Chickengirl Design

Muddle London

2012-02-02T16:04:00.000-08:00

I got a chance last year to work with a UK publisher, Campbell Books. They are so friendly and easy to work with and I really had fun with their projects. This is a magnetic play book titled Muddle London, being released today! There are a set of magnets in which you can position onto the pages.

As much as I would like to think I'm a world traveler, I have never been to London before, so it was alot like doing research before a big trip. Now I know exactly where to go and what to do if I was to go there. Some day!

It was also a good challenge for me to do a spread with a map scene (something that is based on real info.) I've come to enjoy doing them and hope to do more of these.

Its available on Amazon.co.uk! Wish I could see this in the stores in the UK!

Winter

2012-01-31T07:34:00.000-08:00

We've been a little quiet over at Illustration for Kids but we have another promo in the works with a winter theme.

I have some fun books coming out with a UK publisher I'm excited about and will announce them soon. In the meanwhile, stay warm everyone.

I Spy with My Little Eye...

2012-01-26T09:39:00.000-08:00

my spread in the February issue of High Five magazine!

On the Move 2

2012-01-23T10:12:00.000-08:00

I recently reconfigured this existing piece into a vertical format, adding a few more vehicles here and there. The original piece got me the Road Work Ahead book gig! Who knew I would love drawing vehicles this much?!

Thank you for the well wishes about Lilia. Its been interesting trying to finding time to work with a baby. I've been trying to work up some promo pieces lately and feeling a bit stagnant. Wanting to take my art to the next level, but not sure what that really means?

Lilia

2012-01-11T11:17:00.000-08:00

Things are a bit busy here in the coop because there is a new baby chick! My daughter Lilia was born this past Christmas eve. I think she is my best work yet :-)

I've been a bit low key and quiet about my pregnancy this whole time because there was some scary complications- at one point I didn't know she would even make it. I got very superstitious about telling people via social media and such...but she is here and she is perfect. Welcome to the world, Lilia!

The Great Reindeer Rebellion- in French!

2011-12-19T09:28:00.000-08:00

Its that time of year again where I like to mention the Christmas book I illustrated, The Great Reindeer Rebellion! I got a special copy from the editor in which the cover was in English but the interior was in French. (it was a printer mix up.) It was neat to see the story translated into French. It also rhymed!

I'm also happy to say that its available as an eBook on the NOOK! Its only $4.99 on NOOK devices and apps.

For the past few months, I've been working on a sequel to this book! Its been a pleasure working on this and revisiting these characters. Thats all I can say for now. In the meanwhile, Merry Christmas!

They Draw and Cook- the book!

2011-12-16T11:37:00.000-08:00

This post is long over due! A shout out to this gorgeous book that started as a website. They Draw & Cook is a compilation of artists illustrating their favorite recipes, started by the ever clever Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell.

Chef Kitty and I are honored to be included in this book. Woohoo! Its available on Amazon.

Animal ABCs- the poster!

2011-12-13T12:58:00.000-08:00

I finally got a chance to make an ABC poster! It looks great in 18" x 24"!

On Comics Are Great! Ep 37

2011-11-30T09:47:00.000-08:00

Looks like I've been a little slacking in the blogging world! But I've been around, even showing my face again over at Comics Are Great 2 weeks ago. I was invited by Jerzy Drozd to be back again for another episode with Ryan Estrada to talk shop, even did a little demo on Adobe Illustrator. Wish I had done a fancier job with it. Next time I'll be a little bit more prepared. :-) Thanks guys, it was fun!

The Artfuls Interview

2011-11-04T11:55:00.000-07:00

I'm honored to be interviewed over at The Artfuls. Thanks Tony, for having me. Check it out!

Halloween ABCs-Work In Progress

2011-10-31T10:52:00.000-07:00

Boo! So I couldn't finish this Halloween ABCs in time, but this is a sneak peek/work in progress I posted over at Dribbble. I can always save it for next year. :-P

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Poster Printing Giveaway!

2011-10-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. Its been a while and things are cooking here with a crazy book deadline, but I'm happy to announce I'm hosting a giveaway from Uprinting.com. UPrinting is an online printing company that offers different printing services such as poster printing. You can also check out their custom posters. I'm thinking maybe I'll finally get a chance to print my ABCs series as posters?!

THE PRIZE:

One (1) Winner of an 18”x24” Poster Print
Semi gloss OR high gloss

1 business day print turnaround time *Free Shipping
Restriction: Limited to *US residents 18 years old and above only.

~~HOW TO ENTER:~~

~~Leave me a comment below and let me know what kind of poster you would print~~
Follow me on Twitter and copy this retweet on your status to enter twice:
RT @JannieHo enter to win a poster print from @uprinting http://tinyurl.com/3kpjap9 #giveaway
~~Optional: like/follow UPrinting on Facebook and Twitter doesn't hurt either! :-)~~

~~I will randomly pick a winner next Monday, 10/31/11, (Halloween!) Good luck!~~

The winner is Laura Zarrin! Congrats Laura! :-)

*Disclaimer* This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, no monetary compensation was given and I will receive a poster for hosting.

Halloween Round Up!

2011-10-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

1. The Haunted Ghoul Bus, 2. The Haunted Ghoul Bus, 3. Halloween is Here, 4. Halloween Stickers, 5. Halloween Stickers, 6. You Can Draw Series, 7. You Can Draw Series, 8. Box o' New Books!, 9. Halloween Howlers

I've done my fair share of Halloween art so this is a fun round up of all of them! To picture books to stickers to how-to-draw monsters :-)

The Haunted Ghoul Bus

written by Lisa Trumbauer illustrated by Jannie Ho

Published by Sterling, 2008

Told in fun and appealing rhyme, and featuring holiday-bright illustrations of a cast of unforgettable characters, this playful picture book has sturdy cardstock pages and embossing throughout.

Buy on Amazon

Halloween is Here:
Peek inside sticker book

Written by Megan E. Bryant Illustrated by Jannie Ho
Published by Running Press Kids, 2010

Celebrate Halloween with a house full of excited kids in this look at a child’s favorite Halloween activities! Peek-inside to see the kids get dressed in their costumes, carving pumpkins, and going trick-or-treating.

Buy on Amazon

You Can Draw Monsters
and Other Scary Things

by Jannie Ho Published by Picture Window Books, 2011

Do you like creepy characters? Then check out this book, where you can learn to draw a spooky spider, a googly-eyed ghoul, or a slimy brain. You'll have lots of fun being an artist!

Buy on Amazon

Halloween Howlers:
Frightfully Funny Knock-Knock Jokes

Written by Michael Teitelbaum Illustrated by Jannie Ho
Published by HarperFestival, 2011

With hilarious lift-the-flaps throughout, this bewitching book contains dozens of ghoulishly funny jokes.

Buy on Amazon

Chicken Girl Design by Jannie Ho

Photo polymer Stamps

Happy Halloween

These photo polymer stamps featuring cute and spooky designs for Halloween are perfect for a some crafty fun. Use them on cards, gift tags, and much more.

