3 picture books deal with 2 complex issues: death and domestic violence...

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What could be more difficult that dealing with the loss of a parent?  It’s a subject that most people have a hard time even comprehending, forget making it a subject of a book for children. But picture books aren’t meant to shield children. That’s my opinion, at least. There are people in the other camp who believe that hard subjects like death, loss, violence and abuse should be left out of books for children. But they’re all a reality of life, unfortunately. Isn’t it inevitable that they will have to deal with a whole host of issues as they grow up? Two beautiful picture books that I read recently reflect that if it’s done in the right way, they can be very valuable and effective.  My Father’s Arms Are A Boat  (written by Stein Erik...

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My favourite resource books as a picture book creator...

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My favourite resource books as a picture book creator

Right now there are so many places you can get advice and help with your creative process as a picture book author/illustrator. From other creators’ sites where they  give insights into different techniques and writing exercises, to the grand, old Internet for all those really specific questions that you’ve been breaking your head over. You know, like a Photoshop tutorial for how to rasterize layers (aaaargh.) Since the Internet is your oyster, I figure you don’t need help with the particulars, but maybe some general resource books will be helpful. I have  some old and trusted resources that I like flipping through once in a while when I feel stuck. I find that helps me a lot. Admittedly, this list is more helpful to those of you who both write and draw because they...

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An eclectic group of good reads...

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And Then It’s Spring  is an enchanting picture book written by Julie Fogliani and illustrated by Erin E. Stead. Mom, It’s My First Day of Kindergarten!   is another charming read written and illustrated by Hyewon Yum. Do they have anything in common? Well they did both win the  2013 Ezra Jack Keats Award for New Writer and New Illustrator , which I spoke about in this post.   Let’s start with And Then It’s Spring. Too often picture books and children’s books are littered with horribly bad rhymes and verse. I’m almost allergic to it now. This book on the other hand reads like a soft, gentle ode to spring; so naturally lyrical. It is poetic in the most beautiful way. Combined with Erin Stead’s gorgeous wood block print illustrations, it’s a true winner. I was already a...

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Experiments in negative space: Papercutting...

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Experiments in negative space: Papercutting

I grew up in a house full of exciting craft projects, thanks to my ridiculously talented mother. From marbling paper to making Christmas decorations, there was always some activity to partake in. Of course half the time my sister and I would sit dumbfounded watching Amma and wonder where she found the energy, patience and motivation to sit for hours on end working away painstakingly. I guess that’s why using only traditional illustration material like paints, pencils and crayons always felt incomplete to me. I craved making something with my hands — cutting, folding, pasting… I have so much respect and awe for what you can create just from paper. Amma has made everything from paper bags and boxes to photo frames with it. So I began to think about how I could illustrate...

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