The Little Artist still at it

I haven't written about the Little Artist for a while. She's still prolific, and has added writing stories to her portfolio. I will be happy when she has vowels in her written words. She's a good reader, but writes entirely phonetically, so "catsup" comes out "ctsp." I'm sure she'll pick it up soon--she starts first grade in a week or so. In the meantime, she was drawing the other day and I asked if she had ever drawn a house. She said she didn't know how--people are her favorite subject. I drew a square with a triangle on top, sitting on a hill with an s-shaped driveway. She was off and running. She drew her house in crayon with multiple-colored lines, a rainbow house. It included rainbow doors and windows, chimney, smoke, and a car in the garage. A tree with a monkey in it, a little boy with a pet skunk, a turtle, a baby tiger, and, of course, the sun. Then, she turned the paper over and drew the back of the house. This picture included an elephant, a giraffe in the backyard, and a host of other animals. There was a mom in the upstairs window calling out to the baby in the wagon to be careful. She put in the sun on the reverse side in the same spot, meaning it was on the left in front and on the right in back. Her inclusion of details fascinates me. She usually has a story to relate about each thing she puts into the pictures. I wish I had photographed her drawings before she took them home.

Writing proposals and articles for art magazines

Now and then someone emails me for information on this topic. Here's a link to Jennifer King's blog on "How to Get Published in a Magazine". Jennifer has been an editor for several top art magazines. This blog entry is a keeper for anyone interested in writing magazine articles of any kind.

Re-entering the real world

I haven't exactly been in Wonderland, but for awhile I felt like I had dropped into a big hole. It was great getting the book finished and enthusiastically received by my editor. I still have four items to turn in, which I've been doing off and on. In case you're wondering why I don't blog when I travel--I leave my laptop at home and pretend I don't have one. I need to take a break from the computer now and then, especially after the intensive work on the book.

The workshop in Montana was great--another terrific class of artists working together to discover the creative process. I was pleased with the show I juried in June. You never really know what you've done until you see the art hanging in a gallery. The Montana Watercolor Society offered some big prize money and lots of smaller awards. This show hasn't been discovered by artists who enter the bigger shows. Next year they're going digital, so start now to find a good photographer or polish your digi-skills. It's worth a try.

Kalispell is a neat little Western town. Bigfork, site of the show, is a vacation area with many galleries. The area is absolutely beautiful. Just a few miles away is Glacier National Park. I wish I could have gone there, but I had to return the day after the workshop.

Unfortunately, I came home with a sinus infection that laid me low for a couple of days. After that I did some baby-sitting for Daniel, 7 weeks old now. I'll be on nanny-duty starting next week for 4 1/2 days a week when my daughter goes back to work. I can work on her dining room table while the baby sleeps. Tomorrow I'm starting a new watercolor class at Hithergreen Center and looking forward to seeing what my students have been doing while I've been away.

Feelin' good

My editor stopped by this morning and picked up the new book. I was beginning to wonder if I would make the deadline. My daughter stepped up and helped to proofread the art numbers on the manuscript and flat plan, then the artists' permissions and the art log, which are both huge jobs. I couldn't have made it without her help. Granddaddy entertained the four-year-old while the baby slept at Grammy's feet as she worked. What a scenario. One of my students volunteered earlier and I put her to work taping vellum overlays onto 150 small pieces of art, another time-consuming job.

Sometime I may blog about what I learned about digital art submissions for books, if anyone is interested. It has been quite a learning experience. I think it will all turn out all right. I did have to go back and re-do all the images as I finished up the captions and the manuscript, but it was worth it.

Tomorrow morning I leave for Montana to teach a workshop and judge awards for the show I juried in June by slides. This will seem like a vacation. In the last workshop two weeks ago in Louisiana I worked on the book in the mornings before workshop and until late at night after class. I'm looking forward to being in the West--it has been awhile.

Book deadline dead ahead

Going down the home stretch with eight days to go. I'm getting there and might make it yet. Maybe a few things will be missing, but on the whole, it's in pretty good shape. Just have to get all my manuscript changes into six more chapters and finish some small pieces of art, take a few studio photographs and harass some artists for info they still haven't sent me. I have to duplicate everything, make printouts of the manuscript.... Suddenly I'm very tired again.

