Friday, February 20, 2009

Tattered and Dog-Eared


This is an illustration sample I did for the first picture book project I ever submitted. Even though the story was full of mistakes, it earned a few positive comments from editors on both the writing and the art. That kept me encouraged for awhile. Then the rejections piled up, and I stuffed it in the back of a drawer in defeat. It was years before I even entertained the idea of trying to submit another manuscript.

I don’t know if I’ll ever go back and try to fix this particular story. I think of it as the one you have to get out of your system before you can begin to figure out how to get it right. I thought I might as well rescue the artwork from the back of the drawer. At least the poor dog deserves to see the light of day.

19 comments:

Suzanne Casamento said...

The dog is adorable! Yes, he deserves to see the light of day. Empty the drawer! : )

Kimbra Kasch said...

Very cute.

C.R. Evers said...

awwww! he is adorable!

Kelly Polark said...

You have such talent, Adrienne! That pooch is doggone cute!

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Yes, he's definitely too cute to be stuck in a drawer!

PJ Hoover said...

He's so worth rescuing! He's darling!

ICQB said...

I absolutely love your artwork, and just from reading your entertaining blog, I know that there must be absolutely wonderful stories to go with all of it.

Rejections, reshmections. I cannont imagine that you won't break into the publishing world at some point. You have way too much talent for someone not to notice it soon.

In fact, I think that little doggie just ran and put the rejections in that trash can and is thinking of grabbing those flowers over there and bringing them to you to remind you of all of the colors out there needing to be captured on canvas and the wonderful stories there are to go with them.

Rena Jones said...

Mistakes? Okay, I admit, I know nothing about illustrating. But what do you mean about mistakes? Can you make mistakes in art? If so, how? I think it's adorable. I especially love how you did a COKE can and not a Pepsi! ;)

Angela said...

Oh, I love it...love the colors.

Good luck as you re-work this project!

Bish Denham said...

I agree with Rena. Not being an illustrator I don't see any mistakes, only what I like, and I think it's wonderful. I like the soda can touch!

Adrienne said...

Thanks, everyone, for the nice comments!

ICQB - I'm hoping you're as right as you are kind. Thank you.

Rena & Bish - Oops, I should have clarified that the story was full of mistakes, not the art (maybe I'll go back and edit). But there are plenty of mistakes you can make in the art too - in continuity, for example. And Rena points out another...that soda can should probably be more generic looking!

Brenda said...

This pooch is adorable...I can't even draw stick figures...I've often thought about having someone come in and do a basic drawing course (just simple stuff) for my residents and then I could take the class also...and then maybe I could get them darn stick figures straight...grin...

Mary Witzl said...

I like the can behind the trash bin too, and I'm intrigued that the dog is sitting on a little rug OUTside. There has to be a story there...

Adrienne said...

Brenda - My kids never drew stick figures 'til they saw their teachers do it. It annoyed me that besides not teaching art, they helped stifle any natural inclination for drawing! As for basic drawing skills, I think some of the kid's instruction books are great :)

Mary - Interesting observation! That rug might just figure into the story...

LW said...

Cute, cute, cute, I just love your puppy.

Remember that Clifford the big red dog had a hard time
finding a home. And I cannot imagine a world with out him…

Louise

sruble said...

I love the dog! Maybe you could write a new story for him, even if you can't rescue the old story. I'm trying to rescue old stories right now, for use in my portfolio ... not necessarily to submit to editors. Maybe that would work for your puppy? I could see him having at least 3 images that suggest a story. He's so cute!

Adrienne said...

Sruble - Thanks for the great suggestions! I do have more images of him I might use for my portfolio...the story might also work for an early chapter book, though, so I'm still mulling it over...good luck with your "rescues" too :)

Loved your escalator comment, BTW...my kids to that with the robo-calls :D

sruble said...

You could always put the puppy in your portfolio until you figure out what project is right for him. And if you get a review, you can tell the AD that you're thinking about a chapter book as well.

I might have talked back to robo-calls a couple of times ;)

Rena Jones said...

I LOVE that the can isn't generic. Coke over Pepsi works for me. Don't change it! ;) ;)