Rafael López's Blog, page 4
March 31, 2020
Maybe Something Beautiful: Coloring Page
Today’s coloring page is from the book Maybe Something Beautiful written by two incredible authors Isabel Campoy and Theresa Schnapp Howell. What can a splash of color do in a city of grey? As Mira and her neighbors discover, more than you might ever imagine! Based on the true story of the Urban Art Trail project I founded in San Diego, California, Maybe Something Beautiful shows how art can inspire transformation, and even the smallest artists can do something big.
Help the muralist color the town.
Thank you for doing your part to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Wash your hands, stay at home and be creative. Everyone can make a difference right now and do something big. It’s up to you.
BEFORE
AFTER
Community Comes Together
MAYBE
SOMETHING
BEAUTIFUL!
March 30, 2020
Day 11: We’ve Got the Whole World in our Hands
Good Monday morning. Today’s coloring page is a sketch that didn’t make it to the cover of my book We’ve Got the Whole World in our Hands. This popular spiritual song first published in 1927 with a timeless message of unity was sung by greats like Nina Simone, Marian Anderson and Mahalia Jackson. Here’s the cover below that was actually selected by my friends at Scholalstic.
To tell the story I used a multi-colored ball of yarn to represent the ties that bind humanity together.
With Covid-19, what unites us is more important than ever. We all need to work together to stay apart. We can look out for ourselves by looking out for each other to flatten the curve of the virus around our spinning globe. It’s going to take each of us to make this work.
There’s a lot we can do for each other right now. Wash our hands, practice social distancing, show gratitude to nurses, doctors, ambulance drivers, grocery store workers, city workers who keep water flowing and our streets clean. Thank you for doing your part.
March 26, 2020
Today’s Coloring Page-Thinking of our friend author/illustrator Daniel C. Kirk
Today’s coloring page is a get well wish for a remarkable creator-author and illustrator Daniel C. Kirk. This is his art and my tribute to the cover of one of his incredible Library Mouse Books. He has created over forty inspiring books for young readers and this image is of Sam, content to hang out in the library writing and reading until… he meets Sarah, the explorer who likes to climb to the highest shelves in search of adventure. Like Daniel says…Creativity is a journey—sort of like life in general!
Let’s add color to our wishes and let Daniel know how much we care for him and are sending thoughts for renewed strength. Take it slow and steady and focus all your efforts on feeling better soon. Right now it matters that we all get together and show friends, family and neighbors we care in any way we can.
March 25, 2020
Day 9: Colorful Creatures
Are you still with me? Today I’ve chosen another one of my sketches that could use some local color. This is a horse, no a moose of different color so it’s up to you. Which colors feel right to you? I’m not sure what that bird is crowing about but it’s making his creature companion smile. Go ahead and write a story to go along with this image.
Day 8: Coloring Pages
Today is day 8 and 8 is my lucky number. I actually collect eights and was born on 8/8. Do you have a favorite number? So today I thought I would share some of the sketches I make just playing with ideas. It’s no secret that I’m inspired by folkloric art and my studio is filled with treasures I’ve found during travels. Lately I’ve been enjoying picking up these favorite toys and pieces of art and remembering where I’ve been and all the memories I carry with me. Sometimes they find their way into my pencil. I like doodling and can’t talk on the phone without sketching on napkins, scraps of paper or whatever I find in the studio. This sketch seems to call for color and it’s up to you. Give it a go.
March 23, 2020
Day 7: Coloring Challenge
Yesterday you met two whales and today an octopus has dropped by to wrap you in eight arms. This was a sketch I created for the book What’s your Favorite Color with the amazing author/illustrator Eric Carle. By the way, what’s your favorite color? Why?
Spread from What’s your Favorite Color, Eric Carle and Friends.
Octopuses are one of my favorite sea creatures because they have three hearts and are masters of color. They have blue blood and squirt ink to chase predators away. Because they don’t have bones they are skilled at squeezing in and out of close spaces. They are really smart with suction cups at the end of their eight arms. It would be so much to watch them coloring today’s sketch.
