The Art of Buttons & Beads

The Newest Cover

2011-11-24T13:27:00.001-05:00

The cover had to be reformatted with a slight size change-- technical stuff-- but the advantage was that we had an opportunity to tweak the appearance one last time (compare to the version seen here).

So-- what we did was to expand the artwork to the top and bottom edge of the cover and to remove the dark brown bands that had been there.

Hope you like it. Now we are just looking for a good quote from a printer and the books should be produced soon! Crossing fingers and toes.

Happy Thanksgiving.

A Brand New Cover

2011-11-09T09:19:00.000-05:00

As we near the print date for the book, a last-minute change of plan took place with a brand new cover as seen above...

Join the growing list of people who have already reserved copies of Buttons & Beads simply by contacting either author Gretchen or myself using the links in the side column.

Who was Wynonah? How did she live? What effect did she have on George Washington's life?

Get the book and learn all about the Lenape Indians who lived throughout much of present-day New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Manhattan, Maryland, and Delaware.

At print time (expected within a few weeks) we'll contact you with definite pricing (the book will cost twenty US dollars plus applicable sales tax and reasonable shipping fee), and we'll ask for your billing and shipping info at that time.

Your purchase will help contribute children's scholarship funds to Appel Farm Arts Camp!

The old cover

Nearing the End of the Journey

2011-11-04T10:41:00.003-04:00

Great news! Principal illustration for the entire book is finally done!

Pre-order the book by contacting the author or illustrator (in the side column) and let us know how many you need reserved. Cost will be about $20 (USD) plus tax and shipping. Sales benefit children's scholarships at Appel Farm Arts Camp.

It's been a long journey, not just for George and Wynonah but also for myself and Gretchen, the author. I've been working on the art since January. In that time lots of changes have happened to our plans-- hopefully producing the best possible art for our project.

I've changed too. I feel much more at ease tackling difficult artwork. My imagination has been stretched. I've also gained twenty pounds, grown a beard, and sprained a foot.

Once we're in print we'll get back to you with shipping and billing information and get you your books!

Have a great day!
--Zoungy, illustrator for Buttons & Beads: Lenape Princess Wynonah and the the Future President

Finished Two-Page Spread

2011-10-17T13:43:00.002-04:00

Here it is, folks. The finished "fire drum circle" drawing seen in previous posts like this one and this one.

It took quite some time to do. Then it underwent a bit of photographic magic to make it print-ready. See it in the context of a two-page spread below (what you see when you open the book, minus the text in this case).

Here I have combined Sassoonan's drum drawing with two others that were done separately: a small drawing of Wynonah's doll, which I imagined she might have picked up at Esther Harris' trading post as a gift. The doll resembles Esther. The text will wrap around this drawing. As a background I have used tea-stained paper.

On the right we see a dramatic vista. Wynonah, on her vision quest, looks down on the village from a high, windy bluff where she has been left to fend for herself as a rite of passage.

It took approximately three days to photograph, develop, color correct, and compile all the artwork into these images. In the coming days I'll share more as we lead up to publication! Enjoy.

(Early concept art on right)

Fire Drum Circle: Update

2011-10-07T19:36:00.002-04:00

This piece, first seen in this post, is still in progress. Since I first revealed it, I've darkened the background quite a bit which adds luminosity to the light foreground subjects. I've also used color opposites, a.k.a. complements, to further enhance the effect. In this case yellow-orange opposes blue-violet.

Yet to be done: modeling of the faces of Wynonah's parents and siblings.

Young Colonel George Washington

2011-10-05T00:44:00.000-04:00

This is the final artwork for the Colonel George Washington illustration. We see young Washington, aged 26, as he spots Wynonah for the first time, lowering his spyglass to see her with unaided eyes.

Much research was involved in the creation of this image-- from forensic analysis of his skull and scientific reconstructions of the younger version of him that we are unaccustomed to seeing-- to the buttons on his Virginia Regiment uniform. The spyglass is based on one he actually owned, which I saw in person while doing research at Mount Vernon.

