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3/4 of Southern NH Illustration Critique Group: (left to right) Me, Natalie and Sheli. It's been nearly 2 weeks since leaving the the New England SCBWI conference... Still giddy, but I'm recuperating from all the activity. I've been puttering around trying to clean up some non-picture book illustration works. Some "works" include writing out THANK YOU notes to those whom assisted me at the conference from critiquers, to workshop faculty. Here's a mini digital dose: Also I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't thank the ladies from our monthly illustration critique group: Sheli Petersen  and  Natalie Curtiss . (Go look at their websites!) Extra kudos to Natalie for driving! Also THANK YOU to the insightful Skia Lawrence who's the 4th member from our critique group; whom was unable to attend this year. Thank you! ~Samantha

Post-it Notes to self: "Don't forget your toothbrush... or hair stuff!" I will be leaving for the New England SCBWI conference in just a bit. I'm more than ready for an inspiring weekend! If you see me around, don't be shy and say "Hi!" Say "HI!" :-D  I will be toting my portfolio around with me all weekend, so if you'd like to take a peek, I'd be happy to show it off: Portfolio cover. See you in Springfield! ♥

Illustration contest submission for Jane Yolen's "Infirm Pachyderm". As one can see, I have been heavily involved with elephants lately. Nothing wrong with that! The New England SCBWI Conference (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) is only a couple weeks away. I had to pause portfolio preparations to submit to this year's poster illustration contest: Jane Yolen's poem "Infirm Pachyderm". My gut reaction to the first 30 or so reads were all somber. I wanted to gauge other illustrator's responses, so I preformed an image search... same reactions there. Since the poem is written for an audience that's Middle Grade age group at max, I wanted to illustrate a positive spin on the poem's outcome. Construction the illustration was a little less positive. I'm going to admit I have a weakness with Black & White drawing, so naturally I wanted to cut TONS of grey-scale images! Since my technique dwells on paper tex...

Sketching tortoise's shell. The past couple weeks, I've been steadily working on my own picture book. Some questions which keep appearing in my head consist of: Can a tortoise REALLY balance like that? If a giraffe could move like that, how would his legs bend? Should the tortoise have a top hat? I want my characters to look playful, but have some realistic value, so the top hat is a no-go. As for movement questions, I cannot rely on image searches, nor do I have regular interactions with these animals, so I'm making my own models: Giraffe skeleton doodle (left) and giraffe wire armature. I'm still working on this little guy (above). So far, I've bulked up his torso to help me with scale. Ideally, the giraffe will serve as a resource for consistent spot placement... same with the tortoise, who's still in the works - currently just a paper shell form. I am looking for some assistance with one of my animal studies. The giraffe has been V...

Basking Lion doodle (left). Actual Basking Lion (right) from the Franklin Park Zoo. Here's a mini rewind of the past couple weeks: Unfortunately, The Elephant Listening Project and I did not win the AE Roastery and Tea Earth Day coffee label contest . We'll get 'em next time! Congratulations to the winning Daddy-Daughter team (aww!) A teeny-tiny visit to the MFA (so small in fact, I'm plotting a re-visit for mid-April). I made a brief trip to the Franklin Park Zoo to spy on some of the cool-temp tolerant critters. The Zoo trip was very brief, due to my sudden spite for the cold weather. It probably didn't help that I lacked a hat and scarf, and had to keep pulling my mittens off to take a picture, or doodle in my sketchbook. I visited for the wildebeest, and I'm planning a return when the zoo "unpacks" the giraffe. Shocked, I was to see Zebras (one of which wasn't even a month old!) and Ostriches, romping around in the New England bree...