I'm not sure what's going on. When I convert my tiff images to CMYK per the production department's instructions, they don't display properly in some of my desktop viewers. They look fine in both of my Photoshop programs. I may have to go back and re-do all the digital images I had already done. Believe it or not, I don't mind that if it can make the book better. I'll still be sweating it until the designer approves the art. And now, nose to the grindstone.....

Ups and downs and ups

Daniel came home on Sunday and settled in nicely. Mommy was readmitted to the hospital on Monday with pre-eclampsia, more common before than after childbirth. Very scary. She's home now, too, and doing well. Fortunately, Daniel is a relaxed and alert little guy, easy to care for so far. I'm getting a lot of work done on the materials the designer needs for the marketing spreads while he sleeps. My editor gave me a few extra days on my deadline, so I may make it after all. In the middle of all this I'm preparing a workshop for Louisiana, which I know will be fun and will give me a much needed break. Then I'll come home and have two weeks to finish up the book and hand it over to my editor. After the Montana workshop in October, I can settle into my role as nanny-granny with a sigh, but right now it's a little hectic.

Why do you paint or draw or write?

A friend recently asked me this question, specifically about writing. When artists and writers get together with their colleagues, this subject often comes up. Naturally there are many answers to the question, but the thing that always intrigues me is that so many believe that their response is the only "right" one and feel somehow morally superior to others who have different ideas. Here are some typical responses:

I paint or draw or write because:
1. I feel I have something to say and want to share it.
2. I am compelled to so I can feel fulfilled.
3. It pleases me and makes me happy.
4. It's my job.
5. ....Just because.

Is one of these the right answer? Of course not; there isn't one. There are a million reasons, one for every person who answers the question. Make up one that suits you and don't feel you have to explain or defend it. The only person who has to understand your motivation is you. And that is very important.

It's equally important to decide for yourself how you'll approach your tasks in painting, drawing, writing. Once again, there isn't a "right" way. Some people plan extensively before beginning, others meditate to get in the mood, and still others jump in and work without a plan. But here are some thoughts to help stimulate your creative juices regardless of your modus operandi.

First of all, do what you love. Henry Miller said, "Paint as you like and die happy." What more can I say?

Avoid distractions. Wow, a tough one, but it can be done. I stole time while my four children were in school to develop my art and write my books. It also means making choices about what NOT to do.

Get into your Creative Zone and stay there as long as you are working. Betty Edwards has some great techniques for accomplishing this in her right-brain drawing books.

Reward yourself. Sure, you can party when the project is finished, but give yourself a pat on the back or a treat whenever you put in time on it. Everything you do should be acknowledged as an accomplishment.

And finally, treat yourself with respect and admiration, regardless of what others might say about your work. It's yours--own it and love it.

"Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself."
Chinese proverb

Coming up for air

Won't last long, though. The book is shaping up. My editor is reading the rough manuscript and we should soon have a title for it. Lots of great art has come in and I'm beginning to work on where to place it in my layout. It's a relief to finish each step of this process, until you realize that the next one is even more complicated. The hardest part is writing captions for the art. Oh, and adding code numbers to the art, the manuscript and the layout so nothing gets misplaced. I will try to get someone to help me with that, as it's so easy to make mistakes in the fine details. Somewhere in there I have to do about 150 small illustrations, charts and diagrams. I have a sinking feeling I'm not going to get it done before our new grandbaby is born, for all my hard work and good intentions. Going to give it a shot, though.

"Nothin' "

This week I've been hard at work on the new book. The art is coming in, so I'll be busy selecting what I want to use in the book. Also, the slides from the Montana Watercolor Society will be arriving shortly, so nothing else will get done until those are on their way back to Big Sky country. Our granddaughter was here all afternoon on Thursday and we had a delightful time together. We didn't really "do art," but she tends to get to her little table and scribble something before she leaves. At the moment, the scribbles are little faces with big smiles. I love it! She was here this afternoon, too, and we did paint-blot pictures with tempera. How she loved the effects of the prints on the folded paper! She designated a giftee for each picture, aunts, uncles and cousins, plus the always included grandparents. A friend of mine stopped by while Jenna and I were out in the yard. As we talked, Jenna moved to the yard behind us and quietly played and danced a little dance by herself. Later, I asked her what she was dancing and she said, "Nothin'." Her little secret.

