If you got a post titled “Dragon postal whimsy” I accidentally hit a button. Here’s the real post about “How To Draw A Dragon“! After a week spent creating cover art and scanning 36 pages there’s now a coloring book poem that exists in the world!
This is the book description:
“How do you draw a grumpy dragon? This coloring book story poem written and illustrated by the artist sue clancy shows you how.
This whimsical poem is also about how creativity works, how our creative child selves and our analytical adult selves can work together.”
Below is a look at the original manuscript.
I used the computer to put the text on the front and back covers. I thought long and hard about handwriting it all but I learned when I did Patch La Belle that handwritten text on a cover isn’t “searchable” and could be harder for people to find. That searchable issue isn’t a big concern for me coming from the art world as I do where one-of-a-kind things are the norm. But after thinking a while I opted to type the cover text for “How To Draw A Dragon” even though I hand drew and hand colored everything else.
So here’s the cover becoming…
And here’s what the cover became.
I’m especially pleased that my book layout “thinking in page spreads” turned out so well! They line up in the middle when bound! In the first photo below you see my original art. Below that you see the printed book.
Since we’re still in a pandemic I have added a free printable pdf file for this book to my “shop” page where I have several of my free downloadable artist books. It’s on my to-do list to make a portfolio page for How To Draw A Dragon and have everything in one spot.
Storyberries will, eventually, also do a free ebook version of How To Draw A Dragon and have a link to the free printable pdf too. But that’s still in progress. I will update my still-to-be -made portfolio page and this blog when it’s been set up at Storyberries.
On another topic: My Odditorium exhibit will open in September at Caplan Art Designs with some additional new art for the series!
Since we are still in a pandemic the Gallery is doing all the prudent safety measures and I’m doing my part as best I can. Besides doing the virtual page about Odditorium I have done a series of videos on my YouTube channel about this exhibit as well as about why I do this work. I’ve made 5 videos in all but here’s the one about this exhibit. The Gallery will post my videos and share them with clients digitally thereby minimizing everyone’s exposure. I’m glad and grateful to work with a gallery that cares about the health of both their artists and their clients.
On still another topic: A friend recently enjoyed getting a card from me and called it “postal whimsy”. I like that phrase and asked for and was give permission to use it! So I’ve updated my Zazzle collection of odd greeting cards both with the “postal whimsy” phrase and some new card designs. I am getting serious about sending postal whimsy and helping cheer people. Below is one of my favorite cards…
This week was so busy that while I did make sure to eat meals of fruits, vegetables and whole grains – more often than not – I didn’t do any sketches or photos of the food. I just stuffed my quiche-hole and got to work.
Despite all of the busy-ness I still did drawings in my sketchbook in the mornings and my evening reading of books before bed. Makes for nice creative bookends, pun intended, to a day.
However busy your week is I hope it is bounded by pleasant things. See you next Monday? Or before then if I hit a wrong button again…
How interesting that handwritten text is somehow not searchable. I had no idea and now I am curious about why that should be the case. If computer algorithms or whatever the technical machinations are can read a wide variety of typed fonts then I don’t understand why they cannot detect and make sense of handwritten fonts. Of course, I am a tech dunce so I am clueless on this subject and there is possibly a very reasonable and eminently sensible explanation and justification.
Anyway, well done on publishing another book! You really have made the most of this more subdued life the pandemic is forcing us to lead.
Yes it is interesting and I don’t completely understand it either. Especially when I can use a font that looks handwriting-ish!? My understanding is that digital text is encode-able by letter no matter the font whereas an image isn’t codable in the same way. Like how the Guttenberg project can “read” anykind of text but texts with illustrations are another kind of horse. I mangled that explanation all to heck and probably misunderstood in the first place but that’s my best comprehension just now. It’s been a fun creative challenge to write and illustrate and do book design and learn the where-for how-to ins and outs of it all. The puzzle keeps me from stressing too much on the pandemic stuff I can’t do anything about. I *can* make books and stuff other people enjoy and I’m taking solace in that. Thank you so much for your support and encouragement! It means a lot to me!
Your explanation did indeed make sense. I am glad you have been able to utilise these creative projects as a distraction from the pandemic and other world problems.
I am glad it made sense!! And thank you!!
I won’t tell you how slow on the uptake I was to “get” hare in the sink . . .
Lol!!!! I love your comment!!! ❤ You made me smile!!!!
Happy to oblige! 😀 😀 😀
All so wonderful, Sue! Now, where did I put my crayons?
Lol!!! Thank you so much!!! I do hope you find your crayons!! ❤
LOL, Hare in the sink. What fun! The coloring book turned out wonderfully! I’ll take a look at your updated ‘Postal Whimsy’ card page. I hear there’s a new one with my favorite little hedgehog in the spoons. 😉
By the way, I had ordered your Odditorium book from Blurb, but it never arrived. I got an email saying there was an address problem, but the tracking link went nowhere, even when I came back several times to try it again different days (a method of web troubleshooting that I enjoy more than most others – and often works). I never followed it up, but perhaps I shall. I’d still love to get that one, so eventually will order it one way or another.
I’m really sorry you had trouble with your Blurb order. If it doesn’t get resolved to your satisfaction contact me and we will be in touch with each other privately and will get you a book. I’d love for you to have a copy.
It tickles me that you laughed at my Hare in the sink!! Lol!! And yes, there *is* a card with your favorite hedgehog in the spoons! 😊
Stay in touch please… hopefully the Blurb issue will be resolved 🤞but if not… contact me. Thank you for your patience and your support!
It appeared there may have been a digit or two missing in my address, which could have been an error on my end, but I felt a little frustrated that the tracking links wouldn’t go through to find out what to do about it. I haven’t found time to work it through yet. But I appreciate your wondrously kind offer to help make it right, if needed. I’m sure it will work out one way or another. 😀
Here’s hoping…🤞 … and please let me know whatever happens. ❤