Wild About Capybaras! coming May, 2026 will be my 7th TOON book. I want to share my cover sketches. If you are not an illustrator, you may be surprised to see how many sketches I did. This is almost the cover… My editors liked this idea best, but, they didn’t like the cartoon balloon. TheyContinue reading “Sneak Peek: Capybara Book Sketches”
Author Archives: illustrationclass
Santa’s Sketchbook
I brought my sketchbook to the Santa Gathering, Lancaster, PA. The 4-day Santa convention is an incredible event with over 100 professional Santas. There are vendors of custom suits, designer beards, belts, and buckles. I go to meet other Santas. Santa Ken is a charming fellow and one of several African-American Santas in attendance. He’sContinue reading “Santa’s Sketchbook”
Bologna Children’s Book Fair: A Mecca for Illustrators
The Society of Illustrators , NYC, hosted “The Bologna Children’s Book Fair as the Epicenter of International Illustration.” Illustrator Steven Guarnaccia paced the floor and delivered a rousing pep talk about the BCBF (Bologna Children’s Book Fair.) The room was packed to capacity with famous illustrators including Leslie Cober , president of the Society. MuchContinue reading “Bologna Children’s Book Fair: A Mecca for Illustrators”
A Little Book Found Me in Italy
I’d never been to Italy and didn’t expect to visit. Françoise Mouly, the founder of TOON Books, was invited to the 2025 Bologna Children’s Book Fair. As luck would have it, she had a conflict and asked the Book Fair if she could pass the invitation on to me. So, I represented TOON Books inContinue reading “A Little Book Found Me in Italy”
RIP Maestro Marshall Arisman
I’ve told this story before, but one thing Marshall Arisman taught me is that a good story deserves to be retold. In 1984, I was a bartender at the 8th Street Tavern in Hoboken and doing occasional illustrations for The New York Times and The Village Voice. I learned from an ad in the TimesContinue reading “RIP Maestro Marshall Arisman”
Tara Hannon’s ‘BIRTLE’ Graphic Novel for Kids
Tara Hannon, a Kutztown University grad, is celebrating publication of her first graphic novel for kids, Birtle. Supportive communities like SCBWI and 12×12 helped Tara refine her writing and led to her finding an agent. Despite initial rejections, Tara persisted and her novel Birtle, a story of belonging, is set to be published in 2024.
Ivan Brunetti is Himself
In 2019, in Seattle, I shared a table at a library conference with one of my heroes, the great Ivan Brunetti. He was there to promote his TOON book Comics Easy as ABC. I was there to promote Snails Are Just My Speed. Fantagraphics invited Ivan and me to an after party at a taproomContinue reading “Ivan Brunetti is Himself”
Procreate for Comics: My Learning Curve.
The Procreate iPad app is a great bargain. It cost $12.99 in the U.S. It was under $10 when I got it in 2020, half the price of my monthly Photoshop subscription. Procreate is intuitive. It comes with lots of crisp tutorials, but I wasn’t able to teach myself to the point that I wouldContinue reading “Procreate for Comics: My Learning Curve.”
The Ducky Mr. McCloskey
Mr. McCloskey’s Marvelous Mallards -The Making of Make Way for Ducklings is a sweet new children’s picture book by Emma Bland Smith with art by Becca Stadtlander. As a McCloskey, I find it fascinating. This is a great book to pair with a read-aloud of Robert McCloskey’s 1941 Caldecott winning book about ducks living inContinue reading “The Ducky Mr. McCloskey”
CLOUD TOWN, a Ripping Good Graphic Novel!
Daniel McCloskey, the creator of the new graphic novel Cloud Town, is my son. That’s my full disclosure. So, take what I say with a grain of salt. Daniel is a genius. I write kid’s books for TOON Books, so some might assume Daniel learned to make graphic novels from me. Not so. I taughtContinue reading “CLOUD TOWN, a Ripping Good Graphic Novel!”
Illustration Concentration 