Buy on I {heart} Papers

My Process: Lift-a-flap Books

2011-10-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

I worked on this cute little paperback joke book for HarperCollins before I worked on Road Work Ahead. It was where I got the idea to start making dummies of the sketches. There were alot of lift-a-flaps inside to work out, and the art director had sent me this dummy that they did after I submitted the sketches to them. I thought it was really useful.

There were at least 2 flaps but 4 jokes on each spread. The biggest challenge was the layout. Leaving room for the text, but having the flaps work out too. Now I have a whole new appreciation for books with flaps (especially where there is art on the other side!)

Knock knock! Who's there? Ghouls! Ghouls who?

Ghouls and boys both love Halloween!

Overall, I love working on Halloween books, they give me a chance to do something funky and use a different color palette than usual. Grab a copy here :-)

Its October and a new book!

2011-10-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

Its October and I'm happy to say I have another Halloween book out this year, this time its Halloween Howlers: Frightfully Funny Knock-Knock Jokes written by Michael Teitelbaum, illustrated by me, published by Harper Festival.

Its got tons of lift-a-flaps on every spread and I'll be showing more of that in another post. In the meanwhile, I want to thank Ann Arbor with Kids for a wonderful review of the book.

You can also get it on Amazon, BN, or your favorite indie bookstore. More Halloween fun to come!

Road Work Ahead Blog Tour

2011-09-19T08:25:00.000-07:00

Road Work Ahead is going on a blog tour!

Monday 9/19 - Fiction Notes, Everything Mom
Tuedsay 9/20 - The Reading Tub
Wednesday 9/21 - Great Kid Books
Thursday 9/22 - Imagination Soup
Friday 9/23 - Check it Out

May thanks to all the bloggers for making this happen. We appreciate it! Check out our Facebook Fan Page for news, activities, updates and more.

Buy on Penguin, Amazon, BN, or Your Local Indie Bookstore

My Process: Picture Book Dummies

2011-09-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

Final Book, "Toddler dummy", "baby dummy"

Today is the release of Road Work Ahead!

I thought I would share more of my process in illustrating the book. I started to get in the habit of making a mini dummy of my initial sketches, which is quite helpful in seeing how the pacing and page turn works out.

The "baby dummy" is about 3" x 3" in size, and I mock this up for myself before even sending the sketches to the art director. I spend a few days flipping through it and making notes right on the dummy, before revising the sketches. I find it helps so much in making sure there is continuity between each spread.

So after the first round of sketches to the art director, there were a few adjustments to the pagination of the story. This book has very simple text and the art does alot of heavy lifting, so it was very important my illustrations added a rich layer to the story that the text doesn't necessarily spell out or say.

After reading the notes and making revisions, I make a "toddler dummy," which is around 5" x 5". A bit bigger so I can really see the little details I might want to add, or subtract.

And now the book is out into the world! This book is perfect for little boys who loves cars and trucks and all things construction! (and I'm also hoping little girls will like it too!)

Road Work Ahead, written by Anastasia Suen, published by Viking, illustrated by yours truly, is out now. Buy on amazon, BN, or your favorite local indie bookstore. :-)

P.S.-Thank you SO MUCH for all the lovely comments on here, Facebook and twitter about my last post. I haven't written one of these from-the-heart posts in a while, and especially with some crazy stuff thats been happening in my personal life, I know I need to stop once in a while and smell the roses. Here's to many more dreams coming true.

Dreams Coming True

2011-09-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

Let me get sappy for a moment.

My next picture book, Road Work Ahead, will be coming out this Thursday. I'm celebrating this book in a special way because this book is my first, honest-to-goodness, 32 page hardcover trade picture book. Yes, its got a dust jacket and everything, with my name and bio on the back flap.

I think I've waited 10+ years for this.

As an aspiring illustrator, I would walk through the children's section at Barnes & Nobles, looking through all the books, wishing someday, just one day, I'll have a book with my name on it. The idea of having my name and bio on the back flap was a huge deal to me.

For the past 5 years or so, I've gotten a chance to work on some amazing projects: books, games, puzzles, apps. Time flies and I am still in disbelief of how my body of work has grown with a portfolio I can be proud of. I'm grateful for all the people who gave me a chance- art directors, editors, designers, fellow illustrators, and most of all, my rep. I'm even grateful for the naysayers- yes, they are out there but they only pushed me to work harder to prove them wrong.

I've been getting many emails these days from other illustrators asking me for advice. I'm always really flattered and still in a bit of disbelief that I'm now on the other side, to be considered knowledgeable enough to be giving out insight. After all, I'm just like most artists out there- I still struggle with creativity, have insecurities, and always looking for the next gig.

But I want to say dreams do come true. Work hard. Believe. Is there enough cheesiness in this post?

Ok, let me get off my soap box. I'll be back on Thursday with more Road Work Ahead updates!

Making of: A Picture Book Cover

2011-09-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

My latest picture book, Road Work Ahead, is coming out in less than a week (September 15th)! So I thought I would talk a little bit more about my process here. With the cover, I wanted to show as much cool vehicles as I can, which is the stars of the book. I actually only came up with 2 versions of the cover for the publisher to look at and was pleased they picked the one that they did.

Version 1

Version 2

Color final

I was pretty determined to use those orange work stripes as part of the design of the cover. I'm hoping with the title bar being right in the middle will be eye catching and attention grabbing.

A fun note with the back cover- woohoo, I sneaked in a chicken on there! You'll have to check out the book to see why that makes sense!

For all things Road Work Ahead related, check out the Facebook Fan Page and we'll be having a blog tour!

Halloween Fun + A Giveaway!!

2011-09-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

I can't believe its September already, and it means back to school and one of my favorite holidays are just around the corner- Halloween! Besides my oldie but goodie, The Haunted Ghoul Bus, I illustrated a new Halloween book, Halloween Howlers: Frightfully Funny Knock-Knock Jokes written by Michael Teitelbaum, published by Harper Festival.

To celebrate, I'm excited to be hosting this giveaway with awesome prizes from Thats My Folio AND Sunshine Smile Publications! These are two new websites for artists to promote their work.

