Anika News

I restarted this bog so that I would have a space to post longer-form content and highlight other bits that I was excited about. 

Some Anika Denise news below about a virtual event that you will not want to miss!

Repost from @womenshistory - Calling all kids and educators!

Join us on March 2 at 12 pm EST for our Brave Girls Virtual Storytime reading of “Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré!” Author @anika_aldamuy_denise will read her beautiful book to our young audience and participate in a live Q&A. This program is presented in partnership with @telemundo's @mujeresimparables program.

About the book:

“Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré” is an inspiring picture book biography of a storyteller, puppeteer, and New York City’s first Puerto Rican librarian, who championed bilingual literature.

Brought to colorful life by Paola Escobar’s elegant and exuberant illustrations and Denise’s lyrical text, this gorgeous book is perfect for the pioneers in your life.

To register, visit the link: https://linktr.ee/womenshistory

#WomensHistory #Herstory #NWHM #NationalWomensHistoryMuseum #Trailblazers #WomenLead #books #BraveGirlsVirtualStorytime #Reading #ReadaLoud #Storytime #Librarians #Puertorico #Puertorican #bilingual #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #booklove #childrensbooks #bookkids #WomensHistoryMonth #PuraBelpré #Libraries #VirtualLearning

Cooking and Baking in my books?

Detail from "Bunny in the Middle" by Anika Denise, Holt 2019

Somehow, even when the story does not necessarily call for it, there is always cooking or baking going on in my books! 

This little detail is from my forthcoming picture book with Anika Denise.

Bunny in the Middle publishes in July 2019, Henry Holt/Christy Ottaviano Books.

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#christopherdenise #anikadenise #illustration #kidlit #kidlitart #art #artwork #artstagram #photoshop #painting #childrensbooks #instaart #best_of_illustrations #paintingdetail #draw #draweveryday #artstagram #custombrushes #dailydrawing #illustratorsoninstagram #bunny #digitalpastel #ink #bunniesofinstagram #bunnyinthemiddle #christyottavianobooks #cooking #baking #kidscooking 

Bunny in The Middle

from Bunny in the Middle, by Anika Denise, illustrated by Christopher Denise

This is the real star of my next book with @Anika Denise, Bunny In The Middle. Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt, 2019

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#christopherdenise #anikadenise #illustration #kidlit #kidlitart #art #artwork #artstagram #photoshop #painting #childrensbooks #instaart #best_of_illustrations #paintingdetail #draw #draweveryday #artstagram #custombrushes #dailydrawing #illustratorsoninstagram #bunny #digitalpastel #ink #bunniesofinstagram #bunnyinthemiddle #christyottavianobooks #ipadpro

Current work

current book project detail

A detail from my current project. I’ve really loved having the excuse to go back and really study the line work of E H Shepard again. Most are familiar with his work from the Pooh books and of course, The Wind in the Willows.

#kidlitart #screengrab #trees #childrensbooks #beatrixpotter #christopherdenise #photoshop #drawing #digitalpainting #illustration #illustrator #picturebook #picturebookillustration #ipadpro #imac #apple #mac #wacom #sketch #sketching #studiolife #christopherdenise #applepencil #illustratorsoninstagram #instaart #backgroundart #winniethepooh #ernestshepard #pooh #hundredacrewood

Book signing!

Join us on Saturday, for a hugs & hearts storytime + book signing! Anika Denise and I will be at the Savoy Bookshop and Cafe in Westerly, RI. (Because signed books make excellent Valentines, don't you agree?)

http://www.banksquarebooks.com/event/savoy-story-hour-featuring-anika-denise-and-christopher-denise

The beginnings of Firefly Hollow. A fortunate delay, a change of venue, the kindness of neighbors, and finally...taking my own advice

The fortunate delay.

It was one of those rare times in publishing where there was a lull in the constant demand of my production schedule.
I was waiting for feedback from a publisher on a final round of sketches for a picture book.
In the past, I would have begun feverishly scratching away at the waiting heap of work for the next book. But there was no heap of work. I had been turning down projects-waiting for and wanting something that I felt a particular type connection with. This could have been a bit nerve-wracking for any self employed artist.  Fortunately, I had other things that were demanding my attention.

A change of venue.

At the time, my studio space was located in a revolutionary era merchant building. While it was charming, the roof had begun to leak and late nights of driving from Providence back to our little bay-side town were getting tiresome. Given my usual level of exhaustion, it was actually getting dangerous.
It was time to go.

The kindness of neighbors. 

Anika (see posts relating to Anika Denise) and I decided that it was time to to renovate our dilapidated garage.
But that process would take several months to complete so where was I to work?

This is the magical part, the part where the greatest gifts come out of the ether unannounced and without fanfare.

I asked for help.

I asked my friend and next door neighbor Doc Pete (he is really a doctor) to help me move some of the larger items out of the way so I could begin evaluating the task of rebuilding the garage.
Two minutes later I was looking at my new temporary studio, Pete's shed.
Doc Pete's shed was an eight foot by ten foot structure. It had a door, two windows, and electricity. Rent free. We cleared it out, opened the windows, and I could hear and smell the waves on the bay.
I was in heaven.

