Sandy Steen Bartholomew's Blog, page 6
September 18, 2018
Hi. I'm Sandy. And I'm a Pessimist.
I don't actually think that's true. I think a Pessimist is someone who always assumes everything will go wrong.
I assume things will be fine... and then... they always go wrong.
At the very least, that's an Optimistic-Pessimist, right?
The Optimist says: "Hey, I finally drew a comic! Yeah!"
The Optimistic-Pessimist is saying: "Hello? Can anyone hear me? There must be someone who can help!?"
The Pessimist: "I'm cracking. These aren't the Cracks-That-Let-In-The-Light. These are the ones where parts of you fall off."
I assume things will be fine... and then... they always go wrong.
At the very least, that's an Optimistic-Pessimist, right?
The Optimist says: "Hey, I finally drew a comic! Yeah!"
The Optimistic-Pessimist is saying: "Hello? Can anyone hear me? There must be someone who can help!?"
The Pessimist: "I'm cracking. These aren't the Cracks-That-Let-In-The-Light. These are the ones where parts of you fall off."
September 15, 2018
Queen Bee!
This was easily one of the most fun Birthdays I've ever had.
Birthdays are a huge deal to me - I like to celebrate that I am still here.
We had planned to take a trip down South this week - but the Hurricanes - "Florence", out in the real world, and "Sandy", inside my head - made us reconsider.
After a few days of puttering, and recharging, I started to feel a little better and got this crazy thought, "I want a party!"
My Guy said, "Sure! A party - I'll get food."
My Mom said, "A party for whom?"
Me me me ME!
Today started with a giant note on my door and a Birthday [pan]Cake with kisses. yum yum.
I got to do anything I wanted all day! (That's never happened before). So I had a really long walk which included an adventure into a forest on the far side of the river, and lots of mysterious comings and goings in my house.
Lots of food, including a chocolate fountain...
Many hours later, when the House Elves were cleaning up, I heard Laurie ask Bill, as she struggled to clean the cursed fountain,
"I wonder if people actually use these things more than once?"
I'm not telling what I wished for. ;-)
I got folks to write and draw in my "Holiday Book". This is a tradition I started just before my daughter was born and it's kind of amazing to look back and remember events, and non-events.
Caden served as Art Director for Debbee - who documented the event:
Pretty accurate...
And finally... here are some of the Photo Opp pics (thanks Laurie for the background!). There were Mimosas involved (thanks Christine!)
I know I don't always write about the Good Stuff that happens. This was Good Stuff. And I want to thank everyone who sent me Happy Birthday Wishes on Facebook and elsewhere! Thank you for making it such a lovely day - a little bit of calm and happiness in the crazy-storm that keeps raging around here.
Birthdays are a huge deal to me - I like to celebrate that I am still here.
We had planned to take a trip down South this week - but the Hurricanes - "Florence", out in the real world, and "Sandy", inside my head - made us reconsider.
After a few days of puttering, and recharging, I started to feel a little better and got this crazy thought, "I want a party!"
My Guy said, "Sure! A party - I'll get food."
My Mom said, "A party for whom?"
Me me me ME!
Today started with a giant note on my door and a Birthday [pan]Cake with kisses. yum yum.
I got to do anything I wanted all day! (That's never happened before). So I had a really long walk which included an adventure into a forest on the far side of the river, and lots of mysterious comings and goings in my house.
Lots of food, including a chocolate fountain...
Many hours later, when the House Elves were cleaning up, I heard Laurie ask Bill, as she struggled to clean the cursed fountain,
"I wonder if people actually use these things more than once?"
I'm not telling what I wished for. ;-)
I got folks to write and draw in my "Holiday Book". This is a tradition I started just before my daughter was born and it's kind of amazing to look back and remember events, and non-events.
Caden served as Art Director for Debbee - who documented the event:
Pretty accurate...
And finally... here are some of the Photo Opp pics (thanks Laurie for the background!). There were Mimosas involved (thanks Christine!)
I know I don't always write about the Good Stuff that happens. This was Good Stuff. And I want to thank everyone who sent me Happy Birthday Wishes on Facebook and elsewhere! Thank you for making it such a lovely day - a little bit of calm and happiness in the crazy-storm that keeps raging around here.
