tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32888669511314360542024-03-06T19:34:26.128-08:00Ben Redlich IllustratorBen Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-18472207926556708282017-05-11T04:37:00.000-07:002017-05-11T04:54:08.039-07:00SMECK: Part IV<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
Finally, about midway through 2015, with all the characters and main props finished, it was time to start photography. I bought myself a <a href="http://www.nikon.com.au/en_AU" target="_blank">Nikon</a> 3200 camera, set up the first scene (Smeck on his island), and began experimenting with lighting, at the same time teaching myself how to use the camera manually. It took me precisely 223 shots before I got a result I was happy with (I took well over 2,000 photos overall — Thank god for digital cameras!)<br />
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I didn’t have any special lighting at my disposal, just three desk lamps, an animation light-box and miscellaneous lights. I lighted the scenes with a fill light, which was essentially just a pedestal light behind a sheet. I had a metre long LED light to highlight the painted sky. And I used a key light, usually representing sunlight, which created nice highlights and shadows. White reflective cardboard was usually out of shot to take away some of the harshness of the shadows created by the key-light. To add a bit of warmth or coolness to a scene I used coloured cellophane over the lights (very sophisticated). I sometimes used multiple layers and colour combinations until I got the colour just right. It was an extremely finicky process.<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br />
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When I started photography, I wanted to do as much work ‘in-camera’ as I possibly could. I new there would be extensive work to do in photoshop later on anyway, and as I don’t particularly enjoy working in photoshop I wanted to minimise that workload down the track. This thinking applied to the coloration of the scene, but also with the effects. Some would argue it would be easier to just do it all in photoshop, but I enjoy problem-solving and coming up with imaginative solutions using more primitive methods.</div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">There are many instances where I used optical illusion to bring characters together. As I mentioned, the Sea Thingy was not to scale with Minnie or Smeck, so where possible, when they appear in the same shot together I would place the Sea Thingy in the foreground, and the characters in the extreme background. Looking at a Television screen which I had linked up to the camera, I would carefully line up the characters, often using a whiteboard marker to make reference lines. To keep everything in focus I set the aperture to f/32 and the exposure to 30 seconds. This made the depth of field very shallow so Minnie appears to be sitting on the Sea Thingy’s shell.</span><br />
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To create fog in this same scene I made what I called my “fog stick”, which was a small length of dowling with hobby fill wrapped roughly around it. Taking advantage of the 30 second exposure I would poke the fog stick in and out of the shot in the background. It helped create convincing fog. I did the same trick with this night time scene...<br />
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There are many other pages where I used these same cheap tricks. To create an aurora borealis effect I used just a green-tinted light, and my arms, moving in such a way that it looked like I was doing a 30 second piece of performance art.<br />
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The most effective example of forced perspective, and the one I am happiest with, was the scene with the Sea Thingy having an encounter with another Deep-Sea Thingy. These two creatures were nowhere near to scale with each other, the latter being far smaller. It was constructed using wire armature, aluminium foil, and <a href="https://www.sculpey.com/super-sculpey/6-super-sculpey" target="_blank">Sculpey</a>. I paid particular attention to fine details so that it would still look good blown up next to the Sea Thingy. Again, I carefully positioned it close to the camera, and the Sea Thingy at least a metre or so behind, with crumpled blue/green painted paper filling in the gaps and covering up flaws.<br />
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The aperture was set to f/36, with 30 second exposures. During the long exposure I used a moving torch to highlight the Sea Thingy’s face in the background, then the Deep-Sea Thingy’s face in the foreground — this represented light projected from the Deep-Sea Thingy’s bioluminescent light. An intense foggy glow was added later in photoshop, along with foreground fog. I was very pleased with how seamlessly it all came together. It’s a shame to not see this picture in all it’s glory in the finished book, so here is it —<br />
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Another scene which has a nice atmosphere is the one with Smeck meeting the pirates for the first time. I wanted a very visible shaft of light pouring down on Smeck. Instead of doing it the easy (and far healthier) way with Photoshop, again taking advantage of the long exposure, I puffed away on a cigar madly blowing smoke from off camera into the scene. This was a last resort after having experimented unsuccessfully with a homemade smoke machine (boiling water and glycerin), and burning mosquito coils. Having removed the batteries from the smoke alarm in my studio, I took a number of photos blowing smoke until I got the haze just right, but I felt dizzy for the rest of the day. It was just one of many “what the hell am I doing?” moments.<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br />
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The photographs I left until last and were giving me headaches whenever I thought about them, were the sepia panels in the middle of the story. The one saving grace was not having to worry about colour. It was a joy working in black and white, where I could focus solely on light and shadow, and I could cheat endlessly with strategically placing random out-of-focus objects in the foreground and background.<br />
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But there was no escaping having to make a heap of props. Things like an axe-grinder, a cannon, cannon balls, a bucket, a barrel, a cauldron, stools, the captains table with maps, telescope, ink well, goblets, sword and candles (with photoshopped flames), a laundry bucket, underwear, and an assortment of fruits and vegetables...<br />
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In a few of the panels there are what appear to be suds. This was achieved using small pearl beads which were held together with hair styling clay (I read this is how <a href="http://www.aardman.com/" target="_blank">Aardman</a> animate suds in Wallace and Gromit and Shaun The Sheep).<br />
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Everything else was bric-a-brac lying about my studio.<br />
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Like I said, black and white is an absolute joy! Given the choice I would love to do a whole book like this one day.</div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">TO BE CONTINUED...</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.windyhollowbooks.com.au/products/smeck" target="_blank">SMECK IS AVAILABLE NOW!</a></div>
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Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-89926540217190409322017-04-11T19:18:00.002-07:002017-04-11T19:18:55.804-07:00SMECK: Part III<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Once all the characters were completed, I got to work on Smeck’s island home, along with an assortment of small props to go with it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 11px;">The island was made from styrofoam, wire mesh, air-drying clay, and paper </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 11px;">magiclay. The palm fronds are wire and layered paper.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I tried a few different methods to create the illusion of rippling water — plastic bags, satin fabric, etc. I even tried cutting and pasting the water in photoshop, which looked okay but felt like too much work later on. It was this experiment however which help form a template for the look and colour of the rest of the book —</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">In the end I settled on large sheets of painted paper and varnish for the water, and a painted sky backdrop I used for nearly every photo.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">The two things which filled me with excitement and dread simultaneously, was the Sea Thingy and the Pirate ship. I had always expected I’d find a cheap and easy alternative to making these; I tried realising them as painted cut-outs, but I just couldn’t get excited about that. I needed them to be as dramatic as possible, as they do mark crucial highlights in the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I had to at least make the Sea Thingy as a sculpture. But making him to scale with the other characters (which ranged from about 2” high to 7” or more) was out of the question. I didn’t have the space, funds, or ability to make it 2 or more metres big, so I reduced his size to about half. I set to work making a solid armature from hard wire, bulked it up with putty and styrofoam, then set about sculpting with air-drying clay for the solid bits, but for the parts that needed to be posable (the eye region) I used silk and Paperclay. The shell was made from clay and plaster of paris. The tentacles, of which I made only two (and multiplied later with the help of photoshop), were made from thick aluminium wire, and hobby fill kept in place with string. The skin was made from silk with a thin layer of Paperclay, which was flexible enough to allow the tentacles to be posed in any position. He took 2 months to complete.</span></div>