The prizes include:

-one year subscription to Thats My folio
-Sunshine Smile Publications will be giving away an illustrator Showcase on the Sunshine Smile Publications website and 6 months of publicity posts (1 post per month)

~~To be eligible to win, all you have to do is ONE of the following:~~

~~Leave a comment on this blog post, telling me one of your favorite costumes for Halloween~~

Copy this retweet on your Twitter Status RT @JannieHo enter to win a 1yr subscription to @thatsmyfolio + showcase from @S_SPublications http://tinyurl.com/3uvfrw9
~~If you are not on Twitter, you can send a blog post to Thats My Folio with a Halloween themed or a general post of a project you are working on with an image of your work.~~
~~You are also qualified if you become a member of Thats My Folio's Flickr Group~~

~~It also doesn't hurt if follow us on twitter, we'd appreciate it :-)~~
~~@Jannieho~~
~~@thatsmyfolio~~
~~@S_SPublications~~

~~This is a great prize for any illustrator looking to promote their work. I will pick a winner next Monday, September 12th.~~ ~~Good luck everyone and hope you'll spread the word!~~

**Thank you everyone for entering here and on twitter! Using random.org, the winner is Lyn Martin! Congratulations Lyn! **

Transportation ABCs

2011-08-31T09:29:00.000-07:00

While working on Road Work Ahead, I became a little bit obsessed with drawing vehicles. I was taking note of road side construction like I've never did before. So to continue my ABC series, I thought doing a set of transportation might be fun.

You can check out ALL the ABCs I've done so far with a special page dedicated to it now on my website. And I'm happy to announce that the series are winners in the upcoming 3x3 children's show No.8!

My Sister, the Freak Pin Up Art

2011-08-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

My Sister, the Freak is a web comic started by Dani Jones, a talented and super nice artist whom I got to meet this summer at Kids Read Comics. I am honored to do this pin up piece for My Sister, the Freak Vol.1 in paperback, which is on pre-order now. Check it out. I've always admired Dani's incredible motivation to get things done.

I took this opportunity to try out different techniques and style...so this piece looks a little different than my usual stuff. Yay or Nay?

Also I wanted to show off this original sketch card that Dani did for me (thank you, Dani-you are a good sport for humoring me with my chicken ways!)

That's My Folio

2011-08-21T16:53:00.000-07:00

A quickie post to say that I'm on That's My Folio, a new website that showcases many talented illustrators and their artwork. Check it out!

Sneak Peek: art from Road Work Ahead

2011-08-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

The release of my next picture book, Road Work Ahead, written by Anastasia Suen, illustrated by yours truly, is almost here! Its due out on September 15th, published by Viking. Here are some sneak peeks of the interior art.

Men working above
trim bushes and trees.


They put up lights so you can see.


Men working below using umbrella and hose. How do they know where everything goes?

Check out the Facebook fan page for activities, giveaways, news, and more. Only a month away before the book comes out :-)

Chef Kitty's top Secret recipe-as a print!

2011-08-03T12:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to They Draw and Cook, my chef kitty's top secret chocolate chip cookies recipe are now available as a print on canvas over at Great Big Canvas. Its also going to be in the book coming out in October!

What's Up + a New Book! Road Work Ahead

2011-08-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

Wow! Has it been a month since I posted anything here? Well, I 'm still alive. This summer has a busy month with many things going on.

Along with participating in Kids Read Comics (where I met so many great comic artists,) I taught a drawing workshop at the Ann Arbor District Library, which was such a learning experience for me as well. Giving a presentation and teaching are definitely two different things. I was also invited to be on Comicsaregreat.tv with Jerzy Drozd and Ryan Estrada. You can watch the video here. We talked about networking and social media. Thanks guys. Jerzy has definitely got me a little less camera shy and somehow got me showing my real face on the internet. Ha.

And yes! A new book coming out in the fall! Its titled Road Work Ahead, written by Anastasia Suen and illustrated by yours truly, published by Viking. Its due to be released on September 15, and I'll be blogging alot more about it soon. In the meanwhile, check out:

-The Road Work Ahead Facebook fan page (with news, updates, and related activities for the kids!)
-This review on Publisher's Weekly

More later. Hope everyone is having a great summer. I just got back from a wonderful trip to PA and NYC visiting family and friends. Much needed. Now back to work.

Comic Jam! Exhibit

2011-06-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit behind on blogging lately. Last weekend was a great time- here are some pics from the Comic Jam! Exhibit. (Courtesy of River Gallery)

I have two color pieces for the show, plus process sketches on the side.

This show really pushed me to explore one of my story ideas that were originally for a picture book. It was also nice to do a comic story in color, done in Illustrator, with a more muted color palette. Hope to continue with it and eventually have another comic book in the works!

Comic Jam! Exhibit + Kids Read Comics this weekend!

2011-06-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

Its going to be a crazy and fun weekend! I'm honored to be part of this Comic Jam! exhibit now showing at the Chelsea River Gallery with 9 other artists, featuring:

The reception is this Saturday, 6/18 from 6-8pm. Thanks to Jerzy Drozd for the invitation. It was the push I needed to work on my comics in my color style, and I have two pieces in the show plus work-in-progress sketches.

What else is happening this weekend? I'm excited to be part of Kids Read Comics, a fun, free event that is happening this Saturday and Sunday, 6/18-19, in Downtown Chelsea, MI. I'll be at the artist alley and also looking forward to doing some fun quick drawing demos with the awesome illustrator and comic artist Dani Jones. For more info, go here. See you there!

AADL Summer Reading Program

2011-06-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

I had the honor to work with my local library, the AADL, to design and illustrate their summer reading games program. I'm a big fan of theirs. Ever since I moved to Ann Arbor 2 years ago, I had attended tons of interesting workshops and forums at the library. Not to mention, I gave my very own talk there. Check it out here.

And when they asked if I could do a Richard Scarry like town with many characters using the library in different ways- of course I'm on board! I initially did people:

And when I found out they were more interested in anthropomorphic animals- even better!

The final in color:

And speaking of libraries and anthropomorphic animals- I'm teaching a workshop! Its called Creating and Drawing Anthropomorphic Animals Characters with Jannie Ho. Its on Saturday, July 16th from 1to 2:30pm, at the Downtown Ann Arbor District Library. Its free for teens and adults to attend, so if you are in the area, hope to see you there.

Its National Donut Day!

2011-06-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

I've been MIA but only to have this wonderful holiday to get me back to posting here, haha. Oh the things I learn from Twitter.

I've done this image for fun a while back and its perfect for today. Happy Donut Day!

Animals Crafting

2011-05-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Some fun illos for a local crafty place, Blue House Ann Arbor. Its hard to pass up drawing animals crafting. Nice to play with a more muted color palette to go with the distinctive blue color that they use.

Here's the back of the business card:

Blue House is a wonderful place where crafters can meet up, share their ideas, attend workshops, and more. Its been a great place where I've gotten to know many local and talented artists. And lucky me, I live very close by.

Playtime

2011-05-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

A piece for our recent mailer over at Illustration for Kids, with a theme of "Playtime." Its been a while since I voluntarily did human kids for the mailer- anthropomorphic animals are always so much more fun. But I actually enjoyed this one and liked how it turned out.

The Sketchbook Project 2012

2011-05-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

The Sketchbook project 2012 is here! After my amazing time with last year's book, its hard not to do it again. The theme I picked is Uncharted Waters, which fits my life so perfectly right now. A great excuse to continue with my comics. Now that this is the second time around, there are a few things I would like to do differently. Also the book is slightly smaller with fewer pages. Supposedly with better paper but its still seems a bit thin to me. Perhaps I can use another type of medium instead of microns.

