Found Object Doodles (a.k.a. Sometimes It's Ok To Play With Your Food Before Eating It) plus a print-ready template for young people

***For those asking whether I'm doing a found object book, please see About My Food Art, Found Object Book Update and Other Found Object Artists.

"A Portrait In Ink And Parsley": click image to see responses when I posted this Found Art doodle on Twitter.

(Edit: Thanks so much to Chicago Tribune website ChicagoNow.com and Tessa Wegert for highlighting this blog post in their Dec.27th, 2013 article)

As some of my Instagram followers may have noticed recently, I've been posting more Found Object Doodles...especially Food Doodles. This all began at a Lost Weekend With David Diaz, when I was intrigued by David's habit of drawing on found objects (such as promo postcards that came by snailmail).

David Diaz shows Alice Ratteree and other Lost Weekend attendees samples of his work

Earlier this year, I realized that I had been neglecting my daily doodle habit...which was having a negative impact on my other work. So I took advantage of a sale at DeSerres and bought a bunch of art supplies:

I purposely avoided getting the more expensive watercolor paints and sketchbooks so I wouldn't feel as inhibited when it came to artplay and experimentation. I did buy a ton of refills for my Pentel Brush Pen, however, because the latter has become my go-to sketching pen. For those interested in trying out this pen, the cheapest price I've found online is on Amazon.con so far, especially the refills. Price on Amazon.ca is much higher, so if you don't live in the U.S., I'd advise checking out sales at your local art shop first.

Anyway, I started doing a lot of sketching on found objects, like my husband's 2010 Royal Astronomical Society Of Canada Observer's Handbook (I intercepted its journey to the recycling bin):

and shamelessly vandalized my inflight magazine on the way to a board gaming convention last month:

(and yes, I left it in the seat pocket.)

Then I was having brunch with my husband and a friend, and there was a point in the conversation where they were talking about something very specific that didn't involve me...so I started doodling. Keep in mind that Jeff and most of our closer friends are used to me doodling at random times, so this wasn't quite as rude as it may seem. :-)

Anyway, I hadn't brought my sketchbook with me but had a couple of blank index cards, so I decided to incorporate my used mint tea bag into a doodle:

My Tea Doodle, created at Bestellen in Toronto.

On whim, I decided to post this to Instagram and Facebook, and was surprised at all the positive response. My author friend, Vikki VanSikkle, suggested on Instagram that I do a "tea doodle series." I didn't think that I'd want to restrict myself to tea but WAS intrigued by the idea of doing more Found Object doodles.

I love the idea of quickie doodles created with ink and found objects that are destroyed (or eaten :-)) afterward. Doing these will help me keep from being too "precious" about my art, I think. Plus they're FUN TO DO.

Recently, for example, Vikki challenged me to do one of my Found Art doodles while AT the Torkidlit holiday party:

And here's what I came up with:

I also created 7-Layer Dip Tyrannosaurus Rex, Meat Head Santa and Nice Puppy Snowman (using a real puppy)!.

Here's a photo that my YA author friend, Derek Silver, tweeted from the party:

And all this helps remind me of something I've learned since the whole I'm Bored adventure began and my career took off: that while the whole "being an anti-social introverted artist/writer who works away in isolation, creating stuff" idea may be fine for some, I have grown SO MUCH in my creative efforts as a result of meeting other children's book writers and illustrators in person and online.

YES, you have to make sure you don't let socializing and networking (networking is NOT a bad word, in contrast to what some people think! I could rant for an entire book on that topic) time take over your life, that you keep your focus on your creative work. BUT in my experience, the interactions I have with other children's book writers and illustrators online and offline has greatly helped me not only in my career, but also as a creative individual.

Another lesson I've learned: That there is potential art EVERYWHERE. You just need to look. I'm hoping that my doodles encourage some people to look at the world a little differently, to not take so much for granted. I also think that Found Object Doodles are a great way to inspire creativity in young people. I've created a print-ready PDF for those interested:

Click image for print-ready PDF

One last comment about Found Object Doodles: There are soooo many wonderful artists out there who work with found objects, and I encourage you to check out their work. Here are just a few:

Check out CintaScotch's creative ink and found object doodles on Instagram. Artist's real name: Javier Pérez.

Children's book illustrator Lori Nichols sometimes posts her found object doodles on Instagram as well. Her Instagram feed seems to be down right now, but you can see samples of her found object art on Seven Impossible Things.

Hanoch Pivan creates faces out of found objects.

