Firefly Hollow-WIP

A sneak peak of the current project! See my post from December 2nd to see a screen shot of this piece in an earlier stage. Blogger still seems to be automatically auto correcting the color. If you are interested, the color looks more accurate on my professional Facebook page-Christopher Denise Illustrator.

Firefly Hollow work.

Different approach with this book. Working up the drawings in charcoal (digital) and layering in color. The designer and I were looking for a jewel tone range of soft colors. Takes a fair amount of restraint not to just rush in and try to paint over things but seems to be working!

Perhaps little updates are better?

I have been updating my professional facebook page, Christopher Denise Illustrator, but keep putting off updating my blog so I may try a new approach.
I had been posting some sketches and there seems to be some interest in process. I had been thinking about a longer post on the delights of drawing in my digital charcoal space but it may be some time before I get around to it. I think Ill just let out little bits here and there and go back later (summer 2015 probably) and sum up some thoughts.
In any event, I have found myself drawn back into a world of miniatures. It takes a certain mindset to stay in the right place and I have been helped along by the music of Jonsi and Alex-specifically Riceboy Sleeps. The duo are best known for their amazing work as Sigor Ros. 
So today I put on the headphones again and begin working up this aerial nighttime drawing. It be painted up in the next day or two. Here is a little detail.  I can't share full pieces just yet. If you guys like it...maybe I can try to check in once a week and show little glimpses and let you know what I am listening to.

Limited edition print available!

Happy Friday from my friends at Tiny Showcase!
Gallery Night (featuring Providence, RI) print now available. Limited edition of only 100.
http://tinyshowcase.com/artwork.php?id=2292

Autumns final day at Redwall Abbey

Autumn at Redwall Abbey

A little autumn for The Redwall fans.
When I began work on A Redwall Winters Tale, I created a series of very small thumbnail sketches immediately after my first read through. This image came directly from one of those sketches. 
I have included a jpeg of the image as it appears in the book with Brian's wonderful poem. I remember that he read that poem to me over the phone and I knew what he wanted-how he wanted the piece to feel. I think it came from a shared appreciation of this particular time of day and season.
The Thistledown troupe and stray travelers of Mossflower are making their inside the gates of Redwall Abbey where the lanterns are lit and the fires are already burning. The warmth and smell of cooking welcomes the weary travelers inside as the light slips up the mighty walls and great bell tower. 
This original art is currently available, though probably not for long, at my Etsy shop.

Its Fall-time for Oliver.

I've stretched out the summer to the last warm beach day but alas...its Fall. I do actually enjoy the season and had a chance to indulge my love for this time of year in New England a few years ago while illustrating Oliver Finds his Way by Phyllis Root. The board book is still available at your favorite independent bookstore. Visit my site, http://www.christopherdenise.com, for quick links to purchase past titles.

Baking Day Birthday!

It's officially Baking Day at Grandma's. Move the furniture and start the music! 

Our new book releases today! Many thanks to all the folks at Philomel Books and, of course my wonderful collaborator- Anika Denise!

Learn more about Baking Day at Grandma's and check out the free downloadable goodies at 

www.anikadenise.com

Two new listings of original Redwall Art now available at my ETSY shop!

New listings-check them out!

 https://www.etsy.com/shop/christopherdenise?ref=listing-shop-header-item-count

Baking Day at Grandma's Book Trailer!

Check out the trailer for my new book!

Save the date! Baking Day At Grandma's book release party!

Join us for an afternoon of fun and have your book signed by both the author and illustrator!

http://www.northshire.com/event/saratoga-kids-anika-and-christopher-denise-baking-day-grandmas

Original Redwall art available at my ETSY shop today!

          This large pastel painting was one of the first that I created while illustrating The Great Redwall Feast (Philomel Books, 1996). I remember trying to create a sense of discovery, much as we do when reading Brian's first Redwall novel. Tucked into Mossflower woods on two sides, the meadow and the great road on the others, we see Redwall for the first time! This book and image pre-date the animated series by several years. This view of Redwall would be from the south. This small party of woodland characters is probably returning from St. Ninian's. 

       The finished art area measures approximately 13 inches x 16 inches, roughly 133% larger than the reproduction in the book.

See the listing at:https://www.etsy.com/listing/67279767/discover-redwall-abbey?ref=listing-shop-header-0

Baking Day at Grandma's review in Kirkus!

KIRKUS REVIEW

A rollicking, rhyming salute to the grandmother-grandchild bond.

Three independent, bundled-up young bears set off across the snow and past the pond for Grandma’s cottage, all smiles, as “It’s baking day at Grandma’s!” Everything at Grandma’s house—from the fire and old-fashioned stove and Victrola to her pink shawl and the woodsy cabin decor—points to coziness and love....

Read the rest here:

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/anika-denise/baking-day-at-grandmas/

Sleepytime Me, new art-the back cover that never was.

Final cover for Sleepytime Me by Edith Hope Fine

The cover for my most recent book, Sleepytime Me by Edith Hope Fine, came together very quickly. Those of you who are in the business picture books know this is a rare occurrence. We all loved the image of the house and wanted to stay with that theme. I could have done a wrap but was enjoying painting the images so much that I wanted to produce another piece of art. I was so excited when I had the idea of painting the same scene after the kid went to bed and the moonlight and stars had shifted that I went ahead and painted it. I loved painting the moonlight on the leaves and having it dapple over the house. Sadly, the art was never used but the incredible designer I worked with, Jan Gerardi, came up with a wonderfully elegant solution. Her design was beautiful but even with that we almost had the cover changed on us at the eleventh hour. Fortunately, we were able to compromise and meet the needs of the marketing department by zooming in on the house and character. For fans of the book, here is a look at never before seen art! Which one do you like?

