Issue #6 July 1999
		SMART PIGGY'S NEWSLETTER By Audrey Wood Compiled by Heath Uliasz July 1999 Issue #6 Dear Friends, It is every small business person's dream -- to hang up the additional shingle that reads, "and Son," behind the company name. PROUD POPPA! - By Don Wood Many of you are undoubtedly aware that THE CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE OF SPACE ELF SAM, the first picture book illustrated by our son, Bruce Wood, was released in the fall of 1998. What you probably don't know is what it was like for me to watch my son illustrate his first book, and even be able to contribute to his debut effort. I have been a professional artist for 28 years. I have illustrated children's books for over 20 years. I would have to be a complete dummy not to have accumulated substantial knowledge of the field during that time. What I didn't know was that I was just dying to share it. Along comes Bruce with an offer from Scholastic to illustrate his first picture book, and he wants me to be his art director. It's an opportunity to sit down with my son for intensive one, two, and even three hour sessions to discuss what I know. He listens. He absorbs. He needs to make immediate decisions and I have knowledge he needs. Parental bliss! For instance: Book Trim Size -- Some picture books need to be drawn in a horizontal format, others need to be square or vertical. Some books should be big, others cozy. What did this story need? Pagination -- How to present the story visually within 32 pages? What to illustrate? What to leave to the reader's imagination? How to enhance the natural rhythm of the story? What is the overall look of the book? Its palette? Its depth of contrast? Should there be a few big pictures, or many little ones, or a mix? Design -- How to present the text, and integrate it with the art? What type font? What size type? Any fancy type tricks? To bleed (the art is printed right off the edge of the page) or to frame. If we use frames, do we occasionally break out of them for effect? What about the cover? And front matter to lead into the story and set the mood. But wait! Art direction, like art instruction, is a delicate, very subjective art itself. It's his book, not mine. What if I, with my 20 years plus experience, crush the delicate bloom of my son's individual creativity? Nahhhh. There's no danger of the master/acolyte syndrome here. I could be certain I wasn't going to overwhelm my son. I'd been trying, unsuccessfully, to do that for years. Having illustrated 24 book covers in San Francisco (half of those before we even knew he was illustrating professionally). Bruce had already developed a firm vision. He had already made those tough decisions, eliminating the infinite directions an artist can go and concentrating on one -- he had a style, and he had a strong sense of where its boundaries lay. My task was delightful. I didn't have to tip-toe. I could babble enthusiastically, argue passionately, pitch new ideas, in a way, I was more free than I could ever be with any colleague. What fun. Bruce is now nearly half way through his next book. Although my role on this second effort has been greatly diminished, we still have a good session now and then. When it is completed, I don't know if I will have earned the credit "art director," but I will certainly still be listed as "proud poppa." -Don Wood *********************************************************************** TAG-TEAM ART! Did you know that Audrey and Don both illustrated ELBERT’S BAD WORD? To find out how they illustrate a book together: Enter THE CLUBHOUSE at http://www.audreywood.com. Then click on the "Top Secret" link. Then click on the "Elbert’s Bad Word" link. *********************************************************************** A "REFRESHING" TIP! We are always trying to keep THE CLUBHOUSE at http://www.audreywood.com fresh and new. When you visit a web site, your computer makes a copy of the pages you have visited and stores them in a place called the "cache" folder. If you click on the "refresh"(Internet Explore) button or "reload"(Netscape) button on your browser toolbar, it will update the pages for you. So if any updates have been made, you will be able to see them. *********************************************************************** ARE YOU A MAN OR A MOUSE! Did you know that in Audrey’s book TUGFORD WANTED TO BE BAD, the mouse family was modeled after real people? To find out whom the mouse family was modeled after: Enter THE CLUBHOUSE at http://www.audreywood.com. Then click on the "Top Secret" link. Then click on the "More Secrets" link. Then click on the "Models For Mice" link. *********************************************************************** THE INTERNET, A WAY TO KEEP IN TOUCH! Many teachers and librarians have found our site to be a resource for educational lesson plans. We want all of our fans to be informed of what is going on with us, whether we have a new book coming out, or we are going on a book tour, or even when we have added new activities to our web site. We would like to invite you to inform your local schools and libraries that the Audrey Wood Clubhouse is on the web and that children, teachers, librarians, and parents are invited to visit our non-commercial site. If your local school or library has a web site, let them know that they can "link" to THE CLUBHOUSE (http://www.audreywood.com) so that they, too, can learn more about how picture books are made and visit with Audrey Wood. Thank you for all of the wonderful suggestions and comments! *********************************************************************** SHHHH! I CAN’T HEAR YOU! Are you looking for a classroom activity that is educational, fun and imaginative? In our book, BRIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY EVENING, I created verses of Tangletalk to tell a story. I’d like to suggest that you incorporate "Tangletalk" into one of your classroom activities. Oxymorons and contradictions break the rules of grammar, but you have to know the rules in order to break them, so creating "Tangletalk" is both stimulating and educational. To learn more about Tangletalk and how to create a Tangletale: Enter The Clubhouse at http://www,audreywood.com and click on the "Don Wood" link. Then click on the "Discover BRIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY EVENING" link. Then click on the "How to Create Your Own Tangletale" link. *********************************************************************** A RECIPE FOR CREATING AN ARTIST! I was fortunate when I was growing up - my parents had a wonderful assortment of art books in their library at home. At age five I enjoyed leafing through the colorful pages and reading (to myself) the exotic names that accompanied the paintings. Names like Toulouse Lautrec, Picasso, and El Greco were fun for me to say and associate with the art. Later I became interested in reading about the artists who had become like old friends of mine. My interest in art continued into Jr. High and then High School. I began to study the art masters. I wanted to know what kinds of materials and techniques they used to create their art. I believe that having these books available while growing up instilled in me a greater appreciation of art and a burning desire to express myself as an artist, also. When a child is ready to enjoy a picture book, I think she’s also ready to explore a full-color art book. It’s not hard to find good art books. Check them out at your local library, or buy them for your own collection from your favorite bookstore - however you acquire them, add them to your classroom and home library shelves. -AW *********************************************************************** AND THE WINNER IS... Congratulations to Ms. Poldberg’s 2nd grade class of Butterfield Elementary school in Lake Elsinore, California! They won a free autographed copy of LITTLE PENGUIN’S TALE from Audrey Wood! JUNE CONTEST QUESTION: In the book LITTLE PENGUIN’S TALE, on how many pages is there a whale’s tail? ANSWER: There are 10 whale’s tails! Thanks for all of your entries. Enter our July contest and you could win an autographed copy of the book, KING BIDGOOD’S IN THE BATHTUB. *********************************************************************** JULY CONTEST!!!!!!!!! DON'T MISS OUT! This month one lucky person will win an autographed copy of KING BIDGOOD’S IN THE BATHTUB. To enter the contest go to the CLUBHOUSE at http://www.audreywood.com and click on the "Contest" banner. If you answer the question correctly you will be entered into a random drawing. The winner will be drawn at the end of the month. Good Luck! *********************************************************************** NEW SUBSCRIBERS! If you would like to check out past Smart Piggy's Newsletters, go to The CLUBHOUSE and click on the "Parents and Teachers" link or the "Fun Bag" link, then click on "Smart Piggy's Newsletter Past Issues" link. *********************************************************************** Have a wonderful 4th of July!!!!! Keep your questions and suggestions coming! Warmest Regards, Audrey Wood info@audreywood.com http://www.audreywood.com