More goats and a word about graphic novels

04. August 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Daily Doodle Challenge, Illustration, Thoughts · Tags: , , , , ,

daily doodle for August 3 2010daily doddle for August 4, 2010

These goats are brought to you by the numbers 3 and 4. I finally have a good grasp on goat anatomy and decided to have some fun with these two.

Today was the day my first official blog post for the middle-grade group blog went live. I haven’t had a chance to go over and check the comments yet, but I did get an email from one of the author/artists whose book I mentioned. If you are interested in how graphic novels are being used to promote literacy in the classroom, head on over to From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors. I am at the end of the rotation, so there are a few dozen other articles there as well. I am truly honored to be among the people of this group and I hope I can live up to the very high standards they are setting.

In other news, my brother-in-law is in town for a few days.

Smoky and the feast of mabon coverSmoky and the Feast of Mabon officially releases in 17 days. I attempted to find a cool count down widget but the search kept being put on hold when more pressing projects came up. Any who, the book is available now from the publisher and on amazon. Please help support me and my fellow creator, author of the book, Catherynne M. Valente. If you already have a copy, THANK YOU. Really, I mean it. If you don’t have kids or can’t buy the book for whatever reason, please ask your local librarians to purchase it for their collection.

The new kitchen photos!

20. March 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: New Releases, Thoughts · Tags: ,

I have been putting out fires since finishing the illustrations for Smoky and the Feast of Mabon. I uploaded all the files to the publisher and they only had a few minor changes. I received color proofs last Monday and they looked great! The books are in production now according to the publisher and I expect to see my F&Gs in early April. (An F&G is the picture book equivalent of an ARC for a novel.) Somehow, when I get the F&G the book finally feels “real” to me. I can’t wait.

One of the things I finally got around to was the last touches on the kitchen/dining room renovations. See the photos here. Chuck still has to help me get the last piece of furniture up from the basement, but I decided to take the pictures this afternoon after hanging the curtain rods and curtains in the dining room.

I am so pleased with the huge change. The rooms do not look as if they are even the same house as before. And it’s all so clean! It feels so much bigger, too.

Next home renovation project — the bathroom. SO not looking forward to that. There needs to be major plumbing replacement, so most of the budget will be spent on stuff that no one sees.

Red Lemon Club: Online Self Promotion for Creatives

05. March 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Books, New Releases, Thoughts · Tags: , , , ,

Red Lemon Club

Red Lemon Club: Online Self Promotion for Creatives.

I am still working hard on the final illustrations for Smoky and the Feast of Mabon by Catherynne M. Valente. The book is now up on both the publisher’s web site and amazon for pre-order which really puts the pressure on me because people are ORDERING the book already. LOL

After I finish up with the book, the next big project on my to-do list is to make this site fully functional and work harder at bring me paying illustration jobs. I am learning all about marketing and SEO specifically geared toward creatives. The link above is my newest find.

Of course, having the info and taking it and implementing it are two entirely different animals. I have yet to figure out a good way to go about the implementing part where I actually follow through before another project distracts me. I have been on Twitter for a few months now (@lyonmartin) and the community I have found there tells me this is a common failing among my fellow artists. Seems we are all easily distracted.

I am itching to get back to my daily doodle. And my daily exercise routine. I don’t know why, but the stuff I do to keep myself sane the rest of the time slips away when I am finishing a book. The drug of choice this book has been cheese doodles. Go figure.

Daily Doodle 12-22

23. December 2009 · 4 comments · Categories: Books, Daily Doodle Challenge, Illustration, New Releases, Thoughts · Tags: , , , , ,

You may have noticed a distinct lack of daily daily doodles. Between the kitchen renovation, the holiday festivities and having a book art deadline looming I find myself in a place where something had to give. Since the point of daily doodles is to make sure I draw everyday, no matter what, and I am busy on “real” art for the upcoming book. The doodles have been relegated to the back burner. (Kitchen pun intended.)

I will post rather sporadically over the next couple of months as the final push for the book art is in full throttle. No matter how well I plan time in advance of my deadlines, it seems as if there is always something to throw a monkey wrench into the works. At least I am getting better at forging forward when said wrench appears to muck up the works.

I recently received a copy (free – in exchange for my feedback and editing help) of Tara Reed’s Goal Wheel for Artists. She is a friend of mine who licenses art internationally and uses her marketing know how to help other creatives get a foot in. I was able to read through her very well crafted goal setting guide and use the knowledge gleaned from it in the production of my book art. I highly recommend the e-book download to other illustrators and writers who have trouble breaking down their goals and projects into do-able bites. Thanks Tara, you totally rock!

My drafting table is growling at me so I had better go and sharpen those pencils, kneed those erasers and make magic on paper. I’ll see you when I see you. Good energy and thoughts for deep creative well springs and accomplishment are always welcome and appreciated.