September 11, 2018
Graphic Medicine Sketch-notes
I finally got all my sketch-notes from the Graphic Medicine conference scanned and assembled into a pdf. Yah! I even put it onto my Bumblebat shop on Etsy - so go ahead and buy a copy (It's only $3.50). Download it, print it out - and get some good ideas and inspiration.
If you'd like to see the pages I drew as well as some from the other sketch-noters, they are published on the Graphic Medicine page on the Center for Cartoon Studies website.
More about the Graphic Medicine Conference can be found HERE.
And my previous blog posts are:
Graphic Medicine Conference - Day 1Graphic Medicine Conference - Day 2Graphic Medicine Conference - Day 3
Sketch of a Sketch-note
If you'd like to hire me to sketch at your conference - I'd LOVE to help you out. I can also work from video or turn your TEDtalk into a lovely page of images and info.
If you'd like to see the pages I drew as well as some from the other sketch-noters, they are published on the Graphic Medicine page on the Center for Cartoon Studies website.
More about the Graphic Medicine Conference can be found HERE.
And my previous blog posts are:
Graphic Medicine Conference - Day 1Graphic Medicine Conference - Day 2Graphic Medicine Conference - Day 3
Sketch of a Sketch-note
If you'd like to hire me to sketch at your conference - I'd LOVE to help you out. I can also work from video or turn your TEDtalk into a lovely page of images and info.
September 10, 2018
The Tarot-Concert-Poster
This was a really cool project I finished in August - but I promised to wait to post anything about it...
My client, Naomi, had seen the piece I had done for Emily Clement, the Life Coach -
- and she wanted to know if I could create a poster as a gift for her husband to celebrate their anniversary. She explained that they had been together for years before they finally got married. Their wedding had a music concert theme and was called "The At Last Tour".
I asked her to send me a list of things they liked, images, etc. And I did a lot of research into concert posters, but found very few that had more than one central figure, and nothing that felt very "wedding-ish". A Stevie Nicks poster got me thinking about record covers - and then an interesting Tori Amos cover with an art nouveau style, put the idea of tarot cards in my mind.
Naomi was really excited by that idea as she loves tarot and told me that her husband would be "The Hierophant" and she would be "The High Priestess".
I started sketching out the poster based on the classic tarot images, combining them into side-by-side images.
I designed the concert title and integrated the sports teams into the border. This is the quick sketch to show Naomi my idea:
The final pencil sketch had a row at the top and bottom with mini album covers for their favorite bands, as well as other passions (like their grandkids). Favorite hobbies, travel destinations and beverages were hidden throughout the image. I also connected the two tarot images by having Naomi and Alan both holding the scepter (with a G-clef on top!)
Once Naomi had approved the sketch and I had made a few requested changes - I inked the design at full-size (11'x17"):
Since this was meant as a gift, I painted the original piece with gouache (opaque watercolors), touched up the ink lines, and scanned the art as well.
Here is the final tarot concert poster!
My client, Naomi, had seen the piece I had done for Emily Clement, the Life Coach -
- and she wanted to know if I could create a poster as a gift for her husband to celebrate their anniversary. She explained that they had been together for years before they finally got married. Their wedding had a music concert theme and was called "The At Last Tour".
I asked her to send me a list of things they liked, images, etc. And I did a lot of research into concert posters, but found very few that had more than one central figure, and nothing that felt very "wedding-ish". A Stevie Nicks poster got me thinking about record covers - and then an interesting Tori Amos cover with an art nouveau style, put the idea of tarot cards in my mind.
Naomi was really excited by that idea as she loves tarot and told me that her husband would be "The Hierophant" and she would be "The High Priestess".
I started sketching out the poster based on the classic tarot images, combining them into side-by-side images.
I designed the concert title and integrated the sports teams into the border. This is the quick sketch to show Naomi my idea:
The final pencil sketch had a row at the top and bottom with mini album covers for their favorite bands, as well as other passions (like their grandkids). Favorite hobbies, travel destinations and beverages were hidden throughout the image. I also connected the two tarot images by having Naomi and Alan both holding the scepter (with a G-clef on top!)
Once Naomi had approved the sketch and I had made a few requested changes - I inked the design at full-size (11'x17"):
Since this was meant as a gift, I painted the original piece with gouache (opaque watercolors), touched up the ink lines, and scanned the art as well.
