smile and energy enveloped us as soon as we got out of the car. I will try to give you an idea of what it is like to enter Ashley Bryan's house and world, but it's not easy.

Imagine what it was like for the lucky winners entering the world of Willy Wonka and you will have some inkling. From the road you can see that even the windows are crammed with exciting and wondrous things - toys - shells - bottles - glass - who knows what! And - then you enter.

First a porch filled with toys that children who visit are welcome to play with and have a good time. But once inside - a museum - an imaginarium - you find a man's creative mind turned inside out. A man who loves children and play and creation and craft and the whole physical world of artisan and artistry. You could look for days and weeks and years and still not see it all.

At first you are so consumed by the wealth of beauty around you that your eyes cannot rest and are darting from ceiling, to floor, to shelf, to table. But then there is Ashley and he is brighter and more interesting than anything else in his house! This power-house of creativity, humanity and love sat us down at his dining table and busied himself making tea in a black china pot, whilst urging us to nibble on the cheeses and crackers and dainties he had set out on the table for us.

Then followed a wonderful afternoon of exchange of ideas, thoughts and laughter, interspersed with forays around the beautiful rooms to view Ashley's collections and artwork. Both Steve and I were captivated by his incredible hand puppets, made from found objects mostly given up from the sea and collected on his beach walks.

This is but a small selection. The puppets live in one of Ashley's several extensions to his little house ... along with his sea glass stained window working area. And what a surprise that is! But more on that in a moment. The puppets grew to be a large collection and at one time Ashley told us that he would put on quite large shows involving several people. I do so wish I could have seen one of them!

Ashley also collects (and makes) marionettes. A sampling of those ....

Back to the sea-glass stained glass. You all know what sea glass is, right? Those odds and ends of glass bottles and containers rumbled and tumbled by the sea until they become treasure? Well, here is what Ashley makes with them:

Beautiful aren't they? As soon as I saw them I was transported back in time to York Minster in England (where I went to art college.) I would spend hours gazing at the Rose Window. And this is exactly the effect Ashley was looking for. Medieval windows, before they got too fancy and were about shape and colour and not so much of the painting. Both Steve and I were stunned. Ashley explained his process which can take a long time. Years on some of the large panels. The 'leading' is actually papier-mache, that is applied to both sides of the glass, in a frame, and when hardened he paints it over with black acrylic. Because, by nature, the glass is thick and mis-shapen the windows are very thick. No cutting is involved, as with stained glass. The perfect pieces of glass are needing to fit the windows, with the papier-mache giving form. I hope you can grasp some of the beauty here ... you can imagine the effect on a grey, November day.

During the afternoon, after more nibbles and talk, Ashley told us something of his philosophy of life. As an artist and as a human being. Much of this is set down in his biography - see above. All I can tell you is that this man has a great love for the earth and it's inhabitants. For humanity as a whole, expressed in his interest in native crafts and the themes that link the makers of beautiful things together unwittingly. To Ashley, everyone is an artist. Artists are not a race apart, or special. To appreciate is as much of an artistic offering as it is to create. Perhaps this is the thought I have taken away with me. A reminder that what ever I do in my humble way I am asking the viewer, or reader, to partake and evolve my thoughts.

Some of you will know and have heard the wonderful reading style of Ashley. If not ... here is a link .... - I encourage you to search for more of the links on Youtube for Ashley.

Somehow Ashley began to talk about the events of 9/11 (I think because we were talking about 11/11/11, the date we visited) and began to recite a sonnet by Shakespeare -

When I have seen by Time's fell hand defaced
The rich proud cost of outworn buried age;
When sometime lofty towers I see down-razed,
And brass eternal slave to mortal rage;
When I have seen the hungry ocean gain
Advantage on the kingdom of the shore,
And the firm soil win of the watery main,
Increasing store with loss, and loss with store;
When I have seen such interchange of state,
Or state itself confounded to decay;
Ruin hath taught me thus to ruminate
That Time will come and take my love away.
This thought is as a death which cannot choose
But weep to have that which it fears to lose.

I can only give you the words here and not the sense. Not the feeling of sitting in the peaceful surroundings of Ashley's Imaginarium and have his deep, soulful voice resonate for just we two. What a gift.

