Post Card

Here is a glimpse of a post card I'm working on. Let me know what you think.

Later,

Joe

....And Going...

Well, I'm still plugging away. I started to redo seven more pages. The plan is to have the finished by January. I'm moving a little slow since I'm balancing a few projects and just started a new job. Not to mention that my wife and kids are my number on priority. Here are a few images I posted on my other site from the book. I'm going to start sending out some post cards later this month. Wish me luck. I'll have some new images later next week. Hope you like em'!

Later,

Joe

Still Going

Here is a sneak peak on the two pages I am currently working on. I didn't want to post the full pages, but wanted to give a little sample of what is going on. I'm still plugging away. Things have been crazy. I just need to find a way to either create more hours in the day, or give up sleeping. Yeah..... so far neither is working.

Here is a rough sketch for I did while I was on the phone. I did this in ball point pen on a legal pad. I already wrote book two and three for Rocco and Joey. I have about eight other story lines I'm tossing around as well. Here is one of the characters I plan on introducing in book two. I love drawing Rhinos and Elephants. There is something big and clumsy and cuddly about them. Love to hear what you think.

Quick warm up sketch

OK I haven't forgotten about this site. I've been so busy trying to finish the last few pages and chasing little ones. I have about 8 more pages I'm trying to redesign. So here is a quick warm up sketch I did. It's a quick 5min sketch that has nothing to do with the book. I don't want to post to many images from the book. Then there wouldn't be anything to look forward too. Hope you like it, more to come.

Heading Back into the Basement!

Alright, after taking a close look at all 32 pages I completed for my book I was slightly nauseated when I noticed the difference in the quality between the new pages with the older ones. I started this project awhile ago, and it's been a real learning experience for me. I never worked with color before, so I've kind of been learning as I go. Nothing like trial by fire, but that's kind of I approach life. If you are going to go for it....go all out.

In order to have the book flow right, and the quality of the images match up; I decided I have to redo twelve of the pages. Ughhh. I finished two already, so only ten to go! Whoo-hooo!!! It takes about ten minutes for me to sketch out a page once I've settled on the design and layout. However, it takes about 20+ to lay the color down. So needless to say, I've got some work ahead of me. Thank God I love doing this. It's my wind down time at night. I'll keep you posted as I go. I promise I'm going to eventually finish this thing. So those of you sick of me talking about it, hang in there.

I posted on of my older pages along with the new design to give you an idea of why I want to do them over. Each images is just a small section of the entire page. I don't want to give too much away. Just enough to wet your appetite. My scanner is acting up, so the image quality is a little fuzzy, but you'll get the basic idea of how it looks. (The 1st image is the old one, the 2nd the new one)

Hope you like, let me know what you think.

Let's try this again.

Alright lets try this again. I thought I was done with everything awhile ago. Then my anal retentiveness took over and I had to add two more pages. I'm finally comfortable sending everything out to publishers now. I actually sent the first copy in this week. (wish me luck) Now the hard part.....waiting.

I still have a few pages that I want to do over and tweak a little bit. But I had to at least get it out there and see what people think. I have to admit, I'm having a blast. Here's a pic I did this week while sketching with my buddy Jay, he's an amazing local artist here in Cleveland. The image didn't scan that great, but I gotta get some sleep before work.

I kinda feel like a big kid and love doing this suff. That's what this sketch represents. Hope you like it, take care.

Rock on little man, rock on!!!

OK, who can honestly say, that at some point in their life they haven't rocked out on an air guitar. Yeah right....liar. I'm guilty as charged. And in case you are wondering, yes my wife and kids think I'm strange. I figured I'd post little Joey in a private jam session. Just made me laugh for some reason, figured I'd share it with everybody.

I know what you're thinking. Here it comes, that cheesy rock ballad you listened to in high school. It's sneaking up on you, and before you know it you can't get it out of your head. So go on, pick up that invisible six string, and Rock on little man, rock on!!!!!

Take my hand and come with me.

Well, I just finished the last images for the "Widdly Wink That Lost it's Wunk". I had to add a few last minute pages in order to get the text to line up. Here is one of the new pics. I'll be sending everything out in the next two weeks. Wish me luck.

If you like what you see, take a look at joeromano2.blogspot.com . I set this one up so I could post some of my other art work that is not related to Rocco and Joey. Hope you like it. Take care.

Bink the Widdly Wink

Here is another page from "The Widdly Wink That Lost its Wunk". This is poor little Bink who lost his Wunk, he's feeling quite sad and in a funk. The basic premise of the story is that Rocco and Joey are trying to help little Bink find his Wunk. It would be alot easier if Bink could just remember exactly what is Wunk was! Let me know what you think, feel free to leave comments. More to come.

Thanks Troops

I wanted to post this image for July 4th, but I got a little busy. I just wanted to take a moment and thank the men and women serving our country. I have some family that made a career in the military, and a cousin Brooke that is currently serving in the Navy. Thanks to them I get to come home every day and hug my wife and kids. It's so easy to get caught up in the daily frustrations of work and life, and forget about some of the simple pleasures we take for granted. Last week I got to sit on the beach and play with my kids. I was able to put them to bed at night, and wake up with them in the morning to pull smooshed pancakes and syrup out of their hair. I can't imagine the sacrifice our soldiers make when they don't see their families for months at a time. They put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. So, to each and every one of them, Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for your bravery and everything you do to keep us safe. May God bless you and get you home safe to your own families.

Ahhhh Vacation!!!!

Just got back from the Outerbanks. We go every summer with my wife's' family. 10 adults and 8 kids in one house! Yeah, it's a little crazy, but we have a blast. There is nothing better then escaping from work for a week to watch your kids on the beach. It was my daughters first time and she loved it. She probably ate about ten pounds of sand, but watching her play with her older brother was worth digging out every grain of sand from her suit (and mouth). Here is a quick picture I did while the kids where sleeping.

Post Cards

Here is a postcard that I am working on to send to a few publishers. I still have to tweek it a little bit and add the text. I'll post the final copy when I'm done. Hope you like it. I love this stuff, makes me feel like a kid again.

First Take

Well this is my first time blogging so here it goes. I have always loved to draw and doodle on what ever scrap piece of paper I could find. I never really had a direction or any formal training. I just loved to see what would spill out of my mind and onto the paper. About three years ago my wife and I found out we where going to be parents, and at that point I found a direction. My wife gave me the idea of trying to write a childrens' book for our little one on the way. I had never written anything before, and I had never worked with anything but black ink and pencil.

Shortly after that conversation an idea popped in my head. In the next fifteen minutes I wrote the first book in our Rocco and Joey Series. "The Widdly Wink that Lost its Wunk". I liked the concept but something was missing. So I recruited my amazingly talented wife to work her magic. She took what I had written and improved the flow and meter and just made it work. I spent a few months trying out different mediums before I finally settled on colored pencil. I found it was the easiest to work with for someone who never used color before. It took awhile before I was comfortable enough to do the final page layouts and share it with anyone besides my wife.

So, almost three years, two kids and a few job promotions later here we are. I set this blog up to share some of the images and to spread the word that we are trying to get this book published. Since this little projected started we have written six books for the Rocco and Joey series. Each one deals with a different character value that we want to pass on to our kids. I have also started a few other projects that I'll talk about later. I'll be setting up a different site for that.

In the mean time, here are a few of the images with more to follow. Thanks to anyone taking a look, I hope you enjoy the pics as much as I enjoy creating them. Any feedback is welcomed, feel free to contact me at joeromano31@roadrunner.com.