covers + news

Hellow out there in the bloggaverse!  Here's a funny thing about working in publishing: you finish working on something and then it usually takes about a billion years for that thing to actually BE published and released into the world.  I have a constant backlog of things that I can't share, even though I WANT to.  

So here's a couple of those things!  This is a book cover I did for a re-issue of Enid Blyton's Tales of Toyland.  Just so you know, if you happen to pick up this particular version, I am NOOOOOOTTT responsible for the interior illustrations which are...very bad.  Anyway, I finished this super long ago.  About last August.  I just got a proof in the mail last week!

This is the proof!  It changed a little bit but that's normal.  I think it looks preeeeeeetttty cool.  

I also did a cover for a middle grade novel (shown here with the bleed edge intact!) about a sassy middle child, Confessions of a So-called Middle Child by Maria Lennon.  It's not out til August but it's pre-order-able on Amazon. I had a lot of fun with this one, doing hand lettering with brush pen!  I also did all the little doodles in the bg in brush pen and then scanned them (and yes most are relevant to the story).  And I made a ton of watercolor textures for this one, too, which is also super fun.  

Covers are FUN.  It's just really low-stress to be only responsible for a single image.  Usually I've got a whole book's worth of stuff to think about, and continuity to consider, and all that!  But covers are just one picture you can concentrate on.  It's a nice change of pace. 

Other things that are fun: illustrating books for awesome children's book writers.  Below is a screen shot from Amy Krouse Rosenthal's website.  I'm illustrating a book by her about a little unicorn!  Yaaaaaaay!

Her website is: whoisamy.com

This won't be out for a LONG time, but this is a sneaky peek!

Another thing that won't be out for a while (but which I received proofs for) is a 12 Dancing Princesses themed alphabet flashcard set.  I'll post all kinds when that's done, but for now enjoy this photo of my cat using the proofs as a playground.

She does not take my work seriously.  

Or anything, for that matter.  

Some other 12 Dancing Princesses goodies are heading down the pike too...stay tuned!

And yes, I AM busy.  But I did have time to clean up my desktop and take a photo of it.  It will be fun to look back on a few weeks when it's a total mess again.  

Oh yeah...and one more little fun thing: I got a new tattoo!  A little anchor.  

ozma of oz

This is my piece for an upcoming show at Gallery Nucleus, Not in Kansas Anymore: A Tribute to the Wizard of Oz.  

I chose a character from the books, ALL of which I have read.  It was a while ago (like twenty years give or take a few), so I don't super duper remember all the details, but I DO remember being really impressed with Ozma of Oz, the immortal girl ruler of the Land of Oz.  Here's my own version of her:

When I posted this on tumblr someone commented about how Ozma always has dark hair in the books.  Two things crossed my mind: do people on tumblr realize that _I_ posted this, and it's my own work, and that I can see their comments??  Helloooooo.  And also, this is MY version of Ozma, and in my version she is blonde and wears pink high tops with mismatched socks, so there.  

This is the post-it note that I sketched this painting on.  It is post-it note sized!

Here's a few instagram shots of sketches from my sketchbook:  to the left is my version of Dorothy...

Another little Ozma...


By the by, I'm missbrigette on instagram if you wanna be kept up to date on my dog pictures, cat pictures, shoe pictures, CalArts pictures, and occasional sketch pictures.

And a couple more Ozma sketches.  I really like this composition on the right, but I wanted to show more of her than just her head.  Think I'll put this idea in my pocket and use it another time.

meow meow kitties

It's that time of the year again: the time when I am in a bunch of gallery shows!  These two pretty kitties are for the Animal Kingdom show at Gallery Nucleus.  It opens this Saturday, February 16!  

It's been a while since I painted some kitties.  You want to know something weird?  I never feel like I really know how to draw a cat.  They're not super complicated, right?  Pointy triangle ears, loopy tail, whiskers.  But when I start, somehow, my drawings are just the most terrible, generic cat shaped blobs you've ever seen.  I tried to make these guys feel specific, and I think I managed it ok.  They're certainly different from any other kitties I've painted.  

