The Argyle Socks are in Place

I’ve decided to call my two mice characters the Argyle Twins. They haven’t said a single word throughout the book, but they’re always hanging around, especially if there’s any food to be had. I see these two characters as, perhaps, actors in silent films. Or two fellows who just don’t like to talk.

I’ve separated these characters from the master 8000x4000 px cover image so that I can give them the personal attention they deserve. I’ll paste them back into the master image eventually.

two_mice_argyle_socksa.png

Populating the Cover Image with All of the Characters in the Book

Rather than restrict the cover image to simply Jimmy jumping down the chimney, I’m going to make the cover a group picture that shows all of the characters. That will be Jimmy Jay, Jenna Jay (his sister), the two hitchhiker mice (I don’t know their names yet, but I think they’re definitely hobos), Momma Jay, Bernie the Buddhist Dachshund, and Uncle Johnny. Even though Buddy Butterfly has fallen down the chimney and is out of sight, I’ll have him popping up through a hole in the page saying something like, “What about me?!” It will be cute, I promise.

The other question I’ve been thinking about is the age range for the book. With children’s books you have to declare the ages the book is appropriate for. I think the ages 8 and up sounds right.

Here are the two hitchhiker mice. I wonder what their story is?

Re-inking the "All Aboard" Picture

I’m extending the bus to flow better on the full page. I also added two omnipresent mice. I really to want to work them into every page as background figures who also want to be part of the family. Perhaps someday they’ll have their own story.

Re-inking images,children's book, mice, stowaways

Our Jay Family Arrives at the Bird House

57/365

My square job got the best of me today. Lots of stressful urgent red tape sealed up the day in a bundle of nerves and frustration…which spilled over into the new career I’m building. I try to keep the stress low during the day so that I can have a joyous evening of moving ever-forward one inch at a time.

Here’s my daily inch. I had 60 minutes to sketch, ink, scan, and clean up in Photoshop. It’s a good start. I’ll count myself fortunate that I had those 60 pure minutes. Enough said.

The great thing about drawing is: no matter how you draw it, it’s right. I love pen and ink.