Books are for Reading with Grandpa!

My husband and I both write.  I literally love children's books.  I love them for their stories, but I also love them for their art.  I collect them and really need to review some of them here in this blog . . . but I am getting off subject . . . .

I am working on an illustrated book series for children (my progress is chronicled  here from time to time in this blog.) Hubby has already published two books, one of which is for children. He's currently working on a novel, but he loves children's stories as much as I do.  Last year he finished a second children's book for our grandson, Owen, who has a speech impediment.  It is a common impediment, that he will eventually grow out of, they say, by the time he is about 8 or 10.  He has trouble saying his R's.  So grandpa wrote him a little book replete with R words!! It was Owen's fifth birthday present!  

Anyway, a couple of our other grandchildren were visiting this weekend, and grandpa read Owen's little book to them at bed time!  I just had to snap this sweet picture.  Vivi is intently listening, while LaRaya is looking at his first book, while she listens.  

I really need to finish my book project. It the first in a series, which I call my Grandma Books.  There is a tab at the top of my homepage if you are interested.  Books will be available on this site, eventually . . . :)

Icy Stairs

"I wonder why grandma doesn't like the stairs,

Is she scared of them?

I wonder why grandma is slow on the stairs,

Does she think they are slippery?"

(Quote from Grandma Doesn't Like the Stairs children's book by Linda Pruitt)

I have shared my scary page with you in a previous post and now I have finished working on the slippery stairs page. Previously I shared the preliminary sketch of the slippery stairs page in my Sunday Sketches post. (You can find it here.)  I made notes at the bottom of my icy page sketch as to the progression that I wanted to paint the final art.

Working on the page, I wanted it to look more icy and not just snowy.  I found that making it look right was most difficult. I did a practice sky wash with a second wash for the clouds; you can see it in the left top of this next picture.  Then I added the liquid mask, which was a very old product, I think I will need to buy some new masking product.

 Here is how it turned out:

I don't think it turned out like the image I had in my mind.  I was envisioning using a little lavender color in the final work, and the old liquid mask did not erase well,  so I am considering doing it over again. 

Have your say: You think it turned out enough like the sketch?
Linking to BlueChairDiary Sunday Sketches.

Next Illustration

It's time for Sunday Sketches over at BlueChairDiary and today I am submitting my next illustration sketch of my slippery stairs page for my Grandma Book.  I am working on an image of stairs with snow and may even do another sketch with ice, although I am not sure I want to try an icy one.  Not sure how to handle that! 

Anyway, here's my first sketch.  I think I want to work on the perspective a bit in my second attempt. Here's hoping it turns out well!

Process Document and Final Product

I have worked on the scary stairs page until I was satisfied that I have the image that I wanted.  I started work on the final watercolor using a 140 pound acid free 11 by 15 inch watercolor paper. 

With all the previous practice pages, I had developed a sequence that I wanted to use on the final piece.  It went something like this:

First step: Sketching

Next, use a water resist medium for all the white areas of teeth and stairs

3.  Then do a wash for the stairs

4.  Do the lion wash

5.  Paint in the stair railings

6.  Paint the lines of the stairs

7.  Remove the resist medium

Then, the final details of the lion face and stair details.  Of course there were periods of rest between some of the steps for surface drying. 
(You may not be interesed in my sequence of process, but it's here for my documentation and future use.)

Here's how it turned out:

I'm not sure this is my best rendering of this subject but it is done now and I will have to stick with it.  It turned out a bit light, but the entire book illustrations are on the light side, so it is OK. 

Now, onto the next illustration!

Practice Pieces

(Ongoing series on the Grandma Books)

The box I pulled from the closet had some practice pieces for the first book in the series.

The book is called, Grandma Doesn't Like the Stairs!  My granddaughter, Taylor, had asked me one time when I was visiting her house, why I was slow on the stairs in her house.  I guess she was used to everyone in her family running up and down the stairs.  It gave me an idea for a book and then a series of "Grandma Books".  (I should be an expert on that subject, since I have so many grandchildren!!!! You can look at my profile--About Me tab--for a peek at my family life! )  This first book is obviously dedicated to Taylor! She is now 13 years old and in junior high school.

Thanks Taylor!