They're not meant to be portraits of my actual pets (past or present), since I've never had a medium-haired-kinda-fluffy black cat before.  The gray stripy cat did come out looking like a cat I had named DC.  It stood for "Don't Cuddle me", since she really really hated everything and everyone and especially being snuggled upon.  Sort of like my present cat (who is gray but stripe-less).

The really funny thing about ever making an image with a cat in it is this: there is always someone who will say "OMG, that looks just like MY cat!"  

Is it YOU??

Also, notice how I resisted pink, yet again!

PS, in regards to the unicorn painting: it looks like there WILL BE PRINTS  of it AVAILABLE at the WWA Gallery!  Hooray!  They're not on the site, but I have it on good authority that they will be available at the opening.  

in the pomegranate forest

Hello out there in blogger land!  I have a painting for you!

This is for the "I believe in unicorns, too!" show at the WWA Gallery in Culver City.    They specifically told us that we didn't necessarily have to do a unicorn themed painting, but I couldn't get this image out of my brain once it was in there, so out it came!

For this painting I wanted to try breaking away from my usual palette, and I kinda succeeded.  Specifically, I noticed that when I open my website (http://brigetteb.com) there is a LOT of pink.  Pink and purple.  And I'm not surprised, cuz I love pink and purple!  But I AM surprised that I keep going back to pink over and over....and over.  And over.  Pink is my safety color.  So I tried some browns, and greens, and blues!  The pinks still snuck in there (although a kind of electric peach or coral), but I did end up using a color scheme from outside my comfort zone, so I call it a success.

As you can probably tell, I really love pomegranates.  I think their shape is so beautiful!  I didn't originally intend on putting so MANY in this painting, but as I was sketching I added them in and I'm glad I did.  Even though they are intricate suckers to paint.

See you at the gallery opening, maybe?  I love openings at the WWA Gallery, cuz it's right down the street from one of my favorite veggie restaurants, Native Foods!  I go eat a bowl of veggies and drink a gallon of watermelon agua fresca and then show up at the opening bloated from a fresca overdose.  I recommend it!

princesses for sale!

I'm pretty pleased to tell you that this week you can get the digital version of my book, Twelve Dancing Princesses, from the iTunes store for $1.99!  $1.99!!!  Do I need to explain to you that that is like two bucks?  

One penny shy of two dollars for this:

And this!  Not one princess, not two, but TWELVE. For a couple bucks.

All that aside, I'm very happy to be included in a group named "Beautiful Kids Books".  It's a pretty fantastic compliment.

Plus I get like...I forget how much exactly...like 5 cents for every digital book that's sold. (Just kidding. It's probably less than that.) 

This particular promotion lasts until the end of this week.  If you should happen to buy it, I'd really love to hear how it translates to the iPad!  I don't have an iPad myself, so I've never seen my book in that format.  

An addition teaser for anyone who is already a princes fan: I'm working on s'more 12 Dancing Princesses themed goodies with Chronicle books.  Stay tuned for more about that later!

happy holidays

I know it's kinda early...but is it?

This is the holiday card I designed for 826LA, a nonprofit writing and tutoring center in Echo Park, Los Angeles!  They are super great and awesome.  

I never ever ever work for free (if you ask I'll say no) but when they inquired as to whether I'd be willing to donate some time + energy to illustrate a holiday card for them I said yes.   I just really believe that what they do is fantastic.  

If you live in the area, you can visit their Time Travel Mart store front (the front of the space is a little store, and the back of the space is a big giant room where they tutor the kiddies).  The store is very silly, and very very fun.  If you live in San Francisco you might be familiar with the Pirate Store, it's founded by the same folks.  

Read your kid a book!!!  And happy holidays.

I remember you

This is my piece for a group show at Susanita's Little Gallery.  The theme is the Ramones!  It opens early next month.  Each artist got to choose a song to illustrate, and I chose "I Remember You", cuz I like that song.

Acrylic on board.  And fun.