Hello Friends,
Happy September! The summer heat was so intense that I couldn't focus on drawing or even writing this newsletter. However, I did manage to capture all the struggles of melting in my diary. Along with getting covid, ticks, summer camps, roof leaks, health scares, an adventure to NYC, and getting boba with Hazel!
I've been diligently keeping a detailed diary for the past three years. It might seem mundane (no it really is), but it has become my nightly routine. Writing in it helps me clear my busy mind, preserves all those wonderful little moments I tend to forget about, and gives me many amusing and ridiculous ideas for my drawings.
In other news, I participated in Beth Spencer's Human Intelligence DTIYS, and I love my badge so much. Now I want to make them into stickers and put them on everything!
Kudos to Beth for drawing attention to human-made art and turning this lovely drawing prompt into something that sheds more light on how AI negatively impacts many all creatives.
I'm about to start working on my next book project, 'A Toddler's Book of Do's and Don'ts.' I'll never not be incredibly excited when I see my picture show up on Publishers Weekly. It's very emotional and I pinch myself every time. I really get to illustrate for a living?!
Here's a sneak peek at what I spent some of my summer doing. I've been editing and redrawing a few pages from a book I wrote, and I just sent it off to get feedback from my agent. Eee!
Yesterday was #kidlitartpostcard day! Most first Thursdays of the month I struggle to come up with ideas, but this one came to me so fast. I created and shared it in two hours — and I absolutely love it!
Things That Make Me Happy:
Just discovered the work of Lizzy O’Donnell. Their book “The Day Bell Found Her Sound’ was at the library and of course I checked it out and drooled over every single page.
childrensbookclub on Instagram posted the work of Sheila Granda and I fell in love with her style. Searched the internet for a copy of this book and have yet to find one.
I really wish my sketchbooks looked like the pages of Ann Roos Kleiss’s. So much color!
Until the next newsletter!
-Denise
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Loved reading this, Denise. Your badge is so good. I rushed mine out most the second Beth mentioned the idea, so I think I really would like to make a new one, as I don't actually love mine very much! I love your daily diary amd they you do it in bullet form and with pictures. I go through phases, but I end up writing far too much and feeling like I don't have time for it and/or hating the drawings. (Note to self: it's actually fine and useful to draw pictures you hate, because that's how you get to know how to draw pictures you do love.)
Congratulations on the new project. It looks wonderful. Hope it's fun to work on.
Congrats on the new book, Denise! I love your badge so much, I had to share again!