MSC Art | Books

Book Launch Party!

2012-01-31T21:29:00.000-05:00

Last week, on Wednesday January 25th, the second anniversary of Baltic's rescue, The Free Library of Philadelphia hosted the Book Launch party for Little Dog Lost. Just look at the wonderful cake!

It was a fantastic event: among many other guests two kindergarten classes from Russell Byers Charter School came for the book reading and party. What a great audience! Also attending were my agent, Teresa Kietlinski from Prospect Agency, and from Penguin Young Readers Group my editor Nancy Paulsen, art director Cecilia Yung, and book designer Marikka Tamura. What a thrill it was to all be together on this special day!

The following day Publisher's Weekly mentioned the launch party in its In Brief: January 26!

Illustration Friday | Twirl and Forward

2012-01-29T16:41:00.002-05:00

I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to the Olympic Games this summer!

Não sei se você sente o mesmo, mas estou ansiosa para os Jogos Olímpicos em julho!

Pub Date is Today!

2012-01-05T22:55:00.000-05:00

What a day!

Little Dog Lost: The True Story of a Brave Dog Named Baltic was released today.

And....Horn Book picked it for its Review of the Week.

And....author Cynthia Leitich Smith posted an interview with me in her wonderful blog Cynsations.

I'm practically speechless. What a great way to start the year! Thank you all for your support and friendship. I hope 2012 is off to a good start for you too!

By the way, if you're wondering about the cute Baltic sock dog, it was made by the talented Stacey Hsu of Original Sock Dogs.

Getting to Know Baltic

2011-12-10T19:04:00.000-05:00

I first heard about Baltic on "All Things Considered" on NPR. It was a brief story, recapping his amazing rescue earlier in the week, and concluding with the news that Baltic had been adopted by the crew: he was now an official crew member of the R/V Baltica!

Once I decided to work on a book about Baltic's adventure, I started looking for more information about him. There were lots of news reports from all over the world, as well as photographs and videos. Especially helpful were a number of interviews with the Baltica's crew done for Polish television that I had translated into English. Mr. Paweł Rola, from the Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW), graciously gave me access to some incredible photographs of Baltic taken right before his rescue:

Unbelievable, right? This last picture is in the author's note in the book, courtesy of the Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW).

One of my favorite videos about Baltic requires no translation: the images alone capture all the emotion and drama of that day.

Countdown to Little Dog Lost: The True Story of a Brave Dog Named Baltic

2011-12-01T21:10:00.001-05:00

This is exciting! My first picture book, Little Dog Lost: The True Story of a Brave Dog Named Baltic, is going to be released in early January. In July of last year, I wrote a blog post telling all about the book deal and how it came about.

And now the reviews are coming in and I couldn't be happier. Kirkus Reviews and Publisher's Weekly already had some wonderful things to say about the book, and this week I learned that The Horn Book gave Little Dog Lost a Starred Review. Wow!!

Throughout December I'll add a few more posts detailing the process of creating my first picture book. I hope you'll stop by!

Amazing Gift | Incrível Presente

2011-11-13T20:02:00.002-05:00

Last month I received an amazing gift from illustrator Roger Simó of A Spoonful of Sugar and A Spoonful of Sugar Watercolor Edition : a personalized, autographed copy of his book "La Mare Porta Perruca!" The book was written by Montse Banquells Aparicio and it's a labor of love: based on her own experience battling breast cancer, it's meant for families that find themselves in the same position. Roger is such a wonderful illustrator -- a master of pen and ink and watercolor!

Mês passado eu recebi um presente incrível do ilustrador Roger Simó dos blogs A Spoonful of Sugar e A Spoonful of Sugar Watercolor Edition: uma cópia do seu livro "La Mare Porta Perruca", com dedicação e assinatura! O livro, escrito por Montse Banquells Aparicio, é um trabalho muito especial: é baseado na própria experiência dela com câncer de mama, para ser compartilhado por famílias que se encontram na mesma situação. Roger é um ilustrador tão maravilhoso -- um mestre com nanquim e aquarela!

But that was not all! He also sent me an original illustration, made especially for me! Isn't it absolutely lovely? I'm having it framed! Thank you, Roger!
Roger is now represented by Advocate Art, in Ashtead, London. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Roger's work all over the world!

Mas isso não foi tudo! Ele também me enviou uma ilustração original, feita especialmente para mim! Não é absolutamente linda? Vou emoldurar! Muito obrigada, Roger!
Roger agora é representado pela agência Advocate Art em Ahstead, London. Estou ansiosa para ver o trabalho do Roger no mundo todo!

November is Picture Book Month!

2011-11-06T11:07:00.001-05:00

How cool is that? A whole month dedicated to picture books, with daily posts by some really impressive authors and/or illustrators of this art form. Hurry to this great site and read up posts already up by Eric A. Kimmel, Kelly Milner Halls, Suzanne Bloom, Dan Yaccarino, Elizabeth O. Dulemba and Marc Tyler Nobleman.

And isn't that the cutest logo? It was designed by Joyce Wan who is also represented by Teresa Kietlinski, Prospect Agency.

Join the party and spread the word!

Illustration Friday | Scary

2011-10-29T15:50:00.000-04:00

"Can I sleep with you?"
Sometimes nightmares can be quite scary.
A quick and messy one this week. But I kind of like it!

"Posso dormir com você?"
Alguns pesadelos podem ser bem assustadores.
Esta semana uma pintura rápida e bagunçadinha. Mas eu até que gostei!

Blog to Follow: Illustration Station

2011-10-24T20:14:00.001-04:00

©Kim Fleming

Kim Fleming of lil kim's illo blog has created a new and super cool blog geared towards the illustration community: it's called Illustration Station and it's just brilliant! It's THE place to find and share information about contests, giveaways, art swaps, projects, etc.

Do you know of any opportunities for illustrators? Just make sure it's open to anyone, anywhere in the world, and submit the information to be added to the blog.

Link back from your blog and participate!