Here is the final tarot concert poster!
September 9, 2018
GraniteCon!
The Granite State Comicon was this weekend and, as always, is a great way to kick off my Birthday Week!
This time I not only had my daughter, Lilah, but I had a whole Tribe...
Lilah, Sandy, Lila, Zack, Tim (and Bill - taking pic)I was able to listen to part of the interview with Caroll Spinney (and his wife) who played the parts of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street.
The place was mobbed with cosplay enthusiasts of all ages...
There was a lot of sword play too (as a fundraiser for an animal shelter, I think). Lilah challenged everyone to duels...
Her fencing classes finally paid off! She tied or won most of the matches - much to Bill's dismay...
And I think this...
... was one of the funniest things I saw! (Yes. Superman. Texting.)
This time I not only had my daughter, Lilah, but I had a whole Tribe...
Lilah, Sandy, Lila, Zack, Tim (and Bill - taking pic)I was able to listen to part of the interview with Caroll Spinney (and his wife) who played the parts of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street.
The place was mobbed with cosplay enthusiasts of all ages...
There was a lot of sword play too (as a fundraiser for an animal shelter, I think). Lilah challenged everyone to duels...
Her fencing classes finally paid off! She tied or won most of the matches - much to Bill's dismay...
And I think this...
... was one of the funniest things I saw! (Yes. Superman. Texting.)
A Quick Visit to the Graveyard , part 2
My kid and I were finally able to go to the graveyard to visit my Grandmother and bring her some chocolate cake! She didn't mind that we were a few weeks late for her birthday - and the cake was a teeny bit stale... that didn't keep Lilah from eating some of it either.
We noticed some other unusual graves around the place and the large number of "benches"!
We noticed some other unusual graves around the place and the large number of "benches"!
September 1, 2018
Sweet Steps
This has been an incredibly intense week... actually, the whole month - if I count the graphic medicine conference and everything. I didn't have time to recuperate or recharge before I tripped over the zip line and went flying down the mountain again.
Deciding to leave the big studio in Concord, packing, moving, Selectmen's Meeting, tons of meetings, legal threats, researching the legal threats... I lost track of how many people yelled at me this past week... what's up with that? Why do people think that is OK? If I wore lipstick, my lipstick case would be covered with notches for all the people who hate me right now.
And the worst part is that my mudroom, my music studio, my garage and now a 10x10 storage unit - are all jam packed with STUFF that I don't know what to do with!? (Yes, my OCD/CDO is so overwhelmed I just stare at the boxes)
And with the kid in Middle School, I have to get up 2 hours earlier than is biologically possible for me - so I'm running on fumes. (I work at night because I can concentrate better and there is less visual distraction).
And I have to get focused on my fall illustration projects - because surely all the Wingdoodle insanity would have been finished by summer's end. Right? RIGHT?!
Breathing... breathing... nope. I'll get back to that later.
I have ONE thing that is on my side right now - and I have to try NOT to screw that up too.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I got a little bit of sleep last night, finally. Lilah and I had worn ourselves out at Montshire Science Museum yesterday. Then we had a yummy dinner with my guy. Then we all couch-potatoed for hours (Pitch Perfect 2 and Lemonade Mouth). Then keeled over for at least 6 hours of sleep. Aaaaaahhhhh...
I had a strange dream that someone whispered, "two have M&Ms in them... warming in the oven..."
Some time later, I was woken up by Lilah saying, "Bill left you a present on your stairs! I'll TRY not to step on it! Get up get up get UP!"
I was picturing a mouse or something, until I remembered that Bill is not a cat.
Nevertheless, I was still expecting something messy. "A present left on... x..." is a euphemism. Like saying a house has "charm and potential..."
I think I'm just worn out and descending into Cynicism.
(Which is why I'm trying so hard not to screw up that ONE thing that is right in my life.)
What WAS it already!!!????
Ok, ok...
I stumbled across the studio and almost fell down the stairs!
I thought that was the sweetest thing ever until I saw...
...there really were pancakes for me and the kid.
With M&M's.
And they were still warm.
Deciding to leave the big studio in Concord, packing, moving, Selectmen's Meeting, tons of meetings, legal threats, researching the legal threats... I lost track of how many people yelled at me this past week... what's up with that? Why do people think that is OK? If I wore lipstick, my lipstick case would be covered with notches for all the people who hate me right now.
