BLOBS #40 RESULTS

Welcome to RESULTS DAY.  I hope your week has been spectacular and fun plans are in the mix this weekend.   I had a semi-story happening with a couple of my BLOBS.  A good one for the story potential files.  I also ran into a technical problem with my main drawing software Corel Painter yesterday and could not launch it.   Eek.  After close to 3 hours of trying to resolve the problem, I ended up downloading the latest and greatest version (my previous one was ages old - and the culprit to my long winded problem).

Painter 2015 is turning into a mighty program.  No crashes for me while drawing - always a good thing.  It also has pretty fantastic brushes I can't wait to play more with. 

We have a very exciting week ahead of us for BLOBS #41 so be sure to check back in.  An exceptional Guest Artist is stopping by to actually put their own spin on BLOBS!  The wait will be tough.  More details to be shared Monday on my FB page  and Twitter.

On to character designs...

Kid Character Creators: Anna (age 8), Elliot (age 9) 

ANNA's ON LEFT (THE SHORTEST SCARF EVER), ELLIOT's CENTER (GUY EATING A FRENCH FRY), AMY's ON RIGHT (ROCKET OUT OF POCKET- keep scrolling for full explanation)

ANNA's ON LEFT (THE SHORTEST SCARF EVER), ELLIOT's CENTER (GUY EATING A FRENCH FRY), AMY's ON RIGHT (ROCKET OUT OF POCKET- keep scrolling for full explanation)

ANNA's ON LEFT (GIANT PAIR OF JEANS AS A STAR FOR A CHRISTMAS TREE), ELLIOT's CENTER (DOG), AMY's ON RIGHT (ROCKET POCKET PANTS)

ANNA's ON LEFT (GIANT PAIR OF JEANS AS A STAR FOR A CHRISTMAS TREE), ELLIOT's CENTER (DOG), AMY's ON RIGHT (ROCKET POCKET PANTS)

ANNA's ON LEFT (ASTRONAUT TRADED VEHICLES WITH ALIEN), ELLIOT's CENTER (WIZARD), AMY's ON RIGHT (PIG PIRATE)

ANNA's ON LEFT (ASTRONAUT TRADED VEHICLES WITH ALIEN), ELLIOT's CENTER (WIZARD), AMY's ON RIGHT (PIG PIRATE)

ANNA's ON LEFT (ASTRONAUT TRADED VEHICLES WITH ALIEN), ELLIOT's CENTER (CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL), AMY's ON RIGHT (BUTLER MOUSE)

ANNA's ON LEFT (ASTRONAUT TRADED VEHICLES WITH ALIEN), ELLIOT's CENTER (CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL), AMY's ON RIGHT (BUTLER MOUSE)

Here is some thought tracking after my BLOB designs felt like there was a story to discover...

This image has already been updated from the one I posted on FB.  The right pocket was feeling a little empty, so I added some stars...

This image has already been updated from the one I posted on FB.  The right pocket was feeling a little empty, so I added some stars...

Hope you enjoyed.  Thanks for stopping by!


BLOBS #39 RESULTS

Welcome to Results Day!  Pencil sketches only this week.  Enjoy!

Kid Character Creators: Anna (age 8), Elliot (age 9) 

ANNA's ON LEFT (YOGA TURTLE), ELLIOT's CENTER (MAN WHO ATE TOO MUCH AND IS NOW LYING DOWN), AMY's ON RIGHT (TRUSTY TRANSPORTER)

ANNA's ON LEFT (YOGA TURTLE), ELLIOT's CENTER (MAN WHO ATE TOO MUCH AND IS NOW LYING DOWN), AMY's ON RIGHT (TRUSTY TRANSPORTER)

ANNA's ON LEFT (SUN), ELLIOT's CENTER (BOBBY JOE'S FLYING BALL), AMY's ON RIGHT (THE WELL TRAVELED GUINEA PIG SITTING IN GUINEA PIG TOTE)

ANNA's ON LEFT (SUN), ELLIOT's CENTER (BOBBY JOE'S FLYING BALL), AMY's ON RIGHT (THE WELL TRAVELED GUINEA PIG SITTING IN GUINEA PIG TOTE)

Does anyone else see a need for country/flag patches to be added on the tote to make it feel more passport-esque like?  Maybe this little guy will reappear in a WHERE ARE THEY NOW Blobs special!

Does anyone else see a need for country/flag patches to be added on the tote to make it feel more passport-esque like?  Maybe this little guy will reappear in a WHERE ARE THEY NOW Blobs special!

