Discover new characters with a new batch of Blobs here!
BLOBS #102 RESULTS
Welcome!
This week's Blobs were inspired by our recent trip to New York City. We saw so much! Maybe you've been to the same places too?
One of our first stops was the beautiful New York Public Library. In the children's section we found the original Winnie-the-Pooh stuffed animals. Below is Piglet! I took his main body and modified a couple sections to break things up.
Since this weekend is Easter, each of my character designs involved...a bunny. Here is what I came up with for my first blob...
Meet EASTER BUNNY ROBOT
One of our last stops was the American Museum of Natural History. We spent the day inside because it was pouring outside! Before visiting, we learned some of the exhibits inspired the characters in the movie Night at the Museum. You can even go on a special tour to see them all! We found Tyrannosaurus Rex (below) who went by "Rexy" in the movie. There were many shapes in this guy and I had fun picking one out...
Here is my character...
Easter Bunny overslept on Easter morning - oh no!
The next shape came from the Staten Island Ferry. We rode this on the sunniest day - yay! When I searched for a shape I zoomed in on the letters. I picked the "y" because it looked the happiest. After creating an outline, I decided to section it off a bit more and ended up with this...
My character was near EASTER BUNNY ROBOT so I decided to have him react to the situation...
Bunny running away from EASTER BUNNY ROBOT. Maybe he will search for the real Easter Bunny?
My last shape was inspired by a show we loved watching last fall: Project Runway Junior. Have you seen it? We could not leave New York without visiting Mood Fabrics and meeting Swatch! Guess who greeted us when we got there? He was parked at the door and ready for a quick pic. I loved the silhouette of his ears and decided this one would be my final Blob...
My bunny character used this shape as a mode of transportation...
Easter Bunny is getting some help from an Egg dispensing Segway.
I colored up my first shape, EASTER BUNNY ROBOT. Then added a couple uncertain, but maybe a little curious characters...
Will they fill their basket? You decide!
Thanks for stopping by. Happy Easter!
BLOBS #102
Spring Break!
Taking a break to get ready for my Rochester Writer's Conference workshop and road trip. Maybe I'll bring some new shapes back! Check out the archive to keep creating or stop back in on April 10th for Batch #102.
BLOBS #101 RESULTS
Welcome to Results Day! How did your characters come out this week? Find WISHFUL GUINEA PIG, a questioning KING plus more below...
CHICK DISAPPROVES...then marches off.
WISHFUL GUINEA PIG
HIGH FIVING WHALES
KING GIVING ORDERS
I decided to go back and play with my linework for some of my designs...
...then I colored up my CHICK DISAPPROVES because it is always fun illustrating characters with big personalities!
Thanks for stopping by!
BLOBS #101
Get your batch of Blobs here!
BLOBS #100 Aaron Zenz RESULTS
Guest Artist: Author Illustrator Aaron Zenz
Kid Character Creators: Lily Zenz (age 14), Elijah Zenz (age 11), Evie Zenz (age 9)
I met Aaron during a December book signing at The Bookman bookstore.
Welcome to Results Day!
We have been celebrating West Michigan children's book Author Illustrator Aaron Zenz all week! He has illustrated 33 children's books and 9 are picture books he has written & illustrated. They include I Love Ewe:An Ode to Animal Moms, Chuckling Ducklings and Baby Animal Friends, Monsters Go Night-Night, The Hiccupotamus along with many, many more. We enjoyed learning more about Aaron from his father daughter clip titled 6 Questions in 6 minutes for Claire's Day to the ArtPrize installation "Rock Around" he made with his kids. Aaron's work is wildly fun and full of energy. He has been a joy to feature (he also has 12 bookcases filled with nearly 5,000 picture books!). We are grateful for his highly creative contribution here which includes an interview at the very end.
In addition to Aaron's designs, his kids Lily, Elijah & Evie created characters for us as well. Thank you kids!
And here we go...first a look at the before and after shapes...