I was also honoured to have Ashley look over some of my work and give me a gentle crit. I know what I have to do ....

And I have not even touched on his art, on his books, on his paintings! Our last hour was spent in his studio, a light filled, more workmanlike place at the top of the house. He shared his 100's of sketchbooks and showed us plan chests filled with thousands of drawings and his spreads from his books. Canvas' lining the walls and easels set with paintings he will work on through the winter. A cornucopia of colourful flowers and trees, more reminiscent of the Caribbean than of an island in Maine. His writing desk, his 'yoga' - hundreds of small watercolours that he works on in his 'leisure' time. He was animated and excited showing us his creations.

Ashley Bryan is 88 now. And still his output of work, his travel schedule, the giving of his time to people and children, his work in Africa ... is tremendous. I could not but help thinking of my own studio, and when I returned it felt empty ... I am determined to produce more and to love what I create. Else, why do it?

All too soon the day had gone. Suzy collected us and put us back on the mailboat with the people and the dogs and the cats in baskets. We sat outside and watched Cranberry Island and that magical house and man disappear into the fog and mist of a late Maine, November evening. The mailboat tossed in the waves, soaking us. But we didn't care. We pulled our waterproofs tighter and reflected on a day that may have been the visit of a lifetime.

Time now extends away from this magical afternoon, and with time comes reflection, but it doesn't have to take the love away.

Thank you Ashley Bryan for giving of your time to us and to all the people and children you have reached out to.

Books for a Better Life

2011-11-07T07:16:00.000-08:00

Monday came round quick this week. (Only 6 days since the last one). Thanksgiving is thundering toward us totally out of control, no doubt bringing snow and Christmas in it's wake. I am looking at my things-I-want-to-do-before-the-end-of-the-year list, and wondering just how many are achievable.

High on my list is to send another publisher's mail-out. This time I have a postcard featuring my 'Dandelion Fairy'. I would love to work up a dummy around her adventures with her little bunny ... but I also have other dummies that need work - and they have been waiting a good while for some attention. So 'Dandelion Fairy' will be scribbled on a post it note and stuck up on the window frame with the other titles.

Let me know if you would like a postcard! Email your address to hazel-mitchell@hotmail.com .

Exciting news this week for Daniel Stefanski, Freespirit Publishing and the book I illustrated earlier this year 'How to Talk to an Autistic Kid.' It's a finalist in the relationship category of 'Books for a Better Life', an award sponsored by The Southern New York Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. The award ceremony is in March at The New York Times Centre. Very much hoping to go and hoping that the book wins! What an awesome thing this would be for Daniel Stefanski, who is 15 and suffers from autism. Fingers Crossed please.

The rest of this week is going to be busy. Putting to bed 'The Naughty Grandmother' for a private client, and working on an education pdf project for 'Reading A-Z'. Friday I am goign on an OUTING, but can't tell you where yet. Saturday I am doing signing at Pittsfield Library, Maine with 'All Star Cheerleaders: Tick Tock, Taylor.' Fun!

Let's hope my computer behaves ... complete rebuild this weekend, caused by a power unit failure and possible dodgy memory chip. I did, however, learn a valuable lesson when the power unit messed up my hard drive a couple of weeks ago ... now have a server I back up to every night. Thank goodness 'im indoors is a techie!

Toodles and thanks for popping in!

Hazel

On the bedside table:

The Story of Charlotte's Web - Michael Sims
A Ball for Daisy - Chris Raschka
Me ... Jane Patrick McDonnell
Pavement Chalk Artist - Julian Beever

And the winner is .... me!

2011-11-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

Look, when something nice happens, celebrate! Heaven knows, there is enough of the other in this world.
So here I am, with a big cheesy grin, with my ipad2. Mine courtesy of http://utales.com as prizewinner of their recent competition to recreate a classic tale as an ebook. And, if you've been following this saga, you will know that I did a new take on Hans Christian Andersen's wonderful 'Ugly Duckling'.

It was a lovely surprise - an ipad was way down my shopping list, so it's even better. It's a spiffy bit of kit, and I love it. Now, I've to work out how to use it ....