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I wish I had documented the stages photographically as I was making this character, but as time was in short supply I didn’t have time to document much at all. For the whole book there is very little in the way of photographs showing my process.<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The ‘Rag n Bone’. That is the name I gave the Pirate Ship. It is cockney rhyming slang for a toilet (‘the throne’). A toilet was my starting point for the design of the ship. Why a toilet? There is often an association made between spiders and outdoor toilets, so it seemed appropriate that it’s captain, a big hairy spider, should live in and commandeer an old dirty toilet.</span><br />
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I left the ship until last. It filled me with panic every time I thought about it. I knew making it would take a long time out of my schedule. I pondered long and hard about quick and easy ways to accomplish it, but none of it would do. I remember vividly the moment I went upstairs and broke the news to my wife — “honey, I’m making the ship”. “I don’t want to know” was her response, throwing her arms in the air as she walked away.<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">For the next two or more months the ship came together very slowly...</span><br />
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I used whatever materials and bits of junk I could find around my studio, and other odds and ends found on roads and footpaths. I started with a mixing bowl for the hull, and added onto it wire meshing, clay, putty, timber, lots of balsa wood, bamboo and dowling for the masts, painted silk for the sails and flags, cardboard, and bits of rusted wire. Super Sculpy was used for the Magritte inspired Mermaid figurehead —<br />
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The only thing I can remember buying specifically for the ship was the model ship rigging which I bought from a local hobby shop. I studied a lot of photos and paintings of old ships, I even watched Youtube clips on the subject, just to get an idea of the function of each rope. I also went on board the ship "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notorious_(ship)" target="_blank">Notorious</a>" when it docked in Brisbane and took a lot of mental notes. I ended up faking much of it though.<br />
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I hadn’t made a model with this level of detail before, so I was flying blind. I made it all up as I went along, inventing different techniques for overcoming problems. For example, for the balustrades that lined the edge of the ship, I secured a drill horizontally onto the bench top with clamps, and using a narrow dowel fastened into the drill one end and slotted into place in a timber block the other end, I had created a miniature makeshift lathe. It worked surprisingly well. A small chisel and creased sandpaper was used to create the grooves. It wasn’t perfect, but it achieved the rough-edged look I was after.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 11px;">The ship was by far the most challenging and time-consuming of all the props made, but I was very happy I persevered with it. It looks infinitely better than the ship I designed on paper, and painting it two-dimensionally would have been a nightmare. The same could be said about all the characters and props. However, I didn’t make it to scale with the characters, or the Sea Thingy. It was too small for the characters, and too big for the Sea Thingy. It was becoming apparent that Photoshop would play a massive part in the post-photography stage down the track.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 11px;">TO BE CONTINUED...</span>Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-39539622244316827022017-04-03T19:29:00.001-07:002017-04-03T19:29:31.407-07:00SMECK: Part II<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Around the time I started the roughs for Smeck, I made a fixed model of it's central character from wire and polymer clay. I made this for basic reference, but it didn't come in handy too often.</span><br />
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Much later, whilst at my wits end from the countless false starts I had already made with the final stages, I found myself sitting at my work table with a roll of aluminium armature wire, some Multi-purpose Putty, newly discovered Paper Magiclay, amongst other bits and pieces of found items. By this stage I felt like I had nothing to lose, so I constructed one of the pirates from the book — the Mosquito.<br />
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I painted him with dark tones, then dry brushed on the lighter tones. I really enjoyed the process, and I thought it looked pretty good. So I started on the spectacled Beetle (the ship’s doctor) in the same way, but refining my approach and adding different materials. He also looked pretty good, and in my opinion better than how I had drawn him.<br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I brought materials to the lunch table at work and pushed to one side the self-consciousness I feel when being watched creating art. Here I was mainly doing the wire armatures, then adding the padding and ‘flesh’ at home. But I started doing everything — armatures, sculpting and painting whenever and wherever I could. I was enjoying the process so much that finally a creative spurt took hold. I no longer needed to warm-up, I could hit the ground running each time I got the materials and equipment out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I still didn't know why I was doing it this way, at the most I thought they’d make good reference models if I decided to give painting another shot. I was also expecting to get tired of this process before making any significant progress anyway, but before I knew it I was working on more characters.</span><br />
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And so, this creative burst served me for the next 2-3 years. It became a reason to get up every morning. I would hurry to work just so I could squeeze in 30 minutes before 7am. I would be giddy with excitement waiting for lunch time, just so I could keep working on my models. I felt a purpose every day, and I was no longer feeling despair at having thrown away my illustration career for the most mundane of paid jobs.</div>
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Still, I didn’t know what on earth I was going to do with these models once they were made. It was assumed I’d photograph them in some way, but that would require large sets, expensive lighting, a fancy camera — things I didn’t possess and areas of expertise I just didn’t have. But the key to getting anything done and to maintain my motivation was to avoid looking at the big picture in any way. My destination was thwart with insurmountable obstacles, that was clear, but if I let this thought be entertained in my mind for too long I would have quickly talked myself out of it. Instead I focussed on the little things, one small model at a time. A part of me was still resigned to the fact that my steam would run out eventually anyway, sooner rather than later. If I called it quits altogether I wouldn't have minded because I was having so much fun making the models anyway. I had learned so much that this experience would have been compensation enough. I was secretly praying the publisher would save me the bother of quitting and just tell me they no longer wanted to publish it, just so I didn’t have to see it through. But my enthusiasm didn’t waiver (not until the absolute final stages anyway), and I kept on chipping away at it ever so slowly.<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">By the time one year had passed, and I had reached my original deadline, in that time I had created models for the entire pirate crew. </span><span style="text-align: center;">There was also Minnie the Mermaid, who was extremely fiddly to make, and the cause of much loud cussing during photography much later on...</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">And of course there was Smeck, complete with 9 interchangeable heads —</span><br />
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One of the most crucial props made was Smeck's ukulele —</div>
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At less than 2cm in length it was very intricate. It was made mainly from cardboard, with strings fashioned from my dog's hair.</div>
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But I still had a heap of other things to make.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 11px;">I told the publisher what I was doing and explained my unideal circumstances, and at the rate I was going I would need yet another year to complete the book. Again, I was secretly praying they would say no to my request and I would have no choice but to abandon this madness. But they didn't. The were more than accommodating. Sigh...</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">TO BE CONTINUED...</span></div>
Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-5100093609535110762017-03-07T18:26:00.001-08:002017-03-08T18:07:39.790-08:00SMECK: Part I<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
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It’s been so long since I made a blog post, I’m not sure how to begin. In posts of the past I’ve covered everything in the process of making picture books that there’s little point in going through all that again — Story, character studies, storyboards, roughs, colour studies, final art, it’s always the same process. I can always refer to these later on if that’s of interest to anybody...</div>
