Tony DiTerlizzi's Blog, page 21

Friday Fan Art

16-year old, Joshua, from Sri Lanka sent me this wonderful rendition of an angelic warrior inspired by my art and young adult novelist Cassie Clare's novels.

This piece also reminds me of some of my early RPG art, especially Planescape. I like the design of the character, Joshua. Now let's see more sketches of him doing stuff!

Miami Book Fair

For all of my Florida fans and friends, I will be attending the Miami Book Fair on Saturday, November 20th. Yours truly will be interviewing the one-and-only Kate DiCamillo and presenting with Ridley Pearson followed by a book-signing. Bring your books, magic cards, RPG booklets and a camera – I'll sign it all and I'll see you there!

PS – I will also be bringing a very limited stash of WondLa sketchbook for anyone who brings a copy of WondLa to be signed.

Friday Fan Art

Fourteen-year old Cy, from Washington state sent me these great renditions of Hogsqueal and ground goblins from The Spiderwick books. Check'em out.

I love how he's slightly animated them with cartoony expressions. I think that really helps bring them to life. And I like his combination of pencil and inking. Way to go Cy!

Tune in to some Tony D

I've had a little down time in between book tour events allowing me to tend to some of the ideas that have been fluttering around in my brain for the last year. One of them is a complete redesign of my website with a clean and simple interface with a focus on my children's books. Obviously that is going to take a little time, but I will keep you all posted as Anthony and I figure out what design will work best.

Another "To Do" item is to share some of the archived video footage from various interviews and promotions created over the years to promote these children's books. I've been collecting these videos here and there on VHS, CDs and DVDs and finally sat down to figure out how to transfer them to a format that can be easily uploaded to my YouTube channel. Even with my trusty Mac some third party software was needed, nevertheless I was impressed with how simple transferring video footage has become. With Elgato's video capture software and adapter I was able to literally plug our old VCR into my MacBook Pro and record whatever videos I had. Wow.

So enjoy watching me learn how to talk coherently on camera (it only took about 10 years). My favorites are a segment on GamerTV from 2002 (with fellow artist-pal, Scott Fischer), about my involvement in illustrating for Dungeons & Dragons and an acceptance documentary that I created for the librarians and children of Indiana when I was given the Young Hoosier Book Award for my picture book, Ted, back in 2006.

F is for Friday Fan (Art)

Just like last week's entry, here is another gift given from my recent book tour. This time it is of a character inspired by my nonsensical alphabet book, G is for One Gzonk and was drawn by a young imaginologist named Simon.

Here is what Tiny DiTerlooney would say about this:

"The Mominchacha scuttles

about on his many legs

smiling a blocky smile

after eating 20 eggs."

Keep going Simon! Only 25 more letters to go…

Friday Fan Art

Woo! My first WondLa fan art! It was given to me last month while on book tour in Kansas City. There, I did a special presentation about my process to a group of kids, parents and a great gaggle of art students and teachers.

I've been toying with the idea of touring the major art schools and talking about my process for creating children's books, but wasn't sure how interesting it would be to undergrads. If the enthusiasm of the Kansas City Art Institute was any indication, I need to think about this tour a little more seriously. Especially when one of the students gave me a drawing from WondLa!

Thanks for the sweet rendition of Eva, J Victoria. All my best to you and good luck with your career as an artist.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is one of the favorite holidays at the DiTerlizzi household. I like the costumes, the candy and the traditions – like carving Jack O' lanterns. I also like anything old, antiquey, or vintage. In fact, if you add the word "vintage" to just about anything, I'll be into it. I simply love things from the past. Especially vintage Halloween decorations. So, for you my dear ghouls and goblins, some vintage-inspired coloring pages that would make fine decorations (if I say so myself).

Simply click on the image for a hi-res jpeg that you can print out and color. Enjoy!

Thanks for a WondLaFul Tour

"Tonight the people were so fine

They waited there in line

And when they got up on their feet they made the show

And that was sweet…

But I can hear the sound

Of slamming doors and folding chairs

And that's a sound they'll never know"

–Jackson Browne, "The Load-out", 1977

I am home recovering from my tour across North America that allowed me the chance to visit with many of my favorite book stores. I'd like to thank all of you who came out to see me, especially some of my old fans and friends whom I've known since my days as a role-playing game illustrator.

