Marjorie's Sketch Blog

2009-08-11T23:09:00.004+03:00

I am so excited about the projects I'm working on at the moment - working on two books at the same time - One is a fantasy story by a well known South African writer - in Afrikaans... Soek-soek op soek, for Tafelberg publishers
The second is Alice in Wonderland!!! - a translation into Afrikaans by the awards winning author Andre P Brink... Die Avonture van Alice

See below some character studies and test illustrations
These are the first character studies I did of Alice - the publishers wanted to see a more traditional Alice so I did the ones belowAnd here are two rough illustrations I'm really looking forward to do this job!

See quite a few more new postings below.

2009-08-11T22:47:00.007+03:00

Some rough & test illustrations for the book I'm working on...

A test illustration in ink and penRough drawing in pencil
Character studies of the main character in the book - Soek-soek, a gnome
The second project is an story by Elsabe Steenberg (well known Afrikaans children's book writer). Fantasy story of war between the gnomes and the mice - Soek-soek op soek, a chapter book (Black&white illustrations with full colour cover)
Here are some character studies and test illustrations

2009-08-11T22:29:00.005+03:00

I inserted some of the finish artwork of the book I worked on in April, Kootjie Totjie, into the previous posts where I posted rough drawings - enjoy. The book should be appearing soon. Since May I've been very busy... gave a workshop... How to draw children, in June, - then were actively involved in the Cape Town Book Fair. I was looking forward to take a bit of a holiday, but then I got two very exciting project so no holiday - straight back to my desk - see new post above..

2009-04-06T22:12:00.003+02:00

Some more roughs of Kootjie Totjie

2009-04-06T22:07:00.006+02:00

At the moment I'm busy with a picture book of one of CJ Langenhoven's children's stories - Tootjie Kotjie - publisher is Protea Boekhuis.

Just finished the rough illustrations - still to do the finals.

2009-04-06T21:59:00.003+02:00

Finish art illustration - Back & Front cover - background painted with water colour then on that I worked with my oil pastels

Rough illustration with darker background with text- Colour done in photoshop

Rough illustration with darker background - Colour done in photoshop

Rough illustration - Colour done in photoshop

Rough Drawing

This is the second design - colour also inserted in photoshop - The publisher decided on a darker background

2009-04-06T21:49:00.003+02:00

This design the publisher felt it might not appeal to boy - Asked for something "rougher"
The colour on this illustration was done VERY FAST in photoshop - Just so that the publisher could get the colour feel

After a winderful break during which I did NO WORK except make Christmas presents I started started working beginning of February 2009 - I climbed onto a roller coaster - Did a reader for Cambridge and then did a new cover illustration for the Afrikaans addition of Mr Humperdinck's wonderful Whatsit
Went through a few possibilities - Here are two examples

2009-04-06T21:46:00.001+02:00

This book was completed just before Christmas - I think it will be released in May.

2009-04-06T21:42:00.002+02:00

2009-04-06T21:41:00.000+02:00

2009-04-06T21:38:00.001+02:00

These are the finish art

these are the rough illustrations

These very very rough illustrations were thumbnail sketches

2009-04-06T21:23:00.002+02:00

After delivering the Christmas card illustrations for NB Publishers - I started on a book for LAPA Publishers called Bertus soek 'n Boek written by Jaco Jacobs.

2009-04-06T19:53:00.002+02:00

Finished (click on illustration to see bigger image)

after all animals were done I work on darking areas and lighting areas and working on the background - adding energy swirls

Then I started with the flying animals first puttong down a wash then working with my crayons

2009-04-06T19:44:00.002+02:00

worked on the christmas lights

and the books

and lightening area of light source - then with with oil pastel I started building up the grass & figures.

Then started darkening areas

I was commisioned to design and do the illustration for NB Publishers Christmas card - Here is the process. After doing the drawing I put down a wash with watercolour paint.

2009-04-06T19:41:00.000+02:00

Cover illustration & design of Long Juju Man.

2009-04-06T19:34:00.002+02:00

Some of the final illustrations of Long Juju Man

2009-04-06T19:11:00.002+02:00

These are layout with rough illustration for Long Juju Man
Long time since I posted -
Had deadlines and SCBWI SA stuff that had to be done so I was burning the midnight oil... But here are the stuff I have been working on since October 2008

Currently illustrating 2008 Macmillan Writer's Prize winning book

2008-08-23T00:23:00.003+03:00

Here are some rough drawings for the book I ‘m currently busy illustrating. It is the winning book of the 2007/08 Macmillan Writer's Prize for Africa; by novelist Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu. Though American-born, Nnedi's muse is Nigeria. Her winning unpublished children's book, Long Juju Man, a story about a girl's encounters with an irritating crafty ghost, will be published by Macmillan UK. The girl is harassed and taught lessons by an annoying, snickering, rotten fruit eating, sneaky, prank playing ghost named Long Juju Man.