Kim Fleming do lil kim's illo blog criou um novo blog super legal para toda a comunidade de ilustradores: chama-se Illustration Station and é uma idéia brilhante. Um lugar para encontrar e partilhar informações sobre concursos, rifas, troca de arte, projetos, etc.

Você sabe de alguma oportunidade para ilustradores? Assegure-se de que está aberta a todos em todo o mundo e mande a informação para ser acrescentada ao blog.

Coloque o link no seu blog e participe!

Illustration Friday | Mesmerizing

2011-09-18T16:07:00.002-04:00

Poor Little Red Riding Hood -- she doesn't stand a chance! I've always been mesmerized by wolves. When I was little I wanted to be a wolf biologist (I lost count of how many times I read "Never Cry Wolf" by Farley Mowat!)

This coming Saturday I'm participating in SCBWI-EPA's Illustrator Day. Our assignment is to illustrate two spreads of Little Red Riding Hood. Here's a sneak peek!

Coitada da Chapeuzinho Vermelho -- ela está perdida! Eu sempre fui fascinada por lobos. Quando eu era pequena, queria estudar lobos (já perdi a conta de quantas vezes eu li "Os Lobos" de Farley Mowat!)

No próximo sábado vou participar do Dia do Illustrador, uma oficina organizada pela SCBWI-EPA. O dever de casa era ilustrar duas páginas de "O Chapeuzinho Vermelho." Aqui vai uma prévia!

Exhibit News : The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats

2011-09-02T13:10:00.003-04:00

A new exhibition at the Jewish Museum in New York City celebrates the 50th anniversary of the publication of The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.

The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats opens on September 9 and stays at the Jewish Museum until January 29, 2012. From there the exhibit travels to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Massachusetts (June 26 to October 14, 2012) and to the Contemporary Jewish Museum in California (Mid-November 2012 to February 2013.)

This is the first major exhibit in the United States honoring author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats and features over 80 original works by the artist, as well as sketches and dummies.

I feel a trip to NYC coming on!

Illustration Friday | Imperfect

2011-08-10T21:53:00.000-04:00

But not for long! It needs just a few extra tweaks...

Mas não por muito tempo! Só precisa de uns pequenos ajustes...

Wonderful Gift from Alisa Coburn

2011-08-03T21:44:00.000-04:00

Look what I found waiting for me when I got back from vacation: the most amazing package - all the way from Australia - filled with treats from illustrator and designer Alisa Coburn.

My photo doesn't do it justice: Alisa generously sent me an original figure painting done in beautiful line work, color and textures. AND she also sent me two of her unique, hand-printed Gocco cards, using her lovely design of a fox! In her blog, Alisa explains how these cards came to be and it's so very cool: you can read about it here and then here.

Alisa was part of an international art exchange project I participated in a year and a half ago along my friend Shirley Ng-Benitez, of Shirley's Illustrations. Recently Shirley told me to expect something from Alisa and, WOW! Just WOW!

Alisa's blog Ink Caravan is a total delight, bursting with great photographs, art and creative ideas. Alisa is also the illustrator and designer of a new children's book, Alisa Has Cancer, written by Alison Jones.

Many thanks, Alisa, for such wonderful gifts!

Where did she go? | Cadê ela?

2011-07-19T14:11:00.000-04:00

Okay, it has been AGES since I posted on my blog, I know. Summer does this to me -- there are vacations (I'm off to Paris!), projects to get started (we're getting the apartment painted) and long days full of sunlight and warmth -- Can you tell I LOVE summer? ;-)

No new illustrations this time, but two links worth exploring:

First, the SCBWI-EPA is planning a number of really cool events this fall. You can read about them here. I've signed up for the Illustrator's Day workshop. This will be the 3rd one I attend -- always a great event for illustrators!

Secondly, a link to a great interview posted on Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast with one of my favorite illustrators, Kady MacDonald Denton. This blog is amazing!

I'll be back in August!

Faz muito tempo que não coloco nada de novo no blog, eu sei. É por causa do verão -- tem férias (estou indo para Paris!), projetos (estamos pintando o apartamento) e dias longos cheios de luz e calor -- dá para perceber que eu ADORO o verão, não? ;-)

Nenhuma ilustração nova, mas dois links que valem a pena explorar:

Primeiro a SCBWI-EPA está planejando eventos muito especials neste outuno. Informe-se aqui. Eu me inscrevi no evento Illustrator's Day. Este será o terceiro ano que participo deste evento, sempre muito interessante para ilustradores!

E segundo, uma excelente entrevista que encontrei no blog Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast com uma das minhas ilustradoras favoritas, Kady MacDonald Denton. Este blog é incrível!

Voltarei em agosto!

Illustration Friday | Launch

2011-06-22T17:40:00.000-04:00

You know what happened next.

A quick one for this week.

Vocês sabem o que aconteceu depois.

Rapidinho para esta semana.

Illustration Friday | Swept

2011-06-11T23:57:00.002-04:00

Watercolor and black Prismacolor pencil

Aquarela e lápis Prismacolor preto

Illustration Friday | Asleep

2011-05-29T13:09:00.000-04:00

Sweet dreams!

Bons sonhos!

Illustration Friday | Soaked

2011-05-21T11:09:00.002-04:00

Even foxes sometimes get caught in the rain!

Até raposas são surpreendidas pela chuva!

Illustration Friday | Beginner (and Lesson!)

2011-05-08T15:53:00.001-04:00

I started this sketch last week for "Lesson", but couldn't get it done in time.

But I think it works for "Beginner" as well.

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

Começei este desenho na semana passada para o tema "Lição," mas não consegui terminar a tempo.

Mas acho que também se aplica ao tema "Iniciante."

Feliz Dia das Mães para todos!

Illustration Friday | Bicycle

2011-04-24T16:54:00.000-04:00

Illustration Friday | Journey

2011-04-16T20:30:00.000-04:00

On some journeys it is good to bring a map.

