Hindsight

Did I mention I’m in the middle of working on a new book? For a while I wasn’t sure if I should be talking about it on the internet, but it turns out it’s not a secret at all, and in fact maybe you can help come up with a good title for it! No royalties will be involved for the winning title, but you will be “in the acks” as they say in the book world (the acknowledgments, that is).

So what is this book? It’s a bit of a departure for me, being neither an adaptation, nor truly a graphic novel. It’s also my first time working with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (the fabulous Ann Rider is my editor), and working from a text by another (living) writer (Lise Lunge-Larsen — http://www.liselungelarsen.com/books.php)

Basically it’s a 96-page picture book with some paneled sequences (sort of in-between a graphic novel and a children’s book), on the subject of Greek and Roman mythological characters whose names have become everyday words — Fate, Fortune, Echo, etc. It should be done in October (right around the same time the Odyssey comes out) and released in late 2011. I’m pretty excited with the way it’s shaping up so far.

However, there is one small problem. We aren’t completely happy with any of our title ideas. Please comment or email me if you have any suggestions! It should be punchy and have 11-14 year-old appeal.

Thanks!

My wife and I have relocated to the big apple. We found a nice apartment way up in Washington Heights, and so far we are loving it. The move itself was a ridiculous marathon, so here’s hoping we don’t have to do that again anytime soon!

I’m back to work, trying to catch up on my schedule, but will try to post some NY drawings soon.

As I was sorting through some old art, I came across this little gem. It’s from one of my drawing classes at Parsons, and I tried (with dubious success) to draw each of my classmates in their drawing style. I don’t remember all the names (I guess it’s surprising I remember any of them at this point!), but my best guess is, going counterclockwise around the room from the far left, Henry (?), Frank (?), Andrea, PJ (?), Jen, Lyuda, and Matt(?). Fun times.

Alison gives all the details here:
http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/shelftalker/?p=1333

I saw ASP’s Timon of Athens on its opening night, and deeply regret that I don’t have time to scan the sketches right now. I’ll post them next weekend. In the meantime there are some nice reviews here and here.

A few months ago I got a call from Harvard’s Widener Library about using a drawing I did of Memorial Hall for a bookplate they were designing. This bookplate (if I understand correctly) is for books purchased by the Katherine B. Loker memorial fund.

I just got my samples of the finished bookplates. I think they’re quite elegant.

I can’t really post about the Natural History Museum without showing some drawings of the huge fabulous dinosaurs in the atrium.

You know that that Glyptodont I blogged about last week? I was trying to think where I had seen one before, and I came across this page in an old sketchbook. I think that’s him, right there between Centrosaurus and Moschops. This drawing is from New York’s fabulous Museum of Natural History (which, incidentally, is right by the New-York Historical Society, where my work was featured in the big Slavery exhibition a few years back). We went there to see the butterfy house — more pics below! Not sure why I didn’t post these at the time.

This is always a challenge. The movement is pretty constant and pretty fast.

If you’re reading this, then my website and blog have successfully moved to a new domain hosting service. Please let me know if you see anything broken or missing. Thanks!