I'm also in the midst of compiling a list of children's book illustrators who have published books using found object art. So far, I have Alma Fullerton, Suzanne Del Rizzo, Barbara Reid, Denise Fleming, Marthe Jocelyn, Lindsay Ward. I'll create a separate post on Inkygirl in the New Year; feel free to comment below if you know of any children's book illustrators I should add to this list.

Meanwhile, I'll be continuing to gradually add my Found Object doodles to:

My Food Doodles and other Found Object art on Flickr

My Found Object doodle portfolio section (selection)

Instagram

Tumblr (selection)

Pinterest (selection)

My WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY? obsession, solving a mystery AND the new picture book from Simon & Schuster BFYR

Back in September, I posted about being obsessed with the WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY? music video, and was trying to identify the children's picture book featured in the video:

Thanks to all who tried to help me. Cathy Ballou Mealey, for example, asked her friend Norwegian children's book writer and illustrator, Svein Nyhus. Apparently Svein said he didn't recognize the book but thought it might be a fake cover. At this point, I suspect Svein knew more than he was letting on. :-) Keep reading...

Anne C. Holm cleared up the mystery, saying that the fake book cover art was created by Norwegian artist Julie Ebbing, who was studying art at a university in Oslo.

But then....

A couple months later came the news: Ylvis signed a deal with Simon & Schuster Children's! Norwegian brothers Bård and Vegard Ylvisåker had already asked Svein Nyhus to be the illustrator. And the book was going to be designed by Laurent Linn, MY ART DIRECTOR AT S&S (!!!).

Svein Nyhus is a Norwegian children's book writer and illustrator who has written and illustrated several of his own children's books as well as illustrating Why Kings and Queens Don't Wear Crowns, a picture book written by Princess Märtha Louise of Norway.

Here's the cover as it appeared in Norway, plus a photo of Svein:

Images from The Local.The artist blogged insider info about one of the illustrations in the Norwegian version:

For details, see Svein Nyhus's blog.See Svein's blog post about how he worked in a minimalistic joke into the Norwegian version above. Even if you don't understand Norwegian, I encourage you to scroll to the bottom of Svein's picture book entry page for sample illustrations and a peek into his process.

The WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY? picture book was edited by Christian Trimmer, Senior Editor at Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, and the art director was Laurent Linn. Here's a photo that Laurent tweeted, when the sample books came in:

I *love* the art.

"We are very excited about this book," said Vegard Ylvisaker in a news release. "It is much more than just a spin-off from the video. We actually started the process with the illustrator before we even uploaded the video to YouTube. As we were working with the song it just felt like it had the potential of becoming an interesting book as well, mostly because all of a sudden we found ourselves wondering what does the fox really say?"

The Ylvis guys recently did a book signing in Toronto at Chapters-Indigo but AAAAAUUUGGGGHHHH I had to miss it. My friends Kathleen and Walter lined up to get their copy signed:

Ok, I think it's time to listen to the WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY? video again:

Related resources:

USA Today article on the new WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY? picture book

Poll Results: Kids' Books For Adults?

After reading a New York Times article about adult-themed children's book parodies for adults, I asked you all how you felt about kids' books for adults. Thanks to all who participated. Most of you are neutral to iffy about them. One person says that children's book parodies make a fair amount of money for the bookstore where he or she works.

Like any book, there are good ones and bad ones. "I think it's a great way to reconnect with the books you loved (or perhaps hated) as a child. The best parodies carry and underlying mature-themed message or commentary on the world, post-childhood innocence," one respondent said.

More details and comments:

Nearly 32% of you weren't crazy about adult-themed children's book parodies. 26% didn't mind, 13% didn't care, 11% of you love them, 8% hatehateHATE them.

Some of your comments:

"I'm not crazy about them personally, but they make a fair amount of money for the bookstore I work at."

"The punning of the titles always makes me laugh and admire the wit of the person who dreamt them up, but for me the humour is more in the fact of them than the contents of the books. I enjoy seeing them at till points and on tables in humour sections of bookshops but wouldn't go as far as to actually buy one unless it was very cheap or as e.g. a Secret Santa gift."

"I find them sort of pointless. Good for a "heh" in the bookstore, but are you really going to treasure them for years? - @electricland"

"If they're done well enough, they can be fun, but too often I'd be horrified if my kids found and read them - and since they look like kids' books, if they found them they would probably read them. Some could be hurtful. Many just confusing."

"I am entertained but I think the authors need to take more care than they do with their parodies. Mum bought me Goodnight iPad and it doesn't do a good job with the scansion. I think this is a legacy of being Phil's partner - if you're going to Filk something, DO IT RIGHT! I printed out a copy of the additional text someone has written for The Very Hungry Caterpillar with the intention of reading it in a filk circle, and I'd probably buy it if it came out as a book."