É bom trazer um mapa em algumas viagens.

Library of the Early Mind

2011-02-28T21:16:00.002-05:00

Have you heard about Library of the Early Mind? It's a documentary film about children’s literature directed by Edward J. Delaney and produced by Edward J. Delaney and Steven Withrow. I first heard about it last year, when it premiered in NYC and Boston, and I’ve been looking forward to seeing it ever since.

More information can be found at their website, including dates and locations for future screenings. It will be shown here in Philadelphia at the Rosenbach Museum on March 12 (and it's already on my calendar!)

New screening dates are added frequently, so keep an eye for it in your area.

Illustration Friday | Swarm

2011-02-27T20:46:00.002-05:00

Swarming with bees

"Hey, wait for me!"
Click on the image to enlarge it

Enxameando com abelhas

"Ei, esperem por mim!"
Clique na imagem para aumentá-la

Surprise from Zime!

2011-01-13T23:17:00.000-05:00

I just received a lovely present from Zime, the multi-talented artist and creator of Mininas, which are charming one of a kind wooden dolls that come packaged in their own little "home" made of recycled, Earth-friendly cardboard. Can you see it to the left of the house? It's a little beagle :-)

On Friendship Day, July 20th, Zime sponsored RegalArte: the first three people to leave a comment on her blog that day would receive an original gift. I was one of the lucky ones, and it's now my turn to create my own RegalArte contest.

Make sure to visit Zime's store on Etsy -- it has all kinds of delicate, beautiful gifts!

Blog to Follow: 36 Pages

2011-01-08T10:58:00.001-05:00

Author/Illustrator Craig Frazier has created a new blog about picture books called 36 pages.

©Craig Frazier

The blog is visually stunning and a treat for anyone interested in "the story on picture books." Craig provides great insights on picture book design and includes plenty of gorgeous illustrations of both cover and interior art when talking about each book, be it old or new. I would recommend going through the archives and reading his previous posts. Fascinating!

Craig was co-founder of Lookybook, which was one of my favorite websites before it had to shut down about two years ago due to the economy. So glad to see him back!

Illustration Friday | Winter

2010-12-24T17:28:00.000-05:00

This illustration was an assignment I did for a children's book illustration class I took a few years ago -- a black and white spread illustrating a poem. We had several poems to choose from, but this one by Oliver Herford (1863-1935) was my favorite. As some of you already know, I don't enjoy winter. The short days and cold weather are hard to take for a Brazilian like me. But this poem is so simple and so full of hope, I fell in love with it. Click on the image to enlarge it.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Este trabalho foi feito há alguns anos atrás para uma aula de ilustração infantil -- ilustrar em preto e branco um poema em duas páginas. Haviam vários poemas para serem escolhidos, mas este escrito por Oliver Herford (1863-1935) foi meu favorito. Como alguns de vocês sabem, eu não gosto de inverno. Os dias curtos e o tempo frio são difíceis de suportar para uma brasileira como eu. Mas este poema é tão simples e tão cheio de esperança, eu me apaixonei por ele. Clique na imagem para aumentá-la.

Feliz Natal a todos!

Illustration Friday | Mail

2010-12-18T22:28:00.000-05:00

Mail the old-fashioned way.

Correio da maneira antiga.

Illustration Friday | Savour

2010-11-29T21:02:00.000-05:00

Savouring a large cup of hot chocolate. One of the few things I like about cold weather!

A very quick pen and ink sketch this week.

Apreciando uma caneca grande de chocolate quente. Uma das poucas coisas que eu gosto quando o tempo está frio! Esta semana um desenho rápido a bico de pena.

Illustration Friday | Afterwards

2010-11-07T20:18:00.000-05:00

Afterwards, Bunny and Bear were quite pleased with their work.

Depois, tanto o Coelho como o Urso estavam bem satisfeitos com seu trabalho.

Blessing of the Animals

2010-10-28T20:46:00.000-04:00

Every year I take my dog Constance to the Blessing of the Animals at a nearby church. We meet dogs, cats, guinea pigs, ferrets (even one time a fish in a bowl!) and have a wonderful time celebrating St. Francis and his love for all animals.

This year I was contacted by Ginger Berstrom, Family Ministry and Communications Director at The Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul in Charleston, South Carolina. She wanted to use some of my animal drawings to design a poster and door hangers promoting their Blessing of the Animals service. I was happy to be able to contribute in a small way to this good cause, and delighted with the end result. I think Ginger did a great job incorporating my drawings into the materials and I hope you think so too!

Illustration Friday | Spooky

2010-10-16T16:06:00.001-04:00

Oops, perhaps a bit TOO spooky?

I haven't been able to participate in IF lately, but this week I couldn't resist.

Opa, talvez um pouco assustador DEMAIS?

Não tenho podido participar no IF ultimamente, mas esta semana não resisti.

Drawn in Brooklyn Exhibitions

2010-10-04T19:53:00.000-04:00

The Brooklyn Public Library is hosting a fantastic exhibit of original children's book illustrations by 34 artists who live and work in Brooklyn.

You can read all about it here.

Drawn in Brooklyn runs from September 21, 2010 until January 23, 2011 at the Central Library, Grand Army Plaza.

It's sounds amazing, doesn't it? See you there!

Spotlight on Books and Illustrators

2010-10-03T19:00:00.000-04:00

Did you know that October is Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month? Well, it is! So I thought I'd share with you five pictures books about adopting or rescuing dogs. Perfect, right?

We begin with "Let's Get a Pup! said Kate" by Bob Graham (Candlewick, 2001) in which Kate and her parents go to a shelter looking to adopt a new dog. Kate's cat Tiger died the previous winter but now it's summer and she's ready to find a new friend. First they bring home Dave, a puppy full of energy. But at the shelter they also meet Rosy, an older dog that radiates "good intention." What will they do? Can Rosy find her forever home with Kate as well?