A terrible mistake happened during the creation of the drawing in which his face turned purple after an application of solvent. Luckily this was fixed with some sanding and erasing. I hope you like the final result!

See one of many early concept sketches for this image here.

Memorable Night: Fire Drum Circle

2011-10-04T10:19:00.000-04:00

Here's a peek at color work in progress.

This image depicts Wynonah, her parents, and her younger brothers singing around a fire with Uncle Sassoonan. Old Sassoonan beats his deer hide drum. Wynonah shakes a turtle shell rattle.

The final image will be quite luminous with a dark, wooded background. It is being created with underlying washes of watercolor paint. Details are added with colored pencils.

I'm hoping to capture some of the atmosphere of life, music, and emotion that Wynonah and her family experienced that memorable night.

North of Kittatinny Blue Mountain

2011-10-02T09:30:00.001-04:00

This is just a teaser of some full color work I've been doing for the book. Unfortunately, I only have a black and white version right now.

Wondering what it looks like in color? Keep an eye open for this and more. The book will be on sale very soon. Want it earlier rather than later? Send us a note at wynonah.lives@gmail.com and we'll get back to you with sales information.

See the color concept art for this piece here.

The Creative Zone

2011-07-28T09:41:00.004-04:00

At this point in the creative process I find myself at a precipice: much art has been done; some remains (mostly color art).

I've had the fortune of working in a mostly safe environment where I can tap into that evasive "Creative Zone." In order to stay there and focus I'm taking a pause, not from working, but from posting!

The project is on track; Keep a sharp eye; we'll be back in the coming weeks with something spectacular.

In the meantime reserve Buttons & Beads simply by writing to us at

wynonah.lives@gmail.com

Express your interest or pose your question. We'll get back to you!

The Last Ones to Leave

2011-07-26T14:57:00.002-04:00

In our last post we saw a happy village scene centered around Wynonah's home life in Shamokin, Pennsylvania (present day Sunbury).

Today's image shows its counterpoint. Wynonah, her mother, and Shshash are leaving their home in Shamokin (along with the rest of the family) and re-locating to the Kuskuskies in western Pennsylvania.

It is a rainy day. Wynonah's dog is somewhat confused as to where they are going. Every belonging that the family can carry is packed up on their backs. Shshash uses arm straps. Wynonah uses a tumpline.

Full width art will span two pages

This small band, to my mind, has a somewhat sentimental attachment to the little wigwam and village. As such they are the last ones to leave. This has been possibly my favorite picture to draw so far.

Lenape Village Scene: Shamokin

2011-07-22T10:17:00.010-04:00

This has been one of my favorite drawings to do so far-- an American Indian village in the summer of 1749.

Specifically it is Shamokin, Pennsylvania, along the Susquehanna River (now Sunbury, and not to be confused with present-day Shamokin). Shamokin was a village of American Indians from various displaced tribes, including Lenape.

This image represents a high point in Wynonah's young life. She is newly married, and her husband Shshash has built them a wigwam near the longhouse where Wynonah's parents live. Wynonah's first child-- a daughter-- is swaddled on a cradle board and held by Wynonah's mother. A second child is on the way.

We see that Wynonah's mother has come over to help with the cooking and babysitting, and has paused in her task to get Wynonah from the garden to welcome Shshash, just returning from a successful fishing trip. Some fish are already drying on racks.

The full width artwork. Text will appear along the top

Wynonah's dog does not appear in the text but I have invented her for several of the pictures-- she greets Shshash with a happy wag. In my research I learned that the Lenape dogs, now extinct, could howl like wolves; also sometimes they are found buried alongside their masters. I came across a Lenape story, too, called something like "How the Dog Was Allowed to Come into the House."

Based on these facts I surmised that Wynonah might have a dog and that the relationship between human and canine would be a warm one.