CHARACTER DESIGNS by AARON ZENZ
now zooming in...
Amazing, right? Now for the equally amazing Zenz kids...
Great job Team Z! We love them all!
Interview
Who was your favorite book character as a child and why?
When I was a kid, my favorite books were Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain. I lived in those books, breathed them, dreamed them, started writing like them. I don't know if I had a favorite character, but I loved Taran, Fflewddur Fflam, and Llonio in particular. And you've got to love Gurgi.
Which character in your books was the most fun bringing to life and why?
In my book Monsters Go Night-Night, all seven monster characters were based on drawings my son Elijah had made when he was 4 and 5 years old. It was great fun to use his drawings as a starting place and to put my own spin on them.
Where do you find the most inspiration for your characters?
When designing the look of a character, I do a lot of research, observation, and doodling. When I got the assignment to illustrate a series of books about a little Bichon Frise puppy, my first step was to spend an entire day at the library with a tower of Bichon books. I made hundreds of little drawings, dog after dog, pose after pose, trying to figure out what exactly makes a Bichon "Bichon-y."
I Can Read! Howie Series by Sara Henderson
When I set out to illustrate a book about orangutans, I spent days google-image-searching orangutans, analyzing how God put them together, trying to figure out how to simplify the forms.
Which BLOB inspired you the most and why?
I loved the one that turned into the screaming opossum :) Of my four blob-doodles, it has the most extreme expression and I like that -- I like how the shape pushed me further than I might have normally gone.
Thank you Aaron, Lily, Elijah & Evie for being our special 100th Post Guests!
Blobs #100
The Blob Blog has reached a milestone!
Since its launch in 2014, this blog has birthed 400+ characters! Some have even inspired my very own picture book dummies. Not only have we (my kids and I) introduced new characters to this world, but I have asked wonderful artists I have met on this journey to join me as Guests. They have been kind enough to share their talents here too so kids can see that Blobs are not about finding the right answer, but discovering your very own.
To celebrate our #100 batch, we have a spectacular Michigan Author Illustrator visiting this week. He has illustrated 33 children's books and 9 are picture books he has written as well. Check back on Friday for his character designs + interview or find out via Facebook and Twitter where I'll be sharing my very favorite links of his work this week. His brilliant kids have had a hand in some of it as well...
Below are the Blobs he will be creating characters with. Please join him and post your own throughout the week using #theblobblog100 on Twitter or Facebook!
BLOBS #99 RESULTS
Welcome to Results Day! I hope you had fun creating characters this week. If you ever get stuck you can always turn your design into a....Blob! Add a nose, eyes, ears or hair, a silly expression, and you're done! Creating characters should always be fun. Here's an example...
Shape turns into a BLOB!
The theme for my characters this week was...dancing! I LOVE to dance...and when I got stuck on my character designs I had to think of a fun activity to avoid frustration. I decided to picture my characters at a dance party where some of them liked to dance, and some did not. Who can YOU relate to? Here they are...
PEACOCK LOVES TO DANCE
ELEPHANT WANTS TO DANCE BUT IS NOT SURE HOW
POODLE WILL NOT DANCE
PENGUIN GETS HURT WHEN HE DANCES
Since ELEPHANT and PEACOCK were the more succesful dancers I decided to pair them up. I needed to study peacocks a bit more first...
This also gave me an opportunity to experiment with different brushes!
Next, I positioned my characters. ELEPHANT got flipped and I finished PEACOCK's stance. I didn't have his full body in my initial character sketches because the shapes were too close together.
Here they are with no shadows...
and once I started to think about backgrounds and dance parties, I wondered if a studio might be best? Maybe PEACOCK was a dance instructor? I liked the idea of playing with a Dance Steps posters in the background. Here's a super quick study...
Colors were adjusted in PS
Maybe there's a dance party in their future. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check in next week for a big giant #100 Celebration of Blobs! We have an extraordinary Guest Artist lined up! See you then.
