Sandwich to Sundae: Uncommon Stories Behind Common Words - World Book Encyclopedia

Last year I illustrated a Child Craft Annual for World Book Encyclopedia about the formation of the English language. Soon after the publication of that book, they approached me again about creating some illustrations for a follow up book that focused on the stories behind some common words. I jumped on the opportunity since WB was so great to work with, and this series of simple illos. turned out to be a great project as well. I've included a couple of samples below to give you a feel for the book.

New Work from AFI

Here's a hodgepodge of new pieces I've been working on lately for clients, commissioned projects, and licensing...

Tryon Elementary School Visit - Uncovering Earth's Secrets

One of my favorite parts of illustrating for children is the opportunity to go into classrooms and speak with the kids.  It's funny, every time I do it I learn something new from them and it's such a refreshing and inspiring break from the many, many...many hours I spend in the studio.  So, I was of course very excited to visit Tryon Elementary School in Tryon, North Carolina last week to talk to the 4th and 5th grade classes about the most recent book I've illustrated Uncovering Earth's Secrets: Science and Adventure on the JOIDES Resolution (which is available as a free download on the iPad here).  

Some of the kids read the book before I visited...check out their awesome drawings! 

Thank you to TES fro the opportunity and a great day! And thank you Deep Earth Academy for the posters, pencils, & tattoos fro the kids!

SCBWI Fall 2013 Conference Masthead Illustration

SCBWI Nor Cal recently hosted a contest to illustrate the masthead for their Fall 2013 conference, and I'm excited and honored to share that my illustration won! Along with free admission to the conference, my illustration will be used in all promotional material for the conference. All you local SCBWI members...I hope to see you there!!! To sign up visit: http://www.norcaconference.info  Here's my masthead illustration and some pullouts from it:

Daily Bride - New Vector Collage Illos.

I'm working on a new job for a UK based bridal website and going all vector for the first time with these spots. Here's a little sneak peek...

Uncovering Earth's Secrets eBook Now Available for free download!

I'm so excited to announce that the eBook I have been illustrating over the past six months, Uncovering Earth's Secrets, is now available for free download in the iTunes bookstore! 

Uncovering Earth’s Secrets is a children’s picture eBook about the JOIDES Resolution. Kids explore how drilling the ocean floor from this ship has allowed scientists to learn a great deal about volcanoes, earthquakes, extinction of the dinosaurs, and much more about our amazing Earth.

I would like to send a huge thank you to the National Science Foundation and Deep Earth Academy for making this project possible!

Sneak Peek: Uncovering Earth's Secrets: Science and Adventure on the JOIDES Resolution

I've shared a little in the past about a new e-picture book I'm working on and trip I took last year on a research vessel, the JOIDES Resolution (see below).

Since sailing from Curacao to Bermuda aboard the JR, Kevin Kurtz has written, and I am in the process of illustrating the still images for our e-picture book: Uncovering Earth's Secrets: Science and Adventure on the JOIDES Resolution.  We thought it would be fun to share a little sneak peak from the book as we get closer to a release date.

Our text and illustrations are just the base of what will eventually be a fully interactive e-book designed for the iPad with games, animations, videos, print out coloring pages, links to the ship's website, and more. The story, illustrations and interactive elements will teach kids about the ship itself, the crew of scientists, and their research that is aided and advanced by ocean floor drilling.  I'll share more as we move further along and our first version of the ebook becomes available...until then happy sailing!

AAA Traveler Magazine - Charticle Illustration

We are starting the year off with some fun new illustrations here at AFI!  I recently worked with Art Director, Lymari Acevedo to create this fun chart-illustration for AAA Traveler Magazine which was published in the Winter 2013 issue.  

THANK YOU 2012

2012 has been a wonderfully busy year for AFI and I just wanted to send out a big THANK YOU to all of my clients from the past year: University of Oregon, AAA Traveler Magazine, Girl Scout Councils in New Jersey, New York, & Virginia, World Book Encyclopedia, OopsyDaisy, Kismet Communications, Deep Earth Academy/National Science Foundation, Gauthier Publications, They Draw & Travel, The Children's Miracle Network, Tryon Riding & Hunt Club, & The Book Shelf.

