Thursday, November 11, 2010

How Doth the Little Crocodile

I have an illustration in the December issue of Highlights magazine.

ON NEWSSTANDS NOW!

Yeah. That's still fun to say.

Back in June, the folks at Highlights asked me to illustrate the Lewis Carroll poem "How Doth the Little Crocodile." I couldn't say YES! fast enough; there's no one more iconic in children's literature than Lewis Carroll and having the opportunity to illustrate his words was a real kick.

I'd say it was a brush with greatness–but I work digitally (and I'm not a fan of puns).

And I'm always thrilled to work with Highlights. My wife and I have had the good fortune to visit their Honesdale, PA offices and meet many of the talented and passionate people that bring the magazine to life. This reminds me – the Holidays are fast approaching and a great gift for 6-12 year old kids is a subscription to Highlights! And for younger kids, check out High Five. Fun With Purpose – without corporate product placement.

Below are some of the sketches I created on the way to the final illustration. First, the final sketch which I submitted for approval:

And below are some of the early "thumbnail" sketches. Here you can see me experimenting with different compositions.

And one last thing – the poem!

How doth the little crocodile
Improve his shining tail,
And pour the waters of the Nile
On every golden scale!
How cheerfully he seems to grin,
How neatly spreads his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in
With gently smiling jaws!

By Lewis Carroll
Art by ME!

2 comments:

WilsonW said...

Awesome work Robert!!! I hope to get in Highlights someday! And then multiple times like you! I'll keep hope alive!! Congrats!

Mrs. Chili said...

I JUST FINISHED teaching Alice in Wonderland to freshmen, juniors, and seniors. It was never my favorite book, but I love the coincidence of your doing this drawing!!