Happy Halloween!

CTNEXPO 2010

Its official! I will be in Burbank again this year for the CTNEXPO conference.

I have been asked to be part of a panel.

Animation Designers Who Illustrate and Vice Versa

Are you an illustrator and have been wondering if you should take your skill set into the world of animation design. Or maybe you are an animator or animation artist and have been wondering if you should take your skill set into the world of Children’s Book Illustration or art. What are the similarities and differences that these top artists who work both in animation and book illustration go through to create and stories visually.

Pretty cool. The panel will be moderated by the incredibly talented Carol Kieffer Police. Sitting on the panel are; Brain Ajar, Chris Appelhans, and myself. These folks are amazing so click on their names to check out their work or read about the discussion by clicking on this link;

http://www.CTNANIMATIONEXPO.com/animation-designers-who-illustrate-and-vice-versa/

If you are in the area....

Barrington Books’ Annual Children’s Books Authors & Illustrators Event is on Saturday, October 29th!

It’s a great tradition. Right before Halloween each year, Barrington Books gathers regional picture book, middle grade and young adult authors & illustrators for a festive day of book signings, crafts, costumes, treats and stories.

Event Schedule

10 am-12pm

• Jamie Michalak – Joe and Sparky, Superstars! Joe and Sparky Get New Wheels
• Alison Paul – The Crow; Sunday Love

12-2 pm

• Anika & Christopher Denise – Bella and Stella Come Home; Pigs Love Potatoes
• RW & Zoë Alley – There’s A Princess In The Palace; There’s A Wolf At The Door
• Willa Perlman – Goodnight, World; Pocket Kisses

* Spooky Story Hour will begin at 1 pm – costumes encouraged!

2-4 pm

• Pamela Lowell – Returnable Girl; Spotting for Nellie
• Liz McGrath – The Ghouls Come Haunting One by One
• Sarah L. Thomson – Mercy: The Last New England Vampire; Dragon’s Egg; The Dragon’s Son; Pirates, Ho! Three Cups of Tea (Young Reader’s Edition)

Wildwood (the book) inspired sketch

A quick sketch made this rainy morning while waiting for a phone meeting to start. If you, or your kid (reading level 8 years or older is my guess) has not yet read Wildwood by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis, you should.

Fall artwork at ETSY!

Finally unpacked this piece from Oliver Finds His Way. Available at ETSY!

Bella and Stella Go (went) to Washington

Clearly a past due update but still good news! I stole the post from my wife's (Anika Denise-author of many fine books for children) news section and may have added a comment or two.

Bella and Stella Come Home was chosen by the Rhode Island Center for the Book as the Rhode Island submission in the Pavilion of the States at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. (that took place) on September 24, 2011.

The book will be (was) on display in the Pavilion and included in the publication that will be (was) distributed by the Library of Congress. Recent Rhode Island authors that have had their books honored include Natalie Babbitt, Chris Van Allsburg, Kelly Eaton, Janet Taylor Lisle, Kim Newton Fusco and Mark Peter Hughes.

Chris and I are honored (still are) to be in such good company and delighted our book was chosen!

A glimpse of the process...

My publisher asked if we could put together some footage of the Tugg and Teeny work in progress. In the end, there just was not enough time but I did grab this quick photo of my workspace on that particular morning.

Thanks to all that have remained followers of the blog even without any updates in so many months. Lots happening, some good, some bad, and through it all the work and the books continue.

Lots of exciting news.

-It looks like I may be back at the CTN EXPO in Burbank this year and I may be more than an audience member. More about that when the details are confirmed.

-Tugg and Teeny #3 " That's What Friends Are For" by J. Patrick Lewis is done and I will post some images when I get the greenlight from the publisher.

-Tugg and Teeny #2 "Jungle Surprises"

published at the end of May and is doing great.

-I can also mention that I will be collaborating with Rosemary Wells on a project.

I will post the followups to earlier posts that were listed as part one as soon as I can!

Cheers,

Chris