Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Be there.

Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you, no matter what. If you don't listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won't tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big stuff. 
~unknown


Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Silent Auction

Here's a piece I'm donating to our school's Silent Auction.  Hopefully, it'll bring in a little money for our awesome school. :)


Saturday, August 8, 2015

Postcards

It's that time again.  Time to let Art Directors and Editors know that we're here, and ready for work!  :)

Here's what on my drawing board...




Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Kirkus Reviews

Our Bradford St. Buddies are getting ready for their big debut on Sept 1st!  I can't wait for them to finally make their way into the world! YAY!!

Kirkus had a sneak peak and had this to say...  



Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Family

Trying my hand at working digitally.  I sketched the illustration in pencil, scanned it in, and all the rest was done in Photoshop.


Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Oodles of Doodles

Sorry I haven't been around the blog lately.  I've been working on a project for Amplify Science.  Unfortunately, I can't really post anything from that project yet.  However, I just sent the finished illustrations off to the publisher which freed up some time to doodle.

Some time ago I posted about character design exercises.  Well, I'm doing it again.  It is such a great way to kickstart the creative process.

You can give it a try.  Print out the blank shape sheet. (Or create your own).  Sketch.  That's all there is to it.   I've attached mine for reference.   It's also a lot of fun to give a sheet to the kids and see what they come up with too.  You'd be amazed at the wide variety of characters that different people can come up with.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Book Expo America 2015

CATugeau was well represented at BEA15 this year.



And look who Christy found hanging out at the HMH Booth...   :)






Thursday, May 7, 2015

Thank You Teachers!

It takes a big heart to shape little minds.  Thank you to all of the teachers who dedicate their lives to our children.  Thank you for your perseverance in the face of politics in education.  Thank you for your patience with both the children, and the parents.   Thank you for your long nights, and early mornings.   Thank you for making a difference in the world.


Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Pulling together a Happy Teacher Appreciation Week sketch!
Love you teachers!!  You are heroes!! (I will try to paint it tomorrow.)



Thursday, April 23, 2015

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Happy Earth Day sketch

This is a day to remember just how important it is to love our planet! What better place to love the Earth than at our National Parks on this Earth Day!  Celebrate our National Parks   Happy Earth Day!



Wednesday, April 1, 2015

April Fools' Day


Mix a little foolishness with your prudence: 
It's good to be silly at the right moment.  ~Horace

Monday, March 9, 2015

HMH Fall Catalog 2015

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's Fall 2015 Catalog is out!

The first two books of the Bradford Street Buddies series by the amazing Jerdine Nolen and illustrated by yours truly can be found within their pages!  I feel so honored to be in this catalog with so many other fabulous authors and illustrators!  Seriously.  This is so great!

Check out the HMH catalog (Bradford Street Buddies are on page 102, and 103)!!

And now you can pre-order both books!  Tell your friends, tell your family!  :)

Bradford Street Buddies: Block Party Surprise
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million
IndieBound
The Tattered Cover



Bradford Street Buddies: Backyard Campout
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million
IndieBound
The Tattered Cover




Friday, February 27, 2015

Oh Winter.

Look at winter
With winter eyes
As smoke curls from rooftops
To clear cobalt skies.

Breathe in winter
Past winter nose:
The sweet scent of black birch
Where velvet moss grows.
Walk through winter
With winter feet
On crackling ice
Or sloshy wet sleet.

Look at winter
With winter eyes:
The rustling of oak leaves
As spring slowly nears. 

~Douglas Florian


Friday, January 30, 2015