Monthly Archives: June 2015

Catching That Expression

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When your characters are going through extreme emotions sometimes you have to really feel their pain…

…then sketch the results! Selfies are so much better than using a mirror, because you don’t have to hold the pose while you draw.Michael faces

Michael really likes to get under each character’s skin when he’s drawing, so he often acts the story out to see how they move and express. He fills page after page of his sketch book, staying ‘in character’ as he draws, which means he’s muttering and exclaiming under his breath as he works. When he’s working on a text by Barbara Bottner that can make for some pretty noisy drawing as Barbara writes characters with full-on emotions and strong opinions. Annoying ABC (2011) had 25 preschoolers working themselves up into a group melt-down – that made for quite a bit of face-pulling and grumbling on Michael’s part.

The little girl in the book Michael’s currently working on is a typically feisty Bottner/Emberley creation. She goes by the name of Priscilla and she’s every bit as ornery as Missy from the Miss Brooks Loves Books books.  The photos show Michael playing out Priscilla arguing with her parents and teacher, trying to make them see things her way.

RTÉ Jr, in the House

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RTÉ Jr (Irish national TV broadcaster,  children’s channel) came to the house today to film. They are making loads of one minute segments to go out this summer and next, and they asked me to do some quick drawing for them. Thankfully I didn’t have to actually hit the one minute target on the images, though I did come close once or twice! I drew various animals – dog, elephant, gorilla etc. and they’ll slice and splice and get the ten pieces down to the required length.

Filming took place in our studio, which is actually our second bedroom, so space was, er, tight! Cormac operated one camera from the ensuite and Danny the soundman was banished to the landing.

Cormac the camerman in the shower…
Lights, camera, action!
Danny the soundman on the landing…
Jane directed from the bed!
View from the landing.

The crew assured us that this was not the smallest space they’ve worked in. Cormac said he worked on a scene for Fair City (Irish soap) last week in a smaller space, with seven actors. It wasn’t even his first time filming in a loo – he shot an interview with Franz Ferdinand in one!