School visit!

It was my absolute pleasure to visit Great Lakes Elementary School this past week!

I spoke with all 400+ students, divided into 3 presentations. This was my first presentation for PLASTICKINGDOM, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Well, my fears and anxieties were immediately banished. The students were well-prepared for my visit by the dedicated staff at the school, and they were ready to listen, and ask questions about plastics, the environment, and my experiences as an author/illustrator. We talked about making decisions that have positive impacts on the word around around us, as well as not being afraid to make mistakes and challenge ourselves creatively.

Listening level: Legendary

Putting that cardigan through its paces.

Pretty even split between students requesting drawings of seahorses and ocean sunfish in their signed books.

A fresh batch of ambassadors for the PLASTICKINGDOM!

The day went so well, and it has rekindled my passion to share this book and its message with others. 

Do you have a school, group, or organization that is interested in taking-up the fight against plastic pollution? LELANI and THE PLASTIC KINGDOM is starting to have an impact! I'd love to visit and talk to you about how we can all make a difference in the PLASTICKINGDOM. Please contact me HERE for details!  

Keep it plastic-free, friends.

-Robb      

PS - Mrs. Brieden is a phenomenal teacher and the best little sister a big author/illustrator brother could ask for :) 

<3

St. Corbinian - Patron Saint of Bears

While on pilgrimage to Rome, Corbinian's pack horse was attacked and killed by a bear. Undeterred, Corbinian demanded that the wild beast, then, should take up the luggage and carry it the rest of the way. Upon reaching Rome, Corbinian released the bear, which wandered back to its native forest.

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In the first panel of this diptych, you see Corbinian and the bear, burdened with the Saint's luggage. The bear's left paw is drenched in horse blood, and the bottom corners of the panel depict horse skulls. Corbinian has his arms crossed across his chest, performing the sign-language motions for the word "bear."

The second panel depicts the Saint and his bear tending to a bear being tortured for its bile. The harvesting of gall from bears is a cruel and ongoing practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Bears are confined and their gall bladders drained; they are made to suffer for extended periods of time before they finally (mercifully) die. Claims as to the medical benefits of bear gall are dubious.

As are claims about the medical hazards of, say, childhood vaccinations.   

Work (still) in progress

Second page of my two page submission.

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Pencil still visible, first little bit of ink

More ink

Mostly outlined, starting to break out the markersssssssssssss.

Work in progress

A fellow artist gave me a heads-up about an opportunity to contribute to an upcoming comic. The book will have bears as a central theme, so naturally I jumped at the chance to participate. I'm submitting two pages, the first of which you can see here, sketched out and ready for ink. Horrible picture...but you get the idea, maybe ...?  

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I don't do much work in grayscale, so this will be an exciting exercise. Thanks Cristina! BEARS!  

Tattoo!

So, this was kinda cool! A few months ago a fine young lady named Carla got in touch with me through the website. It seems we'd met at the Shadow Art Fair in Ypsi a couple years ago and she'd snagged a copy of THE WOODCUTTER and THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TREE.

Well, the illustrations appealed to her, so she got a tattoo using some of the designs found in the book.

Looks great, Carla! Thanks so much for sharing :) 

Drawing FACES.

I've often spoken on my aversion to drawing people. Well, I'm resolving to drop the crutch and just work on getting better. Here are a couple o' portraits from the weekend:

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Daryl and Rick (top and bottom) from "The Walking Dead." These took about an hour each. Lots of fine turning and adjustments to get the little facial nuances as close as I could. For Daryl, getting the mouth right was challenge (still not thrilled). For Rick, I gave up on trying to get the eyes right. I'm pleased with how the proportions turned-out, though. Onward. 

Hey, it's February! Feel like writing a book review?

I have a little something of a goal for this month, and you, gentle reader, can help me achieve it.

My goal:

Reach 25 Amazon reviews for LELANI and THE PLASTIC KINGDOM

That means I'm looking for just (as of this writing) 19 people to write an honest review of the book before March (National Reading Month, duh!)! Aside from sharing the book with those around you, book reviews are really one of the best avenues for this wee, little book to gain attention. If you liked the art, found the story to be compelling, or appreciated the message of reducing plastic pollution in our environment, please help spread the word. 