I had an email from an e-friend, Annette, who is also having fun making art with her grandchild. Check out her blog entry of the other day: http://bushstrokes.blogspot.com/2007/05/big-word-is-wow.html

Book Busy-ness

I've been busy all week getting together a mailing to artists for art for the new book. This is a big job, since I use so much outside artwork for all my books. There were 104 artists in The New Creative Artist. There won't be so many this time, but more art from each of the contributors. I visit galleries, shows, web sites and look at magazines and books to find art or styles I can use. This time I contacted all but two of the artists by email to see if they were interested, and all but one responded.

Now I'm preparing a mailing that includes a cover letter describing the book, a form giving permission for use of their art, and a two-page information sheet on photographing their art for reproduction, which took me most of Friday to put together.

I've verified most of the mailing addresses, but when I tried to print them, my Epson printer didn't print the format right. The file was created for my HP, which ran out of black ink yesterday, typical when you're trying to get something out the door. So, of course, I missed the deadline on the postage increase.

I've been using the computer since I started my first book in 1983 and now the range of tasks I can do is amazing to me. The internet helps a lot, too. All this technology is great--until the printer runs out of ink or the internet connection locks up. Well, I'll get this mailing out the door soon and can get back to writing the last three chapters of the book. Not much time for blogging, though.

Family pride

Is it okay if I brag about some of my family today? It's my blog, I can brag if I want to, I guess. My daughter, Kathleen L. Norman has just been notified that she won the Erma Bombeck international writing contest in the human interest category for writers outside the Dayton area. Scroll down to read her brief bio and the judge's comments. Read her essay, "Gravity".

Our middle son is a coach for the University of Denver Pioneers gymnastics team. Last weekend they placed second in their regional meet to qualify for the national competition in Utah the last weekend in April. The win puts them among the top twelve in the nation.

A book day, not an art day

Definitely not an art day. I'm still in the organizing stages of my new book, but happy with the way things are falling into place. I guess I'm still not ready to talk about it in any detail, but when I feel like I have a good handle on everything--the writing, the art and the artists--I'll probably blog you to death.

"A Guided Journey for the Creative Soul"

This is the subtitle of Eric Maisel's A Writer's Paris. He makes a compelling case for getting to Paris any way you can and living there for awhile and making a commitment to your creative soul to do your creative work surrounded by the inspiration of this great city of the arts. The Paris Maisel describes doesn't sound all that different from the one I once knew--enchanting. The book is filled with charming illustrations--drawings, photos, graphics, and collages. It isn't just about Paris, though. It's about committing to your creative work.

I lived in central France for nearly eighteen months in the mid-1950s as a young bride. My husband and I went to Paris once a month and explored. Yes, Paris is a special place for lovers. But it is also a metaphor for escaping the dailiness of your life and doing your creative work, no matter what.

Unsung heroes in publishing

It occurred to me this morning that, although I had written thank-you emails to my editors and designers for the good work they did on my new book, I hadn't personally thanked the production staff. I had asked my editor to list them on the Acknowledgments page, so I looked them up and sent an email to Mark Griffin, production coordinator for the book. I wasn't sure exactly what he did, but I know it was a big job. So I asked him. Here's his reply:

"Matt Wagner (Production assistant) and I are part of the Production department. It's our job to arrange for having all the slides scanned (as well as obtaining images from the previous edition), QC of the final design and text, color proofing, getting any final corrections made, overseeing the books' printing/binding and all associated concerns, and managing the importation back from Asia so that books arrive in our warehouse according to schedule."

That's a big job. Once the writing, editing and design are good-to-go, everything else is done by this production department. Without it, there's no book. He mentions having the slides (and art) scanned and retrieving images from the previous edition. I haven't counted the individual images, but there are 105 artists in the book, including several with multiple images. Plus there are all the little activities and projects that are in slides or original art and need to be scanned. Plus keeping the art and text and captions together as they go through the production process. The detail is beyond imagining. My hat's off (where IS my hat?!) to my North Light Books Production Department.