And the worst part is that my mudroom, my music studio, my garage and now a 10x10 storage unit - are all jam packed with STUFF that I don't know what to do with!? (Yes, my OCD/CDO is so overwhelmed I just stare at the boxes)
And with the kid in Middle School, I have to get up 2 hours earlier than is biologically possible for me - so I'm running on fumes. (I work at night because I can concentrate better and there is less visual distraction).
And I have to get focused on my fall illustration projects - because surely all the Wingdoodle insanity would have been finished by summer's end. Right? RIGHT?!
Breathing... breathing... nope. I'll get back to that later.
I have ONE thing that is on my side right now - and I have to try NOT to screw that up too.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I got a little bit of sleep last night, finally. Lilah and I had worn ourselves out at Montshire Science Museum yesterday. Then we had a yummy dinner with my guy. Then we all couch-potatoed for hours (Pitch Perfect 2 and Lemonade Mouth). Then keeled over for at least 6 hours of sleep. Aaaaaahhhhh...
I had a strange dream that someone whispered, "two have M&Ms in them... warming in the oven..."
Some time later, I was woken up by Lilah saying, "Bill left you a present on your stairs! I'll TRY not to step on it! Get up get up get UP!"
I was picturing a mouse or something, until I remembered that Bill is not a cat.
Nevertheless, I was still expecting something messy. "A present left on... x..." is a euphemism. Like saying a house has "charm and potential..."
I think I'm just worn out and descending into Cynicism.
(Which is why I'm trying so hard not to screw up that ONE thing that is right in my life.)
What WAS it already!!!????
Ok, ok...
I stumbled across the studio and almost fell down the stairs!
I thought that was the sweetest thing ever until I saw...
...there really were pancakes for me and the kid.
With M&M's.
And they were still warm.
August 26, 2018
A Quick Visit to the Graveyard
I promised her I'd come back to visit with my daughter...
We have always celebrated my Grandmother's Birthday in the graveyard, with chocolate cake, but this year I went alone. I brought cake. But it didn't taste as good. I felt so sad. For the first time.
I always feel sad and miss Gramma like crazy, but this was that disappearing kind of sad. I believe that, when someone's Story ceases to be told - they disappear.
I sat on her grave (it's a bench), licking chocolate frosting off my fingers, and realized that she was the only family I still had, in Warner, that I could visit. Maybe that's why I feel so "dis-appear-y" too?
Last year, I went sort-of-alone. The Fireman came with me at the last minute. But that made me start thinking about how I needed to write a story about my Gramma so she doesn't really disappear. I made notes... and one year later, I've done nothing. I can remember sitting at the drafting table in my new studio, at the Community Arts Center, writing and sketching - as if it were yesterday. And here I am ONE YEAR LATER.
To torture myself, I searched back through Facebook and this blog to find all the posts I'd written about our celebrations in the Graveyard - and they are mostly joyous occasions. And I also realized - it's been TEN YEARS of parties!
To make myself feel better and so she is not forgotten - at least - not this year - here is a retrospective of the past ten years. With links to the original posts. And with quotes. And my favorite pictures from that party...
2009 - Goodbye
My Grandma Magda died yesterday.
I am glad that I took her to California to visit my brother. I'm glad I took her to Arizona to visit her best friend. I wish I had forced her to go to Estonia to see her family again. It's so ironic - she was afraid she might die there and have to be shipped "home". That was ten years ago.
2010 - A Grave Situation
...I mean, she was buried in a tote bag for goodness sakes...
And on others [in the Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris], there were small piles of rocks. I suppose it is a way of saying, "I was here and I miss you."
My grandmother shares her headstone with her mother-in-law, Jenni, her husband, Johannes, and her baby daughter, Merike. Jenni and John are actually buried somewhere on Long Island and Merike had been in a mass grave in Germany. But she was... "removed"... when a large highway was built. It's nice to have them all together again in Warner, even if it is only in name.
2010 - Good Times in the Graveyard - [How it began]
[The bear would] dream about a lady with lovely smooth, pink skin, mischievous blue eyes surrounded by laugh lines, and the heart of a bear. And for that minute, the bear would wonder 'Am I a woman dreaming of being a bear, or a bear dreaming that I am a woman?' And my Grandmother would look down from where she is watching and have a good laugh.
