PPBF: Pocket Full of Colors

Today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick

Pocket Full of Colors,
a picture book biography of Disney artist Mary Blair

Pocket Full of Colors
The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire 

Written by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville
Illustrated byBrigette Barrager

Atheneum Books For Young Readers, 2017
Ages 4-8, 48 pp, ATOS 4.3


Themes:
Art, Biography


Opening:
Under a wide blue sky,
on a red dirt road,
in a lemon-yellow house,
there lived a girl named Mary.

Other children collected marbles or dolls,
but Mary collected colors
of every shade and every hue.

Synopsis:
This streamlined biography introduces readers to Mary, a little girl who loved to paint and collect colors in her heart. It follows her to California and a short stint at the Walt Disney Studios, where she was misunderstood and restricted. It briefly notes she worked as a successful artist in New York. Then culminates with her creation of the It's A Small World attraction for the 1964 World's Fair.  An author's note is included.


What I Love:
I have long wanted to write a picture book biography of Mary Blair. Naturally, someone else's doesn't match the vision and scope I imagined for my own book. Regardless, I bought this sight unseen when it was released, knowing the admiration the creators had for Blair's legacy.

While the illustrations certainly reflect the vivid, midcentury style of the subject, the text is straightforward, flooding the prose with a multitude of color names and almost treating the colors as a character, yet not quite as original as Mary Blair herself. The story hits the tips of a few icebergs in Blair's life, like her transformative trip to South America and her marriage to watercolorist Lee Blair.

I think this is an important biography which may lead readers on a journey of discovery to find the whole story and will, I hope, inspire female creators to persevere in marketplaces where they are underestimated.


Bonus: 

1. Discover more about Mary Blair's art, influence, and merchandise on her official website and on Oh My Disney. You can also catch film of Mary herself sketching and painting in the Disney film Saludos Amigos. See also the post on Phyllis Loves Classic Movies.

2. Mary Blair has been featured in a beautiful short film, "Mary," by the students and staff of Gobelins, was inducted as a Disney Legend in 1991,  and even received her own Google doodle.

3. The Art of Education has compiled a half dozen ways to teach color theory to kids, a perfect compliment to the subject of this biography.

4. I love this School of Decorating article on helping kids choose a color scheme. I think some of the advice goes for any kind of kid-centric decision-making.

5. PinupGirl Clothing has exclusive use of Mary Blair fabrics. I am sure there are plenty of mom's who would love to get ahold of these prints for kids, too.

6. The artist's most enduring legacies may be the original It's A Small World attraction at Disneyland or the seven-story mural at the Contemporary Resort outside the Magic Kingdom. Read about the history and creation of It's A Small World on Designing Disney and at The Enchanted Manor. Design Observer and Cheapskate Princess have posted beautiful images of the mural. Just one more excuse to visit the Happiest Place on Earth if you're in Anaheim or The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.

7. After a hard day of play, treat the kids to a viewing of Disney's Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, or Cinderella. See if they can spot Mary's name in the credits and have crayons  and colored papers handy to duplicate her crazy, color-saturated backgrounds and designs. It's like a museum visit in your living room.

Concept art for Peter Pan
Concept art for Alice in Wonderland
Concept art for Cinderella

8. For further reading, check out the reprint collection of Mary's work for Little Golden Books or The Art and Flair of Mary Blair, by John Canemaker.

9. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.

Reviewed by Pat

Reviewed by Leslie

Reviewed by Kirsten

Reviewed by Joanna

Reviewed by Julie

Reviewed by Joanne

And two more reviews from Wander, Ponder, Write:

The Flying Girl,
Aida de Aeosta biography 

Miguel and the Grand Harmony,
A Coco story

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, May 25, 2018 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

Picture Books Contain Power

"We know each reader brings to a book their own personal experiences, but I don’t think we can ever fully predict how they will react to a story. Therein lies the power [of picture books]."

-Margie Myers-Culver

Portrait of Georgina Gaskin by Arthur Gaskin,
The Yellow Book, Vol. 9

*via Writing for Kids While Raising Them

IF: Wet

Better late than never. Illustration Friday, HoHoDooDa, and #illo_advent

Illustration Friday theme WET,
graphite on paper by Joanne Roberts

Elf revenge. Wondering why he has a punch bowl on his head? Take a peek at last week's Illustration Friday offering.

