Julia Denos's Blog, page 3

Class Picture Day

Good morning class! 
It's class picture day today in Room 23. Everyone is dressed in their best pose, plaid, and pencils.  I have good back to school memories, do you? The morning air has a cool edge while you wait for the bus, the smell of new erasers overpowers your jitters over gym class. A shout-out to my sister, Anna, for whom the blonde was named! More children's fashion HERE .

Anna
Kenneth

Tila and her crazy pencils.
Benjamin

See You Soon!

(Lake Winnipesaukee)
Heading off to Maine this morning. Four states, two coasts, one week! See you soon! XO

Seri Speak

Last week my studio was turned into an all-hours kitty hospital of sorts. My steadfast and whiskered coworker got himself a life-threatening case of FLUTD. He came into the studio as I finished a book cover, hung his head and cried. Off to the hospital we went. A week of invasive cat hell ensued. But he is home now and recovering! Thank you, Hancock Animal !


The hardest part of Seri's ordeal was encountering my human frustration with the animals I love: not being able to speak to them, especially in times of need. It would be my SUPERHERO POWER of choice. Interspecies communication is mind-bending and heart-melting when you think about it: To converse, we slowly construct a common language together with eye contact, voice, and patterns of touch. But there are moments of fear and heartbreak, when you would give anything to SPEAK CAT or RABBIT or DOG, just so you might explain. Luckily, after all he went through, Seri was still wagging his taped-up little tail when I sung to him from across the room. He was still speaking our "language" and that's the most humbling thing.

Do you and your pet have a "language" together?
Editor in chief:  Ay! Get to work!
Hopefully he'll be back to his usual "wild foal" energy levels next week (thanks Boggy!) :

Yes. That IS a cat on a leash. 
Go Seri!

Space & Time.

The second president of the United States once lived down the street from our house:
View of the Adams' Peace Field, Quincy MA
This morning, one of his letters came to me by Twitterfeed (not messenger, horse, or carriage)  thanks to the MHS . The letter is an antiquated thing dotted with agelessness. From his spot in the 18th century, from our spot in the 21st, especially this week, we are sharing something pretty fantastic: WONDER. He asks the same grand questions about our universe, ones we are still shouting out into space today. Considering his level of excitement over the view of the Milky Way via Sir William Hershell's new-fangled "glass" (telescope), let's imagine what he would have thought of the view from the Curiosity ! (I'm taking historical liberties to imagine he'd probably yell "Great Animalcules!", drop his pen, have a merry fit and then sit down to feverishly pen some new correspondence...) 
View of Mars
In his letter to Cotton Tufts:London June 2. 1786
"...Herschell indeed with his new Glass, has discovered the most magnificent Spectacle that ever was seen or imagined, and I suppose it is chiefly as a Spectacle that his Discovery is admired. If all those Single double, tripple quadruple Worlds are peopled as fully as every leaf and drop is in this, what a merry Company there is of Us, in the Universe? All fellow Creatures Insects Animalcules and all. Why are We keept so unacquainted with each other? I fancy We shall know each other better, and shall see that even Cards and Routs, dancing Dogs, learned Piggs, scientific Birds are not so despicable Things as We in our wonderful Wisdom sometimes think them.

The Bishop of Landaff, has made the Trees, not walk, but feel and think, and why should We not at once settle it that every Attom, thinks and feels? An universe tremblingly alive all over. The more We pursue these Speculations the higher Sense We shall have of the Father, and Master of all, and the firmer Expectation that all which now Appears irregular will be found to be Design. 

But where have I rambled? 

Your FndJohn Adams"


I am glued to the Curiosity feed  HERE . I hope that through all times, in all centuries, that we will always wonder. ♥

Summer Visits

Happy August! How have you been? I've missed you so, blogger buds! 

Work has really ramped up. The blog and house have grown quiet except for the sounds of tweeting and talking to my cat to keep sane (do you Tweet? let's Tweet... @JuliaDraw ). Matt is also art lead on his company's latest video game project so our little family is running an art marathon together! WOOSH. There are dreams of vacation in September (Virginia or Nantucket–any hotel recs. welcome!) but for now, summer exists in savored little visits: blueberry farms, escape-for-lunch dates, late night walks on Wollaston beach ("around town" Quincy pics to come). My work-away-from-home spot : Crema Cafe in Harvard, where the food is good, the tables have a charming wobble, and the people are tip top...

Speaking of little visits, I just had two virtual ones. One was at The Girls of Summer blog by two award-winning authors and women whom I greatly admire, Gigi Amateau and Meg Medina . The other was an interview with the very gracious Rosa St. Claire for Examiner.com . Monday, I real-life visited a beloved spot with my talented lady-friend Amanda Atkins, The Curious George store in Harvard Square. We met the lovely manager and buyer, Broche Fabian, and friendly staff and I signed some stock. As you know, this was my first place of employment in Boston, under the original owners. I'm so glad the space has reopened as a bright spot again in the heart of Harvard Square. It's beautiful!





And for a dose of beautiful, skip over to Anita Silvey's Book-A-Day Almanac where she is featuring Natalie Babbitt's unforgettable description of "August" today...Till next time!