Next comes "The Stray Dog" by Marc Simont (HarperCollins, 2001) from a true story by Reiko Sassa. A family out for a fun Sunday picnic in the park meet a stray dog. They name him Willy and play all day. When it's time to go home the dog stays behind, but as the week goes by no one can stop thinking about the him. The following Saturday they're back in the park, but where is Willy?

In "Before You Were Mine" by Maribeth Boelts with illustrations by David Walker (Putnam, 2007) a little boy wonders what his rescued dog's life was like before he adopted him. A truly sweet story, the boy imagines both happy and sad scenarios and we join him in wondering how this loving pup ended up in a shelter. An author's note at the end talks about the benefits of adopting.

In Stephen Michael King's Mutt Dog ( Harcourt, 2005) we meet a little dog living all alone on the street looking for both food and shelter. We follow him on a particularly windy and rainy night as he takes refuge in a homeless shelter. Will mutt dog ever find a home of his own?

Finally, there's "A Day, a Dog" by Gabrielle Vincent (Front Street, 2000), a wordless book that starts with a dog being abandoned by the side of the road. No words are necessary to express his confusion and fear in what can only be described as a powerful story. Although in picture book format, this book is better for older children and adults, but it's one that shouldn't be missed by animal lovers and illustrators alike. An amazing book.

There it is. Do you have favorite books about rescuing pets? I'd love to hear about them!

Illustration Friday | Immovable

2010-08-29T17:39:00.000-04:00

"What?! Why are you pushing me?!"

"Que foi?! Por que você está me empurrando?"

2010 Original Art: Celebrating the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration

2010-08-16T22:03:00.000-04:00

Did you hear it?

The super talented Renata Liwska has won the Gold Medal at this year's Society of Illustrators' 2010 Original Art: Celebrating the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration for her work on The Quiet Book written by Deborah Underwood.

This is a fantastic exhibit! If you're going to be in New York City, it is a must see :-)

The publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, is doing a random drawing for a chance to win a piece of original artwork by Renata Liwska. Very cool!! Click here to learn all about it!

Illustration Friday | Star Gazing

2010-08-16T21:40:00.000-04:00

This is not a new illustration -- in fact, I created it last year for another IF theme (Infinite). But I have a soft spot for these two polar bears, and think they express perfectly this week's theme. Hope you like them too!

:-)

Esta não é uma ilustração nova -- na verdade foi criada ano passado para um outro tema IF (Infinito). Mas eu gosto muito destes ursos polares, e acho que eles expressam o tema desta semana perfeitamente. Espero que gostem também!

:-)

Illustration Friday | Caged

2010-08-08T22:14:00.000-04:00

A quick line sketch for this week's theme.

Um rascunho rápido para o tema desta semana.

Illustration Friday | Diary

2010-07-10T21:59:00.001-04:00

Some bears lead very busy lives...

Alguns ursos levam uma vida social intensa...

HUGE News!!! | GRANDES Notícias!!!

2010-07-02T22:16:00.000-04:00

I'm jumping for joy!!!

Estou pulando de alegria!!

I'm thrilled to announce that I have a TWO book deal with Nancy Paulsen Books, a new imprint at Penguin Young Readers Group.

The first is a picture book based on the true story of Baltic, a dog found stranded on an ice floe in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Poland this past January. This incredible story made news all over the world, and when I first heard about it I used it as inspiration for an Illustration Friday post on the theme "Adrift."

From there I began to write the story and work on some possible illustrations. Now, thanks to my extraordinary and very talented agent Teresa Kietlinski at Prospect Agency, the story has found a home and will become my first picture book. The topic of the second book is still to be determined, but needless to say I'm very excited about the many possibilities!

Estou alegríssima de anunciar que fui escolhida para publicar DOIS livros com Nancy Paulsen Books, uma nova editora do grupo Penguin Young Readers Group.

O primeiro livro é baseado na história real de Baltic, o cão que foi encontrado flutuando num pedaço de gelo no Mar Báltico, perto da costa da Polônia. Esta estória incrível foi noticiada no mundo todo, e serviu de inspiração para minha participação no Illustration Friday com tema "Adrift (A deriva)"

A partir daí começei a escrever a estória e fazer mais desenhos. E agora, graças a minha extraordinária e talentosa agente Teresa Kietlinski da Prospect Agency, esta estória vai se tornar meu primeiro livro infantil. O tema do segundo livro ainda será determinado, mas naturalmente estou super excitada com as possibilitades!

Spotlight on Books and Illustrators

2010-06-29T20:40:00.000-04:00

Author and illustrator Betsy Lewin has a brand new book coming out called Where is Tippy Toes? Published by Simon & Schuster, it follows the adventures of a playful cat from morning to night.

Her latest work reminds me of a lovely book she illustrated back in 1988, written by Maria Polushkin, called Kitten in Trouble. This book is currently out of print, but I was lucky to find a very nice copy at a used bookstore.

Betsy Lewin has a wonderfully loose and fluid style. Her characters come to life with just a few perfectly laid brush strokes, which make them seem deceptively simple. I remember when I first came across this book and how I fell in love with Betsy's art.

In her terrific book Show and Tell: Exploring the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration, Dilys Evans devotes a chapter to Betsy Lewin entitled "Liquid thought." This book is a must read for anyone interested in children's book art!

Ripple

2010-06-21T21:00:00.001-04:00

Too late for Illustration Friday, but still in time to help raise money for the animals affected by the terrible oil spill in the Gulf. You can read about this fantastic project by Kelly Light on her blog Ripple.

Muito tarde para Illustration Friday, mas ainda em tempo para ajudar a arrecadar dinheiro para os animais afetados pelo terrível vazamento de óleo no Golfo. Leia a respeito deste projeto fantástico da Kelly Light no seu blog Ripple.

(2.5" x 3.5" ATC ink and watercolor)

Rescue mission | Missão de resgate

2010-06-03T19:39:00.001-04:00

"Thank goodness! I thought I'd never get out of there!!"

