Is this how a band might feel releasing a second album? Their debut album got people talking, excited and waiting for the second one. Is the second album as good as the first, is it going to be better? The fans are excited but the band just hope they love it as much as the debut album……….
Yup! It’s been quite stressful to be honest. I anticipated the effort it would take although it’s not really ‘hard work’ because it’s something I absolutely love doing. But the stress of trying to get things to knit together smoothly for the second book has been hard work this week and an epic battle of wills ensued. I tried about 35 times to upload the cover, which would not behave itself. The image stretched, shrank and stretched again. After a lot of aggravation, it finally seemed to work last night. I’m still holding my breath a bit but as always, I’m hopeful!
I really should take an online course or two in digital things, but then I’d probably have problems navigating that too! Anyway, to the second book compilation we go…..
So, cover image issues aside, how have I found creating this one compared to the first one? Absolutely fantastic to be fair, the actual story was written some time ago [along with the others waiting in the wings] but it was the illustrating that, as always, takes the time. It’s not something that can be rushed really, focussed, yes, but not rushed.
I have a bit more understanding this time as to what colour groups and what placement within an image work best. Colours can come out so brightly on your monitor but that doesn’t always relay to the printed version. I used some heavier brush strokes to define things rather than leaving them somewhat implied too and that seems to have worked well.
Selecting the colours of a scene for a children’s book, for me, tends to involve the use of bright colours. Children are attracted to bright colours, expressive open faces and obvious things in a scene that can easily be detected. So using muted tones that didn’t compliment the text isn’t going to work so well for Bear’s books.
I’m finding it really interesting to see that I seem to have developed a ‘style’ for these books, it’s really quite amusing! For someone who has never considered that they had a style [or any style as the kids would say] to see that for these stories, I absolutely do! I love that!
I create my illustrations by hand which to some may be seen as ‘old school’. I don’t use AI software, I just paint the picture, take a pic of it, upload it and there it is. Not everyone works that way. Some people prefer to use digital images and accompanying software to create the perfect image but I ask you this…..what in life is ‘perfect’ and who decided just what ‘perfect’ was?
I have noticed that I have a little amusing habit though. When I’m sketching a scene for the book, obviously I need the image to compliment the text and vice versa. I’ve found myself kind of pulling the faces of the characters as I create them – Bear surprised or scowling, Amelia sulking and so on. It’s good job it’s never caught on camera, I can only imagine what I look like!
Is the pressure on for the second book of the series?
I’ve certainly felt a lot more comfortable creating this one now that I have a feel for the layout and image placing in the main body of the book. I know what it will look like when it’s published and that’s exciting. I can only hope that the second book is received as well [if not better] than the first! Hopefully, the fact that this is now becoming a series of Bear’s adventures will entice people to investigate both books. Those who have loved the first will want to read the second and I hope that they feel it has brought Bear’s personality out even more!
As I’ve written a number of books, I am confident in saying that this IS a series of books because that is what I’m now presenting rather than having to say ‘it WILL be a series’ of books.
The proof copy is ordered and now the nervous wait for its physical arrival on the doorstep [try knocking this time delivery driver] The hope is that I can then start to focus on other things for a week or two, like Christmas. Yes, I am a bit of a grinch and only really engage in the whole thing of tree and lights, for the kids but the least I can do is put the paint brush down….. until Boxing Day!
Let’s see what happens next………