January: I crawled along as slowly as winter.
My word of the moment is exhausted.
Looking back at January, my word for the month is “stretched.”
I started at a high, with detailing goals, getting all gung-ho for future plans and projects. January ended up being a “day-job” focused month. I can’t say I was able to make much stride towards my illustration and story goals—heck, I didn’t even get to finish my January illustration for February’s #kidlitpostcard day, and I gave myself a month to work on it! But day-life took precedence, and I had to accept that. What little time and I energy I did have, I spent it with my sketchbook.
A bit of background on my day-job, I’m the Store Manager for The Library Marketplace, which is the Ontario Library Association’s official store. I like my job, I’m behind my organization and what we do, but a part of me still wishes I could clone myself and let one Stephanie wear the non-profit, Store Manager hat, and the other Stephanie spend all her time illustrating, writing, and creating.
My question to the universe, and all those creative people who seem to be able to be able to have an author/illustration career and work a day-job/and/or have families...how do you do it? Is balance an impossible dream?
Okay, that’s enough whining.
A peek into my sketchbook for January:
January’s main take-away: the great’s were onto something with their process. Leonardo Da Vinci, I’ll never doubt you again. Studies prior to working on a finished piece help. A LOT. I spent my time drawing telescopes, whales, dogs, kids… I learned their shapes and forms. When I applied these sketches to my illustration, it felt a lot more natural.
Keep in mind that I am a self-taught illustrator, so this process was not obvious to me.
And the January illustration reveal:
Any feedback is welcome!
And lastly, my recommended things to read/watch/listen too:
Book recommendation: “The Sleeping Car Porter” by Suzette Mayr. Baxter, our protagonist, struggles to stay awake and earn enough to start his dream of attending Dentistry school by working as a porter on a Canadian passenger train in 1929; a time where workers were undervalued, over-worked, and stretched thin. And Baxter's struggles are given extra layers being both Black and gay. His backstory, personality, and ambitions are revealed slowly as we travel from Montreal to Vancouver, and the author is as careful with these reveals as Baxter is when deciding to connect and build relationships with others. You can read more about the book, and the author, here.
Picture Book Recommendation: Are you a Cheeseburger? written and illustrated by Monica Arnaldo. The illustrations are charming, comical and heartwarming throughout this very adorable story about the unconventional friendship between a seed and a junk-food loving raccoon. Are you a Cheeseburger? Is also a nominee for the Forest of Reading Blue Spruce award. Learn more here
To Watch Recommendation: “My Five Core Principles to Illustrating A Children’s Book” by Lisa Falzon. Just the time lapses alone are worth the watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgJuC_SLPlY&t=887s