"Ainda bem! Pensei que nunca iria escapar de lá!!"

What's Raccoon up to? | O que é que o Guaxinim está fazendo?

2010-05-23T23:12:00.000-04:00

Just pencil | Só lápis

2010-05-17T22:19:00.000-04:00

Quick sketch

2010-05-16T20:42:00.001-04:00

A quick sketch of my personal assistant and muse!

Um desenho rápido da minha assistente pessoal e musa!

Bear and Boat | Urso e Barco

2010-05-02T13:05:00.001-04:00

Usually I first draw a pencil sketch and then go over it using pen and ink. For this exercise, I drew with the ink pen directly on the paper, and then added a bit of watercolor. I had originally thought of this illo for Illustration Friday's "Dip", but didn't have time to do it. I'm way behind!

Normalmente eu desenho primeiro a lápis e depois passo bico de pena e nanquim por cima. Para este exercício eu desenhei com nanquim diretamente no papel, e depois acrescentei um pouco de aquarela. Tinha pensado nesta ilustração para o tema "Mergulhar" para Illustration Friday, mas não tive tempo de fazer. Estou bem atrasada!

International Reading Association | Annual Meeting Chicago 2010

2010-05-01T19:20:00.000-04:00

This past week I was in Chicago attending the Annual Meeting of the International Reading Association.

I had a great time traveling with my colleagues, attending sessions, and seeing the exhibits. It's wonderful to get a peak at some of the new titles

coming this summer and fall. And, even more special, it's an opportunity to hear authors and illustrators speak and get autographed copies of their books.

We were lucky with the weather as well, a bit cool but sunny. Chicago is a really beautiful city!

Here are some of the highlights of the conference for me:

Hearing Kevin Henkes speak about his books and the power of imagination (and getting an autographed copy of "My garden"!)

Meeting Henry Cole, and getting a signed copy of his lovely book, "A nest for Celeste":

And meeting James Howe, Bonnie Becker and Jane Yolen and getting signed F&Gs of their upcoming books, respectively "Brontorina," "A Bedtime for Bear," and "Elsie's Bird" :

Dog Lover Blog Award 2009

2010-04-20T21:05:00.001-04:00

She did it again! The super talented Eunice Rosado from This Nice Dog has created, designed and awarded the Dog Lover Blog Award 2009. And I'm so happy and honored to have been selected! And now I get to pass it along to other blogs of fellow dog lovers.

So without further ado:

Erin from Rapture Pet Sitting Service

Stacey from Three Red Trees

Paige from Fox in Socks

Ginger from Gingerpixels

You're free to pass it along to other deserving bloggers :-)

The Renee Award

2010-04-20T19:03:00.001-04:00

Brigitte from Atelier Brigitte and Monica from The Art of Puro have generously presented me with this touching award, created by Ces and Bella for their dear friend Renee -- a loving tribute to their friendship. Many, many thanks to Brigitte and Monica for thinking of me!

I've made many, many wonderful friends online through my blog, but I'd like to give this one to my very dear friend Monique -- we've know each other since college. Here's to long lasting friendship, Monique!

Brigitte do Atelier Brigitte e Monica do The Art of Puro me presentearam generosamente com este prêmio, criado por Ces e Bella em honra de sua querida amiga Renee. Muito obrigada a Brigitte e Monica por pensarem em mim!

Fiz muitos amigos maravilhosos através do blog, mas eu gostaria de dedicar este prêmio para minha querida amiga Monique - nós nos conhecemos desde o tempo da faculdade no Rio de Janeiro. Por amizades duradouras, Monique!

Hi | Oi

2010-04-11T21:27:00.000-04:00

Hi, everyone! Abby, Ally and I wanted to say hello and let you know we've been busy with work during the day and an illustration project at night, so we haven't been posting or visiting our friends online as much as we'd like.

But we should be back soon. Hope all is well with all of you!

Olá a todos! Abby, Ally e eu queremos dizer alô e avisar que andamos ocupadas ultimamente durante o dia com o trabalho e a noite com um projeto de ilustração e por isso não temos postado nem visitado nossos amigos virtuais tanto como gostaríamos.

Mas devemos retornar em breve. Esperamos que tudo esteja correndo bem com todos vocês!

Illustration Friday | Rescue

2010-03-26T20:36:00.001-04:00

For this week's theme, I couldn't resist using an older illustration I did a couple of years ago and gave to a shelter near our home. Our dog Connie is a rescue, and my husband and I are big supporters of animal welfare organizations and firm believers in the benefits (and joys!) of adopting rescued animals.

Para o tema desta semana, não resisti colocar uma ilustração antiga que fiz há dois anos atrás e dei para um abrigo de animais perto da minha casa. Nossa cadela Connie foi "resgatada" , e meu marido e eu apoiamos organizações em defesa dos animais e acreditamos nos benefícios (e alegrias!) da adoção de animais.

Spring has sprung | Chegou a primavera

2010-03-22T22:22:00.000-04:00

Exhibit -- Drawing from a Story

2010-03-20T19:52:00.000-04:00

A very cool exhibition of picture book art opens today at the Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford, PA. You can read more about it here.

I'm definitely planning on going :-)

Pour moi?

2010-03-15T22:11:00.001-04:00

For me?

Why, thank you! Honestly, Brigitte, Elisa and Beth, I really appreciate it!!

From Atelier Brigitte and from Elisa Ann Lindstrom

And from Beth Stone:

Check this out!

2010-03-04T19:29:00.001-05:00

I haven't been updating my blog lately, but I wanted to tell you about a great one-day event that will take place in Washington, D.C. on June 25th, 2010 as part of the American Library Association's annual conference.

It's called "Drawn to delight: How picture books work (and play) today." Organized by the Association for Library Services for Children, this program is just the ticket for anyone who loves children's books.

Here's the description:

"The ALSC pre-conference will provide a one of a kind look into the world of picture books as art directors, museum educators, and award-winning illustrators will take attendees through the creative and collaborative journey of picture book development."