The big news (also) is that Utales launched on ipad/iphone Nov 2. You can trot along and see the ebook for yourself! Go to http://utales.com and register for a free trial. There are a lot of fabby books on there for kids. You'll love them too.

Maybe I will do another Hans Christian Andersen retelling .. watch this space.

Elsewhere in my world I have been bunking off. Me and 'im indoors caught a last-minute-cheapy-cruise from Boston to Bermuda a couple of weeks ago - fun. And limited internet! It was good for me. We managed to get a balcony room. Gorgeous to sit and gaze at the ocean, plus leave the door open at night and hear the sea swishing by. However, there was a force 7 gale on the way back, and it was a little windy - even for me. Here's a couple of pics from the trip ....

Morning Cuppa

Sunset

'im indoors and yours truly

Bermuda colours

Amazing tree

I DID do some work on the ship. (Norwegian Dawn if your interested). A rough layout for a PB dummy. And a total rewrite of synopsis and character sketches for a MG I started a year ago. Yes, yes, it's been a long time since you heard about THAT, but people, I've been busy!!

On a darker note TWO people died on the cruise. Oh my. And on the same night, not related at all. Funny to think of all that human drama in one big, steel teacup on the seas.

I DID like Bermuda. And you can buy sensible things, like Lucozade, Mars Bars, Fruit Pastilles and sausage rolls. So I did. And the street signs are correct and people drive on the proper side of the road. Very civilized indeed.

So then it was Halloween:

Meow!

When the tooth fairy goes bad

Zombie leg anyone?

How King's open wine Suess meets Batman

So that was Halloween.

And here we are in the middle of next week. I have been doing some work, I promise. Finished a book for a private client ... more on that soon .. here is one of the spreads ...

Next on the drawing board is an online PDF ebook for an educational company. No rest for the wicked!

Thanks for stopping by and looking at my crazy photos this week.

Toodles
Hazel

On the Bedside Table:
The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories by Dr. Seuss.
Picture Writing - Anastasia Suen

Interviews and ebooks

2011-10-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

I have had a BLOG BURB lately, due to the fact that time always runs out. )That time, always gadding off somewhere else.)

Lately I have been asked for my opinion for stuff. Bu stuff I mean children's illustration, something I am getting to know a bit about. It's a process of osmosis - from listening, reading, networking and living and breathing it. I am still impressed when someone asks me about it when I still feel such a newbie! (As I am). So, I dig into my archives and breath out the knowledge gleaned from the reading and talking and listening to those who have been doing it a lot better than me, for a longer time. And somehow it makes a bit of sense.

I was interviewed by a very nice art student from UMaine, in her final degree year. It was fun. Except. It was on video. GROAN. She wants to send me a DVD when it's finished. I think I probably won't watch it! I hope it helps her on her path to children's illustration, and I hope the pointers I gave her as to where to find the knowledge she needs, help. I know they helped me.

And then I find, every now and again, I get an email asking for advice from someone just getting going. I always write back and give what help I can. I am just paying forward all the excellent advice I have received in the last couple of years. That's one of the things I love about this industry ... people helping each other.

The last interview was AWESOMENESS. Bobbi Miller did a splendid blog article about VOICE interviewing LUMINARIES like Emma Dryden, Cheryl Klein, Eric Kimmel and Dianne de las Casas. And Bobbi asked ME about Voice in illustrating, which iilustrators usually term as STYLE. Thankfully I had just read a great article by Marla Frazee on just this subject, so ... I paid it forward. Check out the article here ...
http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/blog/radar/?p=558
Also check out Marla's website at http://www.marlafrazee.com/

.....................................

I am always a sucker for a competition. A while back I received an email from a start up ebook website called UTALES.COM. I heard that Dryden Books was working with them, so decided they were definitely worth checking out. The competition was to produce a retelling of a classic tale as an ebook. They just brought on board some cute animation and sound effects, so I gave it ago and retold 'The Ugly Duckling'. The deadline was 2 weeks! But I couldn't resist, (especially as the first prize is an ipad2 and I WANT ONE). Here's a few of the pages and drawings from the book ... as soon as it is available online (utales is waiting for a launch date from Apple) I'll let you know! And hope you will give it a go, because it's cute and there are lots of fun books available.

