C.S. Robadue's Blog, page 12

The bay so blue

JULY 2016 – Been a bit of a lull in the action of late, which is not such a bad thing. Lazy days of Summer have arrived and along with it a slow-down in productivity. Know it won’t last and the crisp reminder of the months to come will hit hard when the school year starts again. For now though, more trips to the beach (which have been few and far between for me this month I’m disappointed to report), afternoons lost reading a book, and time out on the water is where you’ll find a fellow such as myself.

Received some really good news from the store Books on the Square in Providence, RI that had graciously agreed to carry copies of my first book (The Adventures of August Winter and the Blackstone Academy). They wrote me to say that they had sold the copies in stock and that they wanted more for the coming season to have in the store. I was thrilled to hear this and will absolutely deliver more copies, likely this coming week if I have time. They are tremendously generous with authors and I’m so appreciative of them being the first store to carry my book!

Myself and my editor have taken a short vacation from work on the new book (though in truth it is very much still on my mind, guess you can only take a break from it to a certain extent). Will be back in action with it shortly, as the other big news for me is that I’ll be moving very shortly. Which has (as you might guess) eaten up a vast amount of my time lately in preparation and practice. Moving furniture, boxing stuff up, blah, blah, blah, haha. My desk is likely going to be the last thing that goes so that I can keep being creative.

Hope all of you have had a great Summer thus far and I’ll look forward to our next correspondence.

– CS

Imagine

JUNE 2016 – One of the more excitable times of year, lots of transitions to make, and for the writer/artist in me that has meant switching full stop to drawing and graphic design. Pace right now is of about two illustrations a week, which sorted out with the rest of my life and regular job, is about right I’d say. Currently I’m halfway through the illustrations (a number which will remain secret at present, haha) and for all the math wizards out there at home, no, I haven’t kept up that exact pace of production for the last two months to be able to sort it out, haha.

Quite happy with the look of the drawings I do have coming together. I keep pushing back closer and closer to ‘my’ style with them and adding more detail. Is kind of interesting to see the characters on paper after imagining them in my head the whole time while I was writing. Rather like being able to take something that is only imagined (or real in the mind) and making it real in the physical world. Wouldn’t say they overlap 100% as I am making subtle changes as I go. Read the sections in the book that I’ve selected to illustrate again and again for details. To make sure that the description matches the illustrations. How many times have you noticed in a book where they don’t exactly match?

Imagine there are some parallels to the process of adapting a book to the film screen. As characters will morph in the process. Whether due to the actor not exactly matching the description in the story or due to (more so in the past than the present) limitations to create the visuals the book describes.

Outside of writing, I have gone on a few trips of local inspiration. Most notable of which would be to Cape Cod (pictured in this post), which was absolutely fantastic. The miles of beaches for wandering, the enormity of the sky, the deep fog that would roll in every evening, it was as magical as I might have hoped it to be. Brought some books and games and felt I could have stumbled into Narnia at any moment in the old house that we were staying in, haha. I cooked waffles, had local salt-water taffy, and saw dozens of seals. Really really nice time.

Have been reading the works of Brandon Sanderson lately, finishing the MIstborn trilogy (likely at some point this week on one of these long weekends), which for any Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fans I’d surely recommend it. Alchemy is at the core of the mechanics in this universe that he has crafted and it is an extremely enjoyable 1300 plus pages to grab hold of. And surely makes me much more excited to take my vitamins everyday than I ever was before, haha (if you read the series you’ll get the joke).

That is where I shall leave you now fair reader, as well, I have two illustrations to get to. And they won’t draw themselves, I may or may not have already tried this approach! Take care!

– CS

Can you see it

MAY 2016 – When it comes to the creative process, I think it is easy to feel one is completely lost in a fog. What to make? Is it good? Couldn’t it be better? How do other people see it? Don’t have the answers to those questions, outside of the first at least, haha. As I know what I aim to make, but is it any good, ehhh. You know, I did turn a corner with my illustrations this month and feel that I’m on the right track with them. Finally. Has been a rugged road at times, and I haven’t listed any of the drawings as ‘finished’ because I surely will still tinker with all of those that I’ve worked on.

Four of the Eighteen full chapters images exist in some form or other and the rest remain in the conceptual stage. Happily I have them all written out and have found sketching to be a nice entry into their creation. With my trusty .5 mm mechanical pencil at my side, I am armed to continue, and complete the remaining 14+ illustrations that I have in mind. Come to think of it, there is quite a bit more to draw than that, with everything I have planned.