2011 - Graveyard Bash
On my Grandmother's Birthday, we marched off to the cemetery for a little visit and some cake. Of all the holidays and traditions that families can follow or create, this has become one of our favorites. So, welcome to our Second Annual Grandma Magda's Birthday Celebration.
My mom, sits on HER mom.
Lilah, sits on HER mom... me!
2013 - Graveyards, Bugs and ... Whoopie Pies.
[this one has MAGGOTS!]
And just to prove that I have perfectly normal kids... Alex teased Lilah about who-knows-what and she proceeded to pelt him with the bag of dirt. Alex enjoyed it immensely. Ok, maybe they aren't normal.
2014 - Happy 100! [One of my favorites!]
But, alas, Alex is the Gramma... er... grammar... police in any language. Especially chocolate.
But he is also an excellent big brother. He spells correctly, but he let his sister have the last Kiss.
2015 - Happy 101th!
Gramma Magda was an amazing lady who once rescued her mother-in-law from a concentration camp. Show of hands... how many of us would do that? Exactly.
2017
Happy Birthday Gramma Magda. I miss you so much. The chocolate cake is very yummy, but celebrating your birthday alone this year made me miss ya so much more. But... I also started getting an idea for a graphic novel...
2018
Happy Birthday Gramma Magda. Vanaema. I miss you so much.
This is the first time I have celebrated her birthday completely on my own. I didn’t even have to share the chocolate cake.
I would have preferred to share the cake.
We have always celebrated my Grandmother's Birthday in the graveyard, with chocolate cake, but this year I went alone. I brought cake. But it didn't taste as good. I felt so sad. For the first time.
I always feel sad and miss Gramma like crazy, but this was that disappearing kind of sad. I believe that, when someone's Story ceases to be told - they disappear.
I sat on her grave (it's a bench), licking chocolate frosting off my fingers, and realized that she was the only family I still had, in Warner, that I could visit. Maybe that's why I feel so "dis-appear-y" too?
Last year, I went sort-of-alone. The Fireman came with me at the last minute. But that made me start thinking about how I needed to write a story about my Gramma so she doesn't really disappear. I made notes... and one year later, I've done nothing. I can remember sitting at the drafting table in my new studio, at the Community Arts Center, writing and sketching - as if it were yesterday. And here I am ONE YEAR LATER.
To torture myself, I searched back through Facebook and this blog to find all the posts I'd written about our celebrations in the Graveyard - and they are mostly joyous occasions. And I also realized - it's been TEN YEARS of parties!
To make myself feel better and so she is not forgotten - at least - not this year - here is a retrospective of the past ten years. With links to the original posts. And with quotes. And my favorite pictures from that party...
2009 - Goodbye
My Grandma Magda died yesterday.
I am glad that I took her to California to visit my brother. I'm glad I took her to Arizona to visit her best friend. I wish I had forced her to go to Estonia to see her family again. It's so ironic - she was afraid she might die there and have to be shipped "home". That was ten years ago.
2010 - A Grave Situation
...I mean, she was buried in a tote bag for goodness sakes...
And on others [in the Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris], there were small piles of rocks. I suppose it is a way of saying, "I was here and I miss you."
My grandmother shares her headstone with her mother-in-law, Jenni, her husband, Johannes, and her baby daughter, Merike. Jenni and John are actually buried somewhere on Long Island and Merike had been in a mass grave in Germany. But she was... "removed"... when a large highway was built. It's nice to have them all together again in Warner, even if it is only in name.
2010 - Good Times in the Graveyard - [How it began]
[The bear would] dream about a lady with lovely smooth, pink skin, mischievous blue eyes surrounded by laugh lines, and the heart of a bear. And for that minute, the bear would wonder 'Am I a woman dreaming of being a bear, or a bear dreaming that I am a woman?' And my Grandmother would look down from where she is watching and have a good laugh.
2011 - Graveyard Bash
On my Grandmother's Birthday, we marched off to the cemetery for a little visit and some cake. Of all the holidays and traditions that families can follow or create, this has become one of our favorites. So, welcome to our Second Annual Grandma Magda's Birthday Celebration.
My mom, sits on HER mom.
Lilah, sits on HER mom... me! 
2013 - Graveyards, Bugs and ... Whoopie Pies.