If you're reading this, chances are you've been a supporter of this book from the beginning, and without you this book would not have had a chance. It's YOUR book, it's OUR book (I still get kinda delirious when I think about that). If you're as proud of this book we've put together as I am, I hope you'll take a few moments to share it :)   

commissioned piece - finished

This commissioned piece started in California, over a year ago. 

I was in California for the wedding of two dear friends, Phil and Nickie. I know Phil from my undergrad days at Michigan State University. The wedding celebration was like some sort of magical reunion, bringing together my best friends from growing up in Rockford, Michigan and adding to them newer friends and kind, familiar faces from my days at university. It was here that I reconnected with someone from MSU who I hadn't gotten to know very well during my time in East Lansing, a gem of a young woman named Kelly. As it happened, Kelly and her husband, Will, live pretty close to Ann Arbor, so we decided to keep each other on the radar once we were back MItten-side.

Well, I ran into Kelly and Will again at a Christmas party later that year, and this past summer, I saw Kelly and Will at Top of The Park in A2, totally by chance. Kelly mentioned picking up a copy of my book in the Food Coop in Ypsilanti (although not knowing it was MY book at the time), and floated the idea of commissioning a piece of artwork for her sister and her partner. I was happy take on the project. Commissions provide some exciting challenges for me as an artist. Trying to realize someone else's vision using my own skills and particular style can be a really rewarding experience, with lots of frustration and growth along the way. Kelly wanted a portrait of her sister and her sister's partner, and gave me some excellent direction. She requested that I include: nature, salmon (which has personal, symbolic significance for the couple), water, and a tree in the style of The Most Beautiful Tree. I took those elements and created the piece seen above. there are some things I wish had turned-out differently, but I'm mostly satisfied with how it turned-out, and Kelly seemed to approve. For me, the biggest win for this piece is how the 2 figures translated into my style of illustration. Portraiture has always been really scary for me...but maybe a little less-so, now.  

Jill and Allison!

Interested in commissioning a piece? Did you see something in the gallery that struck your fancy? I'm always happy to work with people interested in some original art.

GET IN TOUCH, and let's see if we can put something together :) 

Christmas 2014, gift for mum

I had a lot of fun working on this one! The inspiration came from mum, using one of her favorite bible verses: Philippians 4:13 

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I'd like to do more in this vein. Anyone have a favorite passage they would like to see done-up in a similar style? 

Kirkusssssssssssss

I rolled those $425 dice one again and requested a review from the folks at Kirkus Reviews for Lelani and The Plastic Kingdom. Here she is:  

In Johnston’s (The Woodcutter and the Most Beautiful Tree, 2011) latest environmentally conscious tale, a young girl is inspired to become an activist after visiting an island made of plastic refuse.

Lelani is a carefree child who spends her days paddleboarding in the bright ocean. One day, she finds a message in a plastic bottle summoning her to visit an island called New Flotsam. Intrigued, she ventures out on her paddleboard to the mysterious locale. After a long journey, she finds herself on “[a]n entire continent made of waste from all the other continents.” There, she meets Big Sam, a boy who presides as emperor of the wasteland. He shows Lelani animals tangled in plastic and a forest made of plastic straws. Johnston’s pastel illustrations sensitively depict the beautiful natural world as it’s threatened by the growing trash problem. Like Dr. Seuss’ Lorax, Big Sam explains to Lelani that human pollution is destroying the wildlife. Big Sam explains the rapid growth of the island, thanks to other places’ waste: “Decisions made in the Fast Lands, no matter how tiny and small, can have a big effect in New Flotsam, which is why I have answered the call.” Through Big Sam’s words, Johnston conveys his message in a clear manner that young readers will fully comprehend. Also, the sadness of the animals tangled in the garbage is likely to evoke readers’ sympathy. Big Sam implores Lelani to return to the mainland as an ambassador of change. She takes her mission to heart, creating reusable alternatives to plastic products for her friends and family, and she passionately educates everyone around her. Her impassioned approach is likely to inspire children to action, and the measures she takes are entirely accessible for young readers. Overall, this book is highly recommended for educators or caregivers looking for a way to educate children and inspire them to be environmentally conscientious.

A sensitive, thoughtful book that effectively conveys the impact each person has on the environment.

I was informed last week that LELANI would also be included in the Kirkus Reviews magazine (the 1/15/2015 issue). It seems only 20 or so Indie books are included (less than 10%),so that's pretty cool.