Toys coming to life assignment snippet with my portfolio. A few weeks have passed (THREE) since going to Ruth's Studio , so I want to be sure to post a THANK YOU to Ruth Sanderson and Denise Ortakales for their portfolio critiques. I feel as though I have a very clear direction for my body of work now. It's refreshing to have some unbiased eyes peeking at my work, outside of the monthly group sessions. Some mini renovations have already taken place on my portfolio space . For curious eyes, below are a few cellphone shots from the day:  Ruth Sanderson (center in red) browsing our sketches from the assignment. Assignment sketches spread for quick critique. The assignment (while we waited and listened in on critiques,) was "lively"... Living toys! I would like to explore the concept a little closer. It was tough to concentrate on drawing upon the assignment while eavesdropping on everyone's critique, but there was a LOT learned from the experience.  ...

Hi everyone! Out of the B L U E popped this local contest to design a label for an Earth Day-related coffee blend. Relying on Facebook and the social media, A&E Roastery and Tea will is allowing the public to vote on their favorite design. The winning design will be printed, AND $2.00 from every Earth Day Blend bag sold between April & May will be donated to a charity of the artist's choice. Not only that, but A&E Roastery and Tea will match the contribution, so a total of $4.00 per bag sold, will be going towards charity!  The label I created is based on the concept of GROWTH and "sweet citrus aroma". Featuring flowers made from orange peels and (cut-paper) coffee beans, I paired the arrangement with the bright blue background so that the oranges and yellows really stand out.:    Should I win, charity donations will be going towards The Elephant Listening Project : The Elephant Listening Project website. Voting started TODAY...

Right brain illustration - © Samantha Grenier 2013 Those on Twitter may notice me posting to hashtag #rbbiz. I have been participating in an online video summit run by Jennifer Lee of Artizen Coaching , based on her book the Right Brain Business Plan . Since I have decided to start-up as a cottage industry freelance illustrator, I've been seeking out all visual and inspirational sources to get me psyched up about actually running a small business on my own. Mainly free sources, like the library and Internet browses. Since I've gained so much incite from Jenn & her Creative Cohorts, I think it would be only fair to give her a nod and digital thank-you! Starting up is scary. I've tried, and re-tried making myself into a mini profitable machine, but my efforts were far too meek to be seen publicly. I've been getting in my own way for years, mainly because I'm terrified about failing.  I'd rather I quietly take my leave, while no one's looking, just t...

Here's a mini Homage to Ms. Potter: Shelldon the Sulcata Tortoise study sketches - from RISD Live Animal Drawing Session - Feb. 2013 I recently picked up a book of Beatrix Potter's art plates from the library for an inspiration spark. Naturally, I mulled over the book the whole week leading up to a trip to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) for Christina Rodriguez's Live Animal Drawing sessions.  Sketches above are of the Sulcata Tortoise (Shelldon) from the center of my mini collage. Taxidermy and live animals in attendance at the RISD drawing sessions I did not bring my watercolors this year. If I had, I doubt they would look much like Beatrix Potter's studies anyhow.   The (blurry) images here are from The Art of Beatrix Potter . The book delves into her life a little bit, but it's mainly a book of plates showcasing her early works, letters and picture book studies. I LOVE Potter's fungi studies! I would have liked to read more from h...

Sketches & cover ideas for Plank & Pancake I follow enough librarians on Twitter to know that it's really that book cover that wins a reader's attention. It's also interesting to know that the book COVER, (though the first taste to the overall book experience,) is usually the LAST bit designed to complete the story. It's the reader's first introduction - that first impression, so you want it to be a good one. As I work on my first picture book dummy, I am piecing together a cover to make my story feel polished. Then this morning I couldn't help but think what would Master Kidd do ? Chip Kidd is well respected as one of the "Kings of book coverings. Though the titles linked to his name are actually novels, his Ted presentation is an excellent example of how he deconstructs a book to build upon the story it encases.  All this can be applied to Picture Books as well. One just has to be consistent with the book's illustration style....

