Flying Solo

After illustrating over twenty books for other authors, Hum and Swish was the first time I also wrote a book. I didn’t sweat the writing, but when it came to making the final art, I choked. The sketches were all approved, so all I needed to do was paint, but for some reason I felt more nervous than when working on Clink and Tyrannosaurus Dad, the first books I illustrated!

I started with watercolor, creating several illustrations before realizing I was not getting the depth I wanted out of the medium. I switched to oil, but was running out of time. I had a couple finished illustrations I liked, but others were just not coming together. I was overworking the art, and myself. I found myself seriously wishing I could give the book to another illustrator. I tore up one illustration. Repainted another five times. I needed a break. From myself.

After a couple weeks of doing other things, I came back with a new attitude, or rather the attitude I usually have when illustrating—feeling lucky I get to do this for a living, lucky I get to have fun all day.

Scroll down for early sketches from the book. Click on any image to enlarge it. And check out the video below, for more on how the book came together.