Weekly Inspiration: my kid’s artwork

There is so much to be inspired about out there. This is a spot to record and share my favorite things… for this week at least!

This is pretty much true every week, but Lucy and Aki’s artwork blows me away. All kids artwork does- the hilarious logic and the unexpected perspectives… I guess there’s a reason I started down the path of art education 20 years ago 🙂

Anyhow, Lucy and I collaborated on this tree house series almost a year ago and I just came across them again. She was especially interested in telling stories as she was drawing- not so interested in what the end result would look like. But of course I think they’re all the more interesting because of that.

 

Weekly Inspiration: Train Puzzle

There is so much to be inspired about out there. This is a spot to record and share my favorite things… for this week at least!

I love this puzzle! It’s the All Aboard Train Puzzle by Marc Boutavant and Chronical Books, and each piece is a fantastic little  illustrated world.

I think that this kind of project might be my dream assignment. And of course it’s a big visual inspiration for my new story, Mari and the Library Train.

Chris’s cousin Sarah gave this to Lucy a few years back- she always gives the best gifts, most of which have the cool kitchy sensibility of classic golden books. So maybe this is a gift to consider for any small puzzle aficionados in your life.

 

Illustration Inspiration: an air-bending avatar

Since Lucy was born I’ve watched WAY more TV than usual. In the evenings, after hours of bouncing and singing and diaper changing, TV is often the only thing I have energy for.

Lately I have to admit that I’ve been passing up shows like Mad Men and Breaking Bad for an anime series that, surprisingly, has some lovely illustrative elements. It’s called Avatar: The Last Airbender and it takes place in a world where people have the power to bend the elements of water, air, earth and fire.

Honestly, I am not an anime person. But I do have a giant soft spot for two genius animators:  Hayao Miyazaki and Samauri Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky. If those two had a love child it might just be Avatar. The characters are stylistically excellent, with great depth and humor. And all of the scenery is highly imaginative and asian inspired… I’m such a sucker for scenery! So we’ll see how this influences my latest work. It already seems as though the Owl and the Pussycat are traveling through a Japan-inspired world of willowy trees and patterned waves.