Tag Archives: pencil drawing

Not Yet Printed and Already Out-Dated?

There is one last drawing that needed scanning. I drew the cabin several years before I decided to make the book The Cabins of Wilsonia. The photo taken with my old digital camera just isn’t good enough for the book!

I called the customers/friends/cabin owners (all those roles and titles have blurred) to ask if I can borrow back the drawing. The wife and I discussed a trip to Clovis or a trip to Wilsonia. The drive to Wilsonia is prettier, and it is actually closer, so that’s how we did this.

It meant leaving Three Rivers at 9:30 and just blasting up and back quickly (Driving 245 down fast was FUN!!) because I needed to get to Exeter to work on the mural on Rocky Hill Antiques. After retrieving the drawing, I did a short drive around Wilsonia.

Look! The road signs used to look like this:

Now they look like this. AND I saw 2 roads that are NOT in the book – Kearsarge and Muir. it’s okay – there are no cabins on them. Probably used to be. . . sigh.

And this charming, mysterious, always boarded up, and never occupied cabin now looks like this:

Well! Who knew that the book would be outdated before it even goes to press??

Sold Cabin Drawings

Once I learned that the drawings for the upcoming book The Cabins of Wilsonia did not have to be rescanned (GLORY HALLELUJAH!), I began contacting the cabin owners that I’ve met to offer them “first dibs” on the drawings of their cabins.

I only have contact information for about 37 of the cabin owners. (Like that “about 37”? That is sort of like saying “The time is around 12:08 p.m.”) So, if you suspect that your cabin may appear in the book, use the contact tab at the top of my blog and get in touch with me.

Meanwhile, have a look at a few completed drawings that now have a new home.

Sometime I’ll show you some of the drawings that the cabin owners decided they didn’t want to buy. I find it mildly interesting, and you might too. Or maybe I’ll give it some more thought and decide not to show those. More will be revealed in the fullness of time. . .

Confidence Weakened, Confidence Restored

There are over 200 cabins in Wilsonia. I have eddresses for about 40 of the cabin owners. Once in awhile I send out an email update on the project.

Now that the drawings can be sold, I emailed each of the folks whose eddress I have, folks I thought might like first dibs on buying the drawing(s) of their cabins.

I sent this drawing to a couple.

As I looked at it on my screen, I thought “HEY! Why are the lines on the roof crooked??” Then I hit Send anyway.

The next day I went through my photos to see how I could have made such an amateurish drawing mistake. Yikes, the humiliation.

This is what I saw:

The lines are crooked on the drawing because they are crooked on the roof. I bet you probably can’t even figure out what was bugging me here!

Allll righty then. Confidence restored.

Green Light!

WOOHOO!! I got the green light from The Book Designer (self-publishing consultant) that I am making the correct computer corrections on my drawings!

It also means that I can now sell the drawings because THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE RESCANNED!!

Excuse me for shouting. I am SO RELIEVED.

Sorry. Trying to get a grip here.

It also means it is time to figure out prices. The pencil drawings are odd sizes, unlike the standard sizes I usually draw for commissioned pieces.

Gotta go – lots of work ahead!!

P.S. For the benefit of Mr. Google and anyone looking for my upcoming book, these are pencil drawings of the cabins of Wilsonia for the upcoming book The Cabins of Wilsonia. Really! It is coming up and sooner than I thought. No date yet. . .

P.S. #2 Speaking of dates, 6 years ago I began blogging about life as an artist here (it will open in a new window if you click on it.) And, 10 years ago on this date I broke three bones in my ankle, had lots of metal inserted, had a year of several surgeries, now have a Frankenfoot and am deeply grateful for the ability to walk.

Thoughts About Having a FABULOUS Book

Sometimes I say I am working on a book, and sometimes I say I am drawing a book. Since 2014 began, I’ve been working on the written parts of The Cabins of Wilsonia.

The conclusion is written and edited. After I paid the editor, I realized that it needs to be read by someone who gave me some greatly helpful information about Wilsonia and wonderful ideas for the conclusion. He now has it, and I am hoping he doesn’t suggest any changes or additions. Stupid, because if I really didn’t want that to happen, I wouldn’t have asked him to read it.

When I worked in a print shop, I was taught that there are 3 elements to business: speed, price and quality. It is only possible to have 2 of the 3, never all of them.

I’m trying for all three here, but have decided that quality is the most important element.

My desire to have a FABULOUS book is stronger than my desire to either get it done quickly or to do it for the least amount of money possible. (I hope you all are saving up for your copies!)

Where is this Picnic Table?

Houston, we have a problem.

More than one, actually, but I can handle the others.

I had a scanner that seemed fine except for the fact that it is severely limited in size. After scanning about 30-40 drawings, I faced the fact that I needed to find a bigger and better scanner. Now I am having to rescan all the drawings done the first time. (Thank you for not pointing out my slowness to accept reality. I’ve been working on that for awhile. Sigh.)

In rescanning, I realized that I have a drawing of a picnic table from somewhere in Wilsonia. Which lane? It will appear in the chapter Cedar Lane because that is where it fits. But, where is this table??

DO YOU KNOW WHERE THIS PICNIC TABLE IS??

Thanks.

Cedar Lane

Cedar Lane will be Chapter 3 in The Cabins of Wilsonia. It is one that I added new drawings to and redesigned. This caused a general scooting around of every successive page. Every time I look through the photos of Cedar, I vacillate between adding more and leaving it as is. Remembering how much trouble it is to scoot successive drawings and redesign every successive page is enough to make me say to myself, “Self, STOP IT”.

Two Hundred Sixty Five Pencil Drawings of Cabins

Made it! 265 pencil drawings for the upcoming book, The Cabins of Wilsonia, finished. (Unless my drawing student make me change something, because they are “mean” like that.)

The last cabin on my list, on Willow Lane.

This doesn’t mean that there won’t be more. The drawings might not be enough, or horror of horrors, there might be too many. There are a couple more that I would like to draw, but don’t think I can fit them in.

I’d also like to put little ones here and there to enhance plain pages like the Table of Contents or Acknowledgements.

That may look good, or it may not. More will be revealed in the fullness of time.

SINGLE DIGITS!!

I’m in single digits! Less than 10 pencil drawings to be finished for the upcoming book The Cabins of Wilsonia! (The Captain Obvious way of writing is to help Google find this blog in case people are looking for it – please forgive me for sounding as if I think you have forgotten what it is about.)

When the count dropped to double digits, I was elated all by myself in the studio but didn’t say anything on the blog. Now, I’m beside myself with the thrill of seeing the end within touching distance. It may not be by December 31, 2013 as I originally planned, but it will be very very close. That’s awesome, and I congratulate myself.

Wow, how peculiar can one artist be? Pretty peculiar, because if I were any happier, I’d be twins!

Sorry. Deep calming breaths required here.

Happy 2014 to you, cherished blog readers!

First Blogiversary

On December 19, 2012, I started this blog, The Cabins of Wilsonia. (Still bowled over by the brilliant creativity of that name!)

The website has 5 pages – the blog itself, about this blog, a contact page, frequently asked questions and questions to ponder.

Since that date there have been 84 posts and 112 comments. You’ve seen 60 drawings, 55 of which will appear in the book. (That’s quite a preview of the 270 that the book will contain, dontcha think??) The header drawing on the website has been changed 3 times.

There are now 18 drawings remaining. I am considering this a success, because I am in charge of my book and get to decide the definition of its success. (Sounds like there should be a “so there!” and a raspberry at the end of that last sentence.)

In the upcoming year, my first goal is to finish the remaining drawings.

The Cabins of Wilsonia

A picture book about a cabin community