Two weeks ago I took a 22 year old project out of a lower drawer in my studio flat file. The folder contained assorted sketches and notes for a short children's story.
Years ago I liked some of the sketches so much, I had even painted them. I liked the first half of the story, too. However, somewhere about two-thirds of the way through, the flow became rather bumpy — the reason the project kept returning to the drawer.
I had edited this story so many times, but now there was a reason to have a fresh look. I had just attend the first of four two-hour writing classes given by a fantastic teacher, and was truly inspired! Perhaps I could now smooth out the story's ending.
After tweaking the story for three days, it turned into something that was pleasing to me. I added the text changes to the illustrations and words already in my computer. Then reworked the layout a bit, so the everything would still fit.
Next I printed the 4.25 x 11 inch double page spread sections, and put them together like an accordion book. Back in the folder along with notes and early sketches, it went out the door to my second class. The little book was a hit, so I do call the writing finished!
I have begun reformatting everything into a shape more compatible for commercial printing. This means that some of the illustrations will need to be redesigned. I am having fun and will post an announcement when the little book is available.
. . . The fantastic teacher, Margaret Bendet, lives just north of Seattle on Whidbey Island, which borders the northern end of Puget Sound . . .
Next came blocks of color for the larger shapes and gradually I began defining forms by adjusting changes in hue, value and intensity.