[this one has MAGGOTS!]
And just to prove that I have perfectly normal kids... Alex teased Lilah about who-knows-what and she proceeded to pelt him with the bag of dirt. Alex enjoyed it immensely. Ok, maybe they aren't normal.
2014 - Happy 100! [One of my favorites!]
But, alas, Alex is the Gramma... er... grammar... police in any language. Especially chocolate.
But he is also an excellent big brother. He spells correctly, but he let his sister have the last Kiss.2015 - Happy 101th!
Gramma Magda was an amazing lady who once rescued her mother-in-law from a concentration camp. Show of hands... how many of us would do that? Exactly.
2017
Happy Birthday Gramma Magda. I miss you so much. The chocolate cake is very yummy, but celebrating your birthday alone this year made me miss ya so much more. But... I also started getting an idea for a graphic novel...
2018
Happy Birthday Gramma Magda. Vanaema. I miss you so much.
This is the first time I have celebrated her birthday completely on my own. I didn’t even have to share the chocolate cake.
I would have preferred to share the cake.
August 24, 2018
Ready, Set... Interview!
I'm the featured Illustrator today in Mira Reisberg's "Craft & Business of Illustrating Children's Books" course! It's a closed group on Facebook and I can't send you to the page, so I made a screenshot of Mira's introduction of me. It made me blush. And giggle "Sandy lives somewhere beautiful with kids and barns." Yup, that's New England... where the leaves are already changing color and I haven't been to the beach yet.
I've been answering questions on the page all day while also cleaning out The BeeHive and hosting an impromptu yard sale in the Studio! I'd be talking to someone about how to use something I had for sale, and my back pocket and laptop would be binging with Facebook notifications! It was surreal.
My plan had been to run into Concord for a few hours, sell a few things people had asked to pick up, throw some more things into boxes, pack them into the car, come home and do the Facebook thing...
I didn't get home until after 9:30pm! I am so tired. I should just save time and have that tattooed on my forehead: "I'm Tired"
Rambling.
Right. Here is the interview that I had with Mira when I finished the Ready, Set, GOrilla! book and she featured in her online class today:
Ready, Set, GOrilla! should be out around November 13th.
You can Pre-order the book directly from Clear Fork Publishing!
Please please encourage your libraries and local bookstores to pre-order - here's the link to share: https://www.clearforkpublishing.com/store/p127/ReadySetGOrilla
You'll also be able to pre-order on Amazon.
There's another short video on YouTube which has a glimpse of a book I wrote and I'm illustrating - and a testimonial for the Children's Book Academy classes. (Here: https://youtu.be/LT_MzOF7XUI )
I've been answering questions on the page all day while also cleaning out The BeeHive and hosting an impromptu yard sale in the Studio! I'd be talking to someone about how to use something I had for sale, and my back pocket and laptop would be binging with Facebook notifications! It was surreal.
My plan had been to run into Concord for a few hours, sell a few things people had asked to pick up, throw some more things into boxes, pack them into the car, come home and do the Facebook thing...
I didn't get home until after 9:30pm! I am so tired. I should just save time and have that tattooed on my forehead: "I'm Tired"
Rambling.
Right. Here is the interview that I had with Mira when I finished the Ready, Set, GOrilla! book and she featured in her online class today:
Ready, Set, GOrilla! should be out around November 13th.
You can Pre-order the book directly from Clear Fork Publishing!
Please please encourage your libraries and local bookstores to pre-order - here's the link to share: https://www.clearforkpublishing.com/store/p127/ReadySetGOrilla
You'll also be able to pre-order on Amazon.
There's another short video on YouTube which has a glimpse of a book I wrote and I'm illustrating - and a testimonial for the Children's Book Academy classes. (Here: https://youtu.be/LT_MzOF7XUI )
August 23, 2018
Sketch of a Sketch-note
I got distracted by a bunch of things so I didn't post this right after the Graphic Medicine Conference this weekend - as I had planned.
I was photographed while sketching David Macaulay's Keynote Presentation on Saturday at Dartmouth - and thought you might like to see a little of the progression:
Since I had a lot of lectures to sketch-note and little time between, I composed a template ahead of time with very pale gray lines to help keep me organized. I also made a page for each lecture with the title, the presenter, and any subtitle, also in pale gray - so I wouldn't mess up the spelling. I inked over the pale letters just before each lecture:
I like to draw a quick cartoon of the presenter and put any really good quotes in speech balloons. I don't draw them ahead of time as they tend to look really different in person than in their promo photos!