Zoom-Zoom, NYC - February, 2013. Pleased to be home from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Winter Conference, while still trying to recover from my busy weekend. This year's commute is brought to you via Greyhound bus service... not a sponsored post, but yes I was pleased with the commute. I both recommend the bus as a transporting system from Boston to NYC, and will be using them again in the future. Fingers crossed I can return soon. The light of Central Park upon leaving. I was little hesitant about the visit since I was both nervous and excited about attending the Writer's Roundtable this go-around. In short: It made my trip. I got a LOT of great feedback from fellow Roundtable guests. This was an experience to be had. I only wish I had the opportunity to indulge in both the Writer's Roundtable and Illustration Intensive activities! The story for my picture book is currently in "RE-Draft-Mode," thanks to the love...

In a couple days I'll be heading to New York City for the Annual Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Winter Conference, where my portfolio will be on display during the Friday evening showcase. I should be able to exhale at this point... or at least after I've collected my book and any remaining postcards. I feel confident approaching the SCBWI conference than I did last year. I'm not going to lie - it took a lot to get here. It's hard becoming a giraffe! At least it's hard to make one's portfolio into a giraffe, but here's how I did it: Step 1: I planted an Idea seed late in the year 2011. The seed was for marketing materials. Yes. Postcards. Step 2: The idea flourished into "Aww's" and other kudos and encouragements to "turn this  (postcard concept on right) into something. " Step 3: The "Something" became a story. Step 4: The story became a (mild) obsession.  Step 5:...

My job as a Graphic Designer is relatively faceless. I am the purveyor of cute craft projects, copy writer, photo re-toucher, and a package assembler. I make something - we agonize over the details - then it's off for print, manufacturing and sales. Next project. Luck would have it that I occasionally get to dabble into children's crafts, which are incredibly fun. Working with pom-poms, jumbo pipe cleaners, and wiggle eyes just entices nostalgia. It's also inspired  me to return to my interest in picture book illustration. Only in the past year have I re-activated my pursuit to become published. Though I met my publishing goal recently , I am trudging alone with my passion for the picture book audience. When the strain of trying to start-up (and get nowhere) has overwhelmed me, I have to remind myself of why I must to keep going. Until recently, my "why" is that I feel like I owe something to the community. Reading did not come easily to me. In fact, my s...

I'm starting my 2013 with a made up word. Portfolio-izing is the act of "accessorizing" or enhancing one's portfolio. By "one" I mean my own. As you can see in my snippet above, I've transformed my portfolio into a giraffe pelt. The WHOLE portfolio looks like a giraffe now. This is just a close-up of the finished patterning: Lately I've been playfully gussying up my portfolio for the Annual SCBWI NY Conference. I'm beside myself with giddiness to get back into the city to show off my collection. I'm spending my weekend deciding on the interior pages and assembling my dummy book. This is what it looks like for me to "plot" out my portfolio pagination: I've got a lot of work to do, but I'm confident with the pieces I have completed. I can hardly wait to have my completed giraffe portfolio. Some of the "interior" bits can be found in my online portfolio . A few more pages will be making their way into ...

I submitted my illustration for SCBWI's Tomie dePaola, with only 10 minutes to spare. I'm incredibly grateful the drop-dead time was in Pacific Time. I chose to illustrate the famous white washing scene. As you see above, the illustration was intended to be in black and white, but I found I could control the contrast better working in full color and then just "gray-scaling" the finished illustration. Also please ignore any and all "wonky" looking colors. Again, I was pushing for contrast. Fingers are crossed!

Left: Frida Kahlo's "Girl with Death Mask", 1938; right: Samantha Grenier's "Death with Girl Mask", 2005. I was just reading another blog post featuring the art of Stephen Mackey, and it triggered a little nostalgia. I don't know if it was in the lighting of his paintings, or maybe the tone, or my (slightly) morbid appeal, but something brought me back to a Halloween assignment from my graduate studies. My painting was not well received at the time. I think the assignment was something along the lines of making a Halloween or depict a horror scene. Trying to be clever, I created a nod to Frida Kahlo's painting " Niña con Mascara de Muerte". Since this was for an illustration class, something a little more "illustration-y" was probably expected. Probably. I didn't get it at the time, but sometimes it's difficult to separate the "artist" from the "illustrator".  I was always proud of my little...