Woohoo! I have successfully created 22 foam animals.
- Ciara’s Whale
- Chital aka Spotted Deer
- Female Koala
- Panda Bear
- Dairy Cow
- Kitty Cat
- Beagle Puppy
- Honey Bee
- White Rhino with little bird
- Emperor Penguin with Baby Chic
- Giraffe
- Common Goldfish
- Northern Spotted Owl
- Lar Gibbon aka Monkey
- Bengal Tiger
- Male Lion
- African Bush Elephant
- Domestic Pig
- Tree Frog
- Box Turtle
- Hippopotamus
- Domestic Duck
Where do we go from here? The point of creating these foam animals was to train my brain to illustrate off the computer and I think I successfully accomplished that goal. I actually didn’t think it would happen so quickly, but I already working with the way my brain works. I was already good at collage so it was just a different way to collage. I was just switching the materials.
As for the animal designs, I wanted to use them in my Spring and Summer tshirt collections but now I also decided try designing children’s books. I’ve been hearing for years that my designs would be great for children so I might as well give it a go. I even have a first-time writer lined up to work with. So the animal designs will have a dual purpose.
I’ve already started reading books on all aspects of children’s book publishing from the writing to the illustrating. So here’s pretty much what I have to do.
1) research best of children’s picture books
2) translate foam animals into drawings and scan into computer
3) take notes on animals and story board animal characters
4) translate animal drawings into blockprint drawings
23) create a foam Jillian before you start at #1.
Why isn’t there a foam Jillian? Make a cute little girl! Then make a cute little Chad. GD, do not tell me I’m needy either b/c I would make a super cute foam doll.
BTW, this is super interesting. I have a low threshold for boredom and you, my peanut, are never boring.
Okay, I like Eric Carle (for your purposes), The Three Pigs by David Weisner, The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, and Olivia by Ian Falconer.
When you have a former children’s librarian as your friend, you’re gonna get a lot of recommendations.
You’re welcome and good luck!!!! I can’t wait to see how foam Jillian turns out. lol
Mwah:)
Jillian