It's really intense! You have to pay very close attention to what is being said and interpret it quickly. No time to doze off or let your mind wander.
I like to use a black Flair pen and a colored Flair pen as well as a cool Japanese brush pen that has black on one end and gray on the other. I work on a magnetic portfolio/clipboard... usually on my lap!
One of the most difficult things is planning! Some presenters cram so much material in - it barely fits and you have to leave stuff out when you run out of space. If someone doesn't fill the page, that's easier - I just add some more graphic elements to fill the voids.
Then I add the grays for shading and contrast. It also helps divide up the space and the information and make it easier to read. Borders hold it all in!
Since he is one of my heroes, I also wanted to show you some of David Macaulay's work in case you aren't familiar with it. I think he is best known for these two books:
And they were the focus of the Graphic Medicine talk.
He's a genius at showing how architecture works too - Cathedral and Underground are classics...
And he has lots of picture books too.
My absolute favorites are Motel of the Mysteries (Discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb parody!) and BAAA (people are sheep... but what if sheep were...people? Spoiler, it turns out badly).
My copies are so old the glue has let go and the pages are falling out!
I got mine signed back in 1991!
I was a student at RISD and David Macaulay took over as the Head of the Illustration Department.
I had already been at two colleges and hadn't been able to convince any schools to transfer my credits. I was beyond discouraged and tired of being in school (5 years at three colleges!) David took a look at my transcripts and said "Want to graduate with the Seniors this Spring?"
"I love you Mr. Macaulay."
It took me 25 years to go back to school (for my Masters) and finally do school properly. And I ran into David at the Center for Cartoon Studies a few years ago.
I've always been grateful to David Macaulay for releasing me from the academic world and for showing me how warped and ingenious kids' books could be!
I was photographed while sketching David Macaulay's Keynote Presentation on Saturday at Dartmouth - and thought you might like to see a little of the progression:
Since I had a lot of lectures to sketch-note and little time between, I composed a template ahead of time with very pale gray lines to help keep me organized. I also made a page for each lecture with the title, the presenter, and any subtitle, also in pale gray - so I wouldn't mess up the spelling. I inked over the pale letters just before each lecture:
I like to draw a quick cartoon of the presenter and put any really good quotes in speech balloons. I don't draw them ahead of time as they tend to look really different in person than in their promo photos!
It's really intense! You have to pay very close attention to what is being said and interpret it quickly. No time to doze off or let your mind wander.
I like to use a black Flair pen and a colored Flair pen as well as a cool Japanese brush pen that has black on one end and gray on the other. I work on a magnetic portfolio/clipboard... usually on my lap!
One of the most difficult things is planning! Some presenters cram so much material in - it barely fits and you have to leave stuff out when you run out of space. If someone doesn't fill the page, that's easier - I just add some more graphic elements to fill the voids.
Then I add the grays for shading and contrast. It also helps divide up the space and the information and make it easier to read. Borders hold it all in!
Since he is one of my heroes, I also wanted to show you some of David Macaulay's work in case you aren't familiar with it. I think he is best known for these two books:
And they were the focus of the Graphic Medicine talk.
He's a genius at showing how architecture works too - Cathedral and Underground are classics...
And he has lots of picture books too.
My absolute favorites are Motel of the Mysteries (Discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb parody!) and BAAA (people are sheep... but what if sheep were...people? Spoiler, it turns out badly).
My copies are so old the glue has let go and the pages are falling out!
I got mine signed back in 1991!
I was a student at RISD and David Macaulay took over as the Head of the Illustration Department.
I had already been at two colleges and hadn't been able to convince any schools to transfer my credits. I was beyond discouraged and tired of being in school (5 years at three colleges!) David took a look at my transcripts and said "Want to graduate with the Seniors this Spring?"
"I love you Mr. Macaulay."
It took me 25 years to go back to school (for my Masters) and finally do school properly. And I ran into David at the Center for Cartoon Studies a few years ago.
I've always been grateful to David Macaulay for releasing me from the academic world and for showing me how warped and ingenious kids' books could be!