Thanks again to Linda Silvestri and the other HoHoDooDa participants.

Kittens Beneath The Tree

Napped all day instead of drawing. These kittens ought to be napping. I have a feeling this is what will happen to our gifts this year.

HoHoDooDa 3
Graphite on paper, by Joanne Roberts

I am keeping up on HoHoDooDa, but when will I catch up on the missed days? How are you faring? 

IF: Punch

It has been awhile since I posted to Illustration Friday. In keeping with the holiday season, I envisioned some elves with a bit of punch. This grog is spiked with Tabasco instead of spirits.

Graphite drawing for IF: PUNCH,
by Joanne Roberts

Linda Silvestri usually runs an informal drawing challenge in December called HoHoDooDa. What's a crazy-busy holiday season without a drawing challenge, right? So I've decided to throw my pencil into the ring. And for extra stress, I plan to tweet the drawings for #illo_advent, too. Sound like fun? Why not join us!

Leave your URL or Username in the comments so I can follow along on your creative journey. Don't forget to stop by Linda's blog to "register". Follow her with #HoHoDooDa. And keep an eye out here and @BookishAmbition on Twitter. S'cuse me. I have some catching up to do.

Thanks. Happy December!

Selective Moments

"Telling a story with words and pictures is a little like watching a movie, then selecting the evocative moment like a still taken from a film. I need to capture the moment that has clarity and simplicity, invites empathy, and allows the reader to bring her own knowledge to that moment, to enrich it, and develop it according to her own life experiences."

-Jan Ormerod*

* Courtesy Harper Collins

The Princess and the Stinky Cheese, by Lauri Meyers

Here's my entry for the Fractured Fairy Tale Contest. It was a difficult decision, but I chose Lauri Meyers's The Princess and the Stinky Cheese.

Thanks to Lauri for letting me illustrate her story!
Click to view the original sketch.

Lauri has put together all the contest illustrations for her story and the full text of  The Princess and the Stinky Cheese on her blog. Pop over and take a look!

W is for Work-In-Progress

Can you guess which fractured fairy tale I am illustrating for Susannah's art contest?

Pop over to her blog to review the other entrants or read the inspiring original stories. Coming soon . . . my finished contest entry!

W is for Work-in-Progress
Follow the A to Z Challenge

Very Hungry for 45 Years

Thanks to Erik for the heads up.

 Eric Carle's picture book masterpiece The Very Hungry Caterpillar turns 45 this year. 45 is SUCH a great number. I refuse to tell you why. Anyway, let's just say that this book ages more gracefully than . . . well, than some people do. The caterpillar and I have a lot in common. I've been hungry for 45 years too.

Check out Eric Carle's amazing collection of books.
Visit the Eric Carle Museum. Browse their exhibits or take a workshop.
Join the celebration with apps and gadgets at Penguin Books.
Find printables, snacks, party ideas, and much more at The World of Eric Carle on Pinterest.

V is for Very Hungry Caterpillar

Caterpillar bento box

Follow the A to Z Challenge.

They Draw and Cook

Let's face it, illustrators need stuff to illustrate. Last week, we listed some contest and challenge links. They Draw and Cook, presents another opportunity to get your art out there, and it can have financial rewards as well. TDAC sometimes pays for recipes, for print rights in their cookbooks, and royalties for sale of recipe prints. You can find out more about the sibling team behind TDAC at their day job, Studio SSS.

Antipasto Sandwich, by Erika Barriga from the They Draw and Cook cookbook

I found the site through fellow illustrators, Erika Barriga, Michelle Henninger, and Angela Sbandelli.

Orange Risotto, by Angela Sbandelli for They Draw and Cook

Cinnamon-Roasted Almonds, by Michelle Henninger, for They Draw and Cook.

It's a great place to discover new talent too.

Beetroot, Chili & Lime Pesto, by Holly Gardner for They Draw and Cook.

Carrot Cake, by Denisa Negrea for They Draw and Cook

T is for They Draw and Cook

Check out their sister site, They Draw and Travel for more artistic opportunities.


Have you illustrated a recipe for They Draw and Cook? Do you have a favorite recipe from their site? Do you know of another opportunity for illustrators? Leave a comment. I'd love to share your link.

Follow the A to Z Challenge.