Milkweed Slippers

SUMMERTIME! I've been out exploring the wilds of Massachusetts. In the studio, I've been drawing a lot of be-wing-ed little girls for an upcoming project (eee!) Have you ever touched the inside of a milkweed pod? I can't remember if I have, but it's one of my summer goals.

Oh, Alice...

Have you spotted Alice McKinley in the wild yet? I was invited into her zany world by the good folks at Simon & Schuster to repackage   Phyllis Reynolds Naylor' s classic series. They're out in bookstores now just in time for summer reading. Alice's voice is so blushingly honest and true through the entire ordeal of growing up, so I tried my best to zoom in on her open heart. She is the queen of quirk and awkwardness, the best mixture of courage, freckles, and innocence. She cracked me up. I loved meeting her. I hope you will too!

Big thank yous to the talented Jessica Handelman for her introduction to Alice and her fresh take on the design (don't you just love her san serif punchiness?) It was fun going bold, graphic, and candy-colored for this series. I painted these in watercolor, with a background in one layer of acrylic paint. These Alice covers made third place in the 2012 New York Book Show, for Trade Paperback Series! 

"The kiss went on so long, I wondered when I was allowed to swallow. What we the rules about this? Should the boy let you up for air every ten seconds or were you supposed to sort of keep your nostrils to one side?" –Alice's second kiss, Alice In Rapture, Sort Of

Click on the image to see them up close on my website...

Making the Cover: Summer of the Gypsy Moths

 "The earth spins at a thousand miles an hour. Sometimes when I remember this, it's all I can do to stay upright – the urge to flatten myself to the ground and clutch hold is that strong."

I'd like to describe Summer of the Gypsy Moths as haunting and moth's-wing delicate...Sarah Pennypacker deftly weaves an impossible balance between the macabre, innocence, and balmy summer vacation. Stella and Angel are two abandoned girls who summon incredible courage during one fateful summer, and learn how to survive together.  I am so afraid to give anything more away! I read it in one sitting...page one cast its spell and I didn't look up again until it was time to make dinner:


Many thanks to Amy Ryan and Donna Bray for their keen eyes, design and delicate direction. And congratulations on a stunning piece, Sarah Pennypacker! Published by Balzer+ Bray.


The Thrill of Making a Cover
I presented to Lesley University this weekend (mother university of my alma mater, The Art Institute of Boston) and spoke on the creation of a book cover. I admitted to the audience that book covers were possibly my favorite format because of the challenge they pose: the challenge of funneling the entire written work, and characters you've become attached to yourself, into that one gripping moment.
There are many elements that need to be working together for that moment I'm working toward... I'm thinking first about choosing style: it needs to aid the moment while also translating the author's voice appropriately. Then, working closely with the art director, I work on design of the limited space, trying to make every millimeter counter and mean something. Color palette needs to be alive and used with intent. I save character rendering for last, because that's where the spirit of the work lies. It's my most favorite and personal part, and once all the mechanics are worked out, the expression of that person is free to "be". 
During all of these steps though, I'm always watching "the moment" in the back of my mind...the personal moment, the first impression that the viewer, bookstore customer, library peruser of any age might have when they see it on the shelf. Hopefully, they pick it up and it makes a bridge from that person straight into the pages. It's a thrilling challenge to make a book cover, one that I hope to tackle again and again!


I used mostly pan pastels on the cover for color, pencil, colored pencil, crayon, and watercolor for render. I wanted the sea and sand to feel dry and textural. I ended up lightening the entire piece under Amy and Donna's direction to achieve a little more "hopefulness" and wonder...though it is a dark story, there is undeniable youth and life surging through and I understand their direction on that.

Final sketch: Prelim sketches:

Introducing a New Blog!

Good morning busy bees! Hope you had a restful little holiday. I've been secretly assembling a new home for my fashion work and I can't wait to share it with you!
Today, I'm happy to introduce :


It's my new fashion blog. You can  click here to go and visit if you'd like. With the launch of several recent style projects, my fashion work requested an exclusive place to sprawl and stretch and spread its wings. "The Cinnamon Rabbit" continues on as a blog for all things narrative and children's publishing. "Palette" is a fresh new place for all things visual, a place for color and line to live and breathe! ENJOY ♥

Rainy Day Spell

If you are living near the East Coast, chances are you've been living in a cloud for the better part of this month. I don't mind cloud-life too much. Rain wakes me up on the skylight in the morning, birds still go on building their nests in the rafters near our windows. The storms haven't been meddling or mean, but mild enough to just add a little curl to your hair or an umbrella to your bag. Rainy days make me FINALLY sit still and that's good for work! And I can't get over the GREEN that they bring.




The best studio days are rainy. There is a productive energy to them, the Earth is busy with photosynthesis and you are busy at your desk. I'm usually (selfishly) wishing for a week full of them. They have always soothed me, been able to put me under a spell. It's that constant chanting, hushing "shhhhhhhh" outside the window. Nature's entranced too, I think...the birds sound like they are singing in the shower. And my cat is seriously cozy-ing himself out in here:



Do you love rainy days?