Getting Into Character

Maybe I'm just stating the obvious here. To an illustrator maybe this is obvious. Is it?

Any illustrator of sequential art--picture books, mid-grade novels, comics, graphic novels, etc.--should always start by pitching, and getting approval on, character sketches for said project. Even if they're not asked for (in my experience, not always), and even if it feels so right that you just wanna dive into the thing and start sketching pages. Personally speaking, in my humblest opinion, it's best to get the look of the character or characters down relatively tight, and agreed upon by both parties, before attempting to do the rest of the work.

I'm working on two middle-grade (3rd-4th-5th grade) novels right now that are asking for about 50 drawings each. The first book's sketch deadline was right around the time Romy was born. Needless to say, at that time my brain was fried and probably re-fried. Probably, I spaced. I did not show character sketches on that book. Instead, cranked on 55-ish sketches and sent them in. And... Ehhh... Ohhh... Didn't come back so well. Could've been a LOT worse, but the point is, I went right in without a lead. I did some character sketches but did not share. I used those to get going and sketched all the pages. Today, I'm currently near approval on a set of character sketches for this book, and pretty much back on track.

Needless to say, I was quickly reminded before the second book's sketch deadline (soon!) of my old rule of thumb. Gots to show them character sketches!

And, er, what're character sketches you might ask. A group of sketches (full-body is best, plus maybe some head shots for face details?) that show each of the main characters I'd be working with on a book. Sometimes I like to show each character from a couple of different angles. Either way, each sketch should show the personality and look I'm going for--of the person/animal/thing I'll be drawing many times over.

Here is a group of character sketches for book 2, in various states of approval.

Mighty Casey: Beginnings

With MIGHTY CASEY officially coming out tomorrow, March 3, I thought it'd be fitting to show and tell a bit about how it got started.

Mid-2006, I got an email from my editor and friend Liz Szabla at the just-up-and-running Jean Feiwel spear-headed publisher Feiwel and Friends. They were building up the first couple of lists and had a quirky, funny, CASEY AT THE BAT-inspired baseball pic book story that needed an illustrator. Having just worked with Liz at Scholastic on RIGHTY AND LEFTY, I was fortunate enough to get an invite.

Liz sent me the manuscript, by one James Preller, and I definitely loved it. I definitely wanted in. But before they'd sign me up officially, I had to do a little somethin'-somethin' to prove I was the guy. So, I whipped up these character sketches for the title character of MIGHTY CASEY (sidenote: Back then, I was still working full-time as a letterpress press operator. I wanted to get this back to Liz quick, so I actually sketched these up while standing at a running press--and scanned and emailed on my lunch break!):



The kids playing baseball in this book are far from good. They are very not good at the playing of baseball. Therein lies the charm and the humor. My original take on Casey was for him to be a tubbier, stoutly type. One who swings TOO hard, runs TOO fast, and slides TOO deep and it undoes each play... A "mighty" MIGHTY CASEY. But...

Preller's vision was a very SCRAWNY Mighty Casey. "Mighty", of course, being a bit on the tongue-in-cheek side. Made perfect sense. But, Preller and Liz both liked the style of these sketches enough to give me the thumbs up and I got the job!

Later on, it came time to deliver sketches on the book. Before I got started, Liz sent me an email that Preller had sent to her. (Sidenote: back then, Preller and I did not actually speak. Not cause we didn't like each other--but it's actually MORE common for authors and illustrators to NOT correspond in these situations. Weird? I know.) Preller's email laid it all out. The general vibe of the book as he'd dreamed it would be. It was good inspiration and good insight in helping me to get started.

So, before I went any further, I wanted to have a character sketch approved of how Preller's Casey should ACTUALLY look. I believe, in that original Preller email, he outlined the kids as looking extra-lean with ill-fitted uniforms and helmets so bulgy that they ended up looking kinda like bobble-heads. So here's what I came up with:



Sometime later, sketches were approved, and final art was wrapped. Here's a crowning shot of dear Casey, taken directly from our finished book:



And we all lived happily ever after.

To see how the rest turned out (wink-wink!), why not pick up a copy of MIGHTY CASEY? (wink-wink!) (Support your local bookseller!)