Taking my own advice...finally.

I taught at Rhode Island School of design for a few years.
Part of the job was handing out lots of unsolicited advice.
One of my favorite tidbits for aspiring illustrators was to use any "down time" they might have to create personal projects.
I had given that advice enough and now it was time to follow it. I quickly realized that this was quite a bit harder than I imagined.

But I had been given the gift of time, the gift of change, and a quiet place to accept those gifts.

I began to sketch and wrote this above my drawing.."Cricket and Vole"
This is what they looked like.

Baking Day Birthday!

It's officially Baking Day at Grandma's. Move the furniture and start the music! 

Our new book releases today! Many thanks to all the folks at Philomel Books and, of course my wonderful collaborator- Anika Denise!

Learn more about Baking Day at Grandma's and check out the free downloadable goodies at 

www.anikadenise.com

Baking Day at Grandma's Book Trailer!

Check out the trailer for my new book!

Save the date! Baking Day At Grandma's book release party!

Join us for an afternoon of fun and have your book signed by both the author and illustrator!

http://www.northshire.com/event/saratoga-kids-anika-and-christopher-denise-baking-day-grandmas

Baking Day at Grandma's review in Kirkus!

KIRKUS REVIEW

A rollicking, rhyming salute to the grandmother-grandchild bond.

Three independent, bundled-up young bears set off across the snow and past the pond for Grandma’s cottage, all smiles, as “It’s baking day at Grandma’s!” Everything at Grandma’s house—from the fire and old-fashioned stove and Victrola to her pink shawl and the woodsy cabin decor—points to coziness and love....

Read the rest here:

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/anika-denise/baking-day-at-grandmas/

Children's Book Week

I will be celebrating Children's Book week with a fantastic crew of super nice and incredibly talented folks. Join me, Adam Lehrhaupt, Jamie Michalak, Anika Denise, Mary Jane Begin, Zoe B. Alley and Melissa Guion at Barrington Books. Join us for an after school kick off party on Monday, May 12th, 3-5pm.  Readings, book signings, drawing-demos, prizes, cupcakes and more!

Illustrator Saturday

A big thank THANK YOU to Kathy Temean for asking me to be a part of Illustrator Saturday! Lots of information and some process images. Click on the link below to read the full interview. As Neil Gaiman says, "WARNING:Contains me" 

http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2014/04/12/illustrator-saturday-christopher-denise/

Bookmaps and Storyboards using Photoshop. Part 1-Why digital tools?

In January I gave a series of talk at Kindling Words east and can now share a bit of what I talked about during the breakout sessions with the illustrators. May 27th will mark the release date of Sleepytime Me by Edith Fine, my next book with Random house so it best to focus on this title for this series of posts.

First I need to address the question of why I am using digital tools. Not for myself, but because I am asked...all the time. Technique and materials are really of little interest to me. Photoshop is a tool. Pastels and charcoal are tools. I am more interested in what you create with them. However, the question is always in the air so I will give you the cliff notes version of my thinking on the debate.


I started using photoshop when I began work as a visual development artist working on animated films and have found the program to be an invaluable tool in my book production work. First a quick note to all the skeptics who ask: "Don't you miss traditional materials?"Quick answer: No. While there is a learning curve, I have been able to customize my tools to create a process that not only replicates my traditional technique but removes many of the limitations of working in pastel and acrylic. Here are two examples of work. The one on the left is from my pastel work on the Redwall  picture books, the image on the right is a detail from my book due out at the end of August 2014,  Baking Day at Grandma's by Anika Denise. The image on the right was created using only digital tools.

I am impatient with my art. I work best when I can act and react. With digital tools changing the piece as it begins to emerge is far easier and I can get to the fun stuff faster. The goal is not necessarily to shorten the production time, though in this day  of ever tightening deadlines and shrinking advances this is clearly a very good byproduct. The goal is to get as much of original inspiration down on the page as possible. With digital tools, I can cut right to the chase and then have the flexibility to edit, change, and repaint the piece to suit the needs of the entire book.

In the next post I will focus on the previously time consuming process of creating a bookmap with Photoshop.

Happy Halloween

Yes-its true, I am the illustrator behind Mr. Pig of the fabulous Little Crooked Cottage blog. I dressed up Mr. Pig especially for Halloween last night-he was very excited. AND, by the way they are running an awesome book give away-check it out!
http://thelittlecrookedcottage.blogspot.com/

A look at my desktop earlier this week.

Classically inspired digital pastels. Like the days of Redwall without all the dust!

Friday, June 1, 5:30 - 7:30pm: Summer Reading Kick-off Event at The Providence Children's Museum.  Hear 10 children’s book authors read their stories aloud, followed by a book sale and signing. Come to the event and find out how the whole family can participate in Rhode Island's 2012 Summer Reading Program! http://www.childrenmuseum.org/calDetail.asp?date=6/1/2012