Dinner doodles:

Here are some recent dinner doodles that I've gotten a kick out of:

General May Hem

I know people love 'pugs', but I'm always worried they're about to implode.

Very Hungry Studio Visitor...

After a lovely dinner with the Carles the other night, we found ourselves together again for a quick lunch with Eric and the always lovely Bobbie as part of a reciprocal studio tour.  Attached to the business offices, Eric Carle's studio is a joyful romp of color (much like the man himself).  Above his work station, as a reminder, are the lyrics to "It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing" (!).

In addition, Eric is working on some monumental pieces of abstraction:

His flat files famously are collections of colored paper that he's made various designs on.  All of these awesome bits of design and color await use in a future book.

My wife and I left invigorated (and itching to make some monumental paintings of my own).

It is always fun to visit with a friend.

(Here is a video of Eric talking about his latest book, due out in a week or so.)

The Red Elephant installs this weekend!

I hope you'll be able to join Sam Ostroff and myself this Saturday Oct. 1 at the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, MA for the installation of The Red Elephant.

To whet your appetite, I thought I'd show some process pictures.

Working on the trunk.

She's big.

For scale, with the 3 ft long prototype

We've also made a small number of foot long elephants

Ready to be painted like the prototype.

With primer, ready to get reddy.

UPDATE!: The team with the painted piece at the shop. Matt, painter. Me. Sam, fabricator.

Here is a news report about the process of making the Red Elephant from the local news station:






And another report is here.

The festivities begin at 11:30 am.

Dinner with the Carles...

This weekend included a fun dinner with pals Bobbie and Eric Carle who were in town promoting Eric's beautiful new book, The Man Who Painted a Blue Horse*, and helping fundraising for the Carle Museum.

As is tradition when folks come over, they draw on the walls and on the table.  This night, my wife asked me to come up with an theme for the walls.  As I've been drawing lots of vehicles lately, I thought I'd make transport without drivers so that we could fill them in during dinner.

Here are the empty cars and buses:

My first Triple-Decker Bus!

Here they are filled in with all sorts of wonderful weirdness:

Looks like Eric is a Squeegie Guy for the Very Commuting Caterpillar.

Cher made a glamorous dame.

The smoke in this racer doubles as a signature!

Bobbie made the alien, Trix the Pigeon, & I the aquarium.

A zoo of a bus!

There was also quite a bit of doodling on the table as well:

Cher is the queen of abstraction.  (She also draws abstracts)

Eric Carle's pals all hanging out together!

Some of my new pals.

Purple elephant

Trixie's baby is maaaaad!

She's also been deep into cats lately...

Bobbie's drawing is a funny joke.  But I forgot the joke.

Later, Eric started sketching portraits.

Not sure if I returned the favor, but it's great that he smiles while he draws.

Huzzah!

Why not have so pals over and doodle over dinner?  It's fun!

*Stay tuned for info on a fun art auction of art inspired by Eric's book.

I Love Foreign Editions!

Here are some cool new Elephant and Piggie books published in South Korea!

 

ARE YOU READY TO PLAY OUTSIDE?, MY FRIEND IS SAD, and I LOVE MY NEW TOY!

I love the Korean text for "WHAAAAAAA!"

Great production & nice layout.  Huzzah!

Yay Fan Mail!

It's been a great month for fun fan mail at the Studio.

Here are some favorites!

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

This is the sweetest letter of the month.  Still, the answer is 'No'.

This one is pretty sweet, too.

From WE ARE IN A BOOK!

More E+P love!

This guy mashed his two favorite singers & two favorite cartoon characters.

He also wrote this great gag in one of his hilarious FELIX & PIGEON COMIX, which owes a debt to SPY vs SPY.

So do I...

Cat the Cat & pals get some love!

 Great Pigeon drawings, too! Here are some favorites:

From a young Twombly.

From THE PIGEON TAKES A BATH!

Huzzah!

If you or your class wants to share some awesomeness, please send it to:

Mo Willems Fan Mail
c/o Laura Schreiber
Hyperion Books for Children and Pigeons
114 5th Ave 14th fl. New York, NY 10011

Please be patient as it takes a while to get the mail forwarded to me.

Teachers, a cover letter with the grade of your students is appreciated. Please send class letters in one envelope rather than individually.

Please note, I cannot accept packages or books to be signed and returned.