Friday Studio Links Featuring...

The Studio of Molly Idle

It's a privilege for me to take you on a tour today of the studio of Caldecott Honor winning author/illustrator Molly Idle. (Yes! I said Caldecott Honor!) Molly has illustrated over 16 picture books, and has created (written and illustrated) two characters destined to become classics - Rex (from Tea Rex and Camp Rex) and Flora (from Flora and the Flamingo and the soon to be released Flora and the Penguin.) Click on the book covers below to see more about each book.

Hot Off the Press

 2014 Caldecott Honor Book

I've had the pleasure of knowing Molly for more than eight years. We have a bit in common. We both live in Arizona. We both work in Color Pencil. And her backyard is home to her very own studio too!

Molly is just as fun and down to earth as her books are. Plus, she likes to share! Back in 2007 she offered her studio up for a workshop with art director Tim Gillner and more than a dozen other illustrators. Yes, her studio is big enough to host workshops!

 

Before heading over to her studio for a close-up tour, how about a few questions for Molly?

Whats your favorite color? (It’s okay, if you don't say pink!)

My favorite color changes all the time, depending on what I’m working on. Right now I’m deeply enamored of a lovely retro shade of sea-foam green. 

How many pencils did it take to complete Camp Rex? (It’s okay if you guess!) 
No comment. (I’ll be hosting a book giveaway soon that will address this very question…)

More numbers. 

I notice you have quite a collection of picture books! 

How many do you own? 

(You don't really have to count. An estimate will do.)

Judging by shelf space: Far too many.

Judging by how many wonderful books there are out in the world: Not nearly enough! 

If you had to use something other than color pencil, what medium would you choose?

Film.

What’s the favorite thing about your studio?
The people I share it with.

My whole family utilizes the workshop: My Dad, an inventor, can be found building prototypes here. My Mom, an actress,  holds improv workshops here. My husband, Steve, builds ship models here. And our boys come here to do their homework and help me make messes. It’s very much a family affair in the Idle workshop! But for now, I’ll just show you my part…

 

My prized rubber chicken.

A few books, books, books…

 You can see, I like to keep up to date- 

using the very latest in technology…

 

 A few things you can never have enough of: 

celebratory drinks, printer ink, and storage space.

Can you ever have too many pencils? I submit that you cannot.

 

  My desk...

Thank you Molly for being so good at sharing!

Want to learn more about Molly?
You'll find some more fun interviews at the following links.
Teen Penguin
Sharpread 
Nerdy Book Club

You can see a great trailer for Camp Rex at this link.
Watch. Connect. Read.

Check back on the first Friday of each month for a new Studio Tour. 

Follow this link to see previous Studio Tours.

Friday Studio Links

By now you all know who the big ALSC winners were this week at the ALA conference, but have you seen where they work? In honor of the Caldecott winning illustrators, this month's Friday Studio Tours take you inside the studios of the 2014 winners.

2014 Caldecott Medal Winner
Locomotive, illustrated by Brian Floca

2014 Caldecott Honor Books
Journey, written and illustrated by Aaron Becker
Flora and the Flamingo, written and illustrated by Molly Idle
Mr. Wuffles! written and illustrated by David Wiesner

Follow the links to learn more!

The titles above will take you to a review of the book, the illustrator names above will lead you to their website, and - of course - below each photo you will find a link to more cool details on their workspace, with interviews. Enjoy! And a big congratulations to all of the winners.

Brian Floca

 

  Studio and Interview
 

 Aaron Becker

Studio and Interview

 

Molly Idle

 

  Studio and Interview

 

David Wiesner

 Studio and Interview

Update: Just came across this great blog post with lots more links to videos, photos, and interviews from the Caldecott winners.Check it out. It's a must read! Watch. Connect. Read.

Friday Studio Links- Building My Studio

Starting off the New Year with an old tour. Since I claim to be a Jack-of-All-Trades I thought I'd show one of them. You probably wouldn't guess, but I secretly always wanted to be an architect. Since I didn't become one, I fulfill this need with architectural projects. Here is the biggest one so far. I drew the plans and worked with the city. My husband built it and I helped where I could. Check out some construction shots from when we built my studio.

