Happy Wednesday, everyone!
Despite it saying Laura Bowers, (that’s me,) is posting this entry, the following challenge is actually being provided by the latest member of our blogging team, Chieu Urban. (We still need to work out the technical hoo-ha’s for her to post.)
Take it away, Chieu!
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Oh my, we’re already into the third week of February and that means our fourth pre-conference challenge. Woo hoo!
Is that excitement you’re sending my way? Awww, shucks.
Let’s mix things up a bit and make it a little interesting. After all, you just expressed feelings of being super pumped! Writers, how about illustrating this week?
Yes… really, why not? You put so much love and creative energy into your words and I’m guessing you must visualize your story as well, right? Who is your character, what does he look like? I’m sure you can see him and definitely have a good feel for who he is. Illustrating helps relate to my characters, and we all know a picture says a thousand words. So how about giving this a try…
Okay, just kidding… no one is expecting this level of skills.
Pick a character from your previous, present, or future work and do a quick sketch of him. Seriously, you don’t have to be an artist to do this and you may be surprised.
[Note from Laura: Chieu Urban is sweet and kind. She did not forbid the use of stick figures. Laura Bowers, however, is not sweet and kind. She says drawing measly stick figures is not allowed. She’s also raising the ante by saying that anyone who submits their drawing for a future post will get a goodie at the March conference!
See. Laura isn’t all that mean. 🙂
End of Note from Laura.]
Illustrators’ Challenge #4!
Illustrators, you know where I’m going with this and your drawings are fabulous. Have you taken a jab at writing? Last week, writers were given the challenge to write a pitch. It’s our turn. If you’re like me, I visualize and sketch first, then work in my story. Who says form follows function?
Oops, did I say that out loud?
Well, I’ll work backwards and put words down before sketching. So set aside your drawing pencils and let’s pitch that NY Times best seller picture-book idea!
Fantastic! Have fun everyone… you may discover a new, hidden talent.
And if you’ve missed our previous challenges and need to catch up, use these links!
Challenge #2: What’s Your Pitch?
Challenge #4: Writers illustrate and Illustrators write!
Challenge #5: Grip, Click, LEAP!
As the Eraser Burns 
Those techinical hoo-has’ll get you every time. I’m loving this stream of challenges. What a team!!
OK – I drew my sketch, and thank goodness we’re not in classroom so I don’t have to share. Boy do I appreciate illustrators! But I did find myself saying: What should she be wearing? Oh, no, that nose isn’t right. Her chin wouldn’t be that big. Hmmm, and now what do I do with that hand I drew out there? Fun – thanks for the challenge.
I am enjoying these challenges, too!
Okay, Chieu, here’s my pitch for a picture book:
“Maddie goes on vacation to the seashore; she is too shy to make new friends, so she plays all by herself until magic happens on the very last day.” Now comes the hard part — writing!
Valerie – I’m so glad you did the illustration, great! Susan – Love your pitch. If it was up to my four year old, Maddie would turn into a mermaid, of course.
Hiya Chieu! Well, this was something … fun, revealing, and awe-inspiring (as in inspiring awe of illustrators and the skill and magic they bring!). I first sketched a tea kettle — a minor character — and then, um, went back to read the challenge more closely. Got my girl down on paper — a composite character, too old, and neckless, poor thing — so I decided to do up her surroundings to compensate. Which got me wondering: maybe I do the same thing in my writing sometimes … Hmmm.
I’m tackling these challenges in reverse at the moment, so will post backwards. In the meantime, being a huge fan of “goodies,” I’d be willing to submit my drawing/s …
Wonderful Cathy. Keep up the sketching!
I did it! Scariest challenge so far, but I drew my main character. I even posted the portrait on my blog for all the world to see 🙂
http://i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2012/02/stepping-outside-comfort-zone.html
Thanks for these challenges! I love the weekly push to try something new.
I would submit my drawing for a future post, as Laura suggested, but I don’t know how to do that… but you’re welcome to steal it off my blog and use it, if you want 🙂
This is super! I’m so glad you did the challenge.
So how do I submit my drawing, if I want it to be used in a future post and get that extra goodie at the March conference?
I often think how great it would be to have the talent to be both an author and illustrator. If you could see my pitiful drawing you would know there is no hope of my realizing such a dream. I envy illustrators.
Hey! I drew a dog that looks like … wait for it … a dog! I wrote a short piece about one of my grandfather’s hounds a while ago. It’s still little more than a character sketch, but now I have a picture of him for when I want to write the rest of the story. 🙂
Sue
I drew one of my characters. Not much better than a stick figure, but I will send it in, so that I can get a goodie. 🙂
Lona
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I don’t have a scanner at home. Can I bring you my sketch as proof?
We trust you, Ann, so that’s not necessary, but please bring it if you’d like to share! We can scan and post it next week: 🙂
Ann, I didn’t have a scanner available, either. I took a picture of it, and uploaded that. 🙂
This was my favorite challenge so far–because it made me realize I was having difficulty picturing the heroine of my book. It wasn’t just because I can’t draw humans very well, but because I was only picturing her with a couple of attributes–curly hair and glasses. Freckles? Color of shirt? Shoes? I couldn’t see them. It’s given me a wonderful door to my next revision!
Inspired by our family’s recent acquisition of a hermit crab I decided to illustrate my character Henry the hermit crab. I sketched him first and then since I’m a stay at home mom and always have crayons, construction paper, and glue sticks handy I did a Steve Jenkins inspired rendition. His would be way superior of course but Henry turned out kinda cute. I’ll bring him to the July conference to share. This was my 4th challenge. Yay! Nothing like waiting till the last minute!
My clock says 11:11pm March 30th.
This was fun. Fleshy little children’s bodies are really hard to draw if you haven’t been practicing. I’ll have mine tomorrow for anyone who wants to see.