ANNA's ON LEFT (GUY WITH REALLY LONG HAIR), ELLIOT's CENTER (SLUG WITH MOHAWK), AMY's ON RIGHT (THE ELABORATE BOY EMPEROR WITH TALL HELMET)

ANNA's ON LEFT (GUY WITH REALLY LONG HAIR), ELLIOT's CENTER (SLUG WITH MOHAWK), AMY's ON RIGHT (THE ELABORATE BOY EMPEROR WITH TALL HELMET)

ANNA's ON LEFT (LONDON BRIDGE IS CREEPING UP AND THE SUN IS CRACKING UP), ELLIOT's CENTER (HUNTER), AMY's ON RIGHT (TYRANNOSAURUS REX GROWS AN EXTRA LONG NECK, BACK PLATE AND SHORT TAIL)

ANNA's ON LEFT (LONDON BRIDGE IS CREEPING UP AND THE SUN IS CRACKING UP), ELLIOT's CENTER (HUNTER), AMY's ON RIGHT (TYRANNOSAURUS REX GROWS AN EXTRA LONG NECK, BACK PLATE AND SHORT TAIL)

BLOBS #38 RESULTS

Thanks for checking in and if you're new to BLOBS - welcome!  A fun discovery was made this week with our shapes and a pattern seems to be taking form.   After weeks and weeks of creating with BLOBS,  here are some findings...                                                      

All meaning: Designs are inspiring eachother. 

If you like to write and illustrate stories, knowing your character's world is a must to making a story believable!  Look for relationships among BLOBS to get unstuck on a design.  Bigger and better ideas may pull you in.

This week, my first BLOB turned into a SNAIL WITH TAIL (see below thumbnail).  Next was a SNAIL COLLECTOR discovering the SNAIL WITH TAIL.  Above him, his wife - a creator of eclectic HEADWARE.  Her latest and greatest design:  A SNAIL INSPIRED hairpiece - for herself (snails were not used).  The last BLOB shape turned into...a home.  Exotic snails need a safe snail-abode so a SNAILIQUARIUM was created.  A tank that could only exist on - THE BLOB BLOG (Google could prove me wrong though).  Here's what my sheet looked like...

If I want a story with all these characters, we need a problem.  Enter, the Pixar Pitch approach.  A great way to brew up a tale...  

1. Once upon a time there was …
2. Every day …
3. One day …
4. Because of that …
5. Because of that …
6. Until finally …

Let's drop in my SNAIL characters...

1. Once upon a time there was a SNAIL COLLECTOR.
2. Every day he studied, searched and collected snails.
3. One day he found a SNAIL WITH TAIL (rarest of all snails).
4. Because of that his wife wanted to sell the SNAIL WITH TAIL for lots of money.
5. Because of that the SNAIL COLLECTOR let the SNAIL WITH TAIL go.
6. Until finally all snails were released and SNAIL COLLECTOR becomes SNAIL ART COLLECTOR, exhibiting the spiraling beauty of shells snails have left behind.

Rough, but something to work with.

And that's it for a quickie world that began with BLOBS.  Enjoy our designs from this week and keep scrolling for the final scene...

ANNA's ON LEFT (THE NEW SANTA), ELLIOT's CENTER (SNAIL STUCK IN SHELL), AMY's ON RIGHT (SNAIL INSPIRED HAIR ACCESSORY)

ANNA's ON LEFT (THE NEW SANTA), ELLIOT's CENTER (SNAIL STUCK IN SHELL), AMY's ON RIGHT (SNAIL INSPIRED HAIR ACCESSORY)

ANNA's ON LEFT (CROCODILE BUNNY), ELLIOT's CENTER (ANT EATER), AMY's ON RIGHT (SNAIL WITH TAIL)

ANNA's ON LEFT (CROCODILE BUNNY), ELLIOT's CENTER (ANT EATER), AMY's ON RIGHT (SNAIL WITH TAIL)

ANNA's ON LEFT (TAXI FOR MONSTERS), ELLIOT's CENTER (KID WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE BEST DENTIST), AMY's ON RIGHT (SNAIL COLLECTOR DISCOVERING SNAIL WITH TAIL)

ANNA's ON LEFT (TAXI FOR MONSTERS), ELLIOT's CENTER (KID WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE BEST DENTIST), AMY's ON RIGHT (SNAIL COLLECTOR DISCOVERING SNAIL WITH TAIL)

ANNA's ON LEFT (TAXI FOR MONSTERS), ELLIOT's CENTER (LION), AMY's ON RIGHT (SNAILIQUARIUM)

ANNA's ON LEFT (TAXI FOR MONSTERS), ELLIOT's CENTER (LION), AMY's ON RIGHT (SNAILIQUARIUM)

BLOBS #37 RESULTS

We are back!  The SCBWI WWA conference could not have been better.  I have a new slew of writers/illustrators that I adore (and need to read more of) and have the first ever friends from Washington.  Here are quick pics of inspirational work families/kids may enjoy as well...