The world has provided me with many opportunities to go hiking and get outside lately, and I haven’t passed them up. Been taking some landscape photographs to document these hikes, and here is a recent one from my view on Monday. The fog was thick, but morale was strong, and the ocean air glorious. These walks might not necessarily be to gain source material for future drawings, yet they never fail to fuel my wishes to be more creative. Whether with writing, illustrating, photography, etc. Suppose that is why my best advice for a creative slump remains to go for a walk!

Finally got around to watching the latest James Bond Film ‘Spectre’, which I surely hope isn’t the last to feature Daniel Craig as the British Spy/Assassin. Funny, I never really labeled him as an ‘assassin’ when I would watch the movies as a kid, that seems almost a term reserved for villains. You know what I mean? Maybe that is part of what makes this latest incarnation of Bond so edgy and entertaining as he really straddles that line between good and evil. Stunning settings abound in this most recent Bond film and between it and ‘Casino Royale’ I could plan about five tremendous vacations, haha.

Closing out the month feeling optimistic and excited for the future and unveiling the latest project that has been under wraps for ages now. I found an early draft of the material that I’m working from that dates back to 2008. So this source material has been kicking around for a solid eight years. Will it be worth the wait? Ah, my friends, I’d very much like to think so!

– CS

Breakdown, breakthrough

APRIL 2016 – Been puttering away these last few weeks, haven’t quite had that breakthrough moment yet. As what I’m attempting to do is venture into a new drawing style for my second book. Have this distinct image in mind of what I’d like the illustrations to carry stylistically, and I haven’t been able to create it yet. Which means I’m still on illustration one, chapter one, haha. Have drawn it a few times and while I might not be getting closer to success, I don’t feel that I’m straying away from it either.

My drawing tends to be rigid, cold, precise, and filled with detail. Which under most circumstances suits me just fine. But I’m looking for more of a soft, whimsical, rounded, sketched type quality for these illustrations. At least at the time of writing this news entry. Not unlike in the first book, the illustrations for this new title will also be black and white. And I want to use the entire page to frame each illustration and have them disappear into the fringes, as if you are merely glimpsing into a world of imagination. And not have them feel distant and boxed in. Will be working on sketching more tonight, results remain elusive.

Warmer colors have returned to the woods, fields, and open spaces around where I live. Which has been most welcomed, let me tell you! Took my bike for a short trail ride through some woods today, woods that are normally silent, but are alive again with the chatter of birds and other restless woodland folk.

Finished reading the book ‘Subterranean’ by James Rollins, who I had never read any of his works before. Was a rollicking adventure tale, which I would sort of describe the subject and writing as maybe Michael Crichton meets Jules Verne? Regardless, I enjoyed it and would certainly recommend it to others in search of a suspenseful tale of underground exploration with fantastical elements. Which you know I appreciate, haha.

Where do we go from here? Would like to enjoy Spring for the season that it is and keep working and pushing ahead with the illustrations. Maybe that breakthrough will come tonight, or maybe next week, or maybe next month. Won’t know unless I keep pushing forward, and that is precisely what I intend to do. And I hope for the same for you, in whatever your endeavor is, work, school, a dream, a goal, keep at it. If you never quit, you never know where you’ll find yourself!

– CS

In the thick of it

MARCH 2016 – Last week was Spring break on campus (or perhaps more aptly, off campus, haha) and I very much welcomed the opportunity to throw myself into writing, re-writing, and editing. Took a few of the notes I had and addressed a lot of the sections that I had previously given the ole, “I’ll come back to that later” label. As later was now, and man if later isn’t always the toughest part of the process. As it ultimately comes down to making decisions, for your characters, for your story, and for your audience. Reminded myself that if needed I could always re-visit these decisions to help ease the gridlock of indecision in my mind.

As that really is half the trick sometimes, giving yourself permission to give things a shot. As much as I want to be definitive with every choice I make in writing, I have to admit that changes can be required later on. This book is my best example yet of allowing that to be part of the process as it had a substantial re-write after the original story arc was completed. And by not being blocked and allowing ideas to flow you can give yourself so much more room to be creative and the writing will improve as a result.

