Zach Franzen's Blog, page 2

2016 Year in Review

Here we are at the end of 2016. Let me tell you a little about what I’ve done this year.

Ember Falls, the much anticipated sequel to the Green Ember, released. I did the cover and interiors for that project. Below are a few.

I love these books. They’re tremendous fun to work on, and they’re excellent stories. Check out https://sdsmith.net/ for updates and additional information about the world of the Green Ember.

I did a cover and some interiors for Crossroads In Gallilee the next book in the Choose Your Journey Series from Journeyforth. Below is a sampling.

I completed a project for Biblical Visuals International called Depths of Grace about John Newton, who wrote the song Amazing Grace. There were a number of illustrations (like 40?). Here are 6.

I did an illustration for Cobblestone magazine’s October Alexander Hamilton issue. It’s a good looking magazine, and if you’re interested in American History for children, check it out.

I also wrote some articles for StoryWarren. One is about Boy’s Reading. The other concerns George Washington’s soap.

This year also brought a few events. I attended the Great Homeschool Convention in Marchwith my friend Sam Smith and his brother Josiah. I also got to speak at a school in Greenville, one in Landrum, and had a few homeschool events at my house. I further spoke at a gathering in West Virginia and exhibited at this year’s Maker’s Market here in town. I was also interviewed by domestic theologian Allison Burr’s lovely children on the Melody, Mystery and Mayhem podcast.

During the day I work at BJUPress illustrating textbooks. Here is some of the work I’ve been doing at my day job.

These are concepts for British Literature.

This year I worked largely on Elementary Reading. Here are a few illustrations from Ben Carson’s story.

Below are a few from John Henry Races the Steam Engine.

This is a story about a houseboat caught in a flood.

And here are some from a selection of A Cricket in Times Square.

I also did various pieces for other books.

In addition to my textbook work and freelance, I taught a Digital Illustration class this fall at Furman University.

These are samples for the class assignments. One is a generic cel shading, the other is a lighting demonstration, and the third was a coloring assignment for the non-existent brand Jane Austen Boots.

I also did a painting for the faculty show.

All in all a pretty full year. Looking forward to seeing what’s around the corner in 2017.

Bonus: Here are two pictures of my growing girls.

End of Year Post: 2015

The ubiquitous quote about long days and short years describes 2015 well. Here we are at the end of the year, and I’m astonished to find I haven’t posted anything in 6 months.

So, here is a monster post revealing some of the work I’ve done that was previously shrouded in mystery.

It’s Textbook

My day job for the past two years has been illustrating textbooks for BJUPress. I enjoyed many of this year’s assignments.

Here are some illustrations I did for the American Literature book.

Biblical Worldview

Here are a few little things for the book Biblical Worldview. It’s a great book, and Chris Koelle has some beautiful art in it. I think it’s very solid and well written, thanks in no small part to Mark Ward‘s great efforts.

Heritage Studies

The bulk of my work has been the 5th grade Heritage Studies book. I’ve done most of the chapter openers. Note: I don’t have the finished files on hand at the moment, hence the rough pasted-in design elements on top of the illustrations.

I also did a million interior illustrations. Here’s a sampling:

So that’s some of my 9-5 work. But I also did a bunch of other stuff in the evenings and weekends…

For Fun & Freelance
Inkwell 2015: Storywarren’s Family Conference

I was pleased to do some illustration sessions for kids at the Inkwell conference in Charlotte in June. This was the second year of the conference, and it’s really picked up speed. Tickets sold out the first day. Kids experience an action-packed schedule of rotating sessions focused on different areas in the arts, like songwriting, poetry, story-writing, and illustration. We also had some smaller workshops and demonstrations, so there was always something going on.

 

Some of the older attendees took on the challenge I assigned of illustrating an Amish Romance cover based on the title of a thriller.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read-Aloud Revival

At Inkwell I was pleased to meet fans of Sarah Mackenzie’s terrific website Amongst Lovely Things and her Read-Aloud Revival podcast. I did a guest post about art and hospitality in March. I also bumbled my way through an interview on her Read-Aloud-Revival podcast in May:

Black Star of Kingston

Storywarren also released the prequel novella to the Green Ember at Inkwell. I did the illustrations and cover for Black Star of Kingston.

Christmas Crossroads

Below is a cover and some interiors for a JourneyForth book titled Christmas Crossroads. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure type of book with three main story paths.