Original cover art ©2014 Christopher Denise. I remember stargazing from the bedroom.

Original back cover art ©2014 Christopher Denise. ".ooo..what a little moonlight can do..."

How it might have looked...

My proposal

Jan Gerardi's design. I loved working with Jan! Love her type on this version.

My new book is now available!

Help spread the word by sharing this postcard!

Children's Book Week

I will be celebrating Children's Book week with a fantastic crew of super nice and incredibly talented folks. Join me, Adam Lehrhaupt, Jamie Michalak, Anika Denise, Mary Jane Begin, Zoe B. Alley and Melissa Guion at Barrington Books. Join us for an after school kick off party on Monday, May 12th, 3-5pm.  Readings, book signings, drawing-demos, prizes, cupcakes and more!

Interview at All Creativelike

I was so happy to be interviewed by Leigh Medeiros at All Creativelike. I have worked with Leigh as a consultant and she is fantastic. I highly recommend that you check out All Creativelike and the many ways that Leigh works with artists. Coaching, products for artists, Retreats & Workshops, Classes, Research/Story Notes-she does it all. Subscribe to her blog to see the many way that she works with creative people and be sure to read the testimonials-she is the real deal.

read the rest here: http://allcreativelike.com/2014/04/17/all-creativelike-an-interview-with-illustrator-christopher-denise/

Illustrator Saturday

A big thank THANK YOU to Kathy Temean for asking me to be a part of Illustrator Saturday! Lots of information and some process images. Click on the link below to read the full interview. As Neil Gaiman says, "WARNING:Contains me" 

http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2014/04/12/illustrator-saturday-christopher-denise/

This is so cool. I am a huge Wes Anderson fan.

This post is so great-the palettes and screen shots are amazing.

http://wesandersonpalettes.tumblr.com/

Follow them here: https://www.tumblr.com/register/follow/wesandersonpalettes/2

Bookmaps and Storyboards using Photoshop. Part 1-Why digital tools?

In January I gave a series of talk at Kindling Words east and can now share a bit of what I talked about during the breakout sessions with the illustrators. May 27th will mark the release date of Sleepytime Me by Edith Fine, my next book with Random house so it best to focus on this title for this series of posts.

First I need to address the question of why I am using digital tools. Not for myself, but because I am asked...all the time. Technique and materials are really of little interest to me. Photoshop is a tool. Pastels and charcoal are tools. I am more interested in what you create with them. However, the question is always in the air so I will give you the cliff notes version of my thinking on the debate.


I started using photoshop when I began work as a visual development artist working on animated films and have found the program to be an invaluable tool in my book production work. First a quick note to all the skeptics who ask: "Don't you miss traditional materials?"Quick answer: No. While there is a learning curve, I have been able to customize my tools to create a process that not only replicates my traditional technique but removes many of the limitations of working in pastel and acrylic. Here are two examples of work. The one on the left is from my pastel work on the Redwall  picture books, the image on the right is a detail from my book due out at the end of August 2014,  Baking Day at Grandma's by Anika Denise. The image on the right was created using only digital tools.

I am impatient with my art. I work best when I can act and react. With digital tools changing the piece as it begins to emerge is far easier and I can get to the fun stuff faster. The goal is not necessarily to shorten the production time, though in this day  of ever tightening deadlines and shrinking advances this is clearly a very good byproduct. The goal is to get as much of original inspiration down on the page as possible. With digital tools, I can cut right to the chase and then have the flexibility to edit, change, and repaint the piece to suit the needs of the entire book.

In the next post I will focus on the previously time consuming process of creating a bookmap with Photoshop.

"Summer Nightsong" from "If I Could"

A few years ago I was asked to create illustrations for a lovely poem/story called "If I Could" by Susan Milord. The story had few details and once again my art director at Candlewick press gave me the freedom and support to produce a series of images that were personal and captured those special moments shared by a little one and his/her parent or grandparent. I loved this project and brought so much of my personal experiences to the finished art. The beach is the one just down the street from the studio and yes, I have bundled up in a blanket with my own kids and watched the stars!
This original painting was just posted at my ETSY shop. 

Large format print is now available through my ETSY shop!

I am often asked about prints of my work but have been reluctant to partner with a printer. Finding a press that could offer the quality and consistency that I was looking for was a challenge. I am happy to announce that we finally have a print available for purchase! I teamed up with the incredible folks at Tiny Showcase to produce a gorgeous limited edition print from my much loved book, "Me With You". All of the artwork for this book was produced digitally so this is the first time that any of it is available for purchase.
This large print edition measures roughly 21.25" wide by 13.25" tall. Each print ships with a corresponding certificate of authenticity. The archival artwork has been printed on a heavy 290gsm natural white printmaking paper made from 90% bamboo fibers and 10% cotton.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/182165427/beautiful-archival-print-from-the?ref=listing-shop-header-0

Edmund Dulac

There are certain images that have inspired me over the years for any number of reasons: storytelling, color, technique, composition, feeling, drawing, etc. Usually some combination of theses elements keeps me coming back to a given piece of work again and again.
If one of these pieces has inspired you-let me know!

New website is now live!

Please stop by the new site and let me know what you think!

same address: www.christopherdenise.com but you might want to empty your cache.

I will add a few more pages for sketches and Press materials soon!

Working a few nights on the new website-should be up soon!

from Sleepytime Me by Edith Fine, Random House, May 2014