Very thrilled to say that by the end of Spring Break, after a lot of decision making, mucking about, and forcing a departure of perfectionism. I submitted my latest draft to the impeccable and tireless hands of my editor. She will be the first to read it and I told her to be merciless with her feedback, haha. Really, she is wonderful and her thoughtful insights will be invaluable towards pushing the book to be the best it can be. Which I am very thankful for, as when you are so close to the material as having written it, the narrative and characters can be so familiar it is hard to judge them anymore.

Plenty of reading taking place outside of my time writing. Have gone hiking and welcome the promise of many more days spent outside in the coming months. Right now I’m riding the wave of Spring Break and the small success of finishing the current draft of the book. Now, to wait.

Sincerely,

– CS

Creative Heavy Lifting

FEBRUARY 2016 update for you my friends! Since we last spoke, I have endeavored to embrace the editing process and take a fresh look at the material for my upcoming book release. Currently I’m on to chapter four of the re-write, that is quite enhancing the style and descriptive language, as well as to a lesser extent the story itself. As thus far I haven’t made any major changes to the arc, rather improved upon what was already there. Still searching for that sweet spot in terms of being direct with the story telling and letting the reader do their share of the heavy lifting creatively. As you certainly want to stoke the fires of imagination, but once the blaze is burning cozily, you need to let it be!

Curious what I’m currently reading? On my shelf you’d discover that I am halfway through ‘The Tipping Point’ by Malcolm Gladwell. Have read other titles by this exceptional author, researcher, journalist, comedian, philosopher (he really defies normal conventions) and never fail to get something profound out of his work. Enjoying where this title is taking my brain and for any up and coming author, I’d say it is a very good read to consider ways to share that which you’ve labored on so intensely. Or rather to understand what society requires to move ideas and speak to the collective in a way that promotes a call to action.

One goal I have for next month, or at least once the current re-writes are finished and I switch to working on the illustrations, is to take my work outside of the studio/office. As much as I like this space, and I have kept it as calming and bright as possible, I’d enjoy doing some drawing elsewhere. Where do you find you do your best creative work? I quite like the idea of drawing out in nature, but mosquitoes, or sand + wind seem to convince me otherwise, haha.

Looking forward to continuing this series of updates and sharing more of this new project that I’ve kept closely under wraps for months and months now!

Sincerely,

– CS

Before I know it

JANUARY 2016 – Not sure why I always wait until the very last minute to write new posts here, haha. But it always seems to happen that way! Since it has been a full month since we last talked I imagine one might think that all kinds of progress has happened and I’ve completed the book and it is off to the printer for duplication. Well…. not quite, haha. Has been a rather busy stretch in the office, so I haven’t dedicated as much time as I might have wished to writing/editing. Which is very much where I need to be to catapult the project over the walls of procrastination.

Have gone for some excellent hikes in recent weeks, which for anyone out there doing any writing or creative work, I’d highly recommend it during the creative process or even when you get in a slump and can’t seem to get anything down on the page. A blizzard even crashed the New England party and offered up some awesome hikes, which made familiar landscapes feel brand new. Wish I had my camera for that!

Did have it for a separate earlier hike to what I would describe as Rhode Island’s very own bizarre miniature desert. As the photo attests, it is a striking location (with ample seating, haha) and was great to stroll the rolling hills of sand for an hour or so. While dodging golf balls, as there was a fellow working on his game who didn’t seem too concerned that he wasn’t the only person there, haha.

Did devote quite a few evenings to reading and want to throw out a nod to author (and well known actor) Ethan Hawke for his excellent recent release ‘Rules for a Knight’. Very much enjoyed every page of it, is an anecdotal series of life lessons that reminded me a bit of Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist’ as a point of reference for anyone interested in giving it a read. The illustrations struck a chord with me as well with their delicate black and white stylings.

That is the latest from me my friends! Will be the end of the month again before I know it and I’ll have to scramble to write another one of these. But until then, stay awesome!

– CS

A Time for Contemplation

DECEMBER 2015 – End of the year, when thoughts turn to reflection and curiosity for the days to come. Which is certainly something that I don’t strictly reserve for the last week of December, as I tend to favor a more daily approach to such enterprises, haha. However, in the spirit of the season, I would very much like to thank everyone for their wonderful support, encouragement, and enthusiasm towards the creative work that WaveGarden Arts shared with the world these past twelve months.

It has been a wonderful year creativity, highlighted (for me personally) with the release of my first book, ‘The Adventures of August Winter and the Blackstone Academy’. Being able to complete that and share it with such a generous and thoughtful audience as I have had the good fortune to attract, has been most excellent. Have been so appreciative of all the encouragement and it only continues to fuel my interest in creating new, thoughtful, and exciting works to bring to the literary landscape.