Along with the clients, I am so grateful for all of the interest and support from friends and family...thank you to you as well!  

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2013!!!  Check back in to see new projects, process, and personal work as I hit the ground running with a new book project this year.  For now I'll share my most recent promo...and get back to work.

New Illustrated Map for Bryn Mawr College

I'm excited to share the map I recently illustrated for Bryn Mawr College. I was commissioned by Kismet Communication a public relations consultancy, to create a map of Philadelphia and the field placements for their Graduate School of Social Work.  It was a great project to work on and Kismet Comm. produced a beautiful finished product.  I've shared a few of my rough sketches from the initial stages as well as the final layout below.

     Sketch 1

     Sketch 2

       Sketch 2

       Final Illustration, hand-lettered type. Digital Collage, Photoshop.

   AND finally, the final spread with text added by Kismet Comm.

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Hi Everyone, Between my brother's campaign and work I'm moving a little slow, but as promised I'm announcing the winner of my first annual giveaway today, and the winner is...AMANDA BRODIE.  Congrats Amanda! Please email me at acfeagan@gmail.com to contact me with a mailing address to ship you new art!

Thanks to EVERYONE for entering!  I'm working on hosting a second giveaway before Christmas so check back in soon!!!

Illustrating for the Girl Scouts

Just wanted to share a small side project I recently had the opportunity to work on with the Girl Scout councils in New Jersey, New York, and Virginia.  I created a badge design for the the Ship to Shore Science project for girl scout councils in New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. This project is grant funded by the National Science Foundation and directed by the Deep Earth Academy. The badges turned out really great and I'm excited to see them put to use!

Enter the First Annual Fall Giveaway at AFI!

Hi Everyone! I'm excited to announce the first ever fall giveaway of one of my 24"X12" stretched canvas pieces (wall art for kids), Out to Sea. This piece is one in a series of 5 silhouetted children's illustrations I created with Oopsy Daisy, fine art for kids. Visit their site to find this and more stretched canvas illustrations I've created along with my newest piece, a set of peel and place fabric wall art.

Entering is simple! All you have to do is post a comment on this blog post and you will be automatically entered to win.  Comments can be posted until November 5, 2012 at which time a winner will be drawn at random.  Please included your full name and check back after the 5th, I will announce the winner on the blog. 

Please share this post with friends and family...the more entries there are the better the chance I'll host a second giveaway very soon!!!

Just For Fun

Working on style and colors schemes for a new book and this is one of the scenes that emerged. Thought I would share, just for fun. 

Process Work - Personal Piece

I recently finished this personal piece and thought I would share some samples 

from my collage process:

            I start with a simple hand drawn sketch that I scan it into Photoshop.

          On top of the sketch I build each character with layers of flat color and begin to

            lay in my larger background shadows.

                                                                

         After I've created all of the large shapes, I place papers/textures within the    

         shapes by using clipping masks. All facial details are added and to complete

         the illustration I lay in shadows to give the figures a raised effect.  

            

Childcraft Annual - World Book Encyclopedia

World Book Encyclopedia recently published my first illustrated chapter book, Letters to Words. To accompany this story about the formation of the English language I illustrated the cover and 6 chapter headers. Each illustration is created digitally in paper collage.

Home again, home again

Whew...It's been a busy couple of weeks on the road! I've covered approx. 12,166 miles, got 3 new stamps in my passport, sailed on a research ship, got a little sea sick, received letters from kids I visited at NC schools during my book release, attended my first ICON7 illustration conference, met a ton of awesome illustrators, caught up with old friends, came home to sample copies of my first chapter book, and got a new project through dribble (thanks by the way to whoever posted my work....woohoo for free advertising)!


I'm exhausted, excited, inspired, and really happy to be back in the studio working on some new stuff.  Here are some photos from my recent travels and some fun letters from kiddos back on the east coast.  

The Joides Resolution - my home for 10 days.

Curacao - best snorkeling ever...what, it was for research for the new book. 

docking in Bermuda...can you find me (hint: I'm in a light green shirt)

SEE! We did work...

Found these in the mail when I came home:

So I thought this letter was pretty great...

and I think these guys are my favorite.

I'm going to hire this kid to draw any dog faces in my books from now on.