Slugs and Bugs

I illustrated the second installment of Randall Goodgame’s Sing the Bible with Slugs and Bugs.

Family!

This year we watched Quilla turn from a baby into a toddler. It has been a heart-melting journey.

Also, my wife and I had Vesper, our second little girl. 

All in all, a full and lovely year.

Heritage Studies 4th Grade

Here are some chapter openers I did for a 4th grade History book.

They are oil paintings digitally sweetened.

Textbook Sketches

I’m working on a 5th grade History book for BJUPRESS.  The designer and I have been going back and forth trying to zero in on the style for the book’s interior illustrations. Thought it might be interesting to give a peek at the thoughts behind the book’s illustrations.

Initially, I wanted to do something stylized.  The argument was that the illustrations would give the readers some space to enter into them and handles for their imaginations to grab hold.  So here are two ideas about what that might look like.  One’s a rough sketch of a soldier at Valley Forge.  The other more finished illustration is of a younger G. Washington during the French and Indian War.

They didn’t feel right.  The Valley Forge guy in particular was a bad fit.  It could work if the account of Valley Forge was heavily narrative or if the age were younger (3rd grade perhaps), but because these were 5th graders and sensitive to being “talked down to,” and because the illustrations have to serve interesting textual callouts, the style needed to feel more precise.  Also, another problem emerged.  Humorous illustrations about abstract things look too similar in style to serious/concrete things.

The more literal style (above on the right) allowed the comic illustrations (below) a separate voice.

So it’s still rough, but we’re finding the illustration look for the book.

The aspiration is for the styles to look related, but more like cousins than brothers.  It’s an exciting project, and I’m enjoying the preliminary discoveries, but I can’t wait to get into the guts of it.  Hope this was interesting.

Kickstarter: The Green Ember

I’ve been working on a project that I’m excited to tell you about:

Written by S.D. Smith, illustrated by me, and published by Story Warren, The Green Ember is an adventure story that involves rabbits with swords. You’ll love it. As the author says in his blog post about the new book, “I made this for you.”

Check out the Kickstarter, reserve your copy, and maybe get some other really cool rewards while you’re at it.

UPDATE: The Green Ember met its Kickstarter goal of $10,000 in just one day! Thanks to all who donated. Go buy a book now during the pre-sale on Kickstarter.

Inkwell: Story Warren’s Family Conference

Exciting news, friends! Registration is now open for Inkwell: Story Warren’s Family Conference.

Inkwell: Story Warren’s Family Conference

An event for children aged 7 to 17 and their parents

Saturday, June 21

Charlotte, NC

8:30am — 4pm 

From the event page:

Welcome

Story Warren is all about an alliance. We’re on your side. Our heartbeat is serving your family as you foster holy imagination at home and in your church/community…

In This Together: About the Kids, For the Family

We are focusing on the kids for (and with) the families. We aren’t just aiming to serve your kids,  but to serve your family through your kids…

 The Four Rotating Sessions Will Be:

Andrew Peterson — Writing/Storytelling

Zach Franzen — Drawing/Illustration

Rebecca Reynolds — Poetry/Lyrics

Randall Goodgame — Songwriting/Music

It’s going to be great. Seriously. Register now.

Baby Bird

Here is a painting I did for the nursery of my little 8 month old baby bird.

And here’s my baby bird.

UPDATE: Prints of the two bluebird paintings are now available for sale in my Etsy shop.

Cardinal

Did this Cardinal for James Witmer’s story warren post (The Brave Cardinal) a few weeks ago.

Alexander and Bucephalus

I contribute occasionally to a site called Storywarren.  Starting this week, every Friday will feature a story, or poem, or song for kids.  Some will be new, but some will be old.  This Friday’s post is an old story about a young Alexander the Great and his horse Bucephalus.  I did the illustration below in photoshop.

The great thing about photoshop is that you can thumbnail by zooming out.  I roughed-in the necessary elements until I found something sort of satisfactory.

The eye scans the picture better if the composition is flipped.  So I flipped the sketch and roughed in the values.

Next, I tightened the drawing up a bit.  I wanted it to be a little loose but not unreadable.

Lastly, I tweaked a few things and added a subtle color gradient for interest.

And there you have it: Alexander and Bucephalus, or as the kids in the neighborhood used to call them, Al and Butch.