BONUS: Preview this art together with the story text right here.

Anatomy of a Drawing: Fort Duquesne

2011-07-11T23:00:00.011-04:00

Today's post is a little longer than usual-- this drawing took a week to do, and I thought I'd offer a more in-depth look at the process involved.

I've broken it into parts for easier reading: Part One (Inspiration), Part Two (Research), Part Three (Acting Out), Part Four (Putting It All Together).

Lots of good stuff here if you want a real "behind the scenes look." Forts, landscapes, costumes, acting! Read on!

PART ONE: Inspiration

So, way back in January I began by reading Gretchen's text, and considering what to draw in the approximately 5 X 8 inch space offered me on the page.

[Tamaqua's] rough hand scooped ground corn from [the] clay vessel. Gold meal seeped between fingers of his powerful fist. From this passage I sketched the first idea-- Tamaqua's clenched fist (right).

But another passage suggested an alternate image: four Lenape Indians looking down on Fort Duquesne from a high bluff. Shingas, Tamaqua, Wynonah and Shshash 'drew nigh the place where the engagement happened' The author and I both agreed the fort was a better option.

The 'engagement' was the Battle of Monogahela, a.k.a. Braddock's Defeat, near the forks of the Ohio River and modern day Pittsburgh, PA.

So the imagery was decided. The next arduous task was to research all these things-- what did the landscape of the battle look like? How was the fort built? What did the Indians wear?

Months of research would ensue. Seasons would shift, literally.

PART TWO: Research

One of the first things I learned was that the battle did not take place near the fort at all, but rather in the forest ten miles to the east.

I wanted to keep the original idea while remaining true to history-- more on that later.

One of the most complicated things to do was to search through old records and imagery and to reconstruct my own version of the fort for reference.

I did this using 3D computer software as seen in the color image to the right. The 3D construction allowed me to study and understand Fort Duquesne from all angles.

Google Earth was very useful in helping me visualize the fort in its original landscape context.

Second-to-last practice sketch of fort: this is exactly how I will draw the final. Sort of.

Another major task was getting the costumes of the Indians right. I wanted to avoid the common mistake of portraying Eastern Woodland Indians as Plains Indians (with large feather headdresses, etc.)

The final costumes are based on what I learned from various books and online resources.

The Lenape in 1750s America are wearing items which blend American Indian tradition with English and European influences. Some clothing is made of buckskin, other pieces from traded cloth. Shingas wears a colonial waistcoat.

Metal jewelry appears on several of the figures. The men carry hunting bags or bandoliers. Wynonah, the healer, has a medicine bag attached to her sash.

Wynonah wears her hair in a bun behind her neck; Uncle Shingas and Father Tamaqua wear theirs in an older style for men, shaven from the forehead to the crown and pulled back. Young Shshash simply ties his in a tail.

All these things were researched and drawn out in great detail before being simplified for the final drawing. Why? It is possible to abstract something only once you understand it fully. Otherwise, as an artist, you are "working blind!"

Researched details were recorded in sketch form which do not appear in the final image

So once I had a good understanding of the landscape, the fort, and the clothing of the characters, I had to do some acting. I had to get into the characters' heads... what could they be doing besides just standing there?

PART THREE: Acting Out

I tried several rough sketches with the result the same: characters just standing there. So I consulted the text again and found inspiration in two passages:

“Sun cuts slanting arrows through Clouds,” remarked a somber Tamaqua. “It will draw Rain to wash blood from soil.”

and

“No savage should inherit land!” Braddock stormed. Shingas slashed the air with his fist. “If we have no liberty to live on the land, we will not fight!

So, say you are Shingas. You've just gone on a diplomatic mission to offer aid to the English against the French and to secure land for your people in return.

You even put on your best English waistcoat.

How does it go? Not well. The British commander calls you a savage and says he doesn't need your help (wrong, by the way).

What might you be thinking?