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Day 6: Add color for a Whale of a Good Time
Hey everyone, WELCOME BACK to coloring adventures. Are you hanging your pictures up in your room or on the refrigerator to make your own art gallery at home? It’s Monday so grab your crayons, your watercolor set or colored pencils. Today we are joined by two enormous whales from a drawing that didn’t make it into my book We’ve Got the Whole World in our Hands. It’s your turn to figure out how to bring this sketch to living color and the ocean is such a colorful place.
When you make books you have to go through a lot of sketches to find the right fit for each story. Below is the art that actually ended up in this book that celebrates how we care for the planet and each other.
Did you know that blue whales are the largest animal that ever lived? They get really big- like 90 or more feet and they are heavy too, weighing the same as up to 24 elephants. Humpback whales sing very complex and beautiful songs so watch this video to learn more about the clicks, pulses, trills and melodies they make.
Would you like to dive with sea creatures? Meet my nephew Khyle who is diving with a green moray eel in the Caribbean tank at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas. They spend most of the time hiding in caves or rocks at the bottom of the sea where they wait for their next meal. You can tune in to the live web camera and watch Khyle and other divers feed the big fish and many remarkable sea creatures.
Khyle diving with a moray eel.
I’m writing to you from my studio in San Diego where we have an amazing aquarium. Keep Calm with this live Kelp Cam from Birch Aquarium at Scripps in La Jolla, California. Thanks for your help to color this sketch or write your own story about it. Keep up the good work and take good care of our oceans and all the creatures who live there.
Thank also for taking care of yourself, your family and friends to keep our community safe and healthy.
March 20, 2020
Think BIG and Colorful.
Time to put some color on Friday. Today I’m sharing a mural design that remained a sketch and screams for color. Help me color it and share. Grab your brothers and sisters and print this in sections. Add color, put it together at home and think BIG. Wishing everyone a bright weekend!
Big, bright mural at Addison and Avondale painted with neighbors under a bridge in Chicago.
Vivid community mural in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Colorful mural painted with community at 826LA in Los Angeles.
March 19, 2020
Day Four: Dream in Color
It’s Day Four and time for a Coloring Adventure. Here is a cover that didn’t fly for the book Drum Dream Girl written with poetry and rhythm by my good friend Margarita Engle. Now it’s your turn to make it fly. Green means GO! Have some fun and let your colors speak. You can use crayons or colored pencils or markers, watercolor, whatever you can find.
I was born in Mexico and color is a big part of who I am. It makes me happy to be surrounded by and covered in color. That’s right my clothes, my hands, even my hats!
COLORS SWIRL! Painting a community mural at Shore Acres Elementary School.
COLORS SING!
At my studio in Mexico I work at an old wooden table downstairs that is stained with the colors of my past books. When I pick colors in the basement I like to imagine that dozens of crickets cheer me on. Grab some color and let the cares of the world float away. NOW it’s your turn…
COLORING CAN MAKE YOU FEEL CALM.
WITH COLOR YOU CAN EXPRESS YOUR POINT OF VIEW.
COLOR MAKES YOU SMILE.
COLORS GLOW!
LET YOUR COLORS DANCE.
Color Changes Everything. DREAM IN COLOR!
March 18, 2020
Day 3: Coloring challenge
Day 3, How’s everyone doing? Glad to hear from many of you finding creative ways to spend time at home. Here is a little help from Teresa Carreño composing music with a friend, from the book Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played Piano for President Lincoln, a collaboration with the wonderful writer Margarita Engle. Another image that didn’t make the cut but now has found a way to your home. By the way check out other illustrator friends Lori Mitchell, Steve Musgrave and Joe Cepeda, sharing some very cool drawings to make your own. Let’s show coronavirus we can be beat it and be creative!