Looking forward to this and hopefully I can do this with the same amount of energy and dedication as last time.

Kid's Drawings using my How-to Books!

2011-05-02T07:25:00.000-07:00


"Octo-Monster"

"Pinball"

I think one of the most satisfying things about being a children's book illustrator is seeing kids interact with my books. I've been mentoring some fine young artists for the Ann Arbor Kid's Art Fair thats coming up in July. So I thought it was fitting that I gave them a copy of my You Can Draw Monsters and Scary Things and You can Draw Zoo Animals.

I was happy to see the step by step instructions worked! Just check out these drawings. Lookin' good!

Its been an interesting and also a challenging experience mentoring kids. I don't normally interact with kids on a regular basis in my normal day-to-day illustrator life, even though I do "kids' stuff" all day long. But kids' art are the BEST and I've got a talented bunch. Its an awesome dose of inspiration!

Food Icons

2011-04-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

Some "grown-up" work! I illustrated these icons for Diabetic Living Magazine.

Spring Promo

2011-04-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

The obsession continues-this time is Springtime ABCs!

What I have so far:
Animal ABCs
Christmas ABCs
Valentine ABCs

MoCCA Artfest Wrap Up

2011-04-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the MoCCA Art Fest and it was so much fun, thank you for those of you who dropped by our table to come see me. I shared a table with two talented artists friends, Becky Munich and Doreen M. Marts- they made excellent table mates! We got a light blue table cloth which we thought really stood out with a ladies touch to it. Ha.

My goods!

I got to see so many old friends, colleagues, and artists whom I've gotten to known through the internet-in which I finally got to meet in person and they are all so sweet- Kelly Light, Renee Kurilla, and Casey Girard. Had some fun folks right across the aisle like Dave Roman and Ryan Sias. And many more friendly faces. Hello!

And this is why I thought about participating in MoCCA in the first place. I got my comic story, If You Lived Here, printed through Ka-Blam. Things were a little stressful as the books were shipped last minute to the hotel. I didn't get to see these until the morning of the show. But Ka-Blam came through and everything worked out. Whew! It was exciting to see that people browsing through it and I even sold some copies.

Lastly, I made this display sign for my evil robot and super cat buttons. A scoreboard to keep track of the battle. In the beginning, Super Cat was doing well but unfortunately Evil Robot took over. Final score in the end, 20 to 26. Evil Robot wins, for now!

It was truly a wonderful time and the MoCCA crowd is a supportive and friendly group, which gave me all the energy I needed to do more art. Until next year!

I'll be at MoCCA ArtFest this weekend!

2011-04-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend I will be at the MoCCA Fest in NYC, sharing at table of awesomeness with Doreen Mulryan Marts and Pinky Buttons! We will be at Table J11.

Please stop by and say "cluck cluck!" and I will give you a free sticker!

MoCCA Fest is being held at The Lexington Avenue Armory, 68 Lexington Avenue, between 25th/26th street, from 11-6pm. See you there.

Anagrams

2011-03-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

Anagram spots I recently did for TIME for Kids magazine. Clockwise from upper left: Rats/Star, Pan/Nap, Paws/Swap, Desserts/Stressed.

A New blog: Daredevil Chicken

2011-03-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note here about a new blog I started with funny illustrator Scott Nelson as we collaborate on a 32-page picture book about a Daredevil Chicken. How will two illustrators with two different styles come together in a book? Please check it out if you love the picture book making process, creativity, collaborations, and a chicken in between.

Let's Do It!

2011-03-20T15:05:00.000-07:00

I have been an admirer of Peaceable Kingdom Press' toys and products for a while now, and they've been on my client wish list. So I was very happy I finally got to work with them last year on this Game Time Activity book, Let's Do It! I received some samples recently and noticed its out on their website.

Some interior spreads:

I was especially thrilled with the way the layout and graphics look; I love it when the designer and I are on the same wavelength and the whole book really represents my design aesthetics well. They were also a pleasure to work with!

Let's Do It Game Time! Write & Wipe Activity Book
published by Peaceable Kingdom Press
Ages 3-6
$12.99
Available on Amazon or at Peaceable Kingdom Press

Board Book Cover Concepts

2011-03-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

Its always interesting to see how the cover ends up from sketches to the final. For this particular book, What Does Cow Say?, even the title changed! We started off with Meow Bow-Wow:

And then the other animals were introduced to the cover:

And then the cat and dog wasn't the center stage anymore:

And the final cover. The cow took center stage and the title changed completely. Hey, it happens!

As to the reasoning behind the switch, I was told that farm animals were hot sellers. I'm glad my rooster made it on the cover. :-)

What Does Cow Say? written by Joan Holub, illustrated by me, is now out in stores. Published by Cartwheel Books.

KIds Read Comics Extravaganza!

2011-03-10T08:52:00.000-08:00

This Saturday, March 12th from 10-8pm, I will be one of the many artists participating in Kids Read Comics Extravaganza! a free event that will be held at the Ann Arbor Art Center. All are welcome and open to the public.

There will be free activities where you’ll be able to interact with cartoonists as they work, or participate in hands-on workshops where you can make your very own comic.

As part of this event, I'm also excited I will be doing a book signing of my various titles at Vault of Midnight from 1-2pm that day.

Lots of great local cartoonists will be there like Katie Cook, Denver Brubaker, Matt Feazell, Jerzy Drozd, Chad Sell, Joe Foo and more. Hope to see you there!

Drawing Demo

2011-03-07T11:33:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday, I did a presentation at the Ann Arbor District Library's Comic Artist Forum. I spoke about my work and my sketchbook project/ comic story, If You Lived Here.

I did a drawing demo of my chicken characters...and here is a video of it! Now I'm on YouTube, ekk! Thanks to Jerzy for shooting the video, there will be another one of me and the whole presentation.

I can hardly watch myself in this video! :-P

Anorak Magazine-My Packed Lunch

2011-03-06T16:31:00.000-08:00

Here is a fun illo I did for Anorak Magazine's blog for their My Packed Lunch Series.

4 x 4 Stickers

2011-02-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

Stickers!!! My first professionally printed promo stickers. Build-a-Sign kindly offered to print some stickers for me, they are technically bumper stickers but they are a great size at 4" x 4". With the MoCCA Art Fest coming up, I am hoping to give some away to my customers (wink wink), stick them on bags, and I also ended up sticking one on my moleskine sketchbook:

The stickers have a nice gloss coating to them yet thin and durable. I'm going to have alot of great uses for these. Yay!

Making Button Badges!

2011-02-25T11:06:00.000-08:00

Something just for fun! I haven't made any fun products in so long. In anticipation for the MoCCA Art festival I'm going to be participating at in April (did I mention that?), it is a great excuse to finally make some fun stuff, and also going back to New York City to see my friends and family. I can't believe I haven't been back since last July. Its been too long!