Read all about it here!

Illustration Friday | Adrift

2010-02-18T20:30:00.002-05:00

Did you hear about Baltic, the Polish dog who was adrift on an ice floe in the Baltic Sea for several days? The seaman who pulled him to safety aboard his ship adopted him, and Baltic is now part of the crew. No one knows how he ended up in this terrible situation, but fortunately the story has a happy ending for everyone involved!

Ouviram falar do Baltic, o cão polonês que foi encontrado perdido, flutuando no Mar Báltico durante dias? Ele foi resgatado por um marinheiro que o puxou a bordo do seu barco, e ele agora faz parte da equipe. Ninguém sabe como o cão foi parar nessa situação terrível, mas ainda bem esta estória tem um final feliz para todos!

Abby and Ally and the potted lettuce

2010-02-15T20:15:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day | Feliz Dia dos Namorados

2010-02-14T09:41:00.001-05:00

This month the volunteers at Morningstar Therapy Dogs in Colorado delivered Valentine's Day cards during their nursing home visits. Each card was "signed" by a therapy dog and given to one of their elderly friends.

Pam Spears designed this simple and elegant card using one of my dog sketches. She had contacted me to ask permission to use the drawing and I was happy to agree. A therapy dog does so much good and brings so much happiness to people of all ages. I truly admire the volunteers who dedicate their time and effort to bring these wonderful animals to those in need.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Este mes os voluntários do Morningstar Therapy Dogs no Colorado distribuiram cartões do Dia dos Namorados durante suas visitas a casas de idosos. Cada cartão foi "assinado" por um dos cães e entregue a cada senhor ou senhora idosos.

Pam Spears criou este cartão simples e elegante usando um dos meus desenhos de cães. Ela entrou em contato comigo para pedir permissão para usar o desenho e eu concordei alegremente. "Therapy Dogs" fazem tanto bem e trazem tantas alegrias para pessoas de todas as idades. Eu admiro muito os voluntários que dedicam seu tempo e esforço para levar estes animais maravilhosos à aqueles que tanto precisam.

Feliz Dia dos Namorados a todos!

Illustration Friday | Muddy

2010-02-06T21:55:00.001-05:00

Introducing, in color: Abby and Ally

Apresentando, em cores: Abby e Ally

As you can see, Ally is a bit timid, but Abby loves adventure!

Como vocês podem ver, Ally é um pouco tímida, mas Abby adora de aventuras!

Character development | Criando um personagem

2010-02-04T18:44:00.001-05:00

This month for Watercolor Wednesdays the challenge is to create a character (or two!) and place them in a sequence of events. I've been thinking about these two bunnies, Abby and Ally, and so here they are, in very rough sketch form.

Este mes para Watercolor Wednesday o desafio é criar um personagem (ou dois!) e imaginá-los numa sequência de eventos. Tenho pensando nestas duas coelhinhas, Abby e Ally, e aqui estão elas, num rascunho bem preliminar.

They'll be back soon!

Elas vão estar de volta em breve!

Illustration Friday | Focused

2010-02-03T20:17:00.001-05:00

One more for the black and white illo portfolio.

Mais um para o portfolio de ilustrações em preto e branco.

Illustration Friday | Clumsy

2010-01-24T13:26:00.000-05:00

That would be me on the left. For some reason, I've always been a bit clumsy with string -- which I'm sure explains in part my difficulties with sewing to this day!

:-)

Sou eu na esquerda. Por alguma razão sempre fui meia desajeitada com barbante -- o que com certeza explica a minha dificuldade com costura até hoje!

:-)

Breaking News | Notícias de última hora

2010-01-20T20:42:00.000-05:00

We interrupt this broadcast to bring you the following breaking news: Mônica Carnesi is now represented by Teresa Kietlinski of Prospect Agency!

I'm SO happy to be working with Teresa! With 13 years experience in the publishing industry, Teresa has designed and art directed hundreds of children's books.

Now working as a literary agent, she represents some amazing authors and illustrators. I can't believe I'm in such great company!

You can check out my bio and portfolio on their website and learn more about Teresa as well.

What a great way to start 2010 :-)

Interrompemos este programa para anunciar uma notícia de última hora: Mônica Carnesi é agora representada por Teresa Kietlinski da Prospect Agency!

Estou tão feliz de estar trabalhando com a Teresa! Com 13 anos de experiência na indústria literária, Teresa trabalhou no design e direção artística de centenas de livros infantis.

Trabalhando agora como agente literária, ela representa autores e ilustradores incríveis. Nem posso acreditar que estou em tão boa companhia!

Podem ver minha biografia e portfolio no site deles e conhecer a Teresa também.

Que grande começo para 2010 :-)

We are back! | Estamos de volta!

2010-01-18T15:32:00.001-05:00

We are back and we had a terrific time in Rio!

Estamos de volta e nos divertimos muito no Rio!

Happy New Year (belated, from Brazil!) | Feliz Ano Novo (atrasado, do Brasil!)

2010-01-11T15:32:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since my last post, but as you can see I'm on vacation in sunny Brazil for a couple of weeks. This picture is from Búzios, a lovely village near Rio de Janeiro where we spent some days with my family.

Wishing you all a wonderful 2010, full of happiness, health and peace!

Faz tempo desde meu último post, mas como vocês podem ver estou de férias no meu Brasil ensolarado por duas semanas. Esta foto é de Búzios, uma linda cidadezinha perto do Rio aonde passei alguns dias com minha família.

Desejo a todos um 201o maravilhoso, cheio de felicidades, saúde e paz!

Merry Christmas | Feliz Natal

2009-12-24T16:12:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Feliz Natal a todos!

