Nimbus is back!

Do you remember my fat ginger friend Nimbus? I wrote and illustrated a book about him last year.

I am redrawing it now, because Nimbus is going to Frankfurt Book Fair - the biggest book fair in the world! And he has to look his best!!!!

But at the moment both of us look like this, because we have so much work to do - it is scary!!!

Christmas cat

The work on Nimbus is moving slowly!

I have done the first 3 spreads in colour. I am sure they are not the final versions either, therefore your opinion is very much appreciated! Please let me know what you think about these drawing! I can still make them better! (if they can be better) :)))

Nimbus in colour!

I have started to colour Nimbus!!!

This is not the final version, but rather  - work in progress! It took me a long time to arrive to this, as I have tried 100 different ideas and colour combinations... The background was a big issue as I didn't like anything I tried... And I tried EVERYTHING! And even this is not the final version of the background. I had a bit of a revelation recently, so I am planning to change it again :))) Despite of all the struggle, extra coffee, chocolate, cursing and pulling hair out, I enjoyed drawing this very much!!! It is unbelievably satisfying and scary, and exhilarating to be working on my own project, where every bit of every decision is made by me!

Any opinions, even critical, are more than welcome at this stage!

Nimbus had a good thought and decided to leave!

He is not staying where he is not wanted.....

Well......

May be he will stay just for one more night.... Give them another chance......

This cat again

I think Nimbus has hit the rock bottom!...

The more I draw him the more I want a cat! My son would LOVE to have a cat, but I am allergic to them.... Such a shame, because otherwise I would most definitely get him a fat ginger cat! And we both would love this cat to bits!!! But I have to limit myself to imagining one...

Bored Cat...

And a bit more of Nimbus!

And! I have found an absolutely fantastic book about the world of illustration! I am planning to write an informative post packed with the resources that I have found useful in my self-education. I hope it will help all those talented people who would like to become professional illustrators, but don't know where to begin.

Flying Cat!

Nimbus is not having a good time.....

Back to my favourite cat!

I am not sure what else to write about Nimbus without giving too much of a story away, except - here is another sketch!!!

I love drawing for this book, because it is my idea and I can just feel it! The book is going to be great when it is finished! I just wish the work on it moved a bit quicker, but with all my other commitments, this is the best I can do for a moment!

What is THAT?

This is what Nimbus is thinking at the moment. He is a conservative cat. He is not keen on changes. The huge green thing in the middle of the room was not on his priority list. But who listens???

I am very sorry that I am showing you the sketches for Nimbus in no order at all. I am afraid this is the way I draw them!

Can men wrap presents and tie bows?

I am not sure, I have never seen such an event, but I suspect it doesn't come to them naturally. Well, in my book the important task of tying bows and wrapping Christmas presents was given to Dad! And he was doing the best he could! He was trying really hard and I was trying hard to show the level of dedication and concentration on his face.

No wonder Dad didn't notice that Nimbus was in desperate need of attention!

Who's a pretty cat?

Nimbus is trying his best to look pretty. Shame that nobody is interested...

Nimbus is not happy

Slowly but surely I am working through the sketches for Nimbus.... I am sure it will take me a while, but I will try to keep you posted as I am going along.

I haven't started from the beginning. I have started from the drawing I wanted to do first... I am afraid I can't tell you the story yet, but I can tell you that Nimbus is not happy.... He is not big for changes, or strange objects in the house, or the lack of attention.

Nimbus and his family (character development)

Nimbus is a happy cat! He has his favourite place in the house, his cosy blanket, his plate of yummy food every day and a family who loves him.

Here he is with all his favourite people:

But one day things started to change...

An Idea

Here is some work on the character development for my first book.... I mean the first book that I have written myself. I am just in the beginning of a long road here. Basically it is just an idea that I have.... We will see where I get with it.

Do I think I will get anywhere with it? I am not sure... I know that I will do it, but I am afraid even to think about whether it can be accepted and actually published one day. In fact, I am petrified, because I know that this market is SOOOOO competitive, and there are SOOOOO many extraordinary talented people who each year try to get their books published.... And here is me... with very little experience in illustrating, and absolutely no experience in writing. Especially writing in English, as I am Ukrainian by nationality, and my native language is Russian.

But I will try anyway! At the end of the day the true skill comes with practice and experience, and if I never try, I will never have this experience.....

So, if anybody at all is reading me – wish me luck!