I recently had the honor of being on a panel for reluctant readers at the ALA Convention in Orlando. The other panelists were Jim Ottaviani, M.K. Reed and a charming young Englishman, William Grill, who goes by Will. Will told the assembled librarians that he was a reluctant reader himself. He has dyslexia. As a kidContinue reading “William Grill, an English Illustrator Worth Watching”
Category Archives: sketchbook
Veronica Lawlor’s Way of Seeing
Veronica Lawlor is an artist who draws to document what she sees. When everyone carries a camera 24/7, why bother drawing? The new 1.5-micron pixel iphone is, according to Apple, “the world’s most popular camera.” Has the iphone replaced pen and ink and human hand? It is worth recalling Robert McCloskey’s observation, “Hands do playContinue reading “Veronica Lawlor’s Way of Seeing”
Oaxaca Sketchbook 2015
The Hostel Don Nino gave us a welcoming reception of flautas, which are like fried enchiladas, guacamole, Oaxacan cheese and aqua de Jamaica. It is not easy to post from my ipad here, but I will share student drawings and post more when we return from our 17-day Oaxaca tour. 13 KU students and Prof.Continue reading “Oaxaca Sketchbook 2015”
Danny Gregory Sketches From Life
“Danny Gregory and his wife, Patti, hadn’t been married long. Their baby, Jack, was ten months old; life was pretty swell. And then Patti fell under a subway train and was paralyzed from the waist down. In a world where nothing seemed to have much meaning, Danny decided to teach himself to draw, and whatContinue reading “Danny Gregory Sketches From Life”
My Mexican Sketchbooks
In a few days I find out if I have enough students to run a sketchbook class in Oaxaca, Mexico. Info on the class can be found here. I’ve been looking through my Mexico sketchbooks. These pages remind me of the wonderful days I have spent in Mexico over the years. Sometimes my drawings are quickContinue reading “My Mexican Sketchbooks”
Tom Hart & Leela Corman on Grief & Cartooning
I went to NYC for the 92nd meeting of the NY Comics & Picture-story Symposium. I’ve missed 90 meetings, but they are a welcoming bunch. The Symposium pops up someplace different each meeting, so you need to find it. The Symposium is free, info here. This is not Comi-Con. The emphasis is on D.I.Y., independent and innovativeContinue reading “Tom Hart & Leela Corman on Grief & Cartooning”
Art Oasis in Mexico City
Maestro Gerardo Torres Gonzalez (center) tends an oasis in one of the world’s largest cities. Mexico City’s Bosque de Chapultepec is home to many wonders including Emperor Maximilian’s castle. Below the castle in a grove of eucalyptus trees you will find a house called Quinta Colorado. In the patio every Saturday and Sunday there are art classes.Continue reading “Art Oasis in Mexico City”
Meadowlands
I visited Hoboken, my old hometown, for the opening of an art show from Meadowlands, Thomas Yezerski’s beautiful children’s book. His book is about the battered, but amazingly resilient, ecosystem that exists just a few miles from Hoboken and it’s better-known neighbor, New York City. The exhibit runs to March 10 at the Hoboken HistoricalContinue reading “Meadowlands”
Take a Line for a Walk
“Whereas Picasso, Matisse, even Mondrian and Kandinsky concentrated on abstracting from perceived reality, Klee began with a point, extended it into a line and famously took it for a walk wherever it wished to go.” Bridget Riley from an essay quoted here in the London Times Educational Supplement. Robin Landa, a design professor at KeanContinue reading “Take a Line for a Walk”
5 questions about illustration for Matt Phelan
Matt Phelan is coming to Kutztown this weekend for the 2012 Children’s Literature Conference. Even if you can’t make the conference you might go to the KU bookstore to pick up his books at a discount. He is a prolific and popular illustrator. He writes as well. A piece of Matt’s original artwork from hisContinue reading “5 questions about illustration for Matt Phelan”
Illustration Concentration 