A Fine Style

Recently A Forest For Christmas was reviewed in the Montreal Gazette. Susan Mitchell of Sweet Pea told me about it as the Gazette isn't available here. I was really happy about this, in Canada, Montreal is really the cultural centre. In the article one of the pictures from the book was published next to two well known, accomplished illustrators. I found my work looked a little shabby. I thought my picture looked really good, but shabby. I started thinking again about that Maurice Sendak quote that I posted some time ago : " The more styles you have, the better. So develop a fine style, a fairly slim style and a rough style. " Whenever I finish a big project I start thinking about what needs to be done about my art work, what needs to be improved, things like that. I think I need to work on my fine style more. And my other styles. That's my new book resolution ; to make all my styles better. Shabby's not terrible, but I could stand to clean things up a bit. The above picture is from Mr. Sendak's unfinished version of the Hobbit, by Tolkien. Sadly this book was never finished as Mr. Sendak became quite ill at this time. That would have been a great book.