Paige and Webb Revisted
For my friends of all things aliens: Yes, I did paint a mini alien painting today. I’m calling it Forest Parkour and you can find pictures of it HERE. For my Alien Fans who are dying to have me do a picture book featuring my aliens, the problem is, I don’t have a story yet. But there is a story that I am being drawn to tell. Applesauce: A Paige and Webb Adventure.
In 2020, I almost got Ski Adventure the original Paige and Webb Adventure published. The potential publisher decided that as cool as it was, it wouldn’t fit into their catalog. During the process of making a pitch for Ski Adventure, I created 3 more story ideas. I also submitted Ski Adventure to the 2021 Tassey Walden Awards. I received a Finalist Award. Both a literary agent and an art director looked at my work and had some helpful comments:
“Paige and Webb has cute characters, well-executed, but the artist may want to devise some unique aspects/personalities that distinguish these characters from one another. The story, ultimately about a skiing accident, is not yet developed sufficiently. A wordless book needs depth, discovery, and emotional richness to work well. Skiing accidents are not fun and might even result in a visit to the doctor or hospital. This story could be about overcoming one’s fears in life, or more literally just overcoming one’s fear of skiing, but this version seems to incite fear—and we have a feeling this is not what the author/illustrator intends. The reward of hot cocoa at the end of the scary day doesn’t make the day worthwhile.”
I really appreciate that they understood the story just from the pictures. (Pat myself on the back) and that they liked my characters enough to call them cute and well executed (Pat on the back #2), and they are correct when they say I did not intend to incite fear. (oops. I really did not mean to do that.)
And I like the insight about how to make a wordless picture book successful and my need to devise unique personalities around Paige and Webb. Both of these things are things I can work on.
I also took this book to a critique group and received feedback that has led me to abandon Ski Adventure and instead pursue Applesauce. The story line in Applesauce will accomplish my goals better than Ski Adventure.
Yesterday I sat down and wrote the first draft of Applesauce including illustration notes for myself. The illustration notes are longer than the actual manuscript. There are only 24 words in Applesauce, yet I printed off 1.5 pages in total.
Today I started by making a list of things I need to draw based off the manuscript.
I found this list very helpful once I started drawing. I didn’t have to think all over again about the story, I could just go down the list and start drawing.
As I was drawing, I realized that my vision of a pillow fight, might also incite fear. And I found ways of changing my initial illustration notes that will communicate what I am trying to say in a more effective and succinct way. While I am out of time today to work more on these drawings, I’m excited to finally have time to make a start. The 2022 Tassey Walden Award deadline is less than a month away and I better hustle if I’m going to make the deadline.