For me, book tour is a combination of exhilaration and exhaustion. Hence, the Jackson Browne song excerpts about life on the road:

"But the band's on the bus

And they're waiting to go

We've got to drive all night and do a show in Chicago

or Detroit, I don't know

We do so many shows in a row

And these towns all look the same

We just pass the time in our hotel rooms

And wander 'round backstage

Till those lights come up and we hear that crowd

And we remember why we came…"

Sure, Jackson is a rock-n-roller so he was referring to auditorium-sized crowds, but the lifestyle is pretty much the same. The travel wears me down, but when I see the families, the smiling children who are waiting eagerly to see me, then my excitement takes over and I go out and entertain whether it is 500 attendees or only 5.

And, to be honest, my presentation is a show of sorts: I draw, tell stories, answer questions, entertain and if I'm lucky, inspire. Each event on tour is memorable to me because I meet so many new friends, hear their stories and feel at once validated, humbled and inspired myself. It is an overwhelming feeling. And its not adoration – its people coming out to let me know they enjoy what I create and I can't ask for much more than that.

Below are some snapshots from favorite moments while on the road this past month.

My much-touted New York City event at Books of Wonder drew a nice crowd of old friends and new to watch actress extraordinaire read chapter 1 of The Search for WondLa while I rendered a full-sized 2-color illustration in about 10 minutes. I was so touched that other beloved authors, like Jon Scieszka and Jane Yolen also came out to support me. It was a memorable night for sure.

Want to know what 1,000 books looks like? Here I am at Levy Home Entertainment signing copies that will be distributed to Target, Costco and airport bookstores around the country. (I was told I was one of the fastest signers they ever had – sweet!)

Courtesy of Rainy Day Books, I was able to visit beautiful Kansas City for the first time on book tour. My event at the Unity Temple brought families and art students alike, much to my delight. (I'll be back to KC in the spring for Reading Reptile's lit festival).

My first leg of tour ended at the Midwest Bookseller's Association conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. At the children's book breakfast, I spoke with several other noted authors including Suzanne Collins (author of The Hunger Games trilogy). Here, I presented Suzanne with a little sketch of her heroine, Katniss.

My second leg of tour began with a presentation to Pixar Animation Studios where I had the amazing opportunity to talk bookmaking with some of the best story and animation people in the world. I was in heaven there surrounded by kindred spirits.

As I made my way through San Fran, I was able to see many familiar faces of booksellers (like the gals here at Books Inc) who have promoted my books since The Spider & The Fly tour back in 2002.

Before I took off for Toronto, I made a couple of stops in Texas including the Texas Book Festival where I reunited with Holly Black and a handful of other amazing, talented storytellers such as one of my inspirations: multiple-Caldecott winner, David Wiesner.

Book tour is more than shaking hands with a fan and signing their book. It is a celebration of books and reading with kids and adults of all ages. My tour crisscrossed with numerous other authors and illustrators out there doing the exact same thing. It was reassuring that in the age of digital books, digital movies and numerous other digital pastimes, families still came out to their local bookstore to see and hear an actual living author sign an actual printed book.

"We got time to think of the ones we love

While the miles roll away

But the only time that seems too short

Is the time that we get to play…"

PS – Got any snapshots from my events? Shot me a link, I'd love to see'em!

Friday Fan Art!

Emily, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin has been a fan of my books for some time and has sent me the awesome drawings to prove it. She did this sketch of Mr. Moon from Jimmy Zangwow that was done back in the fourth grade:

…and this sweet pen and color rendition of the phoenix from Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide.

…keep drawing Emily! You've got a great talent!

Friday Fan Art

Brian, 14, from California sent me these wonderful reproductions from Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide. Check them out:

You may think that reproducing, or copying, another artist is cheating but I feel it is the greatest way to learn how to do something. I copied many illustrations as kid and occasionally still do to this day. In time, one learns to create their own forms and lines from the practice of reproducing others work. Keep at it Brian, I predict a great artistic future for you.