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But what sets <a href="http://www.windyhollowbooks.com.au/products/smeck" target="_blank">Smeck</a> apart from anything else I’ve done is my whole approach doing the finished art.</div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">There were a few contributing reasons why I did it this way. The big one was the circumstances in my life at the time of starting the final stages. In 2013 I became a proud dad. With the financial pressures that come with parenthood I decided illustration was no longer a financially viable way to support my family. For almost 15 years I had always just managed to scrape by on my meagre earnings from freelancing, but in the five or more years leading up to 2013 I was finding it particularly difficult. The cost of living was increasing and my income and workload had decreased. It was time for a change. So I got a “real” job. I became a "Logistics Assistant" (that’s fancy talk for ‘Mailman’).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">But having a full time job and being a parent posed a serious hindrance when it came to illustration. I didn’t want to give up on books altogether, but spare time was in critical short supply, and the idea of illustrating a book was extremely daunting and impractical. The problem was I had one contract already signed and committed to, along with another book I had expressed interest in. The first one ‘Smeck’ was one that I had written, and Windy Hollow Books had agreed to publish it thanks to Helen Chamberlin whom I had worked with previously. The other one was for Koala Books (Scholastic). Despite doing a lot of character sketches and roughs for the latter, as I hadn’t signed a contract by that point, I reluctantly declined to proceed with it and focussed solely on my own book.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">By mid to late 2013 I had already finished all the rough art, which had been approved by the publisher.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "helvetica";">Now, having only weekends at my disposal I commenced the final stage. I was keen to get back into using oil paints, which I had not used since my early books (<a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/great-montefiasco-part-i.html" target="_blank">The Great Montefiasco</a>, <a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/circus-carnivore-part-i.html" target="_blank">Circus Carnivore</a>). Oil paints, to me, are like fine china to be brought out only on special occasions. I love the endless possibilities and the vibrancy of oil paint, and was enjoying working this way, but I soon hit a snag.</span></div>
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Before hand, when I was illustrating full time, I had so much time on my hands that I would procrastinate endlessly. I could sit and stare at blank paper for as long as I needed, patiently waiting for inspiration to come. If it didn’t I’d put a movie on to help, or listen to some music, or watch some other creative person at work on YouTube. I could take a walk in the park and read a book, or just kick a ball for my dog. Eventually, after some time ‘warming up’, it would hit me. A creative burst would spring forth and I would work intensely for hours and hours, not stopping until physical and mental fatigue kicked in. It didn’t always happen like this, but there was that time at my disposal if I needed it.</div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">That is how I used to work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">With my new lifestyle change, there was no longer any room to work in this manner. The weariness that comes with getting up at 4:45am every morning, and working an 8 hour day, then coming home to a young needy child and exasperated wife, along with the mental exhaustion that comes with that, doing any art in my usual fashion was near impossible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Being a parent has made me realise how precious and how fleeting time is. It’s a trite thing to say I know. But I have learned in the last 3+ years how to squeeze the most out of my day, how to utilise every spare minute. Procrastination has become a dirty word. The internet is perfect for procrastinators, Social Media in particular. I withdrew from social media almost altogether. Blogging and making Facebook posts would just use up my valuable time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I spent my weekends trying to paint. With the knowledge that no time could be spent ‘warming up’ anymore, I tried to hit the ground running every time I started a painting, and subsequently everything I was producing just plain sucked! I did several paintings and hated them all. I then changed mediums. I tried acrylic, it was worse. I tried pen and ink cross-hatching...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 11px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">This seemed promising, and I was liking how it was coming along, but I burnt myself out after the billionth line on the third or forth picture completed. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 11px;">What did seem promising about this method, was that I found it easy to get into a rhythm before long. I was also able to work on it in my lunch break and get quite a bit done in short periods of spare time. Before long I began discovering bits of time here and there where I could achieve quite a surprising amount — 20-30 minutes before work, 20 minutes at morning tea, 30-45 minutes at lunch time, 1-2 sometimes 3 hours at night. I even managed to get bits done waiting for the bus in the afternoon, and even on the bus trip home. </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 11px;">All this time added up significantly, and I was achieving a lot. However, I was becoming unsatisfied with the end result (though in hindsight, these attempts don't look that bad). I needed to be completely happy with my work and the process, but I had been here before and I was getting bored of the hatching three drawings in. I just didn’t have the motivation to sustain the rest of the book. Furthermore, the book needed to be in colour. I made a few colour experiments in photoshop using a very limited palette, but I just wasn’t sure the publisher would go for it.</span></div>
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I abandoned the line work, and tried other mediums I had less experience in — lead pencil, coloured pencils, oil pastels, even scratchboard.</div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I was used to starting and restarting artwork with previous projects, but never to this extent. Nothing was working for me. By this stage I was extremely frustrated and on many occasions so very very close to emailing the publisher to say “I’m so sorry, but I can’t do this anymore. Here’s your advance back, please terminate my contract, I’m done!”.</span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">TO BE CONTINUED...</span></div>
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Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-37184648395124916062017-03-06T03:36:00.000-08:002017-03-06T03:36:14.243-08:00NEW BLOG POST, COMING SOON!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-51903461085017505022013-02-17T17:51:00.001-08:002013-02-17T17:54:29.094-08:00COWZAT! InteractiveIn 2010 I illustrated <a href="http://www.windyhollowbooks.com.au/products/cowzat" target="_blank">COWZAT!</a> by <a href="http://www.penguin.com.au/contributors/4287/bruce-atherton" target="_blank">Bruce Atherton</a> for <a href="http://www.windyhollowbooks.com.au/" target="_blank">Windy Hollow Books</a>.<br />
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To date, this has been one of my favourite books I've illustrated, as I think the text is great, and I was pleased with how the illustrations turned out. Plus, I think this book has achieved the seemingly impossible — it's made cricket interesting!<br />
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Anyhow, last year Helen Chamberlin of Windy Hollow informed me <a href="http://www.colourme.com.au/" target="_blank">Colour Me</a> were keen to turn Cowzat! into an <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cowzat/id600780072?mt=8" target="_blank">interactive book</a>. This would mark their foray into this still relatively new medium. It was the animator there who saw the potential in Cowzat!, as my characters lent themselves to animation. So this was all an exciting prospect, as none of my previous books have been adapted in this way as yet.<br />
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Colour Me included Bruce and I in the creative process, but other work commitments and deadlines made it impossible for me to contribute anything substantial, bar one small drawing...<br />
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I take none of the credit for this app, the talented folk at Colour Me did all the wonderful work here, in particular Andy Yong who did the splendid animation. Using just my original static pictures, they've breathed life and hilarity into every corner of every picture (I scratch my head at how they did half of it). I'm amazed at the level of detail, as you'll find something new with every read. And the narration by comedian <a href="http://www.cheekymonkeycomedy.com/about/" target="_blank">Tim Ferguson</a> is a perfect fit!<br />
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Your kids will love COWZAT! <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cowzat/id600780072?mt=8" target="_blank">Click here</a> to purchase!<br />
<br />Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-70381795848967135052013-01-09T12:29:00.001-08:002013-01-09T12:29:23.222-08:00Another time-lapsey thingy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/GBvf8BdJtB4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span class="userContent"> <b>Wanna purchase the original?</b></span></h3>
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<span class="userContent"></span></h4>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="userContent"> <br /> Dimensions: 225mm x 305mm<br /> Medium: Acrylic on canvas board<br /> Price: AUD$180 + postage<br /> <br /> First in, best dressed!<br /> <a href="mailto:whackothechook@internode.on.net">whackothechook@internode.on.net</a></span></div>
Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-6583320376014833342012-12-29T02:31:00.001-08:002012-12-29T02:31:17.380-08:00Time-lapse Dinosaur Painting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9VGIhm6G-oU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-84314233198969983692012-12-17T21:46:00.001-08:002012-12-17T21:46:26.980-08:00MORE CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS!I am so thrilled to have received mail today from some sixth graders at Longford Primary School in Tasmania. They each wrote me a lovely letter, and drew me the following awesome pictures!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEm6OnB60skr0_Hrvie0A8wkuciIC-u76OhjFXpdIuRHp0-B57qgO7San3BReNCvZvDYC-GZHD4WUzOWcOs0dkySSTKdhaPvCSyfvoVhnO1ZwvhBAlrS7wDTZEteUb727OeO8NzhW6Zmf7/s1600/Longford+Primary_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEm6OnB60skr0_Hrvie0A8wkuciIC-u76OhjFXpdIuRHp0-B57qgO7San3BReNCvZvDYC-GZHD4WUzOWcOs0dkySSTKdhaPvCSyfvoVhnO1ZwvhBAlrS7wDTZEteUb727OeO8NzhW6Zmf7/s400/Longford+Primary_001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Bailey</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyfrjvuRARpOZJzoe6ALZozHYzcayAOPPwJzvCazUrHQWpWydy-NRBTyuSH5cJyCAV6gswlA5E7-kBI7zIictxWz7bP3jHDLtXFqVObV3ICA32i8QU09h-UULKH83-gUEu0aXCLjpI8aF/s1600/Longford+Primary_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyfrjvuRARpOZJzoe6ALZozHYzcayAOPPwJzvCazUrHQWpWydy-NRBTyuSH5cJyCAV6gswlA5E7-kBI7zIictxWz7bP3jHDLtXFqVObV3ICA32i8QU09h-UULKH83-gUEu0aXCLjpI8aF/s400/Longford+Primary_002.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Braydon, age 11</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMWmZ3laTbg4CjbWoJo4zHyPgtO5DAS97YD-atVY-5SFxsF_ME00gOM8Irob7fGqFa8PEumIY0iowT29-Hsf7Jgcy16xhl6_OVUehwwIMB3M_oFciDtaVo9iAYvIgBqwfSwqWJNX_7sOzd/s1600/Longford+Primary_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMWmZ3laTbg4CjbWoJo4zHyPgtO5DAS97YD-atVY-5SFxsF_ME00gOM8Irob7fGqFa8PEumIY0iowT29-Hsf7Jgcy16xhl6_OVUehwwIMB3M_oFciDtaVo9iAYvIgBqwfSwqWJNX_7sOzd/s400/Longford+Primary_003.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Lily, age 12</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wXMjdB6NvrIwSFlqx9FcyPcDgtdcY7LCsw-V4IlRDuukoNVHQBKdGtQ_kdr2xZv-Q-1il1uJKMLUewFl2ICGkFO5vWHyU3ePO8ra74fntlFjfpahGiJ8CgUCNOXXjLD2yOnQ__0ysh39/s1600/Longford+Primary_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wXMjdB6NvrIwSFlqx9FcyPcDgtdcY7LCsw-V4IlRDuukoNVHQBKdGtQ_kdr2xZv-Q-1il1uJKMLUewFl2ICGkFO5vWHyU3ePO8ra74fntlFjfpahGiJ8CgUCNOXXjLD2yOnQ__0ysh39/s400/Longford+Primary_004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Georgie</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8VFvB9KfsBkAw8yiix9NiU1gI8FKFL-US8t1IwKMQR4AU5Qs57PHzi5zFbC-1LtcQqTsdNMWnfQNLXBihR2t29dl6N5wt00Ad5u9QBppdBVuHZPYygwOS3B8xf94O2W7llBcfvGyvdkL/s1600/Longford+Primary_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8VFvB9KfsBkAw8yiix9NiU1gI8FKFL-US8t1IwKMQR4AU5Qs57PHzi5zFbC-1LtcQqTsdNMWnfQNLXBihR2t29dl6N5wt00Ad5u9QBppdBVuHZPYygwOS3B8xf94O2W7llBcfvGyvdkL/s400/Longford+Primary_005.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Sage, age 12</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmCDwjNj3d3qZKPpLLizQ-x0jFVYDDYhLp9kQJKm6d89aWI0sWsac0COa2tPMiFR_zSR52kn0mByEqubT_TrGTqsSgLWardlIsqGW6PnmSkvRJ511dYjDRWPZUJOj5hu6trOkjgW1dZju/s1600/Longford+Primary_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmCDwjNj3d3qZKPpLLizQ-x0jFVYDDYhLp9kQJKm6d89aWI0sWsac0COa2tPMiFR_zSR52kn0mByEqubT_TrGTqsSgLWardlIsqGW6PnmSkvRJ511dYjDRWPZUJOj5hu6trOkjgW1dZju/s400/Longford+Primary_006.jpg" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Duncan, age 11</td></tr>
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These are going straight on my studio wall where they will inspire me! Thank you so much Duncan, Sage, Georgie, Lily, Braydon, and Bailey, I will respond to you all in writing very soon! :-)<br />
<br />
See more children's drawings <a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2010/07/childrens-drawings.html" target="_blank">here</a>.Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-15144130335884129672012-11-29T19:56:00.000-08:002012-12-05T14:49:21.334-08:00CHRISTMAS 2012<h3 style="text-align: center;">
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Giclée prints and signed books!</h3>
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All prints are signed, and all books have a signature and a small drawing and can be personalised on request.<b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Payments can be made via PayPal. To order email me at <a href="mailto:whackothechook@internode.on.net">whackothechook@internode.on.net</a></span>.</b></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<u>PRINTS</u></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxjLQ8z7k-QogJnkodayKMFAeO2mVHQDXG1WEyYygLNtZPQLj2Wh9hqDDHNQQMtku_NluDR9IBiWwCRT9hLOOzmcQLXzXTJvNXGizkPPtPHeE4u3dttShtNx4WEBCtUtMcmsxpFOxQja6/s1600/TGM_22_23+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxjLQ8z7k-QogJnkodayKMFAeO2mVHQDXG1WEyYygLNtZPQLj2Wh9hqDDHNQQMtku_NluDR9IBiWwCRT9hLOOzmcQLXzXTJvNXGizkPPtPHeE4u3dttShtNx4WEBCtUtMcmsxpFOxQja6/s400/TGM_22_23+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>'Meanwhile'</i> from <a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/great-montefiasco-part-i.html" target="_blank">THE GREAT MONTEFIASCO</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
480mm x 270mm</div>
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<b><u>AUD$180 + postage</u></b></div>
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Very limited stock available!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNTW4GEhNsLRLc7wWRjDbMV2nmcw06S5NfY-DvojgIoGMBCsuAiKkO0yO6OlwkO06zXP2VSgdPW7erR4YFvuca_vO5VlBiCEsJUP9Yxk8XSLAYHAxvzmxGvmaYtaodMbu3qw2l92XEnoD/s1600/TGM_24_25+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNTW4GEhNsLRLc7wWRjDbMV2nmcw06S5NfY-DvojgIoGMBCsuAiKkO0yO6OlwkO06zXP2VSgdPW7erR4YFvuca_vO5VlBiCEsJUP9Yxk8XSLAYHAxvzmxGvmaYtaodMbu3qw2l92XEnoD/s400/TGM_24_25+copy.jpg" width="367" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>'I've Come About The Assistant's Job'</i> from <a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/great-montefiasco-part-ii.html" target="_blank">THE GREAT MONTEFIASCO</a></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
250mm x 230mm</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>AUD$100 + postage</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Limited stock!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMEDfvKxzVX9b_gLLZUwBrouq4cSa6iEnTX4f3CGSYJ3dVrnGaP5VPFOrmoGhQN4VELhz1hVC1lI1trWjZ1lu6crcFU12dUbgefIYnwD0hxOcA9uF6TxyozQeeLDE1sCBPRZZSrxb3Yy_/s1600/TORTOISE+V+HARE_p22_23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMEDfvKxzVX9b_gLLZUwBrouq4cSa6iEnTX4f3CGSYJ3dVrnGaP5VPFOrmoGhQN4VELhz1hVC1lI1trWjZ1lu6crcFU12dUbgefIYnwD0hxOcA9uF6TxyozQeeLDE1sCBPRZZSrxb3Yy_/s400/TORTOISE+V+HARE_p22_23.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>'And The Crowd's Gone Wild'</i> from <a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2010/07/tortoise-v-hare-part-2.html" target="_blank">TORTOISE V HARE THE REMATCH</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
510mm x 260mm</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>AUD$180 + postage</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
New!</div>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<u>BOOKS</u></h2>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jzcfQ-QvuqAI53G6HkfJqtBY7eVnFms2xvtZknMAxfU69aAEWlT_gv99Sae8HlyYrQtMTyn6QXvY7EGpYIJcCgsib69lR7mCDVJCqXgXpvZR4dM3TY9lBJFoUjPIJgOJh9hc0AjPO3lH/s1600/shikker_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jzcfQ-QvuqAI53G6HkfJqtBY7eVnFms2xvtZknMAxfU69aAEWlT_gv99Sae8HlyYrQtMTyn6QXvY7EGpYIJcCgsib69lR7mCDVJCqXgXpvZR4dM3TY9lBJFoUjPIJgOJh9hc0AjPO3lH/s320/shikker_001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/shikker-cola-cows-part-1.html" target="_blank"><i>THE SHIKKER COLA COWS</i></a> by Andy Small (2000)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hardcover; Children's Picture Book, 40 pages; 280mm x 225mm</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
(My very first published book, illustrated entirely in biro and published in 2000. Being self-published with a print run of barely 500, this book is a rarity)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>AUD$20 + postage</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkG3gK3B0jOu4YpUrt2czxTxbahF49sTl3WwDEuA-SfTpWd30anOCJTUygHJrrzlEM_rz7PYJBuAvDM8f1RCtA2WpWVzuxgrPq31Fh_ifd3Htda0sKy6-UDUGhDcNOzNWpvcoG9Hu7lBY/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkG3gK3B0jOu4YpUrt2czxTxbahF49sTl3WwDEuA-SfTpWd30anOCJTUygHJrrzlEM_rz7PYJBuAvDM8f1RCtA2WpWVzuxgrPq31Fh_ifd3Htda0sKy6-UDUGhDcNOzNWpvcoG9Hu7lBY/s1600/cover.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>THE GREAT MONTEFIASCO</i> by Colin Thompson (2004)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hardcover; Children's Picture Book, 32 pages; 255mm x 235mm</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>AUD$25 + postage</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Limited stock! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXcmTRrwp1N2eUfloPpdu0iEA6i0TFfvVsLMH_GxHEl3pZzWtXrmZu88RrlxKuMFAcOo4OjBoOlOaesnUWdhgoPRzttAZmB1Cd9WvsqppnWCjFYaMks89gW1l9HID7SloyXQ_16hbRVzE/s1600/cover-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXcmTRrwp1N2eUfloPpdu0iEA6i0TFfvVsLMH_GxHEl3pZzWtXrmZu88RrlxKuMFAcOo4OjBoOlOaesnUWdhgoPRzttAZmB1Cd9WvsqppnWCjFYaMks89gW1l9HID7SloyXQ_16hbRVzE/s1600/cover-1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/circus-carnivore-part-i.html" target="_blank"><i>CIRCUS CARNIVORE</i></a> by Mark Svendsen (2006)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hardcover; Children's Picture Book, 32 pages; 285mm x 215mm</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
(The Australian edition of this book is extremely rare, I only have two copies myself. However, I have copies of the US edition available)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>AUD$25 + postage</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXV7yclQ957GAKkbMlCmY3H3vKswVLGst3NBE-KWWyVH6oHGwsf9L2ufi3m3r2W5ZnfNTDSKM9_FLXH4VEkuopz_DNiAYuDOWPBheCu3BzNYREUb-XrXMqeYDD4P1t9UPAq73mrU7EucFR/s1600/WTC_jacket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXV7yclQ957GAKkbMlCmY3H3vKswVLGst3NBE-KWWyVH6oHGwsf9L2ufi3m3r2W5ZnfNTDSKM9_FLXH4VEkuopz_DNiAYuDOWPBheCu3BzNYREUb-XrXMqeYDD4P1t9UPAq73mrU7EucFR/s1600/WTC_jacket.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/whacko-chook.html" target="_blank"><i>WHACKO THE CHOOK</i></a> by Mark Svendsen (2007)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hardcover; Children's Picture Book, 32 pages; 255mm x 235mm</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>AUD$25 + postage</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Very, very, very limited stock, only about 3 available!!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHhA_ldw1LLr8YY7_ssDl9OuIa8IXc430U4olpRnNJNk89DkRSHiLKmesmbyxX4FznnAXDpRsaRIcbbEuH1kgcTopPbTzPeHTpPjVF9iIZmKGmppp0j3qYAKmISWL-gWmhuWrKOAj-ABA/s1600/PE_cover+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHhA_ldw1LLr8YY7_ssDl9OuIa8IXc430U4olpRnNJNk89DkRSHiLKmesmbyxX4FznnAXDpRsaRIcbbEuH1kgcTopPbTzPeHTpPjVF9iIZmKGmppp0j3qYAKmISWL-gWmhuWrKOAj-ABA/s320/PE_cover+copy.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2010/07/pumpkin-eater-from-pondicherry.html" target="_blank">THE PUMPKIN EATER FROM PONDICHERRY</a> by Bruce Atherton (2008)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hardcover; Children's Picture Book, 32 pages; 285mm x 215mm</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