"True parodies for adults are great - if shelved in the right section. But I HATE finding them in with the other picture books. And the ones that then go the other way, and try to adapt the parody for adults into something suitable for kids? I've never seen one that worked. - @IshtaWrites"

"I think they perpetuate the belief that a children's book is somehow less of a 'real' book because it's for a child."

"I think it's a fad so far, kicking out clever novelty items, similar to novelty records. It might continue on for a while in the same way Weird Al Yankovic keeps spitting out CDs, but I don't see it becoming a market segment. I think within this small sub-genre there is room for works that are not satirical and snarky, but more thought provoking. It could be a way to make a point regarding some social issue for example, but that market will also only support a very limited number of titles."

"I think it's a great way to reconnect with the books you loved (or perhaps hated) as a child. The best parodies carry and underlying mature-themed message or commentary on the world, post-childhood innocence. I just read The Taking Tree yesterday and loved it."

"Yeah, why not? I guess I've got a chuckle out of one or two of them. I try not to get angry at people who are having fun wrong. @aiabx"

"Would you include Go the Bleep to Sleep in this category? It was a fun one-time-read, but I didn't feel it was worth producing as a book and having on the shelf. Feel the same way about Sense and Sensibility and Zombies, though. A joke taken much too far. Cheapens and deadens a text I love. - Aino Anto"

"Wrote 3! Picture books for adults so simple (but layered) that even a child could understand. Works at many levels."

"I think they can be clever, but more often than not, they're gimmicky and annoying. I have never purchased one."

----------------

You can also see other current and past surveys in the Inkygirl Survey Archives.

Looking for holiday gift ideas? Here's a list of children's book illustrators on Etsy

(Last updated: December 10, 2013)

I have an Etsy shop but haven't had anything posted for sale in ages (I might start selling prints and some handmade oddities in 2014, though). While doing some holiday shopping on Etsy recently, I became curious about other children's book illustrators who had shops.

I've posted a list below, but I know I'm missing many names. If YOU know of a children's book illustrator with an Etsy shop, please do post the URL of their Etsy shop in the comments section, thanks!

Sheralyn Barnes: original oil paintings, giclee prints

Kate Barsotti: pencil & sheep needle felting

Sophie Blackall: mainly prints

Calef Brown: drawings, paintings, originals from children's book illustrations.

Susan Taylor Brown: cards, prints, original art.

Matthew Cordell: original art, including studies and outtakes from his children's book projects.

Christopher Denise: original illustrations created for Redwall & other children's books, no prints

Chrissy Fanslau: Don't Touch The Baby & Wash Your Hands signs

Christina Forshay: prints

Beckett Gladney: prints, original art, sketchbook & portfolio covers, journals, earrings, more.

Stephanie Graegin: prints

Heather Hitchman: prints, custom illustrations. Focus: fantasy, ethereal, animal, Victorian-themed art.

Jannie Ho: original illustrations (currently empty)

Renée Kurilla: prints

Sally Mavor: note cards, posters, prints, autographed books.

Hazel Mitchell: prints and original art.

Scott Nash: prints, stickers, books.

Debbie Ridpath Ohi: prints and art oddities (currently empty)

Cindy Pon: YA author who also is an artist (I didn't know this!). Prints, paintings.

Matte Stephens: prints.

Diana Sudyka: prints.

Moira Swiatowski: original ink drawings.

Susan Swan: handcrafted jewelry.

Renee Treml: (temporarily closed until later this month when I checked)

Laura Zarrin: prints, original art.

Special thanks to Kate Barsotti and Emily for the heads-up about many of the shops above.

Comic: Snowman Writer

From the archives. :-)

Sat.Dec.7th, 2013 is Take Your Child To A Bookstore Day

Click image above for print-ready PDF; feel free to use to help spread the word. Prints fine in b&w, too.

Founded by suspense writer Jenny Milchman, Take Your Child To A Bookstore Day is about "instilling a love of bookstores in children so that they will value and support this most precious of resources as they go on to enter and create communities of their own."

Already a number of bookstores from the U.S., Canada, England, Australia and Germany have joined the project; you can see the map on the TYCTAB website.

Visit the Take Your Child To A Bookstore Day site for pins, banners and posters.

You can find banners and posters on their website, and you're free to download/print a poster I've created to help promote Take Your Child To A Bookstore Day.

Where to find out more info:

Take Your Child To A Bookstore Day website

Kudos to the TYCTABD Board Of Directors for running the event: Jenny Milchman, Beth Miller, Todd G. Monahan, and Paul Maguire.