The Little Red Hen

"Not I, said the cat!"

I'm trying to include more children's art in my portfolio. Here's a little red hen spread.

I always hated the ending to this story. Her friends weren't helpful, but maybe she should give them another chance.

Here's a look at the preliminary drawing:

I also thought that the cat would make a good card:

It's available on Etsy here.

Arthur Conan Doyle SCBWI Conference Homework

I had the opportunity to take a workshop about references from the wonderful Barbara McClintock and Eric Velasquez at the winter SCBWI conference.

The homework prompt was about a young Arthur Conan Doyle. The part of the prompt I focused on was that his first story was about a man eating tiger.

Here's a look at the preliminary drawing:

Missing Dinosaur Books

Here's an illustration I included in my portfolio for the SCBWI conference. It's a completed version of an illustration I worked on back in September.

To see the preliminary drawing, plus two other drawings from this story, check out this blog post.

BIlly Goats Gruff

Billy Goats Gruff, watercolor, gouache, and pencil on Rives BFK, 11x14", 2018.

I'm going to the SCBWI conference next month!

One of the workshops is about learning where your art fits in. There's an assignment where you have to depict a villain from children's literature. I had a hard time choosing what to do. In the end I decided to stick with my strengths, and illustrate a story that has animals.

This is kind of a funny version of the Billy Goats Gruff. Poor troll!

I posted a bunch of in progress shots on Instagram:

🐐🐐🐐Super rough beginnings. I've been working on one of the assignments for the #scbwi conference next month. It's to depict a classic children's book villain. I have to much left to do!! . . . . #ny18scbwi #billygoatsgruff #goats #ogre #kidlitart #illustration #illustrator #art #sketchbook #sketch #drawing #portfolio

A post shared by Sarah Ryan (@sarahryandraws) on Jan 6, 2018 at 2:07pm PST

🐐🐐🐐 This has become the drawing that never ends 😭. I should have been done ages ago. At least I'm ready to transfer to good paper and do the color version now. . . . . . #sketchbook #sketch #ny18scbwi #scbwi #kidlitart #childrensillustration #billygoatsgruff #goats #pencil #drawing #art #illustration #illustrator

A post shared by Sarah Ryan (@sarahryandraws) on Jan 12, 2018 at 2:20pm PST

What are the weirdest colors I could use?? K, I'm doing that. . . . . . #wip #gouache #illustration #illustrator #art #drawing #watercolor #gouache #scbwi #process #kidlitart #childrensillustration

A post shared by Sarah Ryan (@sarahryandraws) on Jan 13, 2018 at 5:57pm PST