(With a tiny print run in Australia, this book is rare!)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>AUD$25 + postage</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6F0oAok2WBEPtPQvXS4KIy1kT70gFT9CP4xw4hArvgC-YFkzyt1hl_6bpEYqFnwRKNORS8jN7qoXraC8JMT1_wHmVs5thObUeptEP3P9NSKtGqsLY1-7Kp4QPvn94Oj6Qpn5P0QeAQLgc/s1600/l_05fce06115e99c34ba1e60d46dd52256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6F0oAok2WBEPtPQvXS4KIy1kT70gFT9CP4xw4hArvgC-YFkzyt1hl_6bpEYqFnwRKNORS8jN7qoXraC8JMT1_wHmVs5thObUeptEP3P9NSKtGqsLY1-7Kp4QPvn94Oj6Qpn5P0QeAQLgc/s320/l_05fce06115e99c34ba1e60d46dd52256.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/jack-aliens.html" target="_blank"><i>JACK AND THE ALIENS</i></a> by Damien Broderick (2002)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Softcover; Children's fiction, 63 pages; 198mm x 128 mm </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>AUD$15 + postage</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Only 1 left!!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZOhIE590cMH4B8CdjELn0FVU5-McmwCNuF0Ds1HAF4qcfPxhXCxO0Jj8NlKebiNS2t7OsthyphenhyphenpP1Q969pXBCriJUCfE6kQ4A29qp-POYMr4i9xA_emfjispXNElFb4MfNMe7r0Gwf5kei/s1600/l_232ceddfda8929543bc57de65cbebf90.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZOhIE590cMH4B8CdjELn0FVU5-McmwCNuF0Ds1HAF4qcfPxhXCxO0Jj8NlKebiNS2t7OsthyphenhyphenpP1Q969pXBCriJUCfE6kQ4A29qp-POYMr4i9xA_emfjispXNElFb4MfNMe7r0Gwf5kei/s320/l_232ceddfda8929543bc57de65cbebf90.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/jack-and-skyhook.html" target="_blank"><i>JACK AND THE SKYHOOK</i></a> by Damien Broderick (2003)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Softcover; Children's fiction, 98 pages; 198mm x 128 mm</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>AUD$15 + postage</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Only 2 left!!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="mailto:whackothechook@internode.on.net" target="_blank">ORDER NOW</a></div>
Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-32850822020485032892012-10-12T18:35:00.000-07:002012-10-12T18:35:51.109-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
HAPPY <a href="http://thinkegg.com/index.php/world-egg-day/?lang=en">WORLD EGG DAY</a>!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJomKg4juRYIZTRhoSBMOvb4t7HIWm8wOz59NpOtiSLzZXXDc8nDjZsJc_omQcl03b-IOoBrJhebQEzkzoCPS_GdAjrQ6F5GRkIKQRVmK_GDRd1YCFAifSesv-4PpfdvFIgr70LfGKZ7D9/s1600/DUCK_022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJomKg4juRYIZTRhoSBMOvb4t7HIWm8wOz59NpOtiSLzZXXDc8nDjZsJc_omQcl03b-IOoBrJhebQEzkzoCPS_GdAjrQ6F5GRkIKQRVmK_GDRd1YCFAifSesv-4PpfdvFIgr70LfGKZ7D9/s320/DUCK_022.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>
Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-82958681405209669562012-10-03T16:36:00.001-07:002012-10-03T16:36:40.427-07:00New prints!<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="messageBody"><span class="userContent">Giclée prints of this illustration are now available!</span></span></h5>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIxtklCeOo5bX5TrO1RxM_we2TZmYWlfrqBbdvgjlOD6eOsuYYUbnp1duEuXduv46Ag1RS56F4dinPrkIPmiIFH017i4YQSqTO7dazE2iDlTgDSDT2WN7Ppenyimjhw4UBepxa9Tg0k7g/s1600/TvH_spread11_p22+23_complete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIxtklCeOo5bX5TrO1RxM_we2TZmYWlfrqBbdvgjlOD6eOsuYYUbnp1duEuXduv46Ag1RS56F4dinPrkIPmiIFH017i4YQSqTO7dazE2iDlTgDSDT2WN7Ppenyimjhw4UBepxa9Tg0k7g/s400/TvH_spread11_p22+23_complete.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody"><span class="userContent">Book: <a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2010/07/tortoise-v-hare-part-1.html">TORTOISE V HARE THE REMATCH</a> by Preston Rutt<br /> Dimensions: 51cm x 26 cm<br /> Price: <u>$180 + postage</u> (via Paypal)</span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody"><span class="userContent"></span></span><span class="messageBody"><span class="userContent"><span>Email me at <a href="mailto:whackothechook@internode.on.net">whackothechook@internode.on.ne</a></span><wbr></wbr><a href="mailto:whackothechook@internode.on.net"><span class="word_break"></span>t</a> to reserve your print!</span></span></h5>
Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-89646885664087228802012-09-16T05:30:00.000-07:002012-09-16T05:30:14.757-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Starring Gilbert Gottfried as Charlie!</div>
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<br />Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-77169496949396474092012-09-09T22:13:00.002-07:002012-09-09T22:13:29.274-07:00MONKEY DON'T TeasersHere's a collection of teasers for my book <a href="http://www.koalabooks.com.au/shop/item/monkey-dont">Monkey Don't!</a>. I've had fun making these, it's been ages since I've done any animating. I did these using Anime Studio Pro, a great program for cut-out style animation. I hope to play around with it some more.<br />
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Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-52417288290745154072012-08-27T23:27:00.000-07:002012-08-28T00:03:03.702-07:00FAQs Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There's a question I get asked often:<br />
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<b>Why does Charlie have a tail yet Furley doesn't?</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsMQ12R5MAT7h3_sLybVCpvMojB1w8wpKRjkGfC_2IG0ALHdTkLfKxCjI8o2xBHXwSQytYcp0bMLJYlQVPravJMfRsSgnU51lH6Om89xKJOV9Cy5TuJAJ3qWJ0AGmYAc3a85swL2-i4FC/s1600/MonkeyDont_p28_29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKsMQ12R5MAT7h3_sLybVCpvMojB1w8wpKRjkGfC_2IG0ALHdTkLfKxCjI8o2xBHXwSQytYcp0bMLJYlQVPravJMfRsSgnU51lH6Om89xKJOV9Cy5TuJAJ3qWJ0AGmYAc3a85swL2-i4FC/s400/MonkeyDont_p28_29.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spread from "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrFWAYG1UFo&feature=youtu.be">Monkey Don't</a>"</td></tr>
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I should be well-rehearsed at answering this question, but, I'm not... the simple answer is, I-don't-know! I don't have a satisfactory answer, I've never given a satisfactory answer, and you won't find one here either.<br />
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If I did have a reason for docking Furley, I've completely forgotten it. But this troubles me, because I have no problems remembering what my brain was thinking for books almost twice as old as Who Flung Dung?, and WFD is only about 5 or 6 years old! I've gone through this over and over in my head, and I've even wondered, could it be, I actually forgot to give Furley a tail? Surely not!... I'm too pedantic about fine details to forget something like that! Furthermore, I don't drink and I've never taken drugs, so that rules that out, and I highly doubt there was some sort of deep underlying philosophical reason for it, though I could always make one up...<br />
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After some cursory research through my archive, I discovered an interesting thing — early roughs of Charlie show that <i>he didn't</i> have a tail at one point also...<br />
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But when I look back even further to the original Furley design in the very first draft, Furley himself <i>did</i> have a tail! Though, Furley wasn't called Furley at this point, and he resembled a sock monkey (the reasons for the dramatic change to Furley, is for another post...).<br />
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So, basically, the evolution, so to speak, of these monkey's tails throughout draft stages went like this: Furley and Charlie started with tails, then they both dropped their tails, but at the eleventh hour Charlie grows another tail, but Furley remains without — so why wasn't Furley's tail reinstated? I'm not sure... There were six drafts of Who Flung Dung? in total, and for the first five Furley had a tail. Was it laziness? Possibly, it is one less thing to draw each time, but I doubt that's it.<br />
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It's a mystery for the ages! If I can't answer this question, no one can! Or can they? Why don't you tell me how Furley lost his tail! Perhaps there's a story in it, a prequel to Who Flung Dung?? Hmmm...<br />
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Curiously enough, no one ever asks me why Furley is bald...<br />
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Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-56720985488097504362012-08-27T17:54:00.002-07:002012-08-27T17:54:45.274-07:00MONKEY DON'T TeaserHere's a little teaser I did for my latest book <a href="http://www.koalabooks.com.au/shop/item/monkey-dont">Monkey Don't</a>, using Photoshop, Anime Studio Pro and iMovie. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-84835092395070984602012-08-22T18:32:00.001-07:002012-08-22T18:39:17.211-07:00Knitted Toys!A friend recently sent me a link to Ebay where she'd found a set of knitted toys based on my characters from <a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/who-flung-dung-review-paul-ogrady-show.html">Who Flung Dung?</a> up for auction. I was really flattered someone took the time to create these, so I placed a bid. I was outbid at the last minute unfortunately, but I contacted the seller, and she very kindly made me a fresh new set. In record time too, a mere two days or so! All the way from the UK my package arrived Tuesday, much to my delight. So now, here they are, the cast of Who Flung Dung, in wool!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Furley</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ84XtYR09-DMeUUx9avlaRZ-_t2qYjPmuC-uU9sG2YFeo6YKdqze7B4Qs_HPmxyYXobD6aojK_RC7o1hprItKrdwmvBzozSHdyaPVFkO6uy9BVQWOClTvxWtVLWFfgV107Cnmwc-hinSN/s1600/WFD_knitted+toys_furley_charlie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ84XtYR09-DMeUUx9avlaRZ-_t2qYjPmuC-uU9sG2YFeo6YKdqze7B4Qs_HPmxyYXobD6aojK_RC7o1hprItKrdwmvBzozSHdyaPVFkO6uy9BVQWOClTvxWtVLWFfgV107Cnmwc-hinSN/s320/WFD_knitted+toys_furley_charlie.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vuAhTd3Twcl7mjp39SLDMU7Ghpyrlxhz2hU2Ln3_7hckHT1slH2V30K6VEsW1aQkPohl4fgiDXulk8I7s_nUN2cZqNvHiYf8Hln9MtdLRfHaxBXYmQED2E5JuC7C1MO9eOQyqfFjzoxp/s1600/WFD_knitted+toys_elephant_rhino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vuAhTd3Twcl7mjp39SLDMU7Ghpyrlxhz2hU2Ln3_7hckHT1slH2V30K6VEsW1aQkPohl4fgiDXulk8I7s_nUN2cZqNvHiYf8Hln9MtdLRfHaxBXYmQED2E5JuC7C1MO9eOQyqfFjzoxp/s320/WFD_knitted+toys_elephant_rhino.