 

 

 

 

 

Later, I will have a post of what it looks like today, but I'll need to do some cleaning first! Until then here is a sneak peek of my bookshelf.

Links? Well, follow this, which will lead you to a few other posts that show the studio.

Friday Studio Links Featuring...

Wendy Watson's Winter Studio

 

Magical Tree
Click here to purchase an archival Giclee print.

Early this year I featured the summer studio of award winning author/illustrator Wendy Watson. Today we get to see where she creates her wonderful books during the winter. How lucky she is to have two places to work. Wendy has written and illustrated twenty-one children’s books, and illustrated more than sixty children’s books by other authors. Just look at this list of books she's written or illustrated!

 

 

I recently had the opportunity to visit Wendy's home and see her studio. The one thing that stood out, was the artwork that covers the walls of her home. Wendy is a third-generation author and artist. Many of the pieces on display were not only hers, but those of her father, Aldren Watson and grandfather, Ernest Watson.

A few of their many accomplishments were teaching at Pratt Institute, co-opening one of the first summer art schools - the Berkshire Summer School of Art, and founding and editing American Artist magazine, which remained in publication for 75 years. These three generations have written of illustrated over 275 books combined.What a fascinating family filled with talent!

Plus, she has a pretty darn cool collection of old chairs and desks.

Be sure to follow Wendy Watson’s Blog. Also, Wendy recently opened up a new online studio shop! So head over to do some holiday shopping at her Esty store.

Thanks so much for sharing your studio Wendy!

Friday Studio Links - Featuring...

The Studio of Holli Conger!

Wait until you step through this door! 

You are about to enter a space all about style.

 

 

I'm not talking about "this space could be featured in a decorating magazine" kind of style. (Although it could!) I'm talking about personal, functional, "this is my art" and "this is where I make it" kind of style. This space is all about personality!

Welcome to the studio of Holli Conger. A girl who creates. And create she does! Her eclectic, whimsical style can be found in magazines, on greeting cards, CD covers, and packaging. Holli not only illustrates children's books- 11 of them so far this year, she is also a successful licensing artist, does killer typography, and has become a huge inspiration to others by documenting her creative journey on Becoming An Illustrator.

 

Holli has a style that shines though no matter what is is working on. This goes for he studio too. Check out the process of how her studio was built here. And be sure to follow Holli's Blog and visit her Website.

Check back on the first Friday of each month for a new Studio Tour. 

Follow this link to see previous Studio Tours.

Friday Studio Links!

The Studios of

Illustrators

Last weekend I got to spend time with all of the artists you see below. Not quite in their studio, but at the 2013 Tuscon Festival of Books! It is the fourth largest book event in the country. And it happens right here in Arizona. It's a two hour drive south for me, but gives you two full days worth of book fun! I went to the presentations of the following picture book illustrators. (Plus, many excellent authors, but since Fridays are all about studios I'm going to focus mainly on the illustrators. Although I did find a couple of cool writing spaces I had to include.)

To see a link to each studio, some with interviews, click on the photo. To go to the website of each artist click on their name. So be sure to click both places!

Peter Brown

Molly Idle

 

Chris Gall

You can also see an interview I did with Chris in 2007 here.

 

Jerry Pinkney

 

Jacqueline Woodson

 

Lester Laminack

 

Adam Rex

 

You can see even more of Adam's studio here.

 

Floyd Cooper

 Mr. Cooper is currently updating his website. 

Check back later at floydcooper.com.

  

Matt Phelan

 

Stephan Pastis

 

Guy Poririo

 

R.L. Stine

Remember, this is just a handful of the talent the Tuscon Festival of Books had to offer. There were many, many sessions I had to pick from, so some I had to miss. If you haven't gone before, mark your calendar for next year!


Be sure to check out the post at Gommies World. She has some great information, and a video, of the workshop Floyd Cooper presented. I was right there in the front row for this one too. It was a very special day!