................................................

Winter's coming. Though Fall isn't over yet. The geese are on the move and the first frost is threatening. We could be in snow in a few weeks. But there are still some pretty days ahead. And who knows, it may not snow till Christmas this year.

Me, I'm taking a vacation with the hubby at the end of October, off to warmer climes for a while and for once I think I deserve it. I'll put off thinking about snow for a little longer.

Toodles till next time ... cross all your extremities for the ipad2 ...

Hazel

On the bedside table ... still working on the pile of books from the last blog.

KID'S COLOURING PAGE - THE UGLY DUCKLING

2011-09-22T13:02:00.000-07:00

This colouring/activity page is for you to print out and give to children - yours, someone else's or to use in a school or library. All I ask is that it is not used for commercial purposes. Simply click on the image and print for your children to colour.

Don't forget to follow my blog so you will receive the latest Kid's Page on a weekly basis.

Toodles!

Hazel

The Call of the Sea

2011-09-12T06:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday was beautiful. We had a deck roof to put on, grass to cut, a huge to do list. Blue sky, light breeze, no humidity. Perfect weather for projects!

"Let's go to the sea!" I said. So we did.

Much better than slaving away hammering and staining. We had all day Sunday to do that (which we did).

Playing hookie we scooted Down East to Schoodic Point, a beautiful, wild nature reserve about 1.5hrs drive. The backdrop view from this finger of Maine granite is Acadia National Park. The colours were breath taking. Bright cadmium reds in berrys and hips and haws thrown against viridian green leaves and the ultramarine and prussian of the sea. Surf bubbled and foamed throwing up spits of azure creaminess against grey granite and sparkling malachite rocks. Superb.

Sometimes you just have to obey your desires and GO.

All this beauty was, ofcourse, followed by a cracking fish and chip lunch. OK, not quite up to Yorkshire standards (what is?) but good enough.

This 'call of the sea' seems to be a pervading theme in y life this week. A sketch here from my sketch blog ...

The biggest 'call of the sea' is that we've made the decision (been coming on a long time) to begin the search for a place to live nearer the Maine coast. My hubby works in Belfast, Maine and has a daily commute of about 45mins one way over some beautiful, but very hilly, roads. In winter it can be treacherous and means over 2 hours or more travelling. We have lived in our current house (which we built ourselves) for seven years. It's longer than we imagined we'd stay here. Do I have the seven year itch? Undoubtedly. The 'Call' is strong.

Before I moved to America (2000) I always lived by the sea. I grew up in Scarborough, England, a beautiful fishing town. Then spent 6 years in the Royal Navy and 10 years after that in Portsmouth, England. Coming to America (first to SC) I felt extremely land locked. Although we are only 45 minutes drive from the sea right now ... it's just not the same. Heavens above, if I ever had to live in the Mid West!

That's what's on my mind a lot right now. This move. I am not looking forward to it. The disruption of work and routine. I will be sad to leave our little house, just when we have finished it - it took a while . But the restlessness I am feeling won't be satisfied and gets worse with each passing season, birthday and new year. Better to get the pain over with.! So ... realtors are alerted, their nostrils flared and twitching. Meantime, if you know anyone who would like to buy a sweet logsided house in a country area of Maine, send 'em along.

In between these thoughts of change of location and crashing waves, I would like to report that I have been HUGELY industrious, sent out dummies left, right and center and been sketching and writing like a demon. Unfortunately I would LIKE to report it, but it is not so. Since I finished the last set of chapter book illustrations and gave myself a bit of downtime it's been hard to get into a new routine. I have hopes that this week will be better and that new energy will come in. Finishing a project can be a huge anticlimax, and then ... wading through mud. So better not to force it I think. Let's see what I have to report in the next bloggy post.

Dogs need food, gotta go!

Toodles until next time
Hazel

On the bedside table:
Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes - Eric Litwin and James Dean
Skippyjon Jones Class Action - Judy Schachner
Several copies of The Horn Book