Epilogue: Preller and I eventually did talk (or emailed, to be precise). Long after the final art was delivered and book was designed. Having held a special place in his heart, he asked Liz to ask me how much I'd charge for a piece of the art. Having held a special place in my heart, I told Liz to tell him "for that guy, it's no charge". Then he emailed me and I emailed him and we're good ol' pals ever since.

Coming Attractions

Soon, I'll have a couple of new books coming out--at long last! Seems like I finished these forever ago. That's how the world of print/book production works. But it wasn't so long ago really. It's been a full few months, these past.


First up, is MIGHTY CASEY. This is my pal James Preller's retelling of the old Thayer poem. But I'm here to tell you, the results ain't nearly so glum. It's good, funny fun. I even got to draw a kid peeing against a fence in the outfield (no lie). But in a classy way.



Second up, is TOOT TOOT ZOOM!. This is the great Phyllis Root's pic book about a lonely little fox who has no friends. He jumps in his car and shoots up the mountainside to find some. There are good results. And there are disastrous results. I got to draw the car plummeting off the edge of the mountain (no lie). But it's classy.

I hope you'll save some room in your memory banks for when these come out. MIGHTY CASEY is set to "drop" March 3 from Feiwel and Friends. And you can find/buy/pre-order at amazon.com right here. Though, if I may be so bold, I strongly recommend/ask you buy/order through your local, independent bookstore!

TOOT TOOT ZOOM! is out April 28 from Candlewick Press. Amazon here. Local, independent bookshop, please!

More on these in the coming weeks...

Mr. Mom

Remember that Michael Keaton/Teri Garr ditty that came out in mid-80's? He gets canned from his job, so the missus has to save the day and be the breadwinner--a big-time ad agency exec. Keaton picks up stay-at-home Mom duties--fouling up laundry, dinners, taking care of baby. It all works out. Little bit sexist, but generally harmless fun.

Today, that's me. Not the sexist. The Mr. Mom. Julie's maternity leave just ran out, so I'm officially stay-at-home dad/illustrator. Today, day 1.

Romy's a real sweetheart, so it's going well. We miss Julie though, that's for sure. We were a team. A three-piece deal. {sigh}

Such is life.

The life of Mr. Mom.

Richard Thompson is GOOD.

One of my xmas/hanukkah gifts this year was a recently published, collected comic strip by Richard Thompson called CUL DE SAC. I first heard about Thompson and CUL DE SAC on one of my fave comics news sources, The Comics Reporter. It was a while ago. Since then, I've peeped in on Thompson's blog time and again, and I've occasionally looked in on his strip online. It's syndicated, but not all over the place. It should be. ALL over the place. This is the best mainstream strip I can remember since CALVIN AND HOBBES. It's hilarious, super-smart, and the best drawn thing I've seen in a freakin while. Bill Watterson even does the foreword on the book, saying pretty much the same stuff. It's sharp, wise, and kid-friendly like PEANUTS or CALVIN, absurd like BLOOM COUNTY, and drawings that'll knock your socks off like Ralph Steadman or somesuch. I really loved when, early on, he was coloring with watercolor. But that stops several pages into the book. I assume he quit to save time and it was probably a pain from a production standpoint.

At the request and permission of no one, I will hereby reproduce some of my favorite strips from this book, starting with the cover (click images to zoom and get a better read).

Matthew Cordell a la Facebook

In lieu of cross-platform internet self-promo, my lovely wifey Julie Halpern, has established my professional presence on Facebook. I have not (will not?) actually made (make?) my personal presence be known on the 'book. Is it right for me? I can't decide. But please, join the Matthew Cordell Group at the following link to get more info on me and my books--past and upcoming releases--as well as a quickie click-through of images (that are also found on my website--with lots more at the site!). So, to help out with this group membership drive, join here:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49883250317

And as usual, all the stuff that falls in between will be kept on this here blog--anecdotes, musings, head-scratches. And there's also my website which is least regularly updated. But it's totally worth your while, I promise!

And, maybe, someday, I'll actually pony up and create a personal Facebook account. But by then, Facebook will be the new myspace, which is now the new email, which is like the new snail mail, which is, sort of like sending a telegraph at this point.

