http://drawger.com/breckenreid/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:43:48 EST FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://drawger.com/_images/drawger_leo_logo.gif http://drawger.com/breckenreid http://drawger.com/breckenreid/index.php?section=articles&article_id=13098

]]> Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:43:48 EST http://drawger.com/breckenreid/index.php?section=articles&article_id=13090 They said:  There are 2 new books out about Charles Dickens. He was a bit of a rock star - popular, knew a lot of people, still has a good following.  (I do love painting people, doing portraits, so was keen.)

      We are looking for something like your "Talking With Dorothy" black and white style.

Perhaps Dickens surrounded by a group of people or in the middle of a London crowd...



In the rough stage, I always like to give my own take... In the middle above, I thought it might be interesting to show him between two shop windows, the reflections relating to the two books coming out, like two versions of him. They still wanted the crowd - ah well, you've always got to give it a shot! (Did I mention that I am not a fan of doing crowd scenes? And on a quick turnaround especially? Well, the above right is my answer to a crowd - this way I was still able to have you still see Dickens somewhat largely and give the impression that there are many surrounding him.) Here's the final:



This job was for Suzette Moyer and Jennifer DeCamp at The Tampa Bay Times - a full broadsheet cover for the travel/literature/arts Sunday section called Latitudes. Nice working with you both!

]]> Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:32:04 EST http://drawger.com/breckenreid/index.php?section=articles&article_id=12829

I've had a book stuck in my head for a couple of years now, called The Winter Vault, by Anne Michaels. Life, death, water, earth, love, grief... Cycles. A novel written with such poetry that I couldn't shake it. The image above is probably the least planned image I've created in a long time. I didn't have a plan beforehand, I just started painting. The flower is fireweed, a native plant that grows after a forest fire, when everything has burnt to the ground... I thought it was suitable to the main character, Jean, thrown into grief after the death of her unborn child and to the story overall. So there are more images I've been chipping away at and I'll post them as I finish them.





]]> Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:30:51 EST http://drawger.com/breckenreid/index.php?section=articles&article_id=12766











]]> Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:19:12 EST http://drawger.com/breckenreid/index.php?section=articles&article_id=12718

Illustration Office Meeting: Wednesday, October 12th RSVP by emailing Julia 156 Augusta Avenue, Kensington Market, Toronto Hope to see you there!

]]> Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:48:21 EST http://drawger.com/breckenreid/index.php?section=articles&article_id=12707

In the time that I've been an illustrator (about twelve years now), I've been drawn to collaboration.  I've done so through group shows, organized get-togethers for coffee, or a few drinks, workshops in my old studio, or through volunteering at ICON.   I did it because I needed to. There have been so many moments when I've felt stuck, frustrated and bored. Surrounding myself with those whose work I admired spurred me on. It helped me reassess what I was doing. I took comfort when some confided that they were also struggling and celebrated their successes, even when I was envious. In those chunks of time when work was at a stand-still, it was a way to stay focussed on what I really desired, to remain an illustrator.

Last year when I was in Prague, I went to many galleries and museums, but the thing that excited me the most was a place called, Orbis-Pictus. The event was titled "leporeloHRA", an interactive drawing project that invited visitors to make creations of all kinds, using paper, drawing implements and a variety of rotating machines and instruments. The project demonstrated that creative play can function as a universal means of communication without language or age barriers.I could barely grasp the concept at the time (no English explanation could be found). I loved the feeling of the place though. Collaborative work, freedom to play - it felt very fresh to me, something I'd been craving.



Through many conversations with friends about my trip to Prague, what emerged was a desire to have a space where we could learn from each other, collaborate, share ideas,  work, and play.  In Toronto, illustrators have never had a central place where they could show their work, get reliable industry help, rethink, retrain, and share what they know.   Now there is. It's called nook.  





It's a hub, a place for you to expand, grow, and get support.   I've always thrived on the burst of energy I get from collaboration and I want to share… So when are you coming by?



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