Why Monsters?

 by kevan atteberry

Recalling a conversation from a month or two ago, when a friend noted virtually all my published books are about or feature monsters, I decided my post today would be a self-indulgent look at the the title question and whether there is an answer to it.

A few sample titles.

I knew this of course, but I didn't think much about it. Have I been pegged as another "monster guy?" Maybe. Do I care? Not really. Okay, sometimes I think about it and wonder if I should try and write a story with humans. But you know what? I love making monsters and I'm pretty alright at it. Whether for a book or for my own chuckles, I seem to default into sketching monsters when I have my sketchbook in hand. 

For several years I did a Monster-A-Day in October creating a new, from scratch monster everyday of the month. It was an exercise in discipline and creativity. (Hopefully, I'll resume that this October.)

I've also taken to incorporating monsters into old photos. You can see more them here http://vaguelyneighbors.tumblr.com/ where I share space with Patrick Girouard who adds robots to photos.  

I can create an endearing and interesting monster much easier than I can make an endearing and interesting child. Drawing kids is challenging and laborious and I am prone to exaggerated bouts of self-criticism and doubt. But then every now and then I'll knock out a kid that looks right. A kid that I feel good about. Chances are, though, that it will be a kid with a monster.

Why monsters? Why not monsters?

kevanatteberry.com

A Quiet Examination of the Wonder of Being Alive

by Jennifer K. Mann

I love quiet picture books.

I love picture books in which not much happens, and yet, so much happens.

I love picture books that make me feel strong emotions, but do so almost without my noticing.

I love picture books that make me laugh through tears.

I love picture books that make me heave a big sigh, and say "Wow," a little breathlessly, when I've turned the last page.

I love a picture book whose most powerful action is the side-by-side beating of my heart and the heart of the main character.

The books I come back to again and again are each a quiet examination of the wonder of being alive. They are about the things that happen to us and around us all the time, even when we're too busy to notice. 

A quiet picture book gives us a minute to slow down, take note, feel awe, and appreciate being alive.

Happy spring everyone!

Literary Miximals with Elizabeth Rose Stanton

I had so much fun with fellow Whatsit, Ben Clanton's, post about "Miximals" from last week that it got me thinking about some of the "miximals" that already exist in children's literature.
Here are some that spring to mind:

Growing up, I was fascinated by Hugh Lofting's pushmi-pullyu—kind of a gazelle, bi-horned unicorn cross:

from The Story of Dr Dolittle (1920)

Lewis Carroll's fantastic nonsense creatures came to life in John Tenniel's exquisitely detailed drawings:

The gryphon, which looks to be a lion, raptor, not-sure-what-else kind of critter; and the mock turtle— a wonderful blend of cow and turtle!

from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865)

 . . . and the ultimate composite Alice creature, the jabberwocky:

from Through the Looking glass, and what Alice Found There (1871)

On a more modern, and lighter note, here are a few jumbled-up characters from Dr. Seuss, complete with a variety of miximal-type names:

Joats

  from If I ran the Zoo (1950)

Finally, I think Maurice Sendak's Wild Things are some of the best "miximals" going!

 from Where the Wild Things Are (1963)

 What are your favorite miximals from children's literature?

-ERS

Miximals with Ben Clanton

In the last post I did for the whatsit blog (back in November!) I talked about different ways of keeping final art loose and free. My eighth tip for loosening up was about warm-ups. Today I thought I'd share one of my favorite warm-up games. It isn't all that complex, but it tends to be a favorite among illustrators for good reason. I've heard this game called many things, but the one I like best is 'miximals.'

When I play this game at school presentations and book readings I ask the audience for three different animal names. If you do play this game with kids it can be fun to pretend to mishear the suggestion or misremember it. For example, if a kid suggests a 'dog' then I might say 'Emu?! Great idea!' . . . the kids love to shout back what the actual suggestion was. BUT seeing as I do not have an audience in my studio tonight I decided to simply search online for a 'random animal generator' which turned out great. An alternative is to rip up a bunch of paper scraps and write creature names on the different scraps, put them in a bucket, and draw out a few from the bucket. Once you have three animal names or two or ten then the next step is to simply draw a picture of all those creatures mashed together. I find this never fails to get my creative juices flowing. It is both fun and challenging. You can also take it a step further and determine the name for the creature by mixing the names of the creatures.