Making 1" buttons doesn't seem to have enough space for me, so I printed some backer cards to make a complete illustration. Plus there is something so satisfying about designing the whole package.

The thing with going ahead and making a bunch of inventory is not knowing what will sell and what won't. I struggle with that alot as I realized "I'm not my own customer."

I'd like to take a poll: which one do you like? Super Cat or Evil Robot? Please leave me a comment and let me know!

Be Mine Patisserie

2011-02-14T07:39:00.000-08:00

I really fell in love with the color palette I used for the Valentine ABCs that I continued to play with it and used it on other illos.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Have you send out your Valentines yet?

2011-02-09T09:11:00.000-08:00

I've been a bit obsessed with the ABCs lately. After such great feedback and response from the Animal ABCs and Christmas ABCs, I took on the challenge to do Valentine's day. With a little help from my husband ("Q" and "Z" was quite tricky), it was fun coming up with this and using a distinctive vintage color palette, thanks again to colourlovers.com.

front


detail from the back

Check out all the ABCs I have so far over at my flickr set.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2011-02-03T08:12:00.000-08:00

I've been toying with the idea of designing my own red envelopes for Chinese New Year.

Gong Hei Fat Choi, everyone!

Found at Borders

2011-01-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

An Oldie but Goodie- free comic download!

2011-01-24T09:09:00.000-08:00

What to do after my Sketchbook Project? Thank you for all the kind words about it, as I do plan on continuing my comic endeavors. Right now, here is a mini comic I did from about 7 years ago (whew, time flies by, doesn't it?) called When Girl Met Chicken.

Its available as a free PDF download over at The Illustrated Section, started by the ever so clever Dani Jones, which launched today. I'm so happy to see that artists are taking more control of their work and the way it is being presented. Please take a look over there as there is a great selection of work. Be sure to download When Girl Met Chicken. Its FREE...and let me know what you think. Looking at my past work, I realized I had more fun and was a bit daring back then.

You Can Draw Series

2011-01-21T13:49:00.000-08:00

It was fun collaborating with Picture Window Books to create these two titles for their You Can Draw series, Zoo Animals, and Monsters and Other Scary Things.

They are simple how-to books for kids to learn how to draw, with basic shapes broken down. For me, it was fun sneaking a funky chicken in there. Just another little thing to help with my world domination with chickens.

Illustration Friday- CHICKEN!!!

2011-01-19T10:38:00.000-08:00

So my plan for world domination with chickens is finally here! I suggested this week's Illustration Friday topic years ago, so it was quite unexpected. Perhaps its a sign that I should go back to doing IF more.

Well, the pressure is on to come up with some awesome chicken stuff, but I've been drawing tons of chickens already in the past 6 months with my sketchbook project, so those of you new to the blog, please check it out here. I started working on this Super Chickens Club zine just for fun, I'm not sure where its going but thought it would make a clucking good submission.

Bawk bawk bawk!

The End! Last Pages of my Sketchbook Project

2011-01-11T09:13:00.000-08:00

So bittersweet. These are my last pages and post of my Sketchbook Project 2011. To read this story from the beginning, please visit my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

Cover

Back Cover

Whew! Heck yeah!! I did it! I filled every single page of this sketchbook. I can't believe I spent half a year on this. I want to give a BIG thank you to those of you who came back every Tuesday to support and encourage me. Not only does it provide the energy I needed to continue but also a bit of comfort with the struggle I've been going through.

Things I've learned from this sketchbook project:

-I'm capable of being a storyteller.
-Deadlines are my friends.
-Slow and steady wins the race. Consistency is key.
-There is great power in telling the truth.
-People share similar experiences.

There were thoughts about continuing my comic after this. But right now, I sincerely need a break, as this book took up alot more of my time than I would of liked. There are lots of other personal projects that need my attention, and I would like to finish them.

Comics are still in my future because I still have alot more to say. But for now, time to wrap things up and send this baby back to Art House Co-Op!

Zero2illo Re-Launch + 48 hour Super Sale

2011-01-10T11:27:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note here to mention the relaunch of Zero2illo, a great resource website for illustrators started by Jonathan Woodward. To celebrate, there is a super sale going on for 48 hours- a bundle of resources from some great contributors:

Tara Reed
Chris Guillebeau
Alyson B. Stanfield
Thomas James
Khristian A. Howell
Dani Jones
Jonathan Woodward

It includes the Zero2illo 12 week challenge kit that Jonathan kindly asked me to contribute and be a part of.

Click here to view more details*

*full disclosure: its an affiliate link, but I only recommend what I fully believe in. This is a pretty good deal, a great way to start off the year.

Speaking of which, I still need to do a list of 2011 goals post here, don't I. I have so much going on in my head but need to organize them in some way. Much success to you all. In the meanwhile, come back tomorrow for my Sketchbook project post!

My Latest Board Book: What Does Cow Say?

2011-01-05T08:47:00.000-08:00

Its wonderful to kick off 2011 with the release of this board book I illustrated, What Does Cow Say? written by Joan Holub, published by Scholastic/Cartwheel books. It is a lift-a-flap book where you get to lift the mouth of the animals and see what they say.

I'll be talking a bit more about the process in making this book, but in the meanwhile, check out the author Joan Holub's interesting post on the 2 pg dummy she submitted to the publisher for this book.

And hey, this is the first time I have a rooster on the cover of one of my books. Possibly the beginning of my chicken world dominance?

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 64-69

2011-01-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

This week is the second to last week of my Sketchbook Project 2011 pages! To read this story from the beginning, please visit my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

5 spreads left to go. With this book due back by January 15th, I'm getting a bit sad about having to let it go, but in a way, it will feel good. This project had took more time than I thought, yet I'm quite surprised at how commited I was. (Every Tuesday since August, only missed one time!) I'm ready to wrap it up.

Please come back next Tuesday for the final pages of this book. Thank you for reading!

P.S.- if you want to see a painterly version of Chicken Girl and Rooster (math) Boy, here is a video.

Bye bye 2010

2010-12-31T11:10:00.000-08:00

2010. What can I say, but its been one of those years I'd rather move on from. Its been a year of change for sure. Shifts in both my personal life and career. But there were still so many wonderful things that happened.

2010 Year in review:

Traveled to Tokyo and attended DesignFesta. Also finally got to meet a great online friend in real life.
Attended the Highlights Illustrators party and finally got to meet Paula, Susan and Jenn from my critique group, Illustration for kids. These ladies have supported me from the very beginning!
Traveled to Germany with my awesome girlfriends. Most memorable: riding bikes near the Baltic Sea.
Books published: The Great Matzoh Hunt, and Halloween is Here
worked on a cool iPhone app.
Attended a great comic workshop and met some amazing local comic artists.
Started the sketchbook project, writing in comic form.
Was a speaker on a panel for a local arts conference.
The end of this year marks the 5 year anniversary of me going out of my own as a freelancer.