I decided to portray Shingas apart from the group, head hanging low, brooding, pondering his next move.

Brother Tamaqua on the other hand has become philosophical, and has chosen to take the sun rays as a sign of hope or peace during this setback. Wynonah and Shshash are attentive, looking in the direction of Tamaqua's gesture.

Tamaqua points out the sun rays which will draw rain to wash blood

In this version Wynonah points while Tamaqua smokes

Some "pointing" gesture drawings

In the end I had to make sure not only to have each character in character but also to have each silhouette expressive of their state of mind. Lastly all four bodies, taken together, had to make a composition pleasing to the eye.

I came up with this:

Why are they naked? And why are artists always drawing naked people? These are questions that commonly pop into the minds of non-artists. The answer is simple: clothing reacts to what's under it. Sure, I know what clothing each character will wear-- but how will that clothing hang on bodies in these poses?

The correct approach is to draw the body first, then drape it, which is exactly what I did.

Incidentally the figures were drawn from this great website which allows artists to study human anatomy in three dimensions. Much less awkward than asking friends to pose in their underwear!

The next step was to take the costumes, which until now I'd drawn only in a very flat "paper doll" fashion, and apply them to the figures. I simply placed tracing paper over the figures I'd drawn and clothed them.

Shingas, Wynonah, Shshash, and Tamaqua in clothing with both European and traditional American influences

PART FOUR: Putting It All Together

Alright, so I know how everyone is posed and clothed: I know what the landscape looks like in which they stand, and I can see the fort that they can see, almost as well as they can see it. Am I done? Not quite.

It is now time for the elusive "compositional" skills to come to work. How do I make all these ingredients-- people, fort, setting, mood-- "sing" nicely together?

I know that I want a vastness of space to be apparent. Contrast might help me accomplish that task, with things nearby being darker and contrasty, and receding things like mountains to be pale and low contrast.

Value study: reminds me what to keep light, and what to make dark

I know also that I want the figures to be "readable" in silhouette without distraction. Maybe it will be good to have a large, pale, empty space behind them-- the river? The river reflecting sun would allow for whiter paper.

I know that I want sun beams (the ones Tamaqua is pointing out)-- this works well with the date (July 9, 1755)-- a humid July day in Pennsylvania would make nice sun beams. I also know that the beams must radiate from a single point (the sun).

OK, so that means I should position the sun above the river to cause a light reflection behind the characters-- and the beams must radiate from the same spot. Since people read left to right it makes sense to make the beams radiate the same way. Also this causes Tamaqua to point eastward-- and he, like the beams themselves, points in the direction of the battle (I told you I'd come back to that!) which is ten miles off the right edge of the paper.

This is all working nicely... time to begin the final drawing. I guess you know what happens from this point onward-- pencils, paper, erasers, lots and lots of hours spent at the drawing board, tweaking things, and trying to remain true to all those sketches-- are the costumes right? Is the sky light enough? Are the shadows deep enough? Do the gestures "read"?

I hope so.

One last point-- keep in mind that all this work contributes to only one single illustration-- and there are forty pages to illustrate! This gives some idea of the behemoth task of illustrating Buttons & Beads. Many Duquesne sketches were omitted from this post as well.

If you've read this far you are a trooper-- like me! Thanks and have a good day. And buy the book once we announce purchase information, for goodness sake.

BONUS SECTION: More Sketches

This sketch, drawn directly on the manuscript, was useful in gauging sizes of things

How far was Ft. Duquesne from the rivers? About this far.

Fort layout. Also a note about what lies beyond: corn fields, forest, and bark cabins for soldiers

Bark cabin-- appears as a speck in the drawing. Ottawas, Ojibwas, and Potowatomis (French allies) lived in various kinds of housing outside of the fort.

Ojibwa style tent

Studying sun beams from my own yard

*Fort Duquesne location at it appears today

Shingas the Terrible / Kittanning

2011-07-05T19:21:00.002-04:00

Buttons & Beads is a story about friendship and shared goals, although it does also chronicle the troubling events leading up to the French and Indian War.