Another pencil sketch | Outro desenho a lápis

2009-12-22T19:47:00.001-05:00

One more sketch, this time with my friends Bunny and Fox. It gets hectic at work and at home around the Holidays, but I hope to finish this one before the end of the year :-)

Outro rascunho, desta vez dos meus amigos Coelho e Raposa. Fico toda atarefada no trabalho e em casa na época do Natal e Ano Novo, mas espero terminar esta ilustração antes do final do ano :-)

Pencil sketch | Desenho a lápis

2009-12-20T22:53:00.000-05:00

We got a lot of snow here this weekend.

Nevou bastante aqui neste fim de semana.

Spotlight on Books and Illustrators

2009-12-16T19:12:00.001-05:00

Now, when was the last time I talked about some of my favorite books? I've been remiss, I know!

So the spotlight today is on Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace series of "Little ..." books, published by Chronicle Books. The stories all share a similar concept, a variation on a traditional family routine -- eating, bedtime, clean-up -- and are totally charming and funny. The illustrations by Jen Corace are just marvelous: ink and watercolor, simple and uncluttered on a white background, but with plenty of carefully planned details.

Originally published as picture books from 2005 to 2009, they are now available in board book format as a box set.

What's next for these two very talented people? I'm looking forward to Amy's "The Wonder Book" with illustrations by Paul Schmid (I can't wait to see his work as well!) I'm also eagerly awaiting Jen Corace's "Mathilda and the orange ballon," written by Randall De Sève. Both books are being published by HarperCollins.

Look for books by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace at your local library and bookstores!

One more from the Art Exchange

2009-12-14T22:45:00.001-05:00

©Lukaluka

Now, look at these cool cats! That's the illustration for January in a fantastic 2010 Calendar created by Luka, a very talented artist from Vilnius, Lithuania. You can see more illustrations from her Cat Calendar (and other nifty creations) here.

Thank you very much, Luka! :-)

Illustration Friday | Crunchy

2009-12-06T20:54:00.001-05:00

Crunchy acorn, anyone?
A quick one this week
;-)

Illustration Friday | Entangled

2009-11-30T22:41:00.001-05:00

Admit it, this has happened to you too!

Admita, isto também já aconteceu com você!

Illustration Friday | Music

2009-11-24T21:43:00.001-05:00

Guess what's playing on Itty Bitty Bear's iPod? Why, tango, of course!

Adivinha o que está tocando no iPod do Ursinho? Ora, tango, é claro!

Look what I got in the mail...

2009-11-23T20:43:00.000-05:00

I was invited by Caroline Soer to take part in an art exchange project, and it's been such a fun and rewarding experience! Not only have I received delightful works of art, but I'm getting to know a lot of very talented artists:

From Jill Bergman, this sweet and delicate painting:

From Danita Art, this handmade ATC (can you see that the dress is made of fabric and sewn by hand?)

From Cathy Peng, an original ATC of "Kelly Green." Look at those eyes!

From Shirley Ng-Benitez, three ATC prints of the cutest mouse, her very own Monsieur Olivet!

Another ATC, this time from Loni Edwards, with her simply adorable "Farm Friends":

From Elisa Ann Lindstrom, this beautiful print of an absolutely lovely painting, "Amber Field":

And from Lisa Holtzman, calligraphy artist extraordinaire, this one of a kind painting, entitled "Shooting Star":

Pretty impressive, huh?! Be sure to visit the websites and blogs of these talented and generous artists. I'm certain you'll love seeing more of their work!

Illustration Friday | Unbalanced

2009-11-15T21:02:00.001-05:00

They've done it before, but as you can see this is an extremely difficult maneuver.

Eles já fizeram isso antes, mas como vocês podem ver esta é uma manobra extremamente difícil.

Itty Bitty Bear | Ursinho

2009-11-15T15:27:00.001-05:00

Playing around with pen and brush...

Brincando com caneta e pincél...

Illustration Friday | Skinny

2009-11-03T21:38:00.001-05:00

Some bunnies worry too much about how they look...
Not terribly happy about this one (I couldn't get the mirror right), but illos don't come out good every time, right? ;-)

Tem coelhinhos que se preocupam demais com sua aparência...
Não estou muito satisfeita com esta ilustração (o espelho não saiu direito), mas elas não saem boas todas as vezes, não é? ;-)

Illustration Friday | Fast

2009-10-27T21:40:00.001-04:00

Not fast enough...
Just ink for now -- will add color later :-)

Não rápido suficiente...
Apenas nanquim agora -- acrescentarei cor mais tarde :-)

Colors of fall | As cores do outono

2009-10-21T23:17:00.000-04:00

For Watercolor Wednesday (inspired by the book "Leaves" by David Ezra Stein.) I always feel a bit sad once the last leaf falls...

Para Watercolor Wednesday (inspirado no livro "Folhas" de David Ezra Stein.) Sempre sinto-me um pouco triste quando cai a última folha...

Airmail!

2009-10-19T21:44:00.001-04:00

Look what I got in the mail! A beautiful ATC from Caroline Soer, plus a bonus gift: a folded butterfly done with Japanese paper. Caroline and I traded ATCs and I couldn't be happier. This ATC is part of a series of Malaysian birds done with coloured crayon and collage. Just gorgeous...

Thank you, Caroline!

Illustration Friday | Germs

2009-10-07T21:44:00.001-04:00

Do you remember the Peanuts strip where Lucy Van Pelt gets kissed by Snoopy and starts yelling: "Auugh! I've been kissed by a dog! I have dog germs!"?
Well, I for one love dog kisses!

Lembra da tira da Turma do Charlie Brown, quando a Lucy Van Pelt recebe um beijo do Snoopy and começa a gritar: "Aaah! Fui beijada por um cachorro! Estou com germes de cachorro!"?
Bem, eu adoro beijos de cachorro!

And the Kitty ATC goes to...

2009-10-05T21:02:00.001-04:00

Thank you to all who participated in my first giveaway! I was on vacation this past week and it was wonderful to return home and find all your commentaries. I used an online random number generator (#1-10) to pick up the winner, and this ATC will go to Lil Kim!

