I’ve had a lot of work in the Society of Illustrator’s Original Art children’s book shows over the last two decades. But until now I’ve never made it to the grown-up’s table. So, I’m happy to make it be known that these two robots will be there in 2026, in the Society of Illustrator’s 68th Annual exhibit and book. One of the funny things about the Original Art show is that most of my work there hasn’t really been “original art.” Rather, due to the nature of making work for publication, most of the pieces I’ve had in those shows were digital prints. This time, however, it’s these actual pieces that will be at the show, which falls right into my long-game plan and desire to have more ‘made’ work, drawn, glued, painted, a thing to hold and look at.
Both of these (very large) collages will presumably be hanging at the show, which opens on January 6 and runs to mid-March.
Thanks to the Society of Illustrators and to the jurors, chaired by @marcoschinart . #soi68
@truegrittexturesupply sent me a couple of their effects kits to try out. I have a bunch of their brush sets which I use ALL THE TIME (Noisy Nib from The Rusty Nib kit is my daily driver on the last four picture books I’ve drawn) but I’ve never used the effects. In fact as someone who actually has several dozen folders full of scanned textures and is old enough to have worked with actual halftones pre-Photoshop, I’ll say I’ve even been somewhat skeptical.
I’ve been buried in drawing buildings for my current book for months, and I’ve missed drawing my robots, so it was quite nice to sit down with my coffee this morning and check this stuff out with my little robot friends.
The Halftone Zine Machine works best with images that have some gray in them, like photos, rather than my line drawings. But I made it work. And the Infinite Pulp is infinitely better than just using layer effects on my own textures. What is this sorcery?
Cool. Thanks @truegrittexturesupply and @kindred_studio
(Affiliate link in bio for anyone interested.)
Waaaaay back in 2008 i somehow landed a project to illustrate Roscoe Riley Rules, a series of seven chapter books written by Katherine Applegate. A few years later Katherine wrote one of my favorite books, The One and Only Ivan, which won the Newbery in 2013.
As it goes with publishing, I’d never ever met Katherine until last night when she was in town for her new book, Wombat Waiting. I even had her sign my books. What a perfectly not-cruddy delight.
And smallest of small worlds, Anne Hoppe at HarperCollins edited Roscoe, Ivan, as well as my newest book with @katemessner , A Whale’s Tale. Hi Anne!
20 years ago I would take my kids, 7 and 5 back then, to the @andorra_library branch of the Philadelphia Free Library where all three of us would read and check out children’s books, then walk down the sidewalk to our favorite burrito joint. They picked out books they wanted me to read to them, and I picked out books that inspired me and represented the work I wanted to do and the books I wanted to make when I grew up.
In the 20 years since, I’ve created and collaborated on 80 children’s books. And yesterday I went down to Andorra for their Saturday storytime, where I read Tinyville Town and the new Whale’s Tale book, and I walked that same sidewalk. But now that sidewalk is the library’s new Storywalk, and the first story in place there is a book I wrote and illustrated, Tinyville Town Gets to Work. The burrito joint is long gone, and I miss those days. But I can’t tell you how kinda a little bit choked up I got watching these newer parents and their 7 and 5 year olds on the same walk, reading my book.
Thanks Miss Molly and Federal Realty for putting this together. I’m sure you didn’t know you were going to trip these memories in me, since I didn’t know it either.
New Sitting Around Talking About Art Supplies video today. I took the camera into my classroom at @tyler_design_and_illustration and made my students tell me about their art supplies. Link is in the bio.
Also, schools out for summer.
Today is the Broad Street Run @ibxrun10 here in Philadelphia. So here’s a running firefighter I just drew for a book I’m illustrating. AND I realized I’ve been sketching a lot of running people lately. Among other creatures. Huh.
New episode of Sitting Around Talking About Art Supplies where I read the comments! Out loud. Shout-out to @thelargemammal in this one.
This one was actually much simpler and even fun to make, even though it clocks in At 39 minutes. My audience is an engaged one and they have opinions!
Link in bio.
Hey hey it’s a book birthday today! A Whale’s Tale and the Otter’s Side of the Story is out today. Written both forward and backward by Kate Messner, illustrated up and down by me, this is a book to be read front to back and back to front as Whale and Otter politely discuss which of them is actually the best.
Published by Clarion Books, and available today wherever you get good books.
If you’re in the Philly area, Kate and I are at Children’s Book World in Haverford tonight for a book signing and party event. Details in the comments. Hope to see you there!
@katemessner@childrensbookworld
I told myself I’d never do the YouTube thing with the picture of me on the thumbnail with a click-bait title. But it actually made sense this week.
The sixth episode is up where we ask the most important question in the world. Link in bio or just search your YouTube.