The Indian town of Kittanning, Pennsylvania, was burned to the ground by settlers; Wynonah's own uncle Shingas led strikes against English settlers by destroying food supplies and farms.

The burning home seen here could easily have been part of the Indian settlements like Kittanning, which, with small stone or log homes and flowered window boxes might have been mistaken for English towns; or it could be an English farm burnt by Shingas. The interpretation is up to the viewer.

See early sketches below and at this link.

First stage of creating the image-- toned paper with the buildings sketched in

Later I began darkening with a pencil and lightening with an eraser

Almost done. Buildings based on period structures in Berks County, PA

"Miles Fell Behind"

2011-06-28T18:49:00.011-04:00

Detail of illustration (nearly done) for pages 28-29

Details of their journey blurred in George’s memory.

Changes of exhausted horses . . . Maehhumund emerging from dense forests with supply-laden natives . . . warming fires, prepared food . . . travel through water and wind gaps. George, at times in stuporous slumber, progressed northeast day and night. By his side rode the erect Lenape squaw, black hair rolled at her nape, a sacred bundle of bones across her saddleless horse. [Excerpt from "Buttons & Beads" -- text by Gretchen E. Hardy]

The full panoramic image will span two pages. Finished art is 28 inches wide

This early thumbnail sketch is only about two inches wide

Fort Lebanon by Night

2011-06-18T13:05:00.002-04:00

This drawing shows George Washington and Wynonah approaching Fort Lebanon in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, one cold night in December 1758. The fort is found empty.

The drawing will act as one half of the back endsheet of the book. The page on which it appears will actually be glued to the inside of the back cover.

This drawing took a few days to do, mostly because of pencil layering required to create a darker scene.

Fort Lebanon in Progress

2011-06-17T11:50:00.003-04:00

Washington and Wynonah on horseback survey the abandoned Fort Lebanon by the light of a candle lantern.

This image is a detail of the back endpaper in progress. The entirety of the fort appears in the full drawing.

It is difficult to create the look of darkness in a way that can still be read, but I'm having some success with this so far.

The figures in this drawing are about three-quarters of an inch tall.

Completed Schuylkill County Map

2011-06-15T12:19:00.002-04:00

With the practice of the Pennsylvania regional map under my belt I completed the Schuylkill County map in just one day (it's also much less complex).

This map details the area where George and Wynonah brought Uncle Sassoonan's bones to rest, somewhere north of the endless hill Kittatinny Blue Mountain.

The image, along with a bird's eye view of Fort Lebanon, will comprise the back endsheet of the book.

First Finished Art: Front Endsheet

2011-06-12T14:53:00.097-04:00

Today is a momentous day! Why? Because the first piece of final artwork has been finished for Buttons & Beads!

Days of preparation, hours of research, many, many sketches, and a single, 24-hour marathon session of drawing have yielded the art seen here.

The front endsheet includes Wynonah's family tree and a regional map for reference, including all places mentioned in the text.

This sketch was used to plan the final colors

Both have been made with the 18th century in mind. The tree was inspired by one I saw at Mount Vernon; the map by the Mitchell Map and maps of that era.

Materials used include a full range of hard to soft graphite pencils, opaque watercolors, sepia ink, natural sponges, colored pencils, kneaded erasers, white plastic erasers, ordinary pink erasers, masking fluid, and a blending stump.

See sketches for this particular project here, here, and below.

Finished endsheet artwork. Between three and ten layers of paint were applied

Detailed family tree practice version done before the final artwork

Final map artwork showing story locations. Lettering was done by hand.

Wigwam sketches. More detailed than those appearing in the final art

Final art: The Lenape village beneath the family tree. Doors are east-facing, waiting to receive the sun in the misty predawn hours.

