ASIFA EAST

(photo courtesy of Asifa- East blog)

On Sunday May 9th 2010 at the Tishman Auditorium at The New School, NYC

I went to the 41st Asifa-East Animation Festival.

It was a lot of fun. I saw wonderful animated films done by professionals as well as students that would of past me by if it was not for the festival. Award were given out, I kept scanning the audience for some of the winners because I new them and was hoping to connect with them latter at the party, well not all showed up that was a bit of a bummer but I did get to reconnect with a few. One told me we are getting old I agreed as I looked around the room to see young animators ready to take on the world and the buffet table which was stacked with sandwiches & cookies. I ran straight for the beer (I ate before) and watch with fondness the time I would of ran for the food then the beer, who am I fooling I still would of ran for the beer first.

I enjoyed watching one of my ex colleges John R. Dilwoth sign autographs, Who intern introduced me to a very nice young women Alma Sheppard who is just finishing school.

I also got a kick when David B. Levy president of Asifa and also ex Michael Sporn Animation Studio employee introduced me to people as a children's book illustrator.

(pat pat pat...)

Over all It was a good night It gave me time to reflect what I have accomplished over the years

and watching this group of people also made me miss that time in my life.

(I'm in the photo standing to the left of the screen with a bite size brownie stuffed in my mouth)

"If Fish Could Drive" (last image)

(Lollipop washing up)

This is the last image I will post about

"If Fish Could Drive"

I really have little to say about this last image. It feels like along time ago that I created them. My thought process on this book is one big blur, it could be do to the fact that it was over a year ago that I created the artwork or the fact that I had surgery and spent my recovery time finishing the illustrations for this book with pain killers flowing threw my veins, either way I like this image and thought to share it with every one.

Art Show

LISA ZILKER

needs your votes!

If you live in the area and you love art, people ,& food please come out

"The Badge Building Condo Board
Invites you to meet the artists & vote for your favorite artwork
Tuesday, May 25th at 7pm on the Roof!


Meet our new managing agent, Michelle and have a say in decorating our building!


Refreshments will be served.

Located at 10-55 47th Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101"

Not always as easy as it looks

(sketch of Lollipop & Sprinkles)

It not as easy as it looks!

Working with 4RV I have illustrated several titles all but one was not a picture books.

All the picture books I have done were 8.5 X 8.5 not a lot of room for a giraffe's long neck. They get a little squished, also slight next trouble while ducking down to enter the next page but they have a great massage therapist so all good :).

every book comes with its own challenges "If Fish Could Drive" had its share

1) keeping all the stripes & spot consistent from one page to the next.

and

2) the size of the pages.

You may think whats the big deal or so what and in truth its not a big deal just makes it more interesting how do you fit giraffes and text in this box?

part of the fun is figuring how to make it all work to keep it interesting and yet not look squashed all together. I hope I was successfully in creating the proper balance. I was told by the publisher that the book looks beautiful and I look forward to receiving my copies of it to judge for myself.

I have said it in other post the book is very nicely written and I think every kid and kids at heart can enjoy the lesson in this book

Things are on the move

If anyone has looked at my posts recently it appears that I have spit out quite a few books in a very short time. In the last month I started to talk about

"If Fish Could Drive" (available)

"The Marshmallow Man" (coming soon)

and now

"The Giving Meadow" (maybe available in June),

and also

"Libby the Odd Squirrel" (release date not known at this time)

I assure you I'm not a factory that can put together four picture books containing somewhere around thirty illustration a book in a few months.

A quick time frame

"If Fish Could Drive" finished artwork was sent in on 04/04/2009

"The Marshmallow Man" finished artwork was sent in on 07/14/2009

"The Giving Meadow" finished artwork was sent in on 12/01/2009

and

"Libby The Odd Squirrel" was finished on 4/01/2010

(no image is yet available you will have to come back a check from time to time)

as you can see yes I was busy but I never felt rushed. In truth I don't really know why it has taken this long for some of the books to come out, I'm sure for good reason.

Things happen

I just hope all who come and look at my work see that I love what I do and am very proud of all The hard work I have done in over the last year.

Enjoy =)

Stephen!

Coming soon!

Coming Soon!

"The Marshmallow Man"

written by Rena Jones

It will be out and in full color,

this is the pen & ink version of the copyright page

before I color it using the computer

more to come when the book is out

Behind the scenes of "If Fish Could Drive"

Lollipop & Sprinkles

Behind the scenes of

"If Fish Could Drive"

e-mail to editor:

"This is not in anyway a direct conversation between myself and my editor"

Me:

Hi,

I'm reading through the text, I think the names are backwards. Shouldn't Lollipop be the zebra and Sprinkles be the giraffe?

Editors reply:

No Stephen,

The names are not backwards Lollipop is the giraffe and Sprinkles is the zebra. The giraffe has zebra stripes and the zebra has the giraffe spots.

Me:

Okay that makes more sense, "funny!" Should Lollipops stripes be the color of a giraffe or black & white like a zebra would have?

Editors reply:

Good question I'll email Dana and find out what she was thinking.

Me:

Okay

Editors reply:

According to Dana Lollipop color should be Black & white like a zebra and Sprinkles should be the color of a giraffe

Me:

Okay thanks got it =)