Illustration Sensation, Quentin Blake

Q is for Quentin Blake*

Sir Quentin Blake has been an illustrator for over sixty years. His art appears in magazines, books, galleries, and on postage stamps and hospital walls. In 1999, he became the first Children's Laureate. He was knighted by the Prince of Wales in 2013. He has received numerous awards including the Bologna Ragazzi prize, the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the Kate Greenaway Medal, and the Eleanor Farjeon Award.

He is perhaps best known for his illustrations of Roald Dahl characters.

Willy Wonka, Charlie, and Grandpa

Matilda

The Big Friendly Giant

A Near Thing for
Captain Najork, by Russell Hoban

Walker Books recently re-released three of Russell Hoban's classic books with the original Quentin Blake illustrations. ">Quentin Blake works loosely with pen and ink. 

To keep each illustration fresh, he works on a light box. The sketch shines through the paper, but not enough to copy it exactly. In this way, each drawing takes on new life of its own. He endeavors to create characters which are defined enough to tell a story, but not so defined that they interfere with the concept formed in the reader's imagination. Of artistic talent, he says, “Don’t worry about being a great artist … just draw until you find your style” 


I remember him best for his comic, Waldo Widdershin, which he produced for Cricket Magazine in the early 1980's.

More recently, Quentin Blake established the House of Illustration, the world's first non-profit dedicated to illustration as an art form. His work can be seen in various gallery shows, including Quentin Blake, Larger than Life, which showcases his mural work.

From the exhibition, Large As Life, at Hall Place & Gardens

You can read more about him in his books, Laureate's Progress, Beyond the Page, Words and Pictures, or see his work in over 300 books.

*Follow the A to Z Challenge.

K is for Kelly Murphy

K is for Kelly Murphy*

Oops! "K" should have posted yesterday. So sorry.

I hope you can still enjoy this art spotlight a day late. Thanks for your patience.

I love to browse the library and bookstore shelves for hidden gems. I confess, I still prefer to judge a book by its cover. (I'm pretty good at judging by the spine too!) Anyway, One day about 8 years ago, I spotted this little beauty. Ooooo, how that cover made me grab it from the shelf and dive between the covers.

At the Sign of the Star,
by Katherine Sturtevant.
Cover by Kelly Murphy

I loved this book. Set in England in the late 1600's, this novel follows the bookish life of 12-year old Meg. She may be a bit of a feminist, but the characters, settings, and historical details made this an engaging read.


It turned out the cover was painted by Kelly Murphy. I didn't know her back then, but you'd be hard pressed not to know her now.  Below you'll find a few of her more heralded projects.

The Miniature World of
Marvin & James,
by Elise Broach 

The Mouse With
the Question Mark Tail,
by Richard Peck

Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters,
by Jane Yolen

It is no surprise that Kelly's signature style has been honored by the Society of Illustrators, and that her books have garnered so much attention. Neither should it surprise you that she counts Edward Gorey and Shaun Tan among her heroes. Take a look at these fantastic pen and ink illustrations.

Kelly Murphy from Behind the Bookcase

 

Courtesy Kelly Murphy

You can hear more about Kelly's work on Mark Steensland's Behind the Bookcase.




You can find another interesting interview including her process at EMU's Debuts.

Of course, Kelly has her cuddly side too.

Mother's Day Card, by Kelly Murphy

Visit her at www.kelmurphy.com/

*Follow the A to Z Challenge.

IF: Survival

Today's Illustration Friday Topic is SURVIVAL.

Just a quick sketch for IF

I is for Illustration Friday

Follow the A to Z Challenge

E is for Erwin Madrid

E is for Erwin Madrid*

You may not know his name, but chances are you've read one of his books. I can almost guarantee you've seen his creative handiwork.

Erwin Madrid

Illustrator, designer

Have you read this?

The May Bird series,
by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Or this?

Destiny Rewritten,
by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

Or this?

The Prairie Thief,
by Melissa Wiley

How about these?

Goblin Secrets,
by William Alexander

The Wide-Awake Princess,
by E. D. Baker

Judy Moody and Friends,
by Megan McDonald

Have you watched these?

Ever Played this?

Then you've seen Erwin Madrid's magic touch. Check out all the fabulous work on his website. You can find more of his cover art, his movie ties, as well as fantasy paintings, fine art, and a graphic novel. Don't forget to stop by and let this unsung hero know you're a fan.


* Follow the A to Z Challenge