I’ve posted a new video sharing the process of creating art for a book and how to turn basic shapes into characters. I discuss the process of creating a book dummy for I WILL BE FIERCE and turn a circle, square and triangle into fun characters.
I hope you’re staying safe and strong!
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If you can, please shop to support or send $ to https://paypal.me/EverydayLoveArt
Thank you!
Thumbnails
Inks
Base colors
Lighting + shading + magic ^_^
I’ve been making very slow progress on Jukebox over the past few weeks. I’ve lived with this story for over 2 years. I cannot wait to release it next year! While sharing some of my work with my graduate students at CCA, I realized it’s helpful to show the process of comics work. It’s very labor intensive but ultimately incredibly rewarding. Each panel is a chance to learn how to convey story with composition, expression, body language and pacing.
I wrote the story in a detailed outline, roughly 4 pages, in mid 2018. Then I worked on a thumbnail manuscript. I finished that in 5 months, in December 2018. Using that manuscript, I drew clean inked lines for the finished book. I completed inks in February of this year. Now along with Elizabeth Kramer and a team of flatters, we’re working on colors. I aim to finish the book by summer but with current events it may be longer.
For most of my life I was conflicted about my choice to pursue a path in the arts. Growing up I valued non-art careers far more. As our current mess unfolds, I realize that the arts are equally important and necessary. Books, movies, music are not only a lovely way to escape – they allow us to feel connected, and they’re important to our shared mental health. That’s one of my takeaways from this time – to value my own work.
I appreciate the opportunity to continue to make stories for that reason. Plus, work is where I find comfort and joy. I hope you are finding places of comfort and joy, as well.
Be safe and healthy, all.
We had a creative weekend and I had the chance to create a new coloring page available for free here. I will try to share more pages and activity sheets as we move forward. I will explore places and animals in each page.
I hope you have a good Monday!
I feel the message of this book now more than ever. My good friend from college, Joe Sampson, is a principal at a bay area elementary school. Joe posted a video reading I will be fierce and it’s wonderful. It’s great for kids everywhere and honestly, adults too. In addition to the video, I also shared a story time kit to accompany I will be fierce here. It’s been absolutely wonderful to see the educators, librarians and authors come together to support parents who are homeschooling their children.
We also watched his I am not scared video and it brought us comfort.
We’re exploring many new iterations of homeschooling as we adjust to our life, school and work expectations. We’re motivating our kid to get up and ready by using a reward chart. It’s hard when there’s no school to attend. I’m sharing my reward chart here as well.
Things that are working – sidewalk chalk to create alphabet hopscotch and use it to spell words, educational and promotes movement. Nick set up a tent inside our living room for a faux camping movie night. This weekend we plan to hold our first family band practice. We’re also going to set up our dining room as a restaurant (decor, menu, bill!) and give our kid the experience of eating out… in our home.
Every time I read the news my heart sinks… but these small moments of creativity and connection are helping.
Wishing you a safe and restful weekend.
We’re trying to focus on the good things during this strange time. More than ever, I feel like I’m always working between homeschool, work and household chores. However, the upside is a lot of wonderful family time. We’re trying to limit our news consumption and focus on the immediate positive experiences.
When talking to my friend and amazing artist, Angela Grammatas, I began to embrace this time as unique. An opportunity to teach our kid things that she wouldn’t normally learn during her school day. Hindi lessons with mom, piano with dad and loads of art lessons. We are exploring surrounding parks each weekend – spending time outside, eating lunch and taking long walks.
We’re in this together. I want to give away all my art these days – because I know art is saving many of us right now. I don’t have that luxury BUT in addition to free downloads and drawing demos, I’m offering my remaining calendars for free (limit 1 per customer, only pay shipping). I will draw on each package.
Stay strong and stay healthy all!
Much love,
Nidhi
My most requested drawing demo – a unicorn is now up on youtube. Happy drawing, all!
I hope everyone is staying safe and happy inside.
It’s a little wild around here!
I am excited to share some good news – my picture book deal with Viking Children’s books has been announced. WHAT WILL MY STORY BE? will be my debut as a picture book author AND illustrator. I cannot wait to share this story about fostering creativity and storytelling in a young brown girl’s world and the importances of chosen families. 2021 cannot come soon enough (for multiple reasons!)
Also, I wanted to share my podcast conversation with my former art teacher and amazing artist, John Wentz. If you want to hear about my early career pursuing a stubborn dream with zero skills and connections, have a listen.
Stay safe and well, everyone!
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If you can, please shop to support or send $ to paypal.me/EverydayLoveArt
Thank you!
I’ve added more free coloring pages to my site as well as roped my mother-in-law, Teacher Bernie, who has 40+ years of preschool experience into sharing some of her favorite songs on youtube! There are also some drawing demos there and I hope to add more in the coming days.
Providing resources to help folks who are now homeschooling makes me feel useful in this time.
And if you can, please shop to support or send $ to paypal.me/EverydayLoveArt All my income loss is compounding.
Thank you!
I want to share some resources for folks, like us, are going into at least 3 weeks of homeschool and isolation due to the pandemic. I also recorded a few drawing demos and a read aloud that are available on my youtube. I also added a free unicorn coloring page to my free downloads page.
In order to keep some kind of routine I’ve created a loose schedule for our weekdays: 
Additionally, Kate Messner, an author and wonderful resource has compiled a long list of resources and videos to use while distance learning here.
I will try to post more as I can – we will need time to adjust to our new schedule and ascertain how much work we can actually accomplish.
Stay healthy, all!
We’ll come through this together.