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elephant & Rhinoceros</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyZobtBdiZEum1JacFMiO5K3oTxBblyiIaFPvRYLyEh-nf3CKuPYH0dSpWQMVU4I54HFZ7R9V7UysTUXLmA11Nfa0Cl0HKSinYEyhn1b3OD872oeQhLxwR1d7c11CVgefoTvwOAnMk316/s1600/WFD_knitted+toys_python.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyZobtBdiZEum1JacFMiO5K3oTxBblyiIaFPvRYLyEh-nf3CKuPYH0dSpWQMVU4I54HFZ7R9V7UysTUXLmA11Nfa0Cl0HKSinYEyhn1b3OD872oeQhLxwR1d7c11CVgefoTvwOAnMk316/s320/WFD_knitted+toys_python.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Python</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMZT7zsOxr0gkh1zZaPF4u5uZeexHXpX4tSYLygWXXHZ4EKdsdNWh2aocqHdCIo9HpvoyPMz2kTaf02_em2DPXqUdQ5PwIMQ5Nfe-3YIl-_k3E0TjowxXOUnEUE-dfR3V2DqUtMtzuMDq/s1600/WFD_knitted+toys_crocodile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMZT7zsOxr0gkh1zZaPF4u5uZeexHXpX4tSYLygWXXHZ4EKdsdNWh2aocqHdCIo9HpvoyPMz2kTaf02_em2DPXqUdQ5PwIMQ5Nfe-3YIl-_k3E0TjowxXOUnEUE-dfR3V2DqUtMtzuMDq/s320/WFD_knitted+toys_crocodile.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crocodile</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFDq11GBQ1MXBGhWUFHAcGBU1tLMYErsUBKX444fj80UsP4I1O2B_nySoYarzNFw434vB2wNP52EwN0RWph8nWViZVDc8jXy3hT89NEWc02_u5BAa9_GofuAXgjxRhzZT3BKiy46O7FYf/s1600/WFD_knitted+toys_crocodile+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFDq11GBQ1MXBGhWUFHAcGBU1tLMYErsUBKX444fj80UsP4I1O2B_nySoYarzNFw434vB2wNP52EwN0RWph8nWViZVDc8jXy3hT89NEWc02_u5BAa9_GofuAXgjxRhzZT3BKiy46O7FYf/s320/WFD_knitted+toys_crocodile+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crocodile</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Fjr5HmbXh8HxBL4pMJpJe64nsPuzCstLHmIFMk-5E3xPa166F6e4O6PxGQH1zKi1kp784Ho5hpptXFC7A58tQz8knV4yJ_Lf8Jz52RmeEipQTSbK9zIG753HVObzawd6mMz2WAlUb_YK/s1600/WFD_knitted+toys_lion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Fjr5HmbXh8HxBL4pMJpJe64nsPuzCstLHmIFMk-5E3xPa166F6e4O6PxGQH1zKi1kp784Ho5hpptXFC7A58tQz8knV4yJ_Lf8Jz52RmeEipQTSbK9zIG753HVObzawd6mMz2WAlUb_YK/s320/WFD_knitted+toys_lion.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSUOaR0GjKABd7h5LoL4IqMPwTsNpGUvs1gWYqjyHTKh3IAOQHm38VoPElcEJQnwEiDLtakFxRH-Y4uc9zXeFeM7t2iCkAQ6T1escKPIHCViwrei46ZR6LYReOjLMGM7ybzeEGCD9aev5/s1600/WFD_knitted+toys_vulture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSUOaR0GjKABd7h5LoL4IqMPwTsNpGUvs1gWYqjyHTKh3IAOQHm38VoPElcEJQnwEiDLtakFxRH-Y4uc9zXeFeM7t2iCkAQ6T1escKPIHCViwrei46ZR6LYReOjLMGM7ybzeEGCD9aev5/s320/WFD_knitted+toys_vulture.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vulture, as a finger puppet (my favourite!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1HCkXn5kMXPJ4aoBnv_AJn2uNI-0vv9tKS0n_1DTxMTn4Rei35vmkPyfz-6XgZ8fEYjLDkBkHeahjr_OGx0sy7oSdxGRSQj10o0XzK2uxDS9I8iG4fIDvW_ryghAt6adXyDxgNClhbqd/s1600/WFD_knitted+toys_gnu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1HCkXn5kMXPJ4aoBnv_AJn2uNI-0vv9tKS0n_1DTxMTn4Rei35vmkPyfz-6XgZ8fEYjLDkBkHeahjr_OGx0sy7oSdxGRSQj10o0XzK2uxDS9I8iG4fIDvW_ryghAt6adXyDxgNClhbqd/s320/WFD_knitted+toys_gnu.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gnu (my second favourite)</td></tr>
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Crucial details...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc85puCMTNlCgeHcFMlIh4tgZBdw7d545Dz-6aEMtM5ZFAzYFXreYlcfvNdhCaGf9c6oQakzpNU0di9D45-w4rFvSpELz2CxPc1OMVijkae4FN_5S2KRpBMzSLKQzGY4PUr3yrCiEcoRmB/s1600/WFD_knitted+toys_furley_charlie_rear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc85puCMTNlCgeHcFMlIh4tgZBdw7d545Dz-6aEMtM5ZFAzYFXreYlcfvNdhCaGf9c6oQakzpNU0di9D45-w4rFvSpELz2CxPc1OMVijkae4FN_5S2KRpBMzSLKQzGY4PUr3yrCiEcoRmB/s320/WFD_knitted+toys_furley_charlie_rear.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Furley & Charlie, rear view</td></tr>
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She even included a little knitted poo for Furley's head, a wonderful touch!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofqHAaS2MkOst8_S2fLzNb3hUeNon5JvcSA14FwwMbdJm5zDMrpICRGdjuLqkmdSZXjQFOWFpCFSaWZHFOWlOJlu3WHH3KY_WFwl67wIMx1LZvgqoS3tT_NBpKKLgqi3AYNEZxVMXvY2a/s1600/WFD_knitted+toys_furley_poo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofqHAaS2MkOst8_S2fLzNb3hUeNon5JvcSA14FwwMbdJm5zDMrpICRGdjuLqkmdSZXjQFOWFpCFSaWZHFOWlOJlu3WHH3KY_WFwl67wIMx1LZvgqoS3tT_NBpKKLgqi3AYNEZxVMXvY2a/s320/WFD_knitted+toys_furley_poo+2.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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Unfortunately, the little knitted Charlie has already begun wreaking havoc with my other toys! Curse you Charlie!!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyypL9Sidfj0NR_4249aqCF4fKVvIob4Fl8fYyIW6mRJnPJxeljES8ZO82ydXcZhfgP0xc7lLJCczuU17jsx4UX64fUDfyVtc1A9MAuJ5ACnBJNyDjwY9_z4k_EA3Z0dHzhEuXz36wicU/s1600/trex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyypL9Sidfj0NR_4249aqCF4fKVvIob4Fl8fYyIW6mRJnPJxeljES8ZO82ydXcZhfgP0xc7lLJCczuU17jsx4UX64fUDfyVtc1A9MAuJ5ACnBJNyDjwY9_z4k_EA3Z0dHzhEuXz36wicU/s640/trex.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Thanks again Linny, I'll treasure these! :-)<br />
<br />Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-23837421450312115322012-08-06T17:13:00.001-07:002012-08-06T17:14:23.668-07:00Happy Birthday Mark and Marg!In recent days there have been a couple of milestone birthday celebrations happening. My Mother-in-law (and her identical twin sister) turned 60 on Sunday, and author/friend <a href="http://www.marksvendsen.com/">Mark Svendsen</a> turns 50 today. In honour of this event, Mark's daughters put together a special book made up of one page contributions from his friends and relatives. Coincidentally, my wife and sister-in-law organised the same thing for Margaret. So I had my work cut out for me.<br />
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I did this pinup for Mark... <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ePkpI-bbT_v94sGHMxmrnZ78rjmJ_hKwf7d9eYEdRI6OFO60eKXAHiJ5LdqEZOpSXSB4_hDyGMnIyc2_1AlYS0Z2zuDlVbZTBKozLDpBm2h2XTDuKSUn5irgWUYcU5sYTcXqhc06yXM3/s1600/pennyfeather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ePkpI-bbT_v94sGHMxmrnZ78rjmJ_hKwf7d9eYEdRI6OFO60eKXAHiJ5LdqEZOpSXSB4_hDyGMnIyc2_1AlYS0Z2zuDlVbZTBKozLDpBm2h2XTDuKSUn5irgWUYcU5sYTcXqhc06yXM3/s400/pennyfeather.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Pretty Pennyfeather': acrylic and gouache; based on a rough from the unpublished sequel to <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQ5mJWHfiEmpoqtpB8RPPvSQEoUzqqGFzWB7ZAJtGob-A5jJkR1X7EMKCI1Vaau-dO-ZIh5Go18-ngwtLCoAOmyvnONATQO40JMZ3XnnP9cRLPh1O_8QUgyOGa5GDxw3h3tDyd2fVabSl/s1600/l_c66e592ab9b64455dfb554948aaca430.jpg">Whacko The Chook</a></td></tr>
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And a '<a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2010/09/monkey-bouquet.html">Monquet</a>' for Margaret...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43sgHZC0oxGQ1-AEZbFgEczpufE0t_65Mko_jnaQT1YYg03zYnXiPhcG8V7G1qGa8EBSd8Zh5z7syukErbxUFvr1nuLIKnhPbYzdlUptypT6DRJijF2uhj2GjGtLmx1aSsAv-L3WcYouU/s1600/Monquet_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43sgHZC0oxGQ1-AEZbFgEczpufE0t_65Mko_jnaQT1YYg03zYnXiPhcG8V7G1qGa8EBSd8Zh5z7syukErbxUFvr1nuLIKnhPbYzdlUptypT6DRJijF2uhj2GjGtLmx1aSsAv-L3WcYouU/s400/Monquet_001.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A.k.a 'Monkey Bouquet'; acrylic and collage; there are precisely sixty chimps in this bouquet</td></tr>
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Happy birthday again! You're both awesome!</div>
<br />Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-30405327897797121482012-04-02T06:55:00.000-07:002012-04-02T06:55:30.469-07:00WHACKO THE CHOOKIt's been a while since I've done a post here, so here's a Whacko The Chook puppet I made a few months back...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyEUg8Brx97z6fy4JbPAhav8N6DqjcBUbs07pofaLi-suPBl4rpXh1CnELg0U_yFZd6BbY1tpOwOVLTNuegZw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
I'd like to do something more substantial with it one day, when I've made a body. Whacko The Chook was always intended to be a series of books, but no publisher would commit to that, so Mark & I have considered other mediums for her, namely film. We were approached by a TV producer at one point who talked about making her a TV series, but he proved fruitless. Either way, this ol' broiler will be reincarnated in one form or another...Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-9492115020399401222012-02-02T21:52:00.000-08:002012-02-02T21:52:22.160-08:00NOT THIS LITTLE BLACK DUCK Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A lovely review of <a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/duck-wonder-duck-aka-not-this-little.html">Not This Little Black Duck</a> on ABC local radio...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwinXS3kGm_tEmsDoPWbR8ubOJLMQXDz3ZWwHcZDvQyaMTmi_C_DCkC-4WjkQqejbNUCOOVuqg4h0_XCLRCoQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-67892516149419352982011-12-14T23:40:00.000-08:002011-12-14T23:40:20.828-08:00Happity Christmas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35louwfDotsxLjSDAihDQAZGhICGhigXGWgEzE1njJVExKltyqUF299qCMxbeGk66vPp21L9S9Uoa34u5vcVPagrCgmnFPpE26-qPDrFoGJEmBg1gp2tM4v2OwB7YUFz2KieOiIZRfwP0/s1600/HAPPITY+CHRISTMAS+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35louwfDotsxLjSDAihDQAZGhICGhigXGWgEzE1njJVExKltyqUF299qCMxbeGk66vPp21L9S9Uoa34u5vcVPagrCgmnFPpE26-qPDrFoGJEmBg1gp2tM4v2OwB7YUFz2KieOiIZRfwP0/s400/HAPPITY+CHRISTMAS+2011.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-35298852284464080022011-11-21T03:58:00.000-08:002011-11-21T03:58:45.627-08:00THE SPOTTED CHOOKI recently finished some promotional cartoons/illustrations for <a href="http://spottedchook.com.au/">The Spotted Chook</a> B&B at Montville, Queensland. The main one was this postcard...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgSmYfglLLXebEPo1jRH4dhkJUFl9PIrGC_VzkvIpRzErzqHVe2jh5D1KlN43Elnp8wknK3AnpUI6lBPN_oeB_T5KPzTHxwSOB0QtxSdXRxhhEERI6eVcIVXnYK8k2_A8gxUqZokGFiVDu/s1600/postcard_finished+art_low+res+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgSmYfglLLXebEPo1jRH4dhkJUFl9PIrGC_VzkvIpRzErzqHVe2jh5D1KlN43Elnp8wknK3AnpUI6lBPN_oeB_T5KPzTHxwSOB0QtxSdXRxhhEERI6eVcIVXnYK8k2_A8gxUqZokGFiVDu/s400/postcard_finished+art_low+res+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I married my wife at The Spotted Chook in 2009, and we couldn't have picked a better venue. Everything about this place is charming and idyllic. Leeroy and Jane, the owners, are exceedingly hospitable, and the rooms and food do not disappoint! Go there, now!!