Whew! Ok, so maybe I did more in this year than I thought. Its been a year of new experiences. I also feel like I'm at a crossroad both personally and career wise. For 2011, I plan to reinvent myself. Goals coming up in another post.

Happy New Year!

Painting with iPhone's Brushes App- Girl

2010-12-29T11:41:00.000-08:00

I'm back from California where I spent a few days in warm weather, which was much needed. Sad to be back in the cold again but also happy to be back in the swing of things to get ready for the new year.

When traveling, I get plenty of time to play around with the brushes app on my iPhone, so here is a piece I did while on the plane.

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 60-63

2010-12-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

This week's Sketchbook Project 2011 pages. To read this story from the beginning, please visit my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

I can't believe I'm up to 60 pages! Two more Tuesdays to go before I turn this book in :-)

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 56-59

2010-12-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

This week's Sketchbook Project 2011 pages. To read this story from the beginning, please visit my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

There are 10 spreads left in my sketchbook and only less than a month away before I turn it in. I'm hoping to get lots of sketching done over holiday break. Merry Christmas and I'll see you next Tuesday.

Free App featuring Desktop Wallpapers

2010-12-15T09:53:00.000-08:00

Freebies! I'm honored to be part of this free app called Galleries 1 by WingedChariot that features an international group of illustrators. You can download this image by yours truly as a desktop wallpaper for your iphone/ ipad/ ipod touch.

There are many more stunning work by various illustrators. Thanks to WingedChariot for having a spot for me. You may want to check out their adorable kids' book app called Scruffy Kitty, featuring the work of Michael Slack, who is definitely one of my favorite illustrators out there.

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 54-55

2010-12-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

More about football in this week's Sketchbook Project 2011 pages. To read this story from the beginning, please visit my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 52-53

2010-12-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

This week's Sketchbook Project 2011 pages. To read this story from the beginning, please visit my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

So, notice there is only one spread this week. Even thought I still have quite alot of stories in my mind to tell, I've been getting a bit drained. Sigh! I still have a few more pages to go before I turn in this book before January 15th. Lets just hope I come up with a nice cover art for it. (still blank at the moment.)

My Website got a Face Lift!

2010-12-06T06:35:00.000-08:00

My main website is revamped! Please go check it out.

I've been wanting to learn WordPress for sometime now, and thanks to Jonathan Woodward of Zero2illo and Tracy Bishop, I got the push I needed. I used Headway themes for the site and even though it was a struggle at first and bit of a learning curve, once I got the hang of it, it is very easy to use.

I still have this blog separately right now, but in the future I hope to merge it to my main site. I'm just a bit nervous about doing so. I've got to get some holiday postcards out the door, and some fun projects are coming in.

Let me know what you think of the new site!

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 48-51

2010-11-29T18:18:00.000-08:00

I'm back with my Sketchbook Project 2011! Can you believe its up to page 51 now? To read this story from the beginning, please visit my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend. And thanks for everyone's understanding about my need for a break. (still feeling very guilty!) We drove from Ann Arbor to Philadelphia to visit family and finally got some time in between to put my pages in.

There are about 28 pages left in the sketchbook. I'm not quite sure how I will end this story, since I'm still in the midst of it. Its still a big "to be continued." But I'm happy to be putting my little snippets and thoughts of living here on paper. And to those of you who's been following this far- Thank you. :-)

Guest post + a Giveaway over at PiBoIdMo

2010-11-24T07:49:00.000-08:00

I'm guest posting over at Tara Lazar's blog for PiBoIdMo today with this print as a giveaway. I hope this quote inspires you as it did me. Thanks again to Tara for letting me guest post. Head over there to enter!

No Sketchbook Project this week

2010-11-23T07:05:00.000-08:00

Just a note here to say I'm taking a break from the Sketchbook project this week. I'm feeling a bit guilty but between client work, Thanksgiving, and a big book deadline around the corner, I need to concentrate on that instead. Although I'm pretty proud to say I've been doing this every Tuesday for the past 3 months! I will be back on track next week!

If you haven't gotten a chance to read this story from the beginning, please go to my flickr set.

******************************************************************************************

In other news, I will be guest posting over at Tara Lazar's blog for PiBoIdMo (which stands for Picture Book Idea Month) with a giveaway tomorrow (Wed, 11/24.) So please stay tuned. And happy Turkey week!

Christmas postcard

2010-11-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

Just sent this off to the printers! This will be my Christmas postcard. I've been thinking about what I wanted to do for this year. Since I got so many nice comments about the animal ABCs, I wonder if I can continue it onto other themes.

There are some tricky letters but thats the fun part, figure it out. Even though I felt like I'm cheating a little with the letter Z being "zzzz," I'm pretty happy with the end result.

I'm already thinking about other themes already :-)

Fly Art Center Tote Design (and tees!)

2010-11-17T09:13:00.000-08:00

I got an opportunity to design this tote bag for Fly Art Center, a local non-profit organization that gives art experiences for kids. I met the founder Ruth Marks, through a panel discussion I was on at the Convergence conference, about the publishing world. I love what she is doing! How can I not?!

There is something very free about working with just 2 colors. They will be screen printed and it will also be on t-shirts for kids. Its on pre-order now, so hopefully I can interest you in getting one and supporting them. Thank you.

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 44-47

2010-11-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

Page 44-47 of my Sketchbook Project 2011. To read this story from the beginning, please visit my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

I've been taking a little artistic license with these pages. There isn't a World of Puff Superstore here in Ann Arbor but I sure did have a puffy coat issue and we were "snuggied." From the feedback I've received, alot of my stories are also related to my life as a freelancer...which, I know alot about too. There aren't alot of pages left in the sketchbook (wow) and I have so much more to say, so I think in the next few pages I will concentrate more on the Ann Arbor/ Michigan aspect of my experience.

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 40-43

2010-11-09T06:48:00.000-08:00

Page 40-43 of my Sketchbook Project 2011. To read this story from the beginning, please visit here or my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

Screen Printing Workshop

2010-11-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago, I took a silkscreening workshop over at Blue House Ann Arbor. The last time I did silk screening was in my art school days (and that was a long time ago.) And of course I had to be the idiot who pulled emulsion on the screen while it was laying flat and got it all over the table. Blah.

Anyways, it did turn out well, since I got my evil robot design onto a few tees and a few scraps of test fabric, which I'll hopefully turn into a tote bag.

Here is one of my tees, hanging to be dried. Apologies for the quality of these photos as I took these with my iphone in a dark room.

So what next? Do I want to start my silk screening empire? I actually have a basement in which I can set up shop. But who knows, I already have way too much on my plate. It will be on my list of many things I want to do. It is alot of fun.

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 36-39

2010-11-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

Page 36-39 of my Sketchbook Project 2011. To read this story from the beginning, please visit here or my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

I swear this will be the last time I talk about bullet proof glass, or the lack thereof. There are much more fascinating things I've experienced since I've been here, and I hope I get to everything since I'm at the half way point in the sketchbook!

