I am speaking on the 11th of September to the San Francisco chapter of SCBWI. (The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators)  I dug out a sketchbook from when I was little and scanned in some of the images.  Given the condition of the paper, it's a good thing I am preserving some of the drawings.

It occurred to me as I saw these drawings, that I have been seeing things differently all of my life!
(This is a bit hard to see, but they are both surfers.  The one on the right is a skeleton.  The copy says, "Say, how long have you been waiting for a good wave..." Alphabet turned into things....

This is a song I wrote, in hopes of making it in to a picture book.  At this point in time, the book just isn't being snapped up by any publishers.  Imagine three children, all with very different thoughts about what kindergarten will be like with ultimately the same concern. ..


ON THE VERY FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN
On the very first day of kindergartenEverything will be brand newOn the very first day of kindergartenIt’s everybody’s first day too
I hope they have fish crackers They’re my favorite crackers of allI’m going to ride a three-wheeler Then I’ll play basketball.
In case they get wet in school, I better pack extra pants.If kindergarten’s a gardenI’m going to water the plants.
KindergartenKindergartenSoon I’ll be startin’Kindergarten
On the very first day of kindergartenI’m not sure how I’ll feelOn the very first day of kindergartenMy stomach might do a cartwheel
For snack, I hope they’ll have milkMilk is much better than juiceI’m going to be a train engine My teacher can be the caboose
What if I can’t find the bathroom?What if the toilet’s too big?If kindergarten’s a gardenI hope they’ve got a cow and a pig
KindergartenKindergartenSoon I’ll be startin’Kindergarten
When it’s time to sit down on the rugFold your legs like you’re a pretzel Glad you love your neighbor but please don’t hugTime to settle down please try to sit still
Yes, we clean our paintbrush in the sinkWash the colors down the drainAnd yes, a tuna sandwich sure can stinkNo, we can’t play hopscotch in the rain
On the very first day of kindergartenWill the teacher be nice or mean?On the very first day of kindergarten Gonna bring her a jellybean
I hope it’s not a problem,But I can’t tie my shoe!What if I don’t like it there?
What am I going do?
What if my teacher’s a giant?What if she smells like cheese?If kindergarten’s a gardenI’m gonna climb all the trees
KindergartenKindergartenSoon I’ll be startin’Kindergarten
On the very first day of kindergartenI’m not quite sure what I’ll seeOn the very first day of kindergartenI hope there’s a friend for meI hope there’s a friend for meI hope there’s a friend for me
KindergartenKindergartenSoon I’ll be startin’Kindergarten

I have been making 'finished' pencil sketches for weeks now and today, I will start painting my book, Would You Rather Be A Princess or a Dragon?  (Tricycle press)

When I first sent this book around, publishers loved the story but were not interested in me illustrating the book.  I sold the manuscript and 'then' showed them my drawings.  My editor wanted me to illustrate the book.  Looking at the dummy, I realized why other editors wanted someone else for the artwork.  It took months or 're-thinking' what I had originally drawn.  I am so grateful I had the time to push this book.
I will post some things along the way.

Adios.

Here's a 'test' illustration...

Barney

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2f-XZfE3gY

Vanessa Ragland wrote:  "a cake i baked completely fell in when it came out of the oven. i rolled the bits in chopped nuts, called them truffles."  Okay, so I made a male chef... but you get the point!  We are using our imaginations!!!!!!

Send me yours.... I will draw it!

I was working on a new book yesterday and had this funny feeling.  It was kind of an out of the body experience where I was looking at the building of a book dummy.  (A handmade version of what a finished book would look like)  This is something I have been doing since the late 70's.  I must have made fifty plus book dummy's to submit to publishers in hopes of selling a picture book.  About thirty something have actually been published.

So here it is, the ipad age and I am putting together, yet another book dummy.  This wave came over me of what it must have felt like to be putting horse shoes on a horse and having a strange new contraption, an automobile putt by.  I wonder how many blacksmiths became tire salesmen?

In an effort to not fade away, I have totally embraced the idea that seems to frighten a fair amount of old timer authors.   I think the possibility to merge music, story and art into a digital format will be brilliant!

Now if someone would just find a way to make the ipad, flash friendly, we could get jumpin'.

Adios for now.

Barney

I have been drawing and drawing and drawing, dragons.  Decided to try one in sculpty clay.
Funny how changing from flat to 3D helped.  This one will sit with my pens and pencils for a day or two before I decide on a final character!

Thoughts?

Adios.
Barney

I went to Book Expo in New York.  I think my head spun around so many times I forgot to sit down and add more noodlings!

My soon to be published book, Beautiful Oops is coming out in September.  BEA was the official launch for the book.  I have to say I was knocked out by the response.  The book was inspired by teachers who would come up to me after my school visits.  I had shown two images of how I fixed mistakes.  I had a photo of a stain from a cup of coffee I spilled on my sketchbook.  I turned the stain into a 'coffee blob monster'.  I also have a photo of a page from a book I was working on and one of our dogs got locked in my studio and stepped all over the illustration.  I covered each paw print with a  cloud.  Teachers have asked if I could put that 'message' in a book.  I kept wondering what the story would be.  And then... one day, I tore a piece of paper and drew an alligator around it so the torn part looked like a mouth.  I realized at that moment, I could make an interactive book, showing how something we think, might be a mistake, like a spill, a tear, a smudge, etc; could all be made into something beautiful!  So, it's not a picture book, but a hands on, playful way of showing how to make lemonade out of lemons.  (So, to speak!)

To see book lovers in New York, react to the first copies of Beautiful Oops, was wonderful!  I will post some of the book images soon.

Adios for now.

Barney