Eric Orchard's Blog, page 24

Working Up North

So,I spent last weekend writing up north at a cottage and managed to get the first draft of Bera all wrapped up. Also, very ideal surroundings for telling a story about a troll. This is where I did my writing. It's a place called Honey Harbour.

Henry and I also invented a game where we search for "fire dragons" , which can be found by the bright red flowers they leave behind. Hard to do in the city! 

Cthulhu Bunny Scan

I posted this watercolour before but I now have a proper scan and i thought I'd share it.


I'm just back from a four day writing retreat up north, not really a retreat, I went up with my family to get a good start on Bera. It went really, really well, the story is starting to take shape. There are too many possibilities with these characters and this world. I took some photos but have yet to figure out how to get pictures off my phone, hopefully soon.....

Sea Creature

Another piece from Bera. Watercolour, gouache and ink. Just finished up a picture book today and now I'm heading up north for a couple of days to get some work done up there. 

Another Look At Bera

Another "raw" piece of art from my pitch for Bera The One Headed Troll. This one showing Bera and the saw whet owl. I probably won't use ay of the pages from the pitch in the actual First Second book, in fact I'm sure I won't, but I will be referring to them a lot. In the mean time I'm wrapping up a picture book this week and then doing a book cover! , though I promised my family I'd go up north with them for a little trip. Going "up north" to cottage country is a real tradition here in Ontario, Toronto especially, and despite living here for over three years I've never been to a cottage here. 

Bera The One Headed Troll To Be Published By First Second!

I am so happy to announce that my next all ages graphic novel BERA THE ONE HEADED TROLL will be published by First Second books. I will be joining some of the very best creators in the world and I could not be more excited. Please keep an eye here for more Bera news! And thank you for all the support. I could not have gotten this far without your encouragement.  

Sawyer The Owl

Another little bit from Bera, This is all watercolour, ink and gouache, no digital in this version. Sawyer is a saw whet owl, a very small owl indigenous to eastern Canada, where Bera takes place. And yes, they can take. and are very eloquent.  

The Troll With The Drifting Eye

I love this drawing of Bera but I somehow got the eyes wrong, one is too high. I think it's pretty funny, it looks a bit like an intentional gag where one eye is moving independently on her face. I later fixed it digitally. I actually think it'd be pretty great if I could make a gag like this actually work.

Bera In Trouble

Another peek at Bera The One Headed Troll, again this is just ink and watercolour and gouache, no digital manipulation here. I feel like after years of trying I'm finally starting to feel some competence combining brush and ink with pen and ink. I realize a lot of what I've been doing os balancing my various mediums. And strangely it all seems to relate to the story I'm telling. 

Bera The One Headed Troll Page One Just Watercolour

Self Portrait

I think this captures my general frazzle. I'm probably most at home doing completely unrealistic art that expresses something I'm not entirely conscious of.