Also I'm scanning these pages at a better quality, to look like more of the original. The pages for these are so thin that the other side shows through, but it doesn't bother me much anymore.

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

Illustration for Kids- Fall Mailer

2010-11-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

Its that time of year again when we do a fall promo over at Illustration for Kids.

Stay tuned for my post tomorrow on my sketchook project!

Evolution of a Halloween Book Cover

2010-10-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

It is fun to show the process of a cover-from sketches to the end product. I did this with The Great Matzoh Hunt, and now I thought I would show it for Halloween is Here, a sticker book I illustrated that was recently released.

1st Sketch: All 4 of the main characters were featured. It is a bit too crowded for the cover.

Revised Sketch

Color Art

With Type and at the stores! (took this pic at Borders)

Hope you'll get a chance to pick Halloween is Here up at your local bookstores. Happy Halloween!

Toy Story PixArt

2010-10-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

I recently contributed a piece of PixArt over at The Pixar Times to celebrate the release of Toy Story 3 on DVD and blu-ray. Check it out here. Who doesn't love Pixar? They do make the best films! Thanks to Jerrod Maruyam a for the invitation. And if you like cute stuff, go check out his store, Casa Kawaii. Enough said :-)

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 32-35

2010-10-25T20:08:00.000-07:00

Page 32-35 of my Sketchbook Project 2011. To read this story from the beginning, please visit here or my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

Wow, its been almost two months now since I've been keeping up with this comics story every week. I still can't believe it! Ideas are brewing as to how I can continue to keep this up after the sketchbook ends.

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

Chickengirl Comics Presents...A Halloween Special (+IF: Spooky)

2010-10-21T10:13:00.000-07:00

I was going to wait and post these on Tuesday instead of pages from my sketchbook project. But since this week's illustration friday topic is "spooky," and I haven't participated in IF in a very very long time, I thought I would post it now. Plus, I am eager to get these pages out there :-)

This was fun and a good exercise since I hardly ever touch photoshop and this is definitely a different technique than what I'm use to. I'm also happy to write a little story for Chicken Girl and Rooster Boy that is more fictional rather than based on real life. I hope I've got more stories like this in me.

Sketchbook Project Page 28-31

2010-10-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

Page 28-31 of my Sketchbook Project 2011. To read this story from the beginning, please visit here or my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

Its getting harder and harder to do these pages every week, but looking through my sketchbook so far-its nice to see it getting filled up!

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

Chicken Girl for President

2010-10-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

I made these badges and wore them at the Highlight Illustrators Party a few weeks ago. The theme was "silly." I have no idea how this came to mind. It was fun making them though.

The Sketchables Interview

2010-10-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

What do you sketch on and where?

There is a fun interview of me over at The Sketchables where I answered all the questions in sketches. Thanks to Heather Powers and the rest of the ladies over there for letting me have yet another excuse to draw more chickens.

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 24-27

2010-10-11T21:13:00.000-07:00

I finally go to jewelry class and it gets pathetic. Page 24-27 of my Sketchbook Project 2011.

To read this story from the beginning, please visit here or my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

Whew! I barely finished on time for this week's post. I crammed all the sketching up to the last possible moment. Thank you again to those of you who are keeping up with this story, it truly motivates me every week!

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

Chicken Girl Design Digistamps- October and Final Collection

2010-10-11T08:13:00.000-07:00

This is the October and yes, final collection of the Chicken Girl Design Digistamps. I want to thank the awesome ladies of the design team who makes gorgeous cards with my images month after month: Loretta, Lori, Tammy, Michele, Laura, Christy and Judy. Its been very interesting to see how they use these images with fresh new colors. Its been very inspiring.

And a special thank you to Kate over at I {heart} Papers for the opportunity to make this happen. I'm happy I got a chance to get a glimpse of the crafting world. Thank you very much, Kate.

Never fear, the polymer and digistamps will continue to be for sale over at I {heart} Papers, along with alot of other fun crafting materials (which I learned alot about at CHA this summer...wow). So go check it out, alright?

Hooray for Halloween Book Giveaway Winner

2010-10-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

Using random.org, the winner is Nina Seven! Congratulations, Nina!

Thanks to everyone who entered the book giveaway, and the tips for chicken costumes. I ended up sewing chicken and rooster hats out of felt I had around the house. More on that later.

And it seems like alot of folks are into Reeses peanut butter cups and M&Ms! Will probably pick some up to hand out to the trick or treaters. Happy Halloween! It is one of the best holidays, isn't it?

Top Ten things Illustrators can do to make Highlights Happy

2010-10-07T06:39:00.000-07:00

At the Highlights Illustrators party, there was a seminar with a panel of Highlights' editors and art directors. There was a list of "Top Ten Things Illustrators can do to Make Highlights Happy" - (a la Letterman style). Thought I would share it here:

     10- Bring your unique style.

       9- Read the story, have details reflected in the art.

   8- Read the art notes.

   7- Do your homework, research details. (even cartoony spiders have 8 legs.)

   6- Leave room for caption, art should fit in space.

   5- Remember the age group.

   4- Be responsive to sketch revisions. Re-compose the layout if necessary.

   3- Remember the Highlights statement. (They are fun, but not sassy...)

       2- Meet the deadlines.

       1- Humor them. (Put seat belts on aliens in spaceships, life vests on
           Canoeing raccoons!)

Highlights Illustrators Party 2010

2010-10-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

Outside of the Highlights Office

This past weekend, I was at the Highlights Illustrators party in Honesdale, PA. An opportunity to get out my studio and talk with...other people! And illustrators at that! This time was extra special since 4 out of 7 of us in our Illustration for Kids group got to get together (Paula, Susan, Jenn, and I).These ladies have been with me at the very beginning of my illustration career and its amazing that 4 years later we get to meet in person.

And I also got to meet alot of other great illustrators, alot of them in which I've gotten to know from online- Jennifer Thermes, Karen Lee, Julie Fortenberry, Liz Dubois, Barry Gott, Jim Paillot, Mike Moran, Brian White (and so many others to mention! Forgive me its been a long weekend.)

Portfolio Sharing

There was an illustrators seminar (which I will do another post on) and portfolio sharing afterwards.


My Portfolio, books, and cards

There were silly costumes and square dancing. They know how to throw a good party! Thank you so much to all the folks over at Highlights. Hope to see you all next year.

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 20-23

2010-10-04T21:06:00.000-07:00

More talks about my favorite subject, food. Page 20-23 of my Sketchbook Project 2011.

To read this story from the beginning, please visit here or my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

This week was a tough week to get these done-I was at the annual Highlights Illustrators party all weekend (will do a post about it soon.) But committing to a Tuesday posting really pushed me to finish it.

And a quick reminder: I am hosting a giveaway of my Halloween is Here sticker book- you can still enter. Check it out on my previous post. Good luck!

Halloween is Here Sticker Book Giveaway!!!

