Nearing the End of the Journey

Great news! Principal illustration for the entire book is finally done!

Pre-order the book by contacting the author or illustrator (in the side column) and let us know how many you need reserved. Cost will be about $20 (USD) plus tax and shipping. Sales benefit children's scholarships at Appel Farm Arts Camp.

It's been a long journey, not just for George and Wynonah but also for myself and Gretchen, the author. I've been working on the art since January. In that time lots of changes have happened to our plans-- hopefully producing the best possible art for our project.

I've changed too. I feel much more at ease tackling difficult artwork. My imagination has been stretched. I've also gained twenty pounds, grown a beard, and sprained a foot.

Once we're in print we'll get back to you with shipping and billing information and get you your books!

Have a great day!
--Zoungy, illustrator for Buttons & Beads: Lenape Princess Wynonah and the the Future President

North of Kittatinny Blue Mountain

This is just a teaser of some full color work I've been doing for the book. Unfortunately, I only have a black and white version right now.

Wondering what it looks like in color? Keep an eye open for this and more. The book will be on sale very soon. Want it earlier rather than later? Send us a note at wynonah.lives@gmail.com and we'll get back to you with sales information.

See the color concept art for this piece here.

George and Wynonah Campfire Colors

I have been experimenting with the two illustrations involving campfires-- basically trying to create a unique identity and feel for each one, even though both involve people sitting by campfires.

Large Color Sketches

Six-inch color concept for campfire scene using Prismacolor pencils

I've already done small color thumbnail sketches which helped me determine what colors I generally want to use on each page. Thumbnails are small, inspirational scribbles, if you haven't been following the blog. In some cases I made several versions for a single page.

Now I am expanding and refining those little inspirational scribbles like the one on the left into larger color sketches: I know what colors I want; now I'm trying to replicate them on purpose, not just by happenstance.

Since these sketches are used for color purposes only, this is why no facial details have been drawn.

While I am at it, I am also teaching myself how to develop RAW camera files-- giving me much more control over the final appearance of the reproduced colors in the book.

A second, "hotter" version of the same image can be seen to the right.

Pentemente: Sketches of Wynonah

In this early stage of developmental drawing I find it convenient to work on small sheets of tracing paper. Individual parts of the composition can easily be moved around within the border of the work area, and also it is easier to adjust each drawing simply by retracing the good parts and altering the rest.

After sketching the George/Wynonah campfire idea in thumbnail form, I used a full-length mirror to see how the pose would be held in reality. The pose changed several times as I extended my arms in friendship the way Wynonah did.

As seen in the last post, I then did a quick gesture sketch (my sister posed), and based on this I went to the tracing paper. A simple drawing of the rigid skeleton allowed me to flesh out the body, and the fleshed-out form could then be draped in clothing that the manuscript and further research told me she must have worn.

A third version shows the pose changed yet again with not one, but two arms offering the turtle shell cup full of sassafras tea.

Future versions will include refined contours, light and shadow, and color. Last of all the final illustration will incorporate Wynonah, George, and the various items they brought to stay safe, warm, and well-fed on their journey.

Lots of Sketches

The rough sketches seen here are just a few of many which will all contribute to only one of the book's finished illustrations-- the campfire scene.

The devil is in the details! For example, did you know Lenape women wore their wrap-around skirts generally wrapped counter-clockwise? I didn't. Did you know George Washington kept his journal sometimes on interleaved pages in the Virginia Almanac?

After many days of research I have culled enough information (for now) to begin assembling a final composition. Every detail of Wynonah's and George Washington's appearance-- from clothing to bags, food utensils, writing implements-- has been considered.

See more of the "campfire" sketches on our Facebook page! While you're at it, don't forget to "LIKE" us both there and on this blog. You'll get more updates and sneak peeks from both the art blog and the Facebook page.

Sketches of George

Using the bust seen in the last post and some of the thumbnail sketch ideas seen in older posts, I refined the sketch of George Washington by the campfire. More sketches will follow but the ones seen here experiment with lighting and poses.

In the first sketch we get a solid, rough idea of George at the fire, but I wanted his pose to be more dynamic and also more "open" to Wynonah, who will be seated opposite him. In the more complete sketch he doesn't have the appearance of someone who will meet her halfway. In the second sketch he is more relaxed and reaches farther out to her.

Some challenges in this image include how to fit George comfortably on the page without putting his face in the gutter of the book; also how to balance the composition nicely. The "Rule of Thirds" suggests that objects of interest are pleasing to the eye when they fall along the one-third division lines of a composition; however in this case, the one-third line is the book gutter!

Another challenge will be for George the image to live up to George the legend. In Gretchen's text young Washington's physique is described as "extraordinary." He will of course be clothed in the final image but it helps to start with the human form, and then clothe it.

Who's This Happy Fellow?

The path to finished art takes more twists and turns than many would expect.

Take for instance one illustration in which I must depict George Washington, age 26, smiling by the light of a campfire. Setting aside concerns of my art skills getting rusty or overly challenged in general, how does one draw a young George Washington? Lit by a campfire? While smiling?

Thumbnails 3

These thumbnail sketches (roughly the third set so far) give a glimpse of new layout and illustration ideas.

Pages 6 through 13 are almost entirely new, with the addition of a village scene, the interior of Esther Harris's trading post, Sassoonan telling stories, and Wynonah alone on her Vision Quest. Pages 32-33 will show a comradely pair, George and Wynonah , at their campfire.