BLOBS #99
Find character inspiration with this new batch of blobs!
BLOBS #98 RESULTS
Results are ready! Sketches only this week...getting ready for a school visit and Writers Conference!
What is a DOUBLE-FINNED SHARK to do?
HAPPY ANTEATER
The third Blob gave me a pretty tough time! I had to spin it around and around and around what seemed like forever. I wondered if I could connect it to my neighboring shape. So, I tried...
and got this guy.
GIRAFFE TRIES YOGA
Now, Giraffe is clearly off anatomically. Its a bit of a stretch : ) But, it's an idea, right? And that's what Blobs are for. Setting off story sparks. A design/color round would correct him a bit and maybe have other zoo animals join in? Once I created him I started doing something else and when I looked at my sheet again it was rotated. Another character emerged...it looked like a bird creature of some sort driving a convertible? Can you see it?
I liked the idea of that shape becoming a car, so dug a little more. I was stuck on my animal though! What is it? A bird wasn't working, then he started morphing in to a panther...but that just doesn't make sense too. Maybe YOU can figure it out! Let me know if you do!
Thanks for stopping by!
BLOBS #98
Create new characters with a fresh batch of Blobs here! Check in on Friday for results.
BLOBS #97 RESULTS
Happy Friday! It is Results Day. What characters did you create? Find mine below...
BEAR COMES WITH THE CHAIR (he's a smaller bear...)
THE TUSK FAIRY takes over on The Tooth Fairy's Day Off
DINOSAUR WANTS TO TAKE A BATH
FOUND MITTEN
I decided to color up my DINOSAUR. I pictured him loving baths so much no one else could use the bathroom. He was a bathroom hog. Here's how my original shape kicked things off...
When I first created him in the tub, I drew a panicked look on his face. Like someone was intruding on his tub time because he was taking so long. But then I decided the bathroom is - HIS time. He can't hear the pounding on the door because he's experiencing maximum relaxation. Along with his favorite ducky, Ducky. Maybe that's how lengthy tub times started? Here's the finished color study...
Thanks for stopping by! Have a luxurious weekend...
BLOBS #97
A fresh batch of Blobs are ready. Create a new set of characters here!
BLOBS #96 RESULTS
Welcome to Results Day! Blobs were inspired by Valentine's Day this week, which could only mean one thing. Characters were filled with LOVE.
Here's a before and after of the Activity sheet...
Now a closer look...
CUPID POWER
DEER
WHO DOES DUCK LOVE?
HOPEFUL BUTTERFLY?
I liked the idea of DUCK being in love. And had a sweet little balloon for that special someone. But, who was it? DEER? or BUTTERFLY? DUCK needed a companion so I decided to color him up.
First I did some duck studies...
I discovered the Australian Wood Duck in my research. They are a little different than the typical duck because of their shorter bill.
I changed my DUCK's mouth from the original shape to make him more recognizable. I also thought about adding a background...
but decided it was taking away from BUTTERFLY and the flowers in the end so took it out. Here's what I ended up with! BALLOON FOR BUTTERFLY!
Thanks for stopping by!
BLOBS #96
Download your batch of Blobs here! Can you tell how Valentine's Day may have inspired shapes?
BLOBS #95 DENISE M. CASSANO RESULTS
Guest Artist: Illustrator & Teacher Denise M. Cassano
Welcome to Results Day!
This week we have been celebrating Denise and her range of work on FB and Twitter. From pet portraits to art tips to writing prompts for teachers, she has covered it all!
I met Denise last summer at the same Highlights Workshop I met previous guests, Sabina Hahn & Steve Light. We have been online critique friends since then. It has been a privilege to see Denise's work up close and share my own with her. I always know she'll provide constructive feedback! Let's reveal her results from this week's batch of blobs.
A quick look back at the activity sheet...
Now the transformation...
Pretty fun, right!? Can you find the original shapes?