3 time Caldecott Winner: Author/Illustrator David Wiesner (pronounced WEEs-ner)

3 time Caldecott Winner: Author/Illustrator David Wiesner (pronounced WEEs-ner)

Debut Picture book Author/Illustrator: Elizabeth Rose Stanton

Debut Picture book Author/Illustrator: Elizabeth Rose Stanton

Character Clay Workshop with David Wiesner

Character Clay Workshop with David Wiesner

One of my favorite quotes from the entire weekend was passed along to us by Nina Laden in her Creative Journaling class (source unknown):    "If you are afraid of making a mistake, you won't make anything."

A good segue into what we made out of BLOBS...

ANNA's ON LEFT (INCHWORM IN BED), ELLIOT's CENTER (BEAVER READING BOOK), AMY's ON RIGHT (TURTLE THAT COULD RUN)

ANNA's ON LEFT (INCHWORM IN BED), ELLIOT's CENTER (BEAVER READING BOOK), AMY's ON RIGHT (TURTLE THAT COULD RUN)

ANNA's ON LEFT (PILGRIM SQUIRREL), ELLIOT's CENTER (FAST GUY), AMY's ON RIGHT (GIANT HEADED SQUIRREL)

ANNA's ON LEFT (PILGRIM SQUIRREL), ELLIOT's CENTER (FAST GUY), AMY's ON RIGHT (GIANT HEADED SQUIRREL)

ANNA's ON LEFT (KID ARMY), ELLIOT's CENTER (GUINEA PIG WITH FOOD BOWL), AMY's ON RIGHT (BEAR WAKES UP WITH MUSTACHE)

ANNA's ON LEFT (KID ARMY), ELLIOT's CENTER (GUINEA PIG WITH FOOD BOWL), AMY's ON RIGHT (BEAR WAKES UP WITH MUSTACHE)

ANNA's ON LEFT (BABY COWBOY), ELLIOT's CENTER (SPEED EATER), AMY's ON RIGHT (HAT FOR CAT)

ANNA's ON LEFT (BABY COWBOY), ELLIOT's CENTER (SPEED EATER), AMY's ON RIGHT (HAT FOR CAT)

Thanks for checking in!

BLOBS #37

Happy Monday!  Since April is Autism Awareness month at our elementary school, we spent the morning putting together a poster for the 4th grade classroom.  Us room moms came up with 26 autism sticker facts for each student to build a beautiful Autism tree with  - together.  The hopes are they can present their fact and help spread the knowledge!

Autism Speaks (the world's largest autism science and advocacy organization) began the Light it Up Blue campaign to help raise awareness globally in 2010.  The puzzle piece symbolizes  the disorder's complexity...

 

Check out how it was celebrated globally on April 2nd!

And on to BLOBS...Find your sheet of the week here.  Results will be posted in two weeks! 

BLOBS #36 RESULTS

Thanks for checking in on Results Day!  With a spring SCBWI conference coming up - its pencil sketches only this week...plus a peek at what my desk looks like before a big children's book trip!  Enjoy.  


Kid Character Creators: Anna (age 7), Elliot (age 9) 

ANNA's ON LEFT (BIG VASE), ELLIOT's CENTER (WHISTLING PERSON), AMY's ON RIGHT (THE GUINEA PIG KNIGHT)

ANNA's ON LEFT (BIG VASE), ELLIOT's CENTER (WHISTLING PERSON), AMY's ON RIGHT (THE GUINEA PIG KNIGHT)

ANNA's ON LEFT (BEACH CHAIR), ELLIOT's CENTER (BANANA BOB), AMY's ON RIGHT (SPEEDY BIRD)

ANNA's ON LEFT (BEACH CHAIR), ELLIOT's CENTER (BANANA BOB), AMY's ON RIGHT (SPEEDY BIRD)

ANNA's ON LEFT (WIGGLY BASEBALL BAT), ELLIOT's CENTER (A NEW KIND OF DINOSAUR), AMY's ON RIGHT (SCARED SNAKE HIDING IN BOOT)

ANNA's ON LEFT (WIGGLY BASEBALL BAT), ELLIOT's CENTER (A NEW KIND OF DINOSAUR), AMY's ON RIGHT (SCARED SNAKE HIDING IN BOOT)

ANNA's ON LEFT (WHITNEY THE WHITE CAT), ELLIOT's CENTER (WEIGHTLIFTING COWBOY), AMY's ON RIGHT (CHATTY COW)

ANNA's ON LEFT (WHITNEY THE WHITE CAT), ELLIOT's CENTER (WEIGHTLIFTING COWBOY), AMY's ON RIGHT (CHATTY COW)