Spectra
about our vision:
For the past twenty years, I've been making art, building ideas, and investing in my career. I've had many shows, won awards, created special projects, and opened online shops (explore www.leslieallyn.com for more). My dream has always been to use books as a way to share ideas and reach many people. That way, my work would not just live on gallery walls, but move among studio apartments, farmhouses, and schools, in the form of children's stories, picture books, and illustrated poetry for all ages. I've collected and loved many illustrated books from many cultures and in various styles. I've witnessed the evolving world of children's literature, with eyes and ears open to all the elements, large and small, that give the very best kids' books such timeless charm and depth. Now the worlds of art and books come together. For years I've been reminded, by myself and more people than I can count, that my work would lend itself well to books. Now that's going to happen!
Dave Surratt has an MFA in Creative Writing, is an accomplished writer of stories and plays, and his articles and essays have been published nationally and internationally.
We share a common understanding of how childhood is a state from which we never quite escape -- a knowledge that comes in very handy when creating stories and pictures for people who happen to actually be children.
We want to create a story book with pictures to entertain children of all ages. Without being overly didactic, we also have a desire to share some of our values: love for color, art, humor, nature, and the balance between self reliance and giving and receiving help.
It's really just a fun way to explore what it would be like to be four inches tall, multi-colored, and multi-talented.
And, it is a way to take our art and writing skills to the next level, to peruse the path that always lay before us, but was continually put to the side for other projects. It's a giant undertaking to take time and energy from other projects for this. It requires a lot of work, collaboration, time, and materials. But it feels completely right, and ripe.
Dave Surratt has an MFA in Creative Writing, is an accomplished writer of stories and plays, and his articles and essays have been published nationally and internationally.
We share a common understanding of how childhood is a state from which we never quite escape -- a knowledge that comes in very handy when creating stories and pictures for people who happen to actually be children.
We want to create a story book with pictures to entertain children of all ages. Without being overly didactic, we also have a desire to share some of our values: love for color, art, humor, nature, and the balance between self reliance and giving and receiving help.
It's really just a fun way to explore what it would be like to be four inches tall, multi-colored, and multi-talented.
And, it is a way to take our art and writing skills to the next level, to peruse the path that always lay before us, but was continually put to the side for other projects. It's a giant undertaking to take time and energy from other projects for this. It requires a lot of work, collaboration, time, and materials. But it feels completely right, and ripe.
sneak peeks:
Preliminary illustration sketches
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Character illustration with size relativity
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Illustrations in the works
Storyboard sketches
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We are so grateful for the support we've received!
It took a lot longer to raise the start-up than anticipated, but we did it. It also took a lot LOT longer to make the book than we thought - but we have persisted, and the book is on its way!
THANK YOU!
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