Given the nature of these posts, I want to include an update on the status of current projects in development. Well, the next book is far beyond the developmental stages, in fact illustrations are already being drawn and rounds of editing of the text has already taken place. After receiving some apt notes from my editor, I will be doing a bit of a re-write surrounding one of the major characters. Additionally, focusing on re-visiting some of the body text and changing the style of the earlier chapters. Which read slightly differently than later entries in the same book.

Very much want to spill some details about the book, and will take this opportunity to do so! Essentially the story is about humanity’s relationship with nature, which is a large topic, and I’ve taken it to a very human scale. With the crux of the story involving a boy who inherits an estate in the country from his grandfather where mysterious/magical things happen!

Would like to release some promo art for the project when it gets closer to launch. I’ll certainly have that here on the website when it is ready to debut. Looking to make the images for this new book much more detailed and stylized than the last. As I want it to have less of a cartoon sort of feel and more grounded in reality (which is a term I use extremely loosely given that there is magical elements at play!) and full of definition and texture. Will still be black and white, which is quite enjoyable to work in for me, so I have no problem with that ‘restriction’.

May your 2016 be full of growth, success, good fortune, and more than a hint of whimsy!

– CS

You against yourself

NOVEMBER is ending and I wanted to take a look back on what I’ve accomplished in recent weeks and share it with you all. Has been a very productive collection of weeks that has seen the delivery of the latest draft of my second book to my editor. (My editor: She’s fantastic, very happy not to have thrown her into the fire with this one as we have plenty of time to cross-examine the book and let it grow and mature more naturally) Felt awesome to be able to share what I’ve been working on with someone and get that first initial feedback, as no one else has read it yet.

Has been said many many times before, but finishing a book (or any massive task) is a war of attrition. You have to outlast your own procrastination, self-doubt, and life’s everyday distractions. Yes it is true, all of it. Not always easy to stay motivated, if you can though, the rewards are great. And I’m very much looking forward to finishing this new book and seeing where its place will be out there in the cultural collective.

As I mentioned on twitter, there is an update/re-design of the website here underway. So look for it to be changing and morphing in the coming weeks. Websites are pretty much living, breathing entities and I have some ideas of where I’d like this one to proceed towards. Want to keep it streamlined and easy to find what one is looking for in a matter of seconds. As nobody has time to be puttering around lost on a website. Not this one at least, haha.

– CS

Happy Halloween!

HALLOWEEN 2015! has arrived and all the customary Autumn excitement right along with it. Been trying to take it all in and appreciate this time of year as usually I’m so busy that it goes by largely unnoticed. Went hiking the other day and the foliage was absolutely brilliant, the term wonderland certainly comes to mind when reflecting on that day.

Visited the Lincoln School in Providence Rhode Island for their annual Children’s Book Festival on Saturday, October 17th. They had an excellent lineup of authors this year and I was keen to see (and hear) how these authors (veterans and newbies alike) handled speaking to an audience. Specifically to an audience with a wide range of ages and attention spans.

Each author presentation lasted about 30 to 45 minutes, with many of them graciously opening up the floor to questions at the end. There was a lot of great works on display, and I was most impressed with the work of Author/Illustrator Aaron Becker and his Journey Trilogy of books. (http://www.storybreathing.com/)

He told the tale of his own journey into becoming a Children’s book author, which was quite fascinating (and familiar!). As he began his professional career working in the world of film/animation for Lucasfilm and Disney. Was awesome seeing another artist who was such a fan of storyboards as I. And his art style is just fantastic, water colors followed up with a round of inking.

Aaron’s work has been extremely well received in addition to my own praise for his art style, with his first book ‘Journey’ being selected as a caldecott honoree. Definitely check out his website and artwork if you are unfamiliar with this outstanding talent. His presentation was really inspiring and I wish I could have stuck around longer to trade stories afterward.

My own writing has been getting a lot of attention from yours truly lately. I’ve been editing chapter after chapter in my book in preparation of delivery to my editor (as soon as possible, haha). Keep coming up with new ideas to weave into the story and enhance character development and story arc. Would like to be illustrating and have the latest draft finished within the next oh, 72 hours. No pressure or anything! haha.

Happy Halloween to everyone, may your October be as golden and happy as mine has been! Keep on continuing your own creative journeys and I’ll catch you next time for more studio updates!

– CS