There is a writing game I enjoy playing sometimes that is similar to maiximals in which I write a bunch of random words down, select a few, and then have to use all those words in either a sentence or a short story. The more words the bigger the challenge and the more interesting the result!

I'd love to see what sort of miximals you come up with!

Some Meanwhile Thoughts

-Loads of activity going on for THE WHATSITS lately — book launches, new book deals, LOTS of books in the works! Never a dull moment. So hang tight. We'll be back with another scintillating post in a couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, here are some WHATSIT thoughts from each of us:

An upside down thought from Elizabeth Rose Stanton
.

A stellar thought from Wendy Wahman

. 

A two sides to it thought from Kevan Atteberry

.

A racy thought from Ben Clanton

.

An achy thought from Jennifer K Mann
.

See you soon!

Announcing the newest member to the family: Peddles!

by Wendy Wahman

Elizabeth Rose Stanton’s new baby, PEDDLES, debut birthday party is this Friday, and we’re mighty proud and excited around here. But what do you get a pig for his birthday? Well, if you’re the beloved nephew of A Whatsit, you might get a portrait of yourself (and a trough of cake).

If you’re in the Seattle area, join us at University Bookstore, Fri., Jan. 8th at 7pm.

to raise our champagne glasses to our dear, talented, hard working Elizabeth.

~ Check out the Calendar for upcoming PEDDLES and other Whatsits events ~

‘Peddles’ with love from Uncle Ben:

Mama Stanton:

            

Auntie Jennifer:

Uncle Kevan:

and Auntie Wendy:

 We love you, Peddles!

Happy Whatever from The Whatsits

– Wendy Wahman

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 

And never brought to mind? 

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 

And auld lang syne.

As we join hands in friendship and look forward to the New Year, we remember old friends and welcome new. And so can be said for work and art. Some oldies but goodies from seasons past: 

Ben Clanton

This guy was an art test for a book I was working on last year called IT CAME IN THE MAIL (coming in June . . . so far away!). Just like getting a parcel in the mail, the first snow always fills me with wonder and a belief in magic.

Elizabeth Rose Stanton

The holidays wouldn’t be the holidays without a little pathos . . . so here’s scene from an almost forgotten story I started a few years ago. Maybe our readers can help complete it.

Wishing everyone a happy, merry, everything!

Jennifer K. Mann

I love the birds that visit my backyard, and their songs are especially alive this time of year. Every year during Advent, I make tiny paintings of the tiny birds in my yard, to slip into the pockets of a cloth advent calendar for my children. Advent occurs during the darkest time of the year, yet these little birds remind me of the light that is just over the horizon. Soon, as always, the darkness will be replaced by the light of spring and new life.

Kevan Atteberry 

This Holiday Hello card is from 2011. It features a couple characters that have popped up in several things I’ve done in the past. I originally thought of them and worked on them a few years before this thinking it might be a comic strip—Two Unlikely Friends. Then I’ve toyed with the idea of using them in a young graphic novel. I’m still thinking about that and I revisit them every now and then. Especially around New Year’s Day for some reason.

Wendy Wahman

I drew these Nutcracker dancers for the Holiday Happenings section of the Seattle P-I newspaper in 2004. I had a whole little family of snow people adorning the event and performance listings. They sailed on the Christmas Ship, played the harpsichord in choirs and took their bows on stage alongside ghosts of Christmas’ past. A few years later, they were the inspiration for SNOWBOY 1,2,3.

Peace, love and good works in the New Year,
Ben, Elizabeth, Jennifer, Kevan and Wendy

Say, speaking of dancers… leaping onto the stage in January, is Elizabeth’s newest picture book, PEDDLES!