About slow progress book dummy
Dear imaginary friends,
It’s sunny and springy around here. Cold with this adorable warm light. A studio colleague went to Paris and brought this amazing Rooibos tea. I feel immediately girly and fancy drinking it - and I’m not a tea person. ( I wasn’t.)
February is this short month that gets me overwhelmed every-single-time. I feel robbed of 2-3 days. Do you feel that or is it just me?
And then, there is this Brazilian thing, a say that goes “the year starts only after Carnival” which it’s when most people come back from their summer vacation. After Carnaval everyone is officially back to work/school. It’s like a waiting room during January and February until everyone is back, together, at same energy. Even though I’ve been away for over 12 years, I still can feel this waiting room, as if it’s not possible to really start anything just important yet. Even though I’m working on something really important for myself right now and need to be done soon.
Anyway, the thing is, I worked in slow pace in February, having a hard time focusing. From the list of reasons, the top one is, honestly: fear. Taking 3 months off client work for working on my *book dummy to take to Bologna Childrens Book Fair(April) was the dream and right choice. BUT it was also scary. It’s been scary. And with that, lots of procrastination has been happening. Increasing the whole fear. Aaaargh!
I’m quite used to juggle many tasks in the air. From client work, personal work, social media to personal goals etc. But these days, the more progress I made on this book, less of anything else I was able to do.
So that’s basically the only thing that happened around here: I worked slowly and only at my book dummy. (while procrastinating with other mildly useful things that I can’t even remember now to list)
I always read illustrators talking about how exhilarating is to work on your dream project. True. At the beginning (!!). And then, I think, it become exhausting. Emotionally and physically as close to the end. There are SO many micro-decisions and I feel many times SO alone under tons of self doubt about something that it is barely clear in my mind (what was I thinking?!). Hours go by while testing yellow hues that probably nobody will care/notice (in a dummy, specially, for sure not). It’s insane. Even having all sketched, planned, dreamed… the project still gets a life on its own every other day and the answer is only in your mind. No client to decide but yourself. Overall I think I spent only 3h/ day working and hours just staring, thinking about crunchy snacks and other decisions escapisms.
But, despite all procrastination, I made progress! As the say goes: Slow progress is still progress. Very true to my February.
And let me tell you: It’s looking like a book dummy (!!) after the first test print. Full of errors but a book looking! AND I REALLY think it will have all parts ready to show around at the Fair! I can’t possibly put together a good image to share here yet but soon! I know, bummer. I will do better, promise.
Here are screenshots of chaos process.
the beautiful setting up the dummy at home
In numbers: 21 full pages of colouring and digital adjustments (sketches were done last year). In January I coloured 13 pages and 8 in February. There is a cover concept in progress and around 10 complementary illustrations more. And finally, colour adjustments after test prints- which I’m working on right now. And set up (cut, glue, assemble). Yes, for sure, I underestimated how long it would take. And my poorly sanity management.
I’ve been oscillating between going crazy with self doubt x feeling proud and emotional of its progress x just want to finish it to move on to something else - quick and thinking free, if possible!
Ok. As you notice see I could blab for hours (more) on how stressful x fulfilling has been to work on my own project. But I will save for a 3 part posts later. Right now, I’m still focusing and get this dummy to the finish line. Not perfect - just good enough to sell my dream to a publisher. Fingers crossed!
Others quick show and tell highlights from this month:
Valentine’s day was celebrated replacing fancy plans for a lovely brunch at home. My valentine was feeling under the weather and yet went for flowers and sweets for me ❤️
I joined the #100DayProject on February 23, with a very silly simple way. Drawing one little thing on Procreate to keep getting used to draw on iPad. 10 days per page. I hope after the Fair I can make the drawings a bit more connected and nicer. For now, yay! I’m doing it! Here is my first 10.
I finished listening to Marina Abramović memoir book Walk Through Walls: A Memoir and it was so interesting and moving. I felt quite humble listening to her life story and inspiring art career. Audiobook was a treat with her reading.
Friend/fantastic illustrator Jon Skræntskov just got his book RÆVEN OG DRAGEN (fox and dragon) published! It’s in danish but his illustration are beloved in all languages. I made a fan art to gift him at his book launch.
Went to a talk about The evolution of Human Languages: Past, Present and Future by Mark Pagel in a fun event called Science and Cocktails. It was so interesting to be reminded how different languages we have, our connections beyond borders and think about future. Same language or keep native? Why not both. Love the discussion.
We went to a Max Cooper concert and it was a music and visual happiness overload.
By the end of month I joined The Picture Book Course by The Good Ship Illustration. I’ve been busy but as soon as I’m free I cant wait to start.. Let’s say April after Bologna Children Book Fair.
I am also currently in love with a mobile game called Animal Restaurant. It’s visually adorable, low effort and a good replacement for Instagram doom scrolling. Did I mention how ADORABLE it looks? Let me know if you play :)
End of February is my dear husband birthday!! So I baked an Apple pie (his wish and my weakness since I’m not a pie master - but it was a success!
What’s next:
Next post this month will be about last years project that has just been published. A fun Animals eco-sticker book published by Igloo Books. I love how it turned out!
It’s going to be more drawings and less chat, promise! ;)
Happy March!
love and chips,
malu :)