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://spottedchook.com.au/">spottedchook.com.au</a></div>Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-38287985997841561992011-09-27T20:52:00.000-07:002011-09-28T18:48:59.226-07:00DUCK THE WONDER DUCK aka NOT THIS LITTLE BLACK DUCK<i><a href="http://www.koalabooks.com.au/shop/item/not-this-little-black-duck">Not This Little Black Duck</a></i> is written by <i><a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com/2011/08/circus-carnivore-part-i.html">Circus Carnivore</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.aussiereviews.com/article2418.html">Whacko The Chook</a></i> author, <a href="http://www.marksvendsen.com/">Mark Svendsen</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-RFkjpjgtii21cIKAt1r6wplcfBIyYvojNo2jEoXDwOHPUaDA7o_I1L5cV2GmVMwrX_UB7UsJicwHl5_Mj6IruoqEa30F6OVZEfFk5zrXbksAiHaP88xPw_qTY5k0s_ZnvUs1RyxWnMA/s1600/NTLBD_cover+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-RFkjpjgtii21cIKAt1r6wplcfBIyYvojNo2jEoXDwOHPUaDA7o_I1L5cV2GmVMwrX_UB7UsJicwHl5_Mj6IruoqEa30F6OVZEfFk5zrXbksAiHaP88xPw_qTY5k0s_ZnvUs1RyxWnMA/s320/NTLBD_cover+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>When he first sent me this story, back in about 2006, it's original title was '<i>Duck The Wonder Duck</i>'. It was far wordier then with a few extra plot points. Originally, Mark intended it to be a short paperback, accompanied by a series of black and white sketches, much like <i>Pet Palace</i>, a book I illustrated for Lothian's Start Up series. So I did up a quick character sketch, and that's as far as it got for a year or so.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlH22Hvt_kF8WrzRh6aLz1hsI6uVAe_8xGXfgOw0veXxqIlQeHaITp1X-dTXd7NNDLJrPUPsfT8xJSW4aQVW8XuYDf5OfFzcpDADbMs4kmkN0zJ5wDY2Se7FXzNeuGE23TQuX2Ul0_Tr2/s1600/Duck_original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlH22Hvt_kF8WrzRh6aLz1hsI6uVAe_8xGXfgOw0veXxqIlQeHaITp1X-dTXd7NNDLJrPUPsfT8xJSW4aQVW8XuYDf5OfFzcpDADbMs4kmkN0zJ5wDY2Se7FXzNeuGE23TQuX2Ul0_Tr2/s320/Duck_original.jpg" width="304" /></a></div>Mark was unsuccessful selling it in this format, so it was shelved. A year or so later, when I was in my annual lull, I was looking for another project to keep me occupied. I found this text again, and proposed to Mark that it be shortened dramatically and turned into a picture book. We set about editing it heavily and I worked out the basic structure and layout, which pretty much remained intact throughout the edits to come. I fine-tuned the character designs...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHps7ERLXGmSfsfW18qC__mRhI9uBp5lyzaLnxsCn0qoG25tnEZf9C7YsfVQXpTNdxoeoqtuNfuU3UqbioS1Hd1I3SsKkIn61uDSEMwtVFaMg6WvFbWrPXACClinL_AVm9dFCZ2DfQzCT/s1600/duck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHps7ERLXGmSfsfW18qC__mRhI9uBp5lyzaLnxsCn0qoG25tnEZf9C7YsfVQXpTNdxoeoqtuNfuU3UqbioS1Hd1I3SsKkIn61uDSEMwtVFaMg6WvFbWrPXACClinL_AVm9dFCZ2DfQzCT/s320/duck.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9BTLNaJqd52emwYz2x0g3zT9o7Yk6sNKNZcG_whMuTfeP1Mc8m7dwyM5z06YFPGcj850t7DZL9Si5TpdASdRXY3lXirFigEGgBmP_zIbbL1Z8_zlLLoEinvVsUhgMuNE1JBRHKKalDvZY/s1600/duck_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9BTLNaJqd52emwYz2x0g3zT9o7Yk6sNKNZcG_whMuTfeP1Mc8m7dwyM5z06YFPGcj850t7DZL9Si5TpdASdRXY3lXirFigEGgBmP_zIbbL1Z8_zlLLoEinvVsUhgMuNE1JBRHKKalDvZY/s320/duck_002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNJN1Trhcr6-JFK2__v5CqITPWHIo_fx_2IXaUf2wuJK7qOGXYRiKg6NyCcZP27mtrmcJlv9app_DMRjKA3YnUnovFsj6u-jhb0IT5Nv3zraDHmGpOPjsWELA7b-hf3xX3E3xYpHheQ5Q/s1600/duck+siblings_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNJN1Trhcr6-JFK2__v5CqITPWHIo_fx_2IXaUf2wuJK7qOGXYRiKg6NyCcZP27mtrmcJlv9app_DMRjKA3YnUnovFsj6u-jhb0IT5Nv3zraDHmGpOPjsWELA7b-hf3xX3E3xYpHheQ5Q/s320/duck+siblings_001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqB3LZ7UT3DaCGXVShY0ZzLBeNzDvTX_gA322fgtnYSUQ7MtbC2kr1QGVGwk0CsBzY9qraKyiXzQsvLQINNRqoPNjdMk7zp1r4qPuLUsp_X2_VvA51bq43mKBrtHkDBwVYyLVvJ2Ab7UF-/s1600/mother+duck%252Bchildren_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqB3LZ7UT3DaCGXVShY0ZzLBeNzDvTX_gA322fgtnYSUQ7MtbC2kr1QGVGwk0CsBzY9qraKyiXzQsvLQINNRqoPNjdMk7zp1r4qPuLUsp_X2_VvA51bq43mKBrtHkDBwVYyLVvJ2Ab7UF-/s320/mother+duck%252Bchildren_001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>At one point I thought about having a frog narrating the story...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0YlhHPnzempKdFK9ok3XIK_POivNjbepZkebqW0p9cR0aUJ0LBlp7eDjGR_ken8Sh4vtR7aErWMLNiWGy05JbebBSj0tM7h2d-0Hh0PCokNJzkPb15oywynHlJHc2jcweyj2sWsmiUYB/s1600/frog_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0YlhHPnzempKdFK9ok3XIK_POivNjbepZkebqW0p9cR0aUJ0LBlp7eDjGR_ken8Sh4vtR7aErWMLNiWGy05JbebBSj0tM7h2d-0Hh0PCokNJzkPb15oywynHlJHc2jcweyj2sWsmiUYB/s320/frog_001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>... He would have been in every picture, but I felt he drew attention away from the main character and we'd lost some of the simplicity we were striving for with this book. He still remains in a handful of pictures though.<br />
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I then did up storyboards...<br />
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Then from those I did tighter roughs...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4k96d_7Chk_O_Yuxpl8UKPQF-tWNq-38rI-sgfvGsSHu3yHQVHXGCk33WDZ1BaaAMipMxp2wZu-aL3yvP0LTkYf5mi87DUB9e-oQRO-3LMW43XY6_94I9QZn2yzixwGbIjm2WmIWAGmu/s1600/DUCK_p06_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4k96d_7Chk_O_Yuxpl8UKPQF-tWNq-38rI-sgfvGsSHu3yHQVHXGCk33WDZ1BaaAMipMxp2wZu-aL3yvP0LTkYf5mi87DUB9e-oQRO-3LMW43XY6_94I9QZn2yzixwGbIjm2WmIWAGmu/s320/DUCK_p06_07.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8F3FubINuEq5CiTNWweNbBPwGTCgSYD__Q4fJhNR2ddxUKSkL2Cs8P3bObJYf8y2bN7C-0I3BW7Kzk0C6dJbqtQKk1tcG_zfTUF5sgAE-vzUU3gWRpUsEmzx-BqeaeJJ1uVb3-RTzNXZ/s1600/DUCK_p14_15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8F3FubINuEq5CiTNWweNbBPwGTCgSYD__Q4fJhNR2ddxUKSkL2Cs8P3bObJYf8y2bN7C-0I3BW7Kzk0C6dJbqtQKk1tcG_zfTUF5sgAE-vzUU3gWRpUsEmzx-BqeaeJJ1uVb3-RTzNXZ/s320/DUCK_p14_15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We then sent it out to various publishers, but as is the way, rejection letters came back from every direction, and when we ran out of options it was shelved for another few years.<br />
<br />
In the meantime I'd developed a fruitful working relationship with Koala Books and decided to submit it to them in 2010. They accepted it almost immediately. Once I'd finished <i><a href="http://benredlich.blogspot.com/2011/06/see-you-later-alligator.html">See You Later Alligator</a></i> I jumped straight into <i>Duck The Wonder Duck</i>. The title was later changed to <i>Not This Little Black Duck</i>, which works, and the text was tweaked a fair bit, but nothing much changed from my original roughs.<br />
<br />
I decided to do a series of coloured storyboards...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiib1fzzZ2ihz4xqGTJ3zw_g85-EvBBxyTc4u49Y6Za-gk7-J6qWpWDiyphtjSyTFFZleJWW3wovYK6tzz-WtchJeA1FHKAysbVk0SAR-O3T5jLJuhdd4HYQjKnKL5h5VzJGHpe7VuUmA4q/s1600/DUCK_p08_09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiib1fzzZ2ihz4xqGTJ3zw_g85-EvBBxyTc4u49Y6Za-gk7-J6qWpWDiyphtjSyTFFZleJWW3wovYK6tzz-WtchJeA1FHKAysbVk0SAR-O3T5jLJuhdd4HYQjKnKL5h5VzJGHpe7VuUmA4q/s320/DUCK_p08_09.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NO6O7xBbbYwM47o1qzXEpSE2jhJaD5l-NNfH2t7cZgiHfC6_eKIgt5i8JaQXasdyaT54ewZhjjd4ArNo0jfdApBueglxSmGLYlIqC6nvfpyjR_3dnp9DWpcvNAh86sXQV0y_sLa9bNXG/s1600/DUCK_p10_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NO6O7xBbbYwM47o1qzXEpSE2jhJaD5l-NNfH2t7cZgiHfC6_eKIgt5i8JaQXasdyaT54ewZhjjd4ArNo0jfdApBueglxSmGLYlIqC6nvfpyjR_3dnp9DWpcvNAh86sXQV0y_sLa9bNXG/s320/DUCK_p10_11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAPhiLpuRn_0JbT_Lgr92KIwsfcYrzgr_vY4E-AqrJTLZxPqwnYFD9JWz4vjPxMdTVtCcWgosuNZtvf4r_XYzm5cmh_v7zn7-N35jDmDq9WA7jqd0cTgFMkWS08C376KCNd0gQQ9erdKq/s1600/DUCK_p12_13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAPhiLpuRn_0JbT_Lgr92KIwsfcYrzgr_vY4E-AqrJTLZxPqwnYFD9JWz4vjPxMdTVtCcWgosuNZtvf4r_XYzm5cmh_v7zn7-N35jDmDq9WA7jqd0cTgFMkWS08C376KCNd0gQQ9erdKq/s320/DUCK_p12_13.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7tbvbeKqvLJKFQCAmncZcMLn5T2rmEKv4iXqFrKnsKwF4ypPBTM3kmxwy3W5gXkz18c6r3WuMCxLk1F3kbLJkLcFLicRm_8L5-oy2oCK9lXZre3owDLWn4GrB9xnCCvgCdCJqddNClIb/s1600/DUCK_p18_19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7tbvbeKqvLJKFQCAmncZcMLn5T2rmEKv4iXqFrKnsKwF4ypPBTM3kmxwy3W5gXkz18c6r3WuMCxLk1F3kbLJkLcFLicRm_8L5-oy2oCK9lXZre3owDLWn4GrB9xnCCvgCdCJqddNClIb/s320/DUCK_p18_19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My approach to the colour was different to that of most of my previous books, which were dominated by a lot of white space. I wanted to fill every inch of space with colour, because I felt that the duck characters, which are mostly white, would be lost on a predominantly white background...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWkxiuZdbHdZ5QEn05S1I3snYElvpkfi4ecq_RSpQzvnJzJhbg2khht67aSB0nLDf5_s-TplBtSTZq6Lqyd1x7FZjzCJQ9grAlB8bBSU0gKfkGh7u_xPXUWQeeB5e5rsXtyVzio-h-tZD/s1600/Duck+colours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWkxiuZdbHdZ5QEn05S1I3snYElvpkfi4ecq_RSpQzvnJzJhbg2khht67aSB0nLDf5_s-TplBtSTZq6Lqyd1x7FZjzCJQ9grAlB8bBSU0gKfkGh7u_xPXUWQeeB5e5rsXtyVzio-h-tZD/s400/Duck+colours.