Three things to share with you.

1.  Lynda Barry teaches a How to Draw Comics class at  UW-Madison and the class is also available online!  For us!  If you have seen and enjoyed her books, you will imagine her take on the syllabus, her homework assignments, and her general  persona. Even if you don't want to draw a comic, ever, you most likely would enjoy her humor Give it a whirl. Over here. 

2.  I have collections of picture books, alphabet books, and picture books from other countries. I love searching out bookstores when I travel abroad to find illustrated kids books with illustrations I love. It matters not that I can't read the story (although a good picture book tells the story visually, too); I fall in love with the special qualities and often try to figure out how the illustrations were achieved.  Is that pastel? Love the sketchy look! Interesting way to use collage there....

But it has occurred to me that my lovely collection sits there on the shelf and, although I peruse it often, I want to share it with other people in the hopes they would also enjoy it. It's a bit awkward to do so at our high society cocktail parties (wink wink), but I do have people right here who might enjoy some of it. So..you're it! Whether  you like it or not. I will be sharing over time various pages from these really charming books. The first one here is from France:

it means, Google says, "on the string."  It is about two tightrope walkers so that makes sense to me!  (I have been learning French for about two decades now. Don't ask.) 

Love the shadow. Shadows are difficult to paint in watercolor, which I think this is. You can't overwork them and they must be started and finished in one large motion, not piecemeal. I also love the patterns and how she does the spotlight effect. 

The illustrator is Isabelle Chatellard. She has illustrated over forty children's books, published in France and available in translation in Spain, Italy, England, Japan, US, Korea, and others. She has a web site with some of her work,  and a little video of a film she illustrated. 

Number 3, is the only real quickie: There's a new Daily Amazing in the Miniature series posted today.