2010-09-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

I'm finally hosting a giveaway! I'm giving away a copy this Halloween is Here sticker book I illustrated, published by Running Press Kids-which was just recently released. There is a story plus plenty of stickers to put into the scenes. Yay, stickers!!!

TO ENTER:

-Please leave me a comment and let me know what your favorite candy is when trick or treating. (mine = Twix!!)

-If you are on Twitter, please follow me at @JannieHo. If you could retweet about this giveaway, it would be greatly appreciated. Please include @JannieHo in your tweet.

**I will randomly pick a winner next Friday, October 8th.** Good luck!

P.S.-Anyone know where I can get a cheap chicken costume? Why are they so expensive?

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 16-19

2010-09-27T20:31:00.001-07:00

Pages 16-19 of my sketchbook project 2011. I thought I would show a pic of the sketchbook along with the scans. Because of my self imposed schedule, they are still pretty rough so I can get them done. I've started to lightly sketch with pencil and ink with microns since I don't have a storyline written out and my thoughts are starting to be all over the place.

To read this story from the beginning, please visit here or my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

*please come back every TUESDAY for a new post for this project!*

Tales of a Checkered Man Fan Art

2010-09-24T06:20:00.000-07:00

This is a piece of fan art I did of Tales of a Checkered Man, a webcomic by Denver Brubaker. I met Denver back at the comics fundamentals worskshop I took at my local library this summer. Now there is a comic artists forum that meets every month, and Denver gave an inspiring presentation on his work there. I loved how he was very specific and described exactly what The Checkered Man wore, so it was easy and fun for me to come up with this fan art. I was also impressed by his discipline to stick with a schedule that comes along in doing a webcomic.

It has really pushed me along with my sketchbook project. I'm not sure what my future plans are with it, but I'm determined to finish it. And also I've been exploring traditional mediums again! Who would of thought. The smell of art stores are so nostalgic.

ABC Floor Puzzle

2010-09-21T08:51:00.001-07:00

It seems like I've been doing alot of work involving the ABCs lately. Here is a floor puzzle for Scholastic Book Clubs, now available through this month's Firefly catalog.

Sketchbook Project 2011 Pages 12-15

2010-09-21T06:58:00.000-07:00

Missing the subways, and getting a driver's license. Pages 12-15 of my sketchbook project 2011. To read this story from the beginning, please visit here or my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

**I will be posting new pages for this project every TUESDAY**

I did it! I posted two Tuesdays in a row!

My Better World Savings Bank

2010-09-16T07:03:00.000-07:00

Last year, I worked on a fun project called My Better World Savings Bank. It is a high quality wooden house bank that has three compartments, and it teaches kids about spending, saving, and sharing. It comes with tons of stickers to decorate the house with and a passbook to keep track of expenses.

Along with founder John Weatherley and designer Alex Knowlton, I illustrated the stickers and the art work for the site. You can buy the bank online or check out some useful links to teach children to be financially smart!

Sketchbook Project 2011- Pages 8-11

2010-09-14T05:43:00.000-07:00

Pages 8-11 of my sketchbook project 2011. To read this story from the beginning, please visit here or my flickr set.

(please click to enlarge and read)

**I will be posting new pages for this project every TUESDAY from now on until the end of this year.**

The deadline to send the book back to Art House Co-op is January 15th. I was doing the math and if I didn't come up with something every week, it will never get done. So please come back every Tuesday to follow the story.

And thank you again for reading.

P.S.-In case you were wondering, I don't actually own a book that is entitled " How to Make Friends 101." As if I'm not pathetic enough! ;-)

German Children's Books

2010-09-11T08:25:00.000-07:00

I just came back from a great vacation with my girlfriends to Germany. A good friend moved there a few years ago and now live in Fehmarn, a beautiful island in the Baltic Sea that is about a hour and a half from Hamburg. I'm always fascinated by children's books in other countries so here are two books I picked up.
This mini, wordless book is very cute which follows people in a town for 12 months (12 spreads). It is very fun to flip through each spread and see what happens to the various people, with lots to details to find.

(one of the spreads)

And one of the books I'm working on right now consists of transportation so I picked up the other book for inspiration. Plus, look at all the cut out little cars! (they are also magnets!)

CGD Digistamps-Sept Collection

2010-09-10T13:08:00.001-07:00

The September Digistamps are now available at I {heart} Papers .

For ideas on how to use these digistamps, check out the design team: Christy Loretta Lori Tammy Carlie Michele Laura Judy Kate

***********
On another note, I just wanted to thank you for all the support and comments on my previous post with my Sketchbook Project. I was really touched by the response, it encouraged me to keep going, even if its a bit personal. I must say it felt good to do something that is completely fun and art for the sake of art.

And a thank you to The Sassy Pack Rat for featuring me on her blog today! Check out her blog and her etsy shop (she makes very cute penguins!)

Sketchbook Project 2011- Pages 1-7

2010-08-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

When I signed up for the Sketchbook Project, I was also taking a comics fundamentals workshop at my local library with Jerzy Drozd, (take a listen to his Art & Story podcast!) I think Jerzy's passion for comics is pretty contagious. So I was really happy to attend the workshop and meet him. I've dabbled in comics throughout the years; having a piece in an anthology, even participated in the MoCCA Artfest selling my work, but always getting distracted and going back to illustrating children's books.

I've always wanted to write and love the comic style of story telling. But writing is difficult for me. So when I was at the workshop and was told "Write what you know!" it clicked with me. I was going to write about my experiences and feelings of moving from a big city (New York) to a small town (Ann Arbor, MI), in comic form.

I'm intrigued by people who write autobiographical stories. How daring-to have the good, the bad, and the ugly out there for the world to see. I'm sort of nervous about it, afraid of offending anyone's feelings, afraid of people seeing my weak side. But here it is, page 1 to 7...

"If You Lived Here..."

(please click on the images to enlarge and read)

I have not pre-planned any storylines or layouts. I'm using this as a genuine sketchbook so to speak, and working directly on the paper (which is unfortunately, very thin, with ink showing through a little bit on the other side.). So the artwork is not "perfect" by any means and that is another side I will be exposing myself of.

I'll be posting new pages when I can and right now I plan to house all the pages in a set over at my Flickr.

And if you actually read all this rambling AND read my comic story so far, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! :-)

Arthouse Co-op + Sketchbook Project 2011

2010-08-25T10:02:00.001-07:00

I'm probably a little late in posting this already but many people already know about the Sketchbook Project 2011 that is going on over at Arthouse Co-op (and my portfolio profile here.) There is still time to participate. $25 will get you a sketchbook, fill it with sketches, send it back by January and it will be part of The Brooklyn Art Library. The sketchbooks will be going on tour all over the world as well.

I picked the theme "If You Lived Here." Its been officially a year since my move from New York to Ann Arbor. And I've had so many feelings and new experiences that I was like to record down, so I'll be telling my story in this sketchbook. It will be a little bit different than my usual work but whats a sketchbook for but to explore new ideas, right?