Sparkle Creations: Celebrating Chloe

Chloe is one of my favorite characters in the Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamp collection. When I was asked to do a "celebrating" Chloe that can be suitable for making birthday and party cards I quickly bullet pointed things Chloe can be paired up with: balloons, cake, presents etc. And since Chloe is often riding on things (scooter, Volkswagen, sled) I thought this time it might be fun to make her ride a train!
But the direction was changed from the initial rough and we ended up with a more generic stamp, so it can be more versatile! :) Maybe one day you will see Chloe on a train...

 

Simonne Clay has created a wonderful card with this stamp! I love her creations!

Go Girl Relaunch

April was an exciting month with relaunch of the popular girls series Go Girl, published by Hardie Grant Egmont. I'm sure parents with young girls have come across one of these books in the past.

Since its launch in 2005 the series has grown into over 30 titles, written and illustrated by variety of authors and illustrators (including my favorite Sally Rippin), and the series has sold over 2million copies internationally!
I have been privileged to be the illustrator for the relaunch of 5 popular titles (those in the image) followed by three more by the end of the year! The reason for the relaunch is to reintroduce these popular books to the new generation of readers and their parents.

Illustrating for a series means total re-branding of the whole Go Girl world. New style. New look. A total make over! And like the start of Billie B Brown series (click here) it takes months of character designing and development of styles to reach the desired and suitable new "look".

The five new titles features five new characters. Here goes some of the character sketches in the initial development phase.

 

The characters started out rather short and plumpy (like the original version). Beth, the lovely editor (who also guided me through Wild Rescue covers) told me to make them more longer and taller. Also to stay away from them being too pretty, stereotypical and commercial. Somewhere between Billie B Brown and the Disney princesses. So I proceeded on and on....

 

After the character designs were finalized it was matter of refining them for the cover illustrations!

 

Then the illustrations were sent to Beth for the designer at Hardie Grant Egmont to complete the five covers! :)

 

Obviously there were changes made inside too. The originals featured simple black and white vector illustrations.

 

The new books retain that simplicity. But I got to use two colours! Purple and black :)

 

Now I am working on three more titles which will be released later this year. Hopefully these new books will be as successful as the predecessors. I have also worked on the new Go Girl website as well. Currently you will only see the welcome page where you can sign up and receive updates. I believe soon there will be games, chat rooms and many fun features for both the readers and the parents! So stay tuned!

My Tribute

 

Wahine, the rising sun, red and white poppies and colours of NZ flag (red and blue).
Here's my tribute! Kia kaha NZ, Kia Kaha Japan, Anzac Day and PEACE!

After too many easter eggs....

Easter Girl

Billie B Brown- The Big Sister

Here goes another post for those Billie fans! "The Big Sister' is the 9th book in the BBB series and it came out in March 2011. Billie becomes a big sister!
Usually Karri, the lovely editor at Hardie Grant Egmont who has been guiding me from the very beginning, briefs me on the cover illustration before I even get to read the story. This is because the marketing team needs the cover designs well in advance for promotional purposes.

 

I did two roughs. Billie with her teddy Mr Fred was chosen for the final version. Very cute huh.

Then about a month afterward I receive the edited manuscript written by Sally Rippin and I proceed to work on the internal illustrations! :)

I usually do some sketches to work out Billie's wardrobe for the story.

 

Then some roughs to work out how the baby should look...... (read the book if you are curious as to how he/she turned out!) 

  

Then onto the internals! Like any illustration work some changes are always made but I always enjoy working on Billie :)

 

When I did this soccer scene I wanted to convey the loneliness Mr Fred was feeling, thus the illustration is drawn with Mr Fred in the foreground. But Karri suggested for change in perspective. This turned out well and makes the story flow better as Billie is always the central focus of the story. Duh!

I really enjoyed drawing Billie's mum's big bump. Hopefully I will look as good as her if when I get pregnant in the future!

Happy Easter Break!!