I recently finished illustrating "Dozer's Run," a picture book to be published by Sleeping Bear Press (written by Debbie Levy and Rosana Panza). It is scheduled to be in May 2014. I guarantee that I will post more about this project as we get closer to the release date!
For now, here's a post about the character design and development of Dozer, the title character in this true story of a labradoodle who spontaneously took part in a fund-raiser half-marathon.
Click here for a Publisher's Weekly article about the book.
When I start a project, I focus on the characters. The first step is drawing; lots of drawing!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWdjKF-YAbMHQDQdgcHUlD6VHGniTQlYksz8elMfFRfq6Gu0slNtUw1pzMT-hdpavMzhStc90wuxwZtuUxJIXL1lj1BTDHRz3rD8RfSfms_S2xia1y0OOrtgUrr4wl0Roq7HRv-556dPqd/s1600/dozer_heads.jpg) |
I do pages and pages of these. I use
photo reference, especially at first. Click to enlarge. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZO-MlxrjEC4jPfaDHraBHPPQB_PZhJ3KWCo72ertd4u0lhoJvgDx58ajGm0kraeDD-K2lzyydHj3-lcYlBV7xLui9DZAERaZd_ulPxyCV1hGCV1VKfnvns7_6uXhRrbgyTjo8Gi09G0b/s1600/dozer_sketches.jpg) |
Action poses. Click any of
these images to enlarge. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXY9jzou_bP85VfZTLMhuPLzl_2xfwc7tQMK111YGlVNwGXllK4XqzoJWeQPyu1_1IJuZnWoN5IBj1ec7RzT4n7Knta_ygZwPLM7hkD4qPgzt3HaDPzuc6QpKcekDvCjHjuWYpOSY03_GV/s1600/dozer_situations.jpg) |
I like to put the character in poses
from the book. I try to show action
and emotion from the beginning stages. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPt5YAI6brWiUJh_uqK5deMrxOLgdpdw4oTIDWYn6d-ybOwnBCdtlQhQX_gVozVn2vP2OcDe_Hk7lbwf3CF2l6x1Gi8KCAbF5gEUSrZVTwPEx2_n9QCxw1rzEjVvq1vOgg1jajb-gCG8BH/s1600/dozer_watercolor_style.jpg) |
Once I get some poses that I like, I do color studies. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6Hf1clC1a-oEbHOqHLgmU9adgxvBs9o7pda5jdjh9_-DGATGrmObI48af6nPC2CYQvCZpppGG0bkZzUQRCIeNQZSY_2ngQJBkfQIIi8vE2jB8ff6jmq5jVf-vxczPMJgxoiUgXvqB7Pd/s1600/dozer_study_watercolor2.jpg) |
My color versions can also be process studies. I did all of these
color studies digitally, although I go for a "traditional" look. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OfvQu07fiZ2qsw4cGCtpTj0XHzOT50yXBbW2eHfPRBbo3OcpLV8JSqiHMzG-arg6DvzUUsXqixW4JyCBLWmyxXEBlOPRqqujrufZv0xm5UbuuNcIFHVT328tZPKWypN55aRKuQ85sx7X/s1600/dozer_studies4.jpg) |
More color studies, but I've decided to go for
an opaque, painted look. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrK26ehEhq0NrU-ncA_GIJhsazvVedUctHUWB8LlevnUCchG5CnhdLdTpdpc3fHoqRZ0CRmzFH8C-D727yAtKRIAn691cuY2DDdOz8iTgFoT7wJ9UjJ9bqCu9PdrziUQgrVvmGP7_p7A5n/s1600/dozer_studies_color.jpg) |
Color studies. Yep, I do lots of studies. At this point I'm
starting to figure out Dozer's defining characteristics. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKmbTK7fFslYa8moyRZ1fs1F3lv0uJTFFs1k9Qn08oOgzhe3ZlE29aZJJMs8tqlmdn4s4uHEdYVnqAw6ifRVu_8XM_zCXQoMgOquDZ86GHuQEbE7mVsaTkNPMFbCybzI6le6D2_RciIzl/s1600/dozer_stretch_study.jpg) |
Dozer is getting closer to his final look. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHo6HQfx-2NjIvBq-9klPblnfjXHjp5-SOx55VOJjOyT0mKfZNYkjKEzDzec1aa3xdAXZL06g8nCFmTqlB7RSHF0np4TMZySvfvxUvcq7w9E3nwe5dx-W5FF4zf38caDQh8dULg2KLKkY/s1600/dozer_study7.jpg) |
More color studies in a technique that is
close to the final process. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0wMKxzbmJrJwbaTfh-6RSQZn_82twI0iY1Z8k6CXCTEcxzQG3j51VZmaiQ6Y8bEbemEOpR8PdsRz-Rh9Ie_KVIbshGLTrJ2oycmhkQxozL37DryX6DdyTPw3hzbaOZ39DLKrizv2ctWR/s1600/dozer_study8.jpg) |
Getting closer. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIF5qzuBpRB1Xdp4SxQvW4el30TS0YHazJOpk2B0vJ4Qc082l566Kb6xGiT2WskBZ8F-IPnOnibPtqefIKfpnS3OWNJDVjya3TewMB4XDP-mggLgMyLJABoVx2toeAiDHd-pEEi87Yk5JD/s1600/dozer_cover_detail.jpg) |
And in this cover detail you can see what I ended up with. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYP_GXlXTAb6eMydkhyphenhyphen8rer7qZfaN3EAp5eXADuu_L8kPZ1gIL6uPnMXH5NeaVC8OVpH2L8moXPuriWLtDozCBFIeAbgAzCgDH8buQHAMvAJeeafI458G5ToSekovXG7ZLtcGlqSR-Jw8O/s1600/dozer_p32_detail.jpg) |
Here's a detail from a finished interior illustration. |