did you guys know that there’s going to be another kids clothes week in less than three weeks? i know, right?! i’m so excited!

meg and dorie decided to start introducing theme’s this round, with “mini me” to kick it off. at first i was like “wha?”, but then i was like “oooohhhhhhh”. i have a great plan that i’m super psyched about!  but i’d sort of been thinking about my own themes and challenges, so i’m planning everything early. one thing i’d been really interested in since grad school was doing more sketches of what i want to make. i thought these might be croquis, but technically i think those are supposed to be super quick and from lots of different angles, so maybe croquis is not the right word for what i’m doing. i’m looking to create something that’s more mood board meets illustration, with a dash of diorama!

i’ve always been drawn to early 60’s illustration, and due to my limited drawing ability, i thought a more graphic, line-based style might be most successful.

1. junecraft  2. hillary lang  3 + 4. blanca gomez

1. blanca gomez  2. matte stephens  3. david roberts  4. ruth ruhman

once i started researching illustrators, i realized how many children books illustrated in this style we have, either originals from the 60’s or the contemporary inspired books. and i just have to say… if you have not read iggy peck architect already, you must. now. the rhyming is spectacular (and if you read a lot of kids books, you know how bad the rhyming can be). plus, the way david roberts draws fabric and pattern is ah-mazing. (the bee used to carry this book around, saying “iggy peck artitet! ree. boop.” so cute.) plus, (plus!) andrea beaty and david roberts put out a new book rosie revere engineer and i. want. it. marc boutavant is another illustrator that came up a lot, and we have one of his books too. if you’re into this kind of stuff, you should check his work out.

i’ve been doing some of my own sketches, working out cute little faces and hair.  and i’m having fun drawing, which hasn’t happened in a very long time!