Away they go

My postcards arrived. I’m very pleased with the job GotPrint did on them.

While waiting… I’ve been updating my mailing list, so… batta boom, batta bing…. they are out the door and headed to their prospective clients.

As always, they were mailed with the usual good luck mojo send off dance at the post office and a fond farewell to these postcards….. wadda ya mean …”it’s not usual?” ;)

Anyway, goodbye postcards. I’ll keep my fingers and toes crossed… and that’s one to check off the list of goals!

 

Cheerio!

Roberta

Puzzled

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ”And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
It came without ribbons. It came without tags.
It came without packages,boxes or bags.

 

 

 And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store?

 

 

 What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?”

 

The idea here was to take a master, like the animators that drew the Grinch and make him look dimensional, and textured. I really liked Jim Carey’s version of the Grinch but the old hand drawn version will always be my favorite.

Houston 2012 SCBWI Conference

This is my portfolio display for the 2012 Houston SCBWI Conference that I attended last weekend.  I like to practice the layout before I get there, so what you see here is actually on my dining room table.

The morning was spent listening to informative speakers. The keynote speaker was the prolific and colorful,  Dan Yaccarino. His presentation along with his numerous art examples, were  a visual feast. Lots of fun and very dynamic.

On the tables were birdhouses created by Houston illustrators and other crafty conference attendees. They were auctioned that day, with the proceeds going to future illustrator activities. Each was created with a literary theme.

I chose Charlotte’s Web by E.B.White.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the afternoon the illustrators were treated to a break out session with Charlesbridge Art Director, Susan Sherman. Her breakout session was very interesting, and featured books she has worked on with many talented artists, such as the very talented Vanessa Newton.

Later that afternoon,  I had a portfolio review with Susan Sherman and sat with her at dinner. I found her very approachable. She gave me advice, direction and honesty, which I  truly value.

But wait…. there’s more!

The conference ended the following day with an Illustrator Intensive, lead by Dan Yaccarino.  My take from this conference this year?  Be Bold!!!

 

Thank you to all the Houston SCBWI coordinators. It was a good conference!

Capable

Just what makes that little old ant
Think he’ll move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant, can’t
Move a rubber tree plant

But he’s got high hopes
He’s got high hopes
He’s got high apple pie
In the sky hopes.

So any time your feelin’ low stead of lettin’ go
Just remember that ant
Oops there goes another rubber tree plant

                                           ~Sammy Cahn

Writing and Illustrating


Click on the picture above to see the next page.

Here’s a new character for a story  that I wrote last month while participating in the 12 x 12 writing challenge.  It’s been interesting to  do a book design and character that was funny, but still sweet like the story. After wrestling with him for about a week, I think I’ve found him.   Now you don’t have to illustrate anything to participate in the 12 x12 challenge.

That’s just what I did with this one, but I am learning a lot about myself as both a writer and an illustrator.

There are eleven more to be written, and I doubt there will be eleven dummy books to go with them…. for now !      :)

Polar Bear

 

 

“There’s a Polar Bear
In our Frigidaire–
He likes it ’cause it’s cold in there.
With his seat in the meat
And his face in the fish
And his big hairy paws
In the buttery dish,
He’s nibbling the noodles,
And munching the rice,
He’s slurping the soda,
He’s licking the ice.
And he lets out a roar
If you open the door.
And it gives me a scare
To know he’s in there–
That Polary Bear
In our Fridgitydaire.”
― Shel Silverstein, A Light in the Attic

Morning Sketches

sketch        [skɛtʃ]   n

1. (Fine Arts & Visual Arts / Art Terms) a rapid drawing or painting, often a study for subsequent elaboration

A peek into my sketchbook of some morning warm up sketches…. rodent inspired!

 

www.robertabaird.com

Perennial


I’m just a mean green mother from outer space
And it looks like you been had
I’m just a mean green mother from outer space,
So get off my back ‘n get out my face,

Cause I’m mean and green and I am bad!


Pics from my set design

Read Every Day, Lead a Better Life Art Contest Winner!

“In just five days, more than 25,000 votes were cast in our Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life. art contest, in which the public submitted their own interpretations of our global literacy campaign slogan, inspired by the 12 illustrators who did the same.”     Blogged by Morgan, one the  On Our Mind @ Scholastic bloggers.

Mine was the winning entry!!!

So a big thank you to Scholastic for the opportunity to be in a contest like this, with such a great message about reading, and to the other contestants. It was a pleasure to be in the company of such creative artists!

Thank you to all the people who voted… you guys are amazing!

Read Every Day! Lead a Better Life!