Lucecita

Lucecita - Iguana Magazine - November/December 2011

I got the assignment to illustrate the story of “Lucecita” in late November. It was a super-rush (aka less than a week between sketches and finals) but as you are all already guessing, I took the project. The artwork was published on the November/December 2011 issue of Iguana Magazine and since my copies arrived in late December, I decided to post later. Holidays are a busy time for all of us!

Mary Talks

Mary Talks to Baby Jesus - The Little Lutheran/The Litte Christian - December 2011

Christmas has come and gone and I still have this sorta-Christmassy post to go before I can get to my “Welcome 2012″ one. So let’s post it really quick to clear my desk, ok? Great!

Fidel, Miguel y el Pastel

Fidel, Miguel y el Pastel - Iguana Magazine - September/October 2011

This week I got my copies of the September/October 2011 issue of Iguana Magazine. I have an illustration published for the poem of “Fidel, Miguel y el Pastel”. The poem is a short story about two friends, one pice of cake and a cat that intercedes when things are not happening the way they should.

I Saw It With My Own Eyes

Every year SCBWI and Tomie dePaola hold a contest. Each year, Tomie chooses an excerpt from a story to illustrate. I have never participated before but decided to enter this year.

So as I was working on other things, I kept “cooking” my Chicken Licken entry. The choice was easy: I needed children in my portfolio so I painted all the animals as children in costumes. Yes, I’m that simple!

MY WEEK of Interviews and Giveaway

If you have been following my posts the last few weeks, you know the Mini-Interviews are entering their 4th week tomorrow. If you didn’t know about them, you may want to go back and read Molly’s, Mikela’s and Laura’s posts. They are filled with great information and they are at times extremely funny.

Now, Juana, what’s the purpose of this post? Really! Getting quickly to the point: My Week is FINALLY here! Well, tomorrow but still… it’s here! Woop! Woop! So in my excitement I may double, triple or quadruple post this week. Or I may not. You shall came back and see.

I also know that MY week falls on the American Turkey Holiday week. So I thought I’d let everyone know that if you are in the US, there’s a safe place to escape from crowds, turkey and stuffing. I’ll be here as planned.

My week of Mini-Interviews come with a Giveaway. I debated for weeks: books, prints, original illustrations. It was really hard to decide so Saturday I painted something for this week. And she is right below here thinking, “Really?!”

Columbus Day Music

I was born and raised different because my dad is different. I’m glad.

My father was part of a small group of Peruvians who actually loved the folk dances and traditional dresses that women and men wore throughout Peru. Everywhere but in the “civilized” Lima you would be able to see them with no special trips. Just get out to the plaza and you’d see them. But Lima being the capital and all had to be cautious of “these” dangerous, folk activities in the big city. Stadiums and places would only be rented for those type of festivals on Sundays – when no “decent” events would take place.

Ruth & Naomi Made the Cover!

“The Little Lutheran” Magazine was kind enough to give me a story that is now running on its current issue – September 2011.

So here’s a little story. Because I HAVE to tell you a story and you know that. A couple of weeks ago on my bedtime routine, I checked my stats – like everyone does, of course. I saw some people coming from The Little Lutheran’s site. Uhm. Click. Surprise! I made the cover! “Look! Look! Chris! Looooook!” “Cool.” My husband is so immune to my overdoses of excitement by now and that is a good thing.

“Poppy’s Best Day Ever” – The Post

June normally means Summer camps, 100+ degree weather and the beginning of personal pieces in preparation to SCBWI’s Los Angeles Conference. This year it meant: “Poppy’s Best Day Ever” – A Picture-book in 30 Days Challenge. From signed contract to delivered artwork in 1 month (DVD coming soon).

And I know what you are thinking: Why did you do THAT? Two reasons: 1) story was about birds and 2) it was for El Mejor Nido ®. What a great opportunity! Still, why did you do that? Well, at the beginning the project was for 6 illustrations so it sounded doable. OK, then. Did you make the deadline? Yep. Was it difficult? Yep. Would you do it again? NO. And I warn you, don’t even try to convince me to take a deadline like that again. I will hurt you!

Poppy – Coloring Page

Monday Coloring Page is here with one of the illustrations from “Poppy’s Best Day Ever” – a book I illustrated for El Mejor Nido ®.

Jorge and Iguana Magazine

During the Spring I received a short story to illustrate for the July/August issue of “Iguana Magazine”. I immediately said yes knowing that “Iguana Magazine” is published in Spanish, it’s a children’s magazine and it aims to instill Latino pride to the children that read it. What else did I need to know? That the story was about a little boy that dreamed of Mermaids. There was no going back. Tight deadline and all, I took the project.