Book indexes

The worst part of writing a nonfiction book is compiling the index. I created the index for my first Exploring Color book (1985) using an early version of Word Perfect. You simply tagged a word for the index and WP picked up every place in the manuscript where that word occurred. Easy to do, but the result was useless. I had to go through all the entries and delete all those that didn't provide substantive information on the topic. Too much work! I opted to let the publisher hire an indexer for my second book (The Creative Artist (1990). When I saw it after it was published, the index was so bad they allowed me to redo it. Now I make a point of reviewing the index before my book is published to be sure it suits me. I've forgotten now why I didn't like the index for Creative Collage Techniques (1994), but I had to make a lot of changes there. For the revision of Exploring Color (1998) my editor wasn't happy with the index and didn't have time to redo it, so I volunteered. I've just finished correcting the index for The New Creative Artist (July, 2006). The indexer did much better job than any of the others in my past books, but there are still a lot of things that need work. Unfortunately, the index is the very last thing to be done and it always has to be done yesterday. I don't understand why an indexer would put in separate entries for aerial perspective, single-point perspective and two-point perspective when they are all three on the same page and can all be listed under "perspective." It makes for an oversize index. That's just one example. I suggested a lot of cuts to my editor, but I don't know if she'll have time to make them before the book gets turned in tomorrow. Oh, well, even with my corrections on the other four books, I still can't find anything with my own indexes. Maybe it's just me.

Art book editors--a song of praise

After having knocked down book editors in general, I want to make a special point to praise the editors I've worked with on my book, The New Creative Artist. I've always had reasonably good rapport with my editors in the past, but for some reason this experience has been extraordinary. Is there such a thing as a "soul editor"? For the initial phase of the book after I signed the contract I had little contact with the editor, which is fine with me, as I don't like someone looking over my shoulder. But when I turned in the manuscript I learned that she was leaving and someone else would be assigned my book. Oh, no! My book would be an orphan! I couldn't have been more wrong. My editor is fantastic. She has a sharp eye and has been sensitive to my concerns from start to finish. She doesn't dictate, she suggests. We've been a great team. Her attention to detail and her personal concern for my book--I find myself calling it "our book"--assure me that we will have a finished book we will both be proud of. I can hardly wait till July!

What do book editors do?

Sometimes I wonder about this. I'm an avid reader and in recent years I've been shocked and disappointed in the quality of a lot of the books I've read. Misspelled words, poor grammar, missing words, awkward phrasing that needed an experienced editor's touch. Now we have the big flap about James Frey's books--it sounds like a government coverup: What did the editor know and when did he know it? The editor claims he was victimized by the author, denying responsibility for the false material published in both of the books he edited by Frey. This is a turnaround from his original take on it. The author is jumping through hoops, too, trying to save face, but too late, as far as I'm concerned. Everyone was saying that it isn't the responsibility of the publisher or editor to vet the book to assure its truthfulness. Excuse me? Well, at least Oprah did the right thing. Her apology to her viewers and readers seemed sincere and appropriate to me. I haven't heard anything even close to that from the author, editor or agent in the Frey case.

Coming up for air

Decided to take a break for a few minutes. I've been working on three book proposals for a meeting this week with an acquisitions editor and on top of that an overlapping deadline for a magazine article. Everything is close to final draft stage at this point, but I'll soon have to dive into the pile again to polish things up. I hope you don't mind if I disappear for a few more days. I expect to be back soon with current news on the layout of the New Creative Artist this week. I am so psyched.

Fiction or nonfiction?

Maybe you've read about the flap over James Frey's memoir, A Million Little Pieces. I haven't read the book, but I've read several reviews on blogs and one in print in the Wall Street Journal. If you haven't come across it yet, it seems that Frey has apparently made up most of the story, based on some true episodes in his life, and is passing the story off as nonfiction. The publishers are saying the book reflects his perceptions, etc., so it qualifies as memoir, but a few people have checked the facts and they appear to be distorted beyond recognition or possibly even made up. That sounds like fiction to me. The buzz is that the book is an inspiring story of rehabilitation. Maybe it wouldn't seem so inspiring if it were presented as fiction--and more importantly, maybe it wouldn't sell as well. Sounds to me like deficiencies in writer's and publisher's ethics. If a story isn't true, it's fiction....isn't it?

Here's something from the New York Times: Writer Says He Made Up Some Details. I'm interested to see what the Author's Guild has to say about it.

Back in editing mode

I'm working on the last half of my book this week, so I don't expect to be blogging much. Catch you later.