Many thanks again! :-)

Obrigada a todos que participaram do meu primeiro sorteio! Estive de férias nesta última semana, e foi ótimo encontrar os seus comentários no meu retorno. Usei um gerador de números aleatórios (de 1 a 10) para selecionar o vencedor, e este ATC irá para Lil Kim!

Muito obrigada mais uma vez! :-)

Giveaway | Sorteio

2009-09-28T12:10:00.000-04:00

My first giveaway! Here's an original ATC, from a quick sketch I did using pen and watercolor. In order to participate, just leave a comment and a way for me to reach you. Next Monday, October 5th, I'll draw the name of a winner. Good luck!

Meu primeiro sorteio! Aqui está um ATC (Artist Trading Card) feito a partir de um desenho que fiz com bico de pena e aquarela. Para participar, deixe um comentário e email para contato. Na próxima segunda-feira, 5 de outubro, eu farei o sorteio. Boa sorte!

Illustration Friday | Infinite

2009-09-20T00:10:00.001-04:00

When I think of infinity, I imagine a vast, starry night sky. Who can resist looking up at the stars? I know I can't.

Quando penso no infinito, imagino um imenso céu estrelado. Quem é que consegue resistir olhar para as estrelas? Eu não consigo.

Saturday morning | Sábado de manhã

2009-09-17T20:44:00.000-04:00

Finished ( I think...)

Terminado (Eu acho...)

Luta contra o abandono | Stop animal abandoment

2009-09-16T22:53:00.000-04:00

Em Portugal, uma campanha importante contra o abandono dos animais. Clique aqui para aprender mais.

In Portugal, a campaign against animal abandonment. Click here to learn more.

Win a copy of Party Animals book!

2009-09-16T22:06:00.000-04:00

Hurry to artist Kathy Weller's blog for a chance to win a copy of the book Party Animals, a collaboration of pet artists on a benefit project for A Place to Bark.

It's a great project for a very worthy cause. Stop by her blog and participate. I already did!

In Progress | Em andamento

2009-09-15T22:31:00.001-04:00

A perfect early Saturday morning.

Um sábado de manhã cedinho perfeito.

Illustration Friday | Strong

2009-09-07T17:03:00.000-04:00

Not an original, but I'm fond of this little guy... It was done for another IF's topic, Heavy, but I figured it could work for this week as well.

Não é uma ilustração original, mas eu gosto deste coelhinho... Foi feito para um outro tema, Pesado, mas achei que poderia se prestar para esta semana também.

Artist Trading Cards

2009-09-07T16:45:00.000-04:00

Spotlight on Books and Illustrators

2009-08-25T18:46:00.001-04:00

This time I'd like to share with you a series of terrific chapter books. Written and illustrated by the late Harry Horse, the books are: The last polar bears, The last gold diggers, The last cowboys and The last castaways.

The books' main characters, Grandfather and his independent canine companion Roo, tell their many adventures through letters addressed to his grandchild back home. The story lines are quirky and imaginative, sometimes silly, but always warm and loving. Roo quickly became one of my favorite dog characters!

And then there are the illustrations: done in pen and ink, they are simply wonderful: detailed, expressive and exquisite.

Published in the U.S. by Peachtree Publishers. Look for them at your local library or bookstores!

More doodles | Mais rabiscos

2009-08-23T17:53:00.000-04:00

Little vegetable garden

Hortinha

Illustration Friday | Wrapped

2009-08-15T22:03:00.001-04:00

Spotlight on Books and Illustrators

2009-08-12T18:56:00.001-04:00

A bunny and a piglet, painting side by side, wish they were just like the other. In an attempt to look like their friend, they each try to change their colors, ears, noses and tails (in very creative and fun ways), until finally realizing they do indeed like themselves just the way they are.

Using fluid, spontaneous line work, Canadian artist Geneviève Côté creates a pair of loving, playful and adorable characters. With a touch of color against a mostly white background, she keeps the illustrations fresh and simple. According to the book, the artwork is rendered in mixed media – it seems like a combination of color pencil, watercolor and digital illustration. The end result is a delightful story about friendship and individuality that both children and adults can enjoy.

Published by Kids Can Press, it's now available at libraries and bookstores!

Award!

2009-08-10T22:03:00.001-04:00

From Atelier Brigitte comes this moving award that celebrates art and friendship.

Thank you Brigitte and Bella, two very talented, generous and sensitive artists!

Illustration Friday | Modify

2009-08-04T22:16:00.001-04:00

I realize this is a stretch for this week's theme, but I think it's time we modify our assumptions about pigs: they are in fact rather clean!

By the way, my attempt to post a doodle a day for a week went down in flames after 4 days. It's a great exercise, but it's hard to keep up the momentum ;-)

Está na hora de mudarmos nossa impressão sobre porcos: na verdade eles são muito limpinhos!

A propósito, minha tentativa de fazer um rabisco por dia por uma semana acabou depois de 4 dias. É um excelente exercício, mas é difícil manter o ritmo ;-)

Doodle 4 | Rabisco 4

2009-07-30T22:34:00.001-04:00

One and a half -- a quick one tonight. Busy day!

Um e meio -- um desenho bem rápido hoje a noite. Dia cheio!

Doodle 3 | Rabisco 3

2009-07-29T21:38:00.000-04:00

One more, again in pen and ink (Brause 66 and FW Acrylic Paint Sepia)

Mais um, novamente bico de pena e tinta (Brause 66 e tinta acrílica FW cor Sépia)

Doodle 2 | Rabisco 2

2009-07-28T21:49:00.000-04:00

So far, so good :-)

Por enquanto, tudo bem :-)

Doodle | Rabisco

2009-07-27T22:07:00.000-04:00

A little experiment this week: can I do one doodle a day and post it this week? I'm going to give it a try. Sounds manageable, so let's see if I can keep it up.

Um pequeno teste: consigo fazer um desenho de rabisco por dia esta semana e postar? Vou tentar. Parece-me possível, vamos ver se mantenho o ritmo.