Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Tweet of the Day

My 10 year old cousin Grace has just started a book review blog. This morning she texted to tell me she reviewed Lauren Myracle's LUV YA BUNCHES. As I opend the link and the morning sleep fell from my eyes I read this jem of an opening line, "My cousin, Chad W. Beckerman, is an art director. He's not famous or anything, but he designs covers for books. " Amazing! hahaha!

It should be noted that I art directed Luv Ya Bunches But in fact Maria Middleton was the designer for the book. Ya have to fact check I don't care if you are only 10. Gawd!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Scenes from my Bulletin Board•December


This month's bulletin board features a rough jacket layout for Erica Perl and Julia Denos's DOTTY. Below that is the cover layout for Andrea Beaty and Dan Santat's ATTACK OF THE FLUFFY BUNNIES which features comics by Dan Santat. Below is a spread from DOTTY.
Back up top we have a Spot Uv Layer ( that drove me nutso) for the Jacket of THE FIZZY WHIZ KID by Maiya Williams. Below we have the paperback version of William Sleator's TEST. Below that is one another jacket layout this time for QUACKENSTEIN Hatches a Family by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and Brian T. Jones. Back up top are Christine Norrie's character sketches for Lauren Myracle's new Luv Ya Bunches book. Next to that is a piece of Kelly Murphy's art for OVER AT THE CASTLE. Just below that is a spread from OTIS & SYDNEY and the Best Birthday Ever by Laura Numeroff and Dan Andreasen. Lastly we have a sketch for the upcoming novel HEART OF A SAMURAI.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Where have I been the last couple of months?

September
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

(Visiting the set of the upcoming movie DIARY OF A WIMPY KID . . . more photos to come)






October
ROME, ITALY




CINQUE TERRE, ITALY





FLORENCE, ITALY


VENICE, ITALY


November
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
(Panel Speaker at the SCBWI Los Angeles Illustrators conference.)

Adam McCauley and I



Reviewing portfolios



PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
(NCTE)

Amy Bates talks to Tamar Brazis about her latest book BEAR IN THE AIR

Lee Bennett Hopkins

Daniel Kirk Signs Elf Realm and Library Mouse

Brian Selznick signs Tamar Brazis

Friday, December 04, 2009

Cicada Summer—Hardcover vs Paperback

Hardcover
John Hendrix


Paperback
Amy June Bates


ABOUT THE BOOK

Eleven-year-old Lily has a passion for Nancy Drew stories and a secret she is keeping from those she loves. When summer brings lying, stealing, sneaky Tinny Bridges to town, Lily must be on her guard with this perceptive newcomer, or risk having her secret revealed. But Tinny won’t leave Lily alone. She takes candy from the general store and blames Lily. She tries to steal Lily’s friends and even her father’s affection. Then Tinny goes missing, and only watchful, mystery-loving Lily has any idea what happened to her. But for Lily, finding Tinny means confronting her hidden past.

The Art of Books



Here’s a link to a terrific video on the art of making books:

http://joannsondy.posterous.com/the-complex-of-all-of-these-35-handmade-books

35 handmade books being printed and bound. A 2 month process, condensed into 5 minutes of film, and set to music Thanks Ellie).