Great job Denise!
How did you get started in your career as an artist?
I was very interested in graphic design and advertising in high school. Once in college, I was exposed to a wider variety of art: painting, illustration and ceramics in particular. It was at Hofstra University when I decided I wanted to go into teaching while making my own art. I spent a summer abroad painting in Venice through NYU which was life changing (you can actually see that influence many years later in the picture book I'm working on right now!). While teaching, I worked as a muralist-painting scenes in people's homes and businesses. As time went on, my work evolved more into storytelling. That really was an outgrowth of my students being able to see art in a fresh way, a way that adults can't. I realized that I can create detailed images that evoke a response and tell a whole story. That intrigued me.
Who was your favorite book character as a child and why?
I specifically remember LYLE, LYLE CROCODILE by Bernard Waber. It was a rollicking fun story, sad at times, and even though it was completely implausible, it made you believe the character was real. They acted like it was totally normal to have a crocodile bathing in the bathtub. I think that's why that book has such staying power. You believed the character was real and you want to see what else he will do.
Which character has been the most fun bringing to life in your previous/current work and why?
The story I'm working on now has been fun - the two main characters, a girl and a dog, are in Venice in search of a special treat, but things keep getting in their way and they can't find it. It's fun to play with one concept in the text, but contradict it in the image. Kids get that interplay and I think it's fun. In each scene she is reacting to her changing environment - it keeps the story fast paced.
Where do you find the most inspiration for your characters?
Little things that happen. They're all around if you just pay attention. For example, my next story is based on the behavior of my dogs - no matter where I am or what is going on, they want to be on me. Physically on me (one is a 30lb terrier and the other a 60lb Pittie mix). They want to snuggle at any cost. I thought - hum, there is a story in here somewhere. This time it will be funny. I look forward to getting started on it this month.
Which Blob inspired you the most and why?
I liked the bulbous round one on the bottom right. It looked like a peach, a duckling and a pumpkin at the same time. All the blobs are good though - the ones you don't see immediately are the ones that push you out of your comfort zone.
Thank you for giving Blobs a try Denise and letting us get to know you better!
BLOBS #95 Guest Artist Week
BLOBS #94 RESULTS
Happy Friday! It is Results Day and I hope you had fun dreaming up new characters this week. Scroll below to meet mine - KANGA CAT, GIRAFFE GOES TO THE MOVIES, POLICE PANDA and SINGING PINEAPPLE. Here's a before and after look at my sheets first...
A littler closer...
KANGA CAT - THE CAT WHO PREFERRED TO BOUNCE
GIRAFFE GOES TO THE MOVIES
POLICE PANDA
SINGING PINEAPPLE IN PLAY
I picked POLICE PANDA to color up because I have never illustrated a panda before! It was fun getting to know them better. I love their markings and how little their eyes are next to their giant black patches. I wanted to make my panda's look more like police sunglasses.
Taking my illustration a little further, I added a background. I don't do this too often but I needed to figure out a few details so my character made more sense. Who was my POLICE PANDA stopping? And why? I got to know more of the creatures a panda might be surrounded by first. I discovered the Tibetan Macaque. These monkeys are known for their mustache and beard like features!
My POLICE PANDA was going to stop a monkey on one side and smaller creatures on the other. I added some mice, for fun.
I decided my animals were going to ride on bikes. I used to work at a bike company when I was a product designer and still remember all the different bikes we got to test ride. Those days filled me with great memories and will be good inspiration for my scene. I picked a tandem bike and unicycle.
I decided to add the tiniest creatures of all to my scene to up the sweetness level. I liked the idea of a big giant panda bear looking out for the smallest creature in their community. A simple row of ants. I know China is known for all sorts of bugs, but I went with the familiar ones here to keep things simple.
I hope you enjoy!
A Guest Artist will be featured next week! Be sure to stop in on Monday to find out who.
BLOBS #94
Download a batch of new Blobs here!