Her first novel, Zahrah the Windseeker was shortlisted for the Parallax Award and Kindred Award in 2006, a finalist for the 2005 Golden Duck and GardenState Teen Choice awards and nominated for a Locus Award (Best First Novel) 2005; Her second novel, The Shadow Speaker (Hyperion Books, 2007) was a Booksense Pick for Winter 2007/08 and a finalist for the Essence Magazine Literary Award and the Andre Norton Award. It is also an NAACP Image Award nominee, a Tiptree Honor Book and a Locus Magazine Recommended Book.

I'm enjoying illustrating Nnedi's words!

2008-08-12T20:34:00.001+03:00

Posted an article on http://marjorie-van-heerden-articles.blogspot.com/
on illustrating the picture book - Nina and Little Duck

The article is called THE MIND OF AN ILLUSTRATOR (August 2008)
Hope you will go and read it!

Nina and Little Duck - 2008 M-Net/Via Afrika Literary Award Winner!

2008-06-26T00:04:00.009+03:00

Saturday June 14th brought a huge surprise! My friend Wendy and I were awarded the M.E.R. Prize for the picture book we did together. I'm still trying to believe it... Read below.

Nina and Little Duck - 2008 M-Net/Via Afrika Literary Award Winner!

The M.E.R Prize for best illustrated children’s book was awarded to Wendy Hartmann (author) and Marjorie van Heerden (illustrator) for Nina and Little Duck published by Human & Rousseau (SA) in 2007 (also available in Afrikaans as Nina en Eendjie).

ABOUT THE PRIZE: The M.E.R. Prize was established in 1983 and is awarded annually by M-Net and Via Afrika to the best illustrated children’s book published during the previous year. The only condition is that the books must be aimed at younger readers and that the authors and illustrators must be South African citizens. The award is named after MER (ME Rothman) for her ground breaking work in the field of children’s literature. No distinction is made between English and Afrikaans books.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Nina, Simon, and Mr and Mrs Rajah, together with their cat and dog, all live on a quaint little street where shops and houses are built right next door to each other. Mr and Mrs Rajah own a shop on this street. Their house is part of the shop. Next to it is an entrance to the garden where they store a few things. It is charming, just the kind of place a duck would love to make a nest.

Nina and Simon spend a lot of time playing close to Mr and Mrs Rajah’s house and shop. They often stop for a chat and sometimes go into the garden to play games. Little Duck also spends a lot of time in the street and around the shop. After a long search, she recently moved into the Rajah’s garden to raise her family.

And this is where the adventures of Little Duck and her ducklings, Max, Molly and Martin really start. The text is supported by humorous and charming rhymes and illustrations that warm the heart and tickle the tummy.

Nina and Little Duck (English) - ISBN 978-0-7981-4824-5
Nina en Eendjie (Afrikaans) - ISBN 978-0-7981-4825-2
Written by Wendy Hartmann and illustrated by Marjorie van Heerden
Published by Human & Rousseau Publishers (SA) [Aug 2007]
Format (soft cover): 280mm x 215mm; 64 pages
Readership: Toddlers, Read aloud & New Readers
Copies can be ordered from: www.kalahari.net or orders@onthedot.co.za

2008-06-08T14:02:00.002+03:00

Klara, my grand daughter, is now 10 months old - I bought her a hippy jacket to keep her warm this coming winter!!! She crawls very fast and stand up holding on to stuff and now and then she lets go to test standing alone - and she does for two seconds! - She smiles when she sees me!!!! AND she loves books!!!!

Back after a long silence!

2008-06-08T13:23:00.003+03:00

Hi - apologies for the long silence - the first six months of this year was crazily busy but I'm back - I've done 4 books (all educational readers) since the beginning of this year, now busy with a book for Shuter Publishers (SA) - a fun scary fantasy story - here are some of the roughs. During these last months I also organised, with the help of only 3 other people, a SCBWI writers and Illustrators' retreat at a natural warm water spa - It was a wonderful success... I was exhausted afterwards - but happy!
Some good news!!!! I've been asked to illustrate the winning book of the Macmillan writers competition - Long Juju Man by by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu (http://nnedi.com/) I'm very excited and will be starting on it soon.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-16T12:07:00.003+02:00

2008-01-10T02:27:00.000+02:00

SEASON"S GREETINGS to you and yours and we wish you laughter and joy for 2008!

My husband, Johann, took this picture of our first grandchild, Klara, who was born on 31 July 2007 - Here she is seen LOVING her very first Christmas!!! (Click to enlarge)

SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF A RECENT PAINTING

2008-01-10T01:33:00.000+02:00

For Christmas 2007 I made a painting for my daughter, Alexia, and her family. [Acrylic on hardboard - 800cm x 1200cm]. The painting is based on A Tiger took me to the Circus, the second picture book I wrote and illustrated (this was back in in 1986). I used Alexia (then nine) and her doll Sunshine as the central characters in the story. My husband Johann took some photographs while I was painting and I show them below, to share the creative process with you. [START VIEWING FROM THE BOTTOM UP...]

Some final touches added, and now I feel the painting is ready to become a Christmas gift! (These photos were taken outside - for more light)

I've done some work on the foreground, the tiger's feet and some wild grasses.

Here I've started finalising the dark and light areas.

Here I've got the likeness to Alexia right and I've added some darker areas where she sits on the tiger's back. I've also done some work on its eyes.