Broked Ice

I just sent off some character sketches for the second mid-grade novel I'm working on. So the ice has been broken and that's good feeling. Now, just waiting for notes and what not from my good peeps at the pub and from Ms. Vail, the book's superfine scribe. Then I'm up and running. Will be a good bit of drawing, this one.

I would throw some of these up here, but I never know what's safe to do or not do. Things change. People like or don't like. They just ain't ready. So, instead, I shall throw up (but not throw-up! har-har.) some other sketches that have recently been filling the ol' sketchbook. This could be fun...

(click/zoom)




And while I'm at it, I would love to also share this amazing snapshot Julie took of our sweet lass, Romy Halpern-Cordell. Lookit her all basky in the sun, crashed out after a feeding under her frog/snail/turtle bouncer. Light o' my life, this one.

Not That You Asked...

I'd have to say it's been a good day. I mean, what with the inauguration and all. I don't like to get all political on this blog. Not really the forum for such. But I think it's ok to say that it's a good day. I mean, it's high time a minority has been put in this place of leadership. It couldn't hurt us masses for someone who's personally experienced the sting of prejudice and the hardships of immigration and middle-class living to be in this position. I feel proud to have lived during this moment.

Now. We gotta pray or hope or whatever each of us do, that either/or power and money don't corrupt. And Mr. Obama puts money where mouth is. But today, I like the odds.

Into the Great White Open

What am I working on right now? I'm illustrating two different middle-grade novels for two different authors at two different publishers. I just handed in round-one sketches for Julie Sternberg's lovely book at Abrams. Now, I'm gearing up to illustrate an awesome new book by one of my previous great collaborators, Rachel Vail, with Feiwel and Friends. Just finished reading the manuscript (you're gonna like it) and am now peeling open the sketchbook.

I love my "job." Cause it ain't a workin-for-the-man/workin-for-the-weekend "job" job. It's me doing my thing and getting paid so I can pay bills, etc. and keep on doing. It's been years and years to get here, so don't think I ain't grateful. But... the love don't take away the terror of the start of the start of my every new book. Something about the anticipation to anxiety of looking at the white, blank sketchbook page and not knowing what's gonna take shape. I don't think that fear will ever subside. It just is. Getting started. Well... I'm being a little dramatic. "Terror" is probably a little severe. And it doesn't typically last too long. Just long enough to round out that first solid character sketch. Since that's where I always start--the main character sketch.

And it goes down, more or less, like this (illustrated from a previous study):


White sketchbook page--sort of a falling-down-a-hole feeling, only this hole is white. Waiting to hit bottom. Some place to stand on. Get the legs straight. Til I get here (don't judge):


Still falling. Pages and pages of bad sketches. Still trying to get foot. Flailing and flopping all over the place, but getting better. Almost there. And finally:


Good, solid ground. Something I can work with. Feeling much better, thank you. Start of the start finished. Now to actually start...

Something Old, Something New

Today I had lunch with an old, old friend from the college years. The thing is... I don't look back too much cause I never know what I'm gonna get. Good times? Bad times? It was really great seeing Greg again. Made me remember though, some of the old me. People change, you know. I mean, I have. I did. Man, it's weird, dragging up old memories.


Then, I was thumbing through the latest ish of the New Yorker (I don't like starting sentences like that--cause I'm not the guy who starts sentences like that). I came upon an article about one of my old favorite musicians. Will Oldham, aka Palace, aka, Palace Brothers, aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy. Around '99-'01, I was heavily into this music. The art I was making at the time--it was just like a great coincidence of a soundtrack to what I was doing. What I was living. It was seriously moving to me. The music just feels like it's all been conceived on the rickety old porch of some shotgun shack of some deep, deep sleepy southern town, 95 degree heat. Melted ice teas, melted mint julips. So rich. Then, I changed. The music depressed me. Now I think I've changed again and I'm willing to revisit Bonnie "Prince" Billy. I missed a couple of albums in the interim.



What now? Oh, man, we're so entrenched in Romy. So in love. She eats, she poops, she wails and we love. Never knew how much til we got here.