Surrender ~ Illustration Friday

I am Locutus of Borg. Resistance is futile.
Your life as it has been, is over.
From this time forward, you will service… us.

I admit it… I’m a Trekkie


And of Course… Eye of Newt

A light bulb moment at 5:00 in the morning… do I get up and draw it right now, or go back to sleep.Well… I didn’t get up, and I didn’t go back to sleep either!
There was no sleeping until Ruby got the new direction she was asking for.
Don’t you hate it… and love it when this happens!!!!

Ruby Rue and dummy book by Roberta Baird.

Dummy Book Construction Zone

With the close of one project, I’m finding some time to work on the dummy book that I’ve had bouncing around in my head. Here are a few things in the works.

I’ve expanded the text and it fits  nicely into the 32 page picture book format. While my daughter was in ballet class, I used the time to start a thumbnail storyboard using the example Elizabeth Dulemba has provided on her website… very helpful! My hope is have my dummy book presentable for our local Houston SCBWI conference in early April.

Thumbnail Story Board Link

Ruby Rue Sketches

I have a little character named Ruby Rue that I put up for an IF post way back when….. anyhoo…  she comes with a poem that explains her predicament. She’s one of my favorites!
I’ve decided to dust her off and expand the poem to fit in a dummy book.
Here are  a few of the many preliminary sketches of her!

The original Ruby Rue Link: http://www.robertabaird.com/blog/index.php/2010/10/26/ruby-rue/

Chicken ~ Illustration Friday



Poor Charlotte!
The invitation read: “Please join us in the country, and be a part of our celebration dinner!”
She became a little suspicious when Mrs. Fox added vegetables to her “before the party” bath water!

Illustration Friday! ~ Deja-vu

“I’m almost certain I left it in here. I came in.. sat down to knit… heard the tea kettle whistle… and the phone rang.  At least… I think I did…”

Have you noticed that Mathilda seems completely unaware
Of the growing menagerie in the hollows of her hair?

The chihuahua has gone missing, we can’t find him anywhere!
“He isn’t lost… just put away… on the left, behind my ear.”

I’m Booking It!

I’m so excited to show you a sneak peak of my first illustrated book!
The book is a bedtime story full of sleepy, cuddly creatures of all kinds.  Look for it in early spring of 2011!

May sleep envelop you as a bed sheet floating gently down, tickling your skin and removing every worry.  Reminding you to consider only this moment.  ~Jeb Dickerson

I heard it from a friend…

Who… heard it from a friend… who…  heard from another you’ve been ____________ (insert phrase here)

Here say Part of Speech: noun
Definition: unsubstantiated information
Synonyms: clothesline, gossip grapevine, mere talk, rumor, scandal, criticism, scuttlebutt, talk of the town, word of mouth

Oh come on… we’re all guilty of it. Leaning in to hear a juicy tidbit, that may or may not be true, then letting it cloud our judgment when we form our opinion. It’s not right and it’s certainly not nice, and it comes in all forms!  It invades our thought processes. It colors the impression of  the person you’re sitting next to… even decides what kind of orange juice to buy at the grocery store.

I say throw it out.. get rid of it! Hear the whole truth and then put on those moccasins and walk in them. You never know, you might gain a whole new perspective on a few things. I’m not pointing fingers…. just that little voice in all of us… just something I’ve been thinking about when it comes to resolutions…I mean, beside exercise!

Antonyms: Evidence, proof, reality, testimony, truth, quiet, silence

Make your resolution before someone makes it for you!