Lenape Royal Family Tree

2011-06-02T13:30:00.001-04:00

Here are some experiments with the Lenape family tree that will appear on the front end paper of the book. The tree will be an approximation of a large old elm. The family names and dates will appear on flowing bands.

Early sketch showing a Lenape village by the tree

Experimenting with a busier, leafier shape

Pencil practice to achieve foliage texture

Colors for George

2011-05-19T01:30:00.003-04:00

Here's a concept sketch showing how George Washington might appear in color. I've sketched this same page probably six times already and it's finally shaping up into something I like. This is not the final image.

The uniform is his colonel's uniform in the Virginia Regiment. Keeping the color scheme in the red-white-blue range we get hints of historic events yet to come.

The spyglass (based on one of Washington's own spyglasses) plays an important role in the story.

George and Wynonah Campfire Colors

2011-05-16T15:21:00.004-04:00

I have been experimenting with the two illustrations involving campfires-- basically trying to create a unique identity and feel for each one, even though both involve people sitting by campfires.

One depicts Wynonah as a little girl listening to old Uncle Sassoonan tell stories by the fire (see that sketch here), and the second shows Wynonah as a woman, breakfasting with her new friend Colonel Washington.

The above sketch is for the second of the two-- a preliminary - exploratory - experimental sketch showing our heroes by the fireside on the Schuylkill River.

The Sassoonan sketch expresses firelight with warm earth tones, giving a nostalgic feeling. The Washington-Wynonah sketch will use a more contrasting and yet harmonious palette, indicative of the bond between two dissimilar people, and the excitement of a forming friendship.

Storytelling With Sassoonan

2011-05-13T13:41:00.000-04:00

The Sassoonan sketches that appeared in earlier posts were made for one purpose: to help me envision Sassoonan's appearance on page 8 of the book. In that scene, family members gather around the fire to share stories.

The image above helps me place Sassoonan's face in a context of other people, under certain lighting conditions.

Sassoonan Version Five

2011-05-09T17:23:00.000-04:00

Here we have the same sketch seen in versions three and four, but re-worked. I used a Q-tip with some alcohol to smooth the color, and emphasized the masculine features more, including more prominent chin, cheekbones, and brow ridge.

Sassoonan Version Four

2011-05-09T12:08:00.002-04:00

This sketch is actually the same sketch seen in the last post, but the complementary colors (yellow and violet) have been blended and layered more to add depth and warmth. Also, black and umber colors have been added to create greater contrast. A colorless blender has been used to smooth color by filling in the white depressions caused by the paper texture.

Sassoonan's face is a challenge-- combining lighting environment, character, and many wrinkles. Click on the "Sassoonan" link at the foot of this post to see the many incarnations of this face. I find that no matter how much I think I know, drawing is still always a learning process.

Read below for more information on version three, which is really the "under-painting" of the version four drawing:

Version Three (left) of Sassoonan's face more closely follows the original color scheme I devised in the thumbnail sketch-- purple and yellow are spectral opposites, and the use of the two creates a luminous effect.

This sketch was drawn from life-- I piled up a length of red plastic "Chinese lantern" decorative lights, plugged them in, and blocked light to the room with heavy cloth.

Looking in a mirror, I imitated the behavior of the light on my own face, and altered my appearance to that of Sassoonan's.

Again this is a practice run. Many trials are necessary to have the feel right in the final image, particularly for faces like this. The expression is kindly, and I count that as one success, but the light from version two (last post) has elements I prefer, particularly the warmer palette.

Maybe in version four I will be able to combine these qualities.

Sassoonan's Face: Second Attempt

2011-05-07T13:28:00.000-04:00

Here is my second rough attempt to draw Sassoonan's face. It's actually a re-worked version of the drawing seen in the last post. I've darkened it quite a bit-- allowing the fire below his face to cast shadows more assertively on the upper parts. Also I've attempted to age him more, and to remove the "startled" look. Drawing people is quite challenging!