Last week I was
working intensely on deadline to deliver the black and white drawings for an
upcoming picture book I am illustrating - DALE, DALE, DALE/ HIT IT, HIT IT, HIT
IT (written by Rene Saldaña Jr.) to my publisher.
As usual, I'd
prepped. I'd paced. I'd thumbnailed. I was having a blast! But, I needed a
little extra push when it came to spread #10 -
a drawing which included lots of toy marbles.
Partially exhausted,
I felt I had not fully captured the magical essence of "marbles."
I remembered the
enigma of little boys who carried around bags of marbles at recess when I was
little. I internet-hunted marbles and learned about "shooters,"
"pee-wees," "steelies," and "agates." I stared at
the small velvet pouch of vintage marbles that my mother bought me when I first
got this book contract, and then - I poured the marbles onto my desk.
They rolled …
everywhere.
I grabbed a small
empty photo frame and corralled them.
I thought to myself,
"These are beautiful. I have two more beautiful marbles in my jewelry box
I will add to this collection."
I added two more
marbles.
Hours later, I
couldn't help thinking, "I'm sure there is one more marble in this
house."
I stopped drawing
and looked around. Now where?
If I could find it, what a great sign that
would be!
I looked down at my
little marble corral and saw it.
One more marble.
Engraved around the
edges of the wooden frame were these words:
"I
saw the angel in the MARBLE and I carved until I set him free." Michelangelo
I had forgotten.
Trust that you have the skills to listen. The book will draw itself. As with
all art, a book becomes what it wants to become.
What an exciting
process!
Happy GroundHog Day!
Carolyn Dee Flores/Illustrator