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> ... It was my thinking they'd stand out better on full colour. Most of the backgrounds have since been changed digitally in favour of white, at the request of the distributor. A decision I begged to differ on, but admittedly, I think the pictures look okay either way. Here's how the finished art originally appeared:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj103OnF5D6gNRdtLfjHurZ23CWgjBfq4GwotP4HJURxl-qBOWDoTd8vK2hLWVbczhQYx8vzLS6EOepAzKm-9ob4JQV4OZZ12RK1HL2s2Tm8S5HI9fLv12hNwZWiJHEcPWM58r8LaS2eGOo/s1600/DUCK_P08_09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj103OnF5D6gNRdtLfjHurZ23CWgjBfq4GwotP4HJURxl-qBOWDoTd8vK2hLWVbczhQYx8vzLS6EOepAzKm-9ob4JQV4OZZ12RK1HL2s2Tm8S5HI9fLv12hNwZWiJHEcPWM58r8LaS2eGOo/s320/DUCK_P08_09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZCoKsGVuhd8z3grS9vl4xdXw9eTT5BP-af9GN2nE5mGL1DZsMOlqpwT3veBWdRYec5Z11O6Ip4kfHn68pJPuKSU7AGwotakeKOt_UQAYa9tI9-7NLff4Hjw2UORwnMCXhj4gFOeZwjs7/s1600/DUCK_p10_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZCoKsGVuhd8z3grS9vl4xdXw9eTT5BP-af9GN2nE5mGL1DZsMOlqpwT3veBWdRYec5Z11O6Ip4kfHn68pJPuKSU7AGwotakeKOt_UQAYa9tI9-7NLff4Hjw2UORwnMCXhj4gFOeZwjs7/s320/DUCK_p10_11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWRueDBvtBRtunzLXekiEeXhMYV3lw2gIEQ0CmjAa9IPph8_zAVmIW1-wudCB7WfX9o90eq1BfDDarxICycfVjJgpQ1VPa7qiOyrPvBQijMxlkthqInNfDgCbcXxDOFElmAZ9eFi0-P8P/s1600/DUCK_p20_21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWRueDBvtBRtunzLXekiEeXhMYV3lw2gIEQ0CmjAa9IPph8_zAVmIW1-wudCB7WfX9o90eq1BfDDarxICycfVjJgpQ1VPa7qiOyrPvBQijMxlkthqInNfDgCbcXxDOFElmAZ9eFi0-P8P/s320/DUCK_p20_21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_HXYKMlpcv5DFPxBeOtmN6wF1GbEdYFQ648egdxMoHg-mnfkvc3cE1CLNjJWkHuQC73DBAOZgl82t9Fn7UJdgYoLW8Or-JUyUAytOiKdWr8BWj18r5FfRCfHDoaZO4WiGmeIKYmJVyhY/s1600/DUCK_p28_29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_HXYKMlpcv5DFPxBeOtmN6wF1GbEdYFQ648egdxMoHg-mnfkvc3cE1CLNjJWkHuQC73DBAOZgl82t9Fn7UJdgYoLW8Or-JUyUAytOiKdWr8BWj18r5FfRCfHDoaZO4WiGmeIKYmJVyhY/s320/DUCK_p28_29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Here's one of my early concepts for the cover:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPYgREFZsKNbUNj-RSNuYU7W8wQfDRZDJKXbe6N8lJL6j75-LibkYQJC4aRXMumn7_LQimgBtRToLjBQs72YiQvYydt1iCEoMZO-h6h7dCkb2GKLSgSAFOGLDYkfl0TrB_4lgRJ_SL2Qr/s1600/DUCK_Jacket_01b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPYgREFZsKNbUNj-RSNuYU7W8wQfDRZDJKXbe6N8lJL6j75-LibkYQJC4aRXMumn7_LQimgBtRToLjBQs72YiQvYydt1iCEoMZO-h6h7dCkb2GKLSgSAFOGLDYkfl0TrB_4lgRJ_SL2Qr/s320/DUCK_Jacket_01b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And this one was a collaboration with the designer:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nj0mD5NXTIpcQ83x-5s4ONOdHAY89PFCIM6Xd-wtv5bJ9jwwJLObkYZ9dnu2vRJggV6eNAlUTni2j6wVu4rk2T_DgwDCQixAxpv5VuQYXzXXIqUU36Vu2XnkLt1KkynVcmAZ92DSDZG5/s1600/DUCK_Jacket_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nj0mD5NXTIpcQ83x-5s4ONOdHAY89PFCIM6Xd-wtv5bJ9jwwJLObkYZ9dnu2vRJggV6eNAlUTni2j6wVu4rk2T_DgwDCQixAxpv5VuQYXzXXIqUU36Vu2XnkLt1KkynVcmAZ92DSDZG5/s320/DUCK_Jacket_02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<i>Not This Little Black Duck</i> will be out soonish...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://auslit.net/2011/09/22/mark-svendsen-author-interview/">Click here</a> to read an interview with Mark Svendsen.Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-68392669489696660902011-09-13T23:28:00.000-07:002011-09-13T23:28:18.698-07:00"WHO FLUNG DUNG?" Review, The Paul O'Grady Show<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back around 2007 (maybe 2006?) I was contacted by someone from The Paul O'Grady Show asking for a few image jpegs from my book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Who-Flung-Dung-Ben-Redlich/dp/1845394003?ie=UTF8&tag=benredl-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Who Flung Dung?</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=benredl-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1845394003" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, as it was going to be reviewed by a group of kids on air. They said they'd send me a dvd of this episode, but nothing's arrived so far... I'd never heard of this show, as I don't live in the UK, by my sister-in-law was living in Colchester at the time, so I got her to tape it for me and post it over. So here's my copy...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyIx2LbTBV2w9e3cZ2nd9UjF3brN7OtXUYmR1L47a8dcMIdXrueUn2q1eWQiq2JGk1SdhJI7221bPdHluhgcQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The kids, Matthew, Kimberley and Isaac, make me laugh every time I watch this, I thought they were great. Children give such raw and honest appraisals, and it's so wonderful to hear how much kids enjoy this book. I get feedback about this one more than any other. I'll do a post about it one day...</div>Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3288866951131436054.post-75512200488566305172011-08-25T00:26:00.000-07:002011-08-25T00:26:08.238-07:00OCTAVIUS O'MALLEY Part I<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Octavius-OMalley-Mystery-Exploding-Cheese/dp/0207200483?ie=UTF8&tag=benredl-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">OCTAVIUS O'MALLEY AND THE MYSTERY OF THE EXPLODING CHEESE</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=benredl-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0207200483" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=benredl-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003MNI4GY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=benredl-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0207200491" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />was written by <a href="http://www.alansunderland.com/">Alan Sunderland</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_E8u6YiRUPnYDC1rJz69Ep8wGRq4syAtgRPEeufpNGQ3XHru14czPNjwARsMbjFx3yLhyphenhyphenwjhYuD2aqjL7F4QOk8a2BrnHaLdB6paJag2cGLLJOZv82dVj2ewV1SR5i8CMjgcqY13ZoUvS/s1600/l_bd5a8e36b61c5d067613e4f79b52dfd9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_E8u6YiRUPnYDC1rJz69Ep8wGRq4syAtgRPEeufpNGQ3XHru14czPNjwARsMbjFx3yLhyphenhyphenwjhYuD2aqjL7F4QOk8a2BrnHaLdB6paJag2cGLLJOZv82dVj2ewV1SR5i8CMjgcqY13ZoUvS/s320/l_bd5a8e36b61c5d067613e4f79b52dfd9.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br />
In 2005 I was contracted by HarperCollins to illustrate three books in this series. They turned out to be some of the more enjoyable books I've worked on. HarperCollins were great to work with, and the stories were a lot of fun to illustrate. The author, designer, editor, and myself seemed to be all moving in the same direction, and were very much in sync with ideas. The basic brief I was given at the start was: "<i>We see the illustrations for this book as being very '40s film noir, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Becall in trench coats...</i>". The only stipulation was there was to be no smoking! The film noir and 1940s aspect greatly appealed to me.<br />
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I did a lot of research and hunting for reference material for this book. At the time I hadn't quite embraced the internet, so most of my research was done at libraries. I found a fantastic book on film noir at the State Library called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Noir-Style-Alain-Silver/dp/0715632655?ie=UTF8&tag=benredl-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Noir Style</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=benredl-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0715632655" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> which was full of great pictures. I loved it so much I photocopied the whole book. I also purchased <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-City-Lost-World-Film/dp/0312180764?ie=UTF8&tag=benredl-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dark City</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=benredl-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0312180764" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, which was also handy. When I finally accessed the internet I trawled hundreds of images...<br />
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Next up, character designs...<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xghDo1Vz25FcBGUjZlQk1bpMsT6yFa_3GVpCfCbv869k3wlsCwHGb7GjFIJvSrIAgzDwTlYVEiazCGMofF19wGVvojkUVhm_2hqXakPj57W-007XibL87MLjs6lhwMa307I3Oih-tAJE/s1600/Kurt3c_coloured.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xghDo1Vz25FcBGUjZlQk1bpMsT6yFa_3GVpCfCbv869k3wlsCwHGb7GjFIJvSrIAgzDwTlYVEiazCGMofF19wGVvojkUVhm_2hqXakPj57W-007XibL87MLjs6lhwMa307I3Oih-tAJE/s320/Kurt3c_coloured.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div> 'Kurt Remarque' was my favourite character. He was vividly described as a fat albino rat. I decided to make his tail morbidly obese also. There's something really repulsive about a rat's tail as it is, but an obese tail is even more disgusting. I'm surprised I wasn't ask to tone down his tail.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0AQ82JF0KBvTamYX3fP9577w4IDF0Vl3iewIiuDzr-YhEiJdnXs0bOs-_8-ltCoXqlZs853pNfhaFpr1adFeXd6b6ePFbmqZIG7TrBY0CVuDDFd283_e6YNPyAP5FlqVRRfpuRNL33mv/s1600/Ch.3_1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0AQ82JF0KBvTamYX3fP9577w4IDF0Vl3iewIiuDzr-YhEiJdnXs0bOs-_8-ltCoXqlZs853pNfhaFpr1adFeXd6b6ePFbmqZIG7TrBY0CVuDDFd283_e6YNPyAP5FlqVRRfpuRNL33mv/s320/Ch.3_1c.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>In the end I did a mix of illustrations of all shapes and sizes, and ended up with about 60 pictures per book. By the end of the third book I'd done close to 200 pictures! At the start I wasn't sure what medium to use for each picture. My original grand plan was to do them all like this, as finely shaded pencil drawings...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-J1o83-jTIEbioLApva19MyN8c44hPLI2Ow1fUdtHtkJDgdfU8K4Vfcm2DVJwQCySOv8aUxqYsZwo2naxIIXxdZKIo78JKEIJPYAjpuO8dOWPTE0WYTI5ODxuFRUhrmWQEMwQuMJ6cIW/s1600/OO%2527M_pencil+sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-J1o83-jTIEbioLApva19MyN8c44hPLI2Ow1fUdtHtkJDgdfU8K4Vfcm2DVJwQCySOv8aUxqYsZwo2naxIIXxdZKIo78JKEIJPYAjpuO8dOWPTE0WYTI5ODxuFRUhrmWQEMwQuMJ6cIW/s400/OO%2527M_pencil+sketch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I loved how it turned out, but I knew if I went down this avenue I'd probably still be working on these! In the end I went with a looser approach, using nib and ink, and water soluble pens for the washes...<br />
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</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJBiLRCXtb6preeebFBgB4XuovqP2tmnTp832spwDo5Ji7iDWYJMgJvliq0FIlf5fvsJ1FsS-kw5WAwetHaCDHp3QZmoa-B4sNQrMUTeEI_wrLto1WpJhAaDQaOO9M-KyKmWv8kiZ-DM7/s1600/Ch.04%2528A%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJBiLRCXtb6preeebFBgB4XuovqP2tmnTp832spwDo5Ji7iDWYJMgJvliq0FIlf5fvsJ1FsS-kw5WAwetHaCDHp3QZmoa-B4sNQrMUTeEI_wrLto1WpJhAaDQaOO9M-KyKmWv8kiZ-DM7/s400/Ch.04%2528A%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Many of these pictures were directly inspired by pictures I found when researching Film Noir...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsRn4uJWaBLsGe_seKdfDLf7FvLuxY0t4qGcbp4C4a_GA8A6hW6JuHv84k2EsqTNCP2_ukg-qzb4JIJWLKiOSW58rLliSj_aWxYW5o0EfRODl84wuZ1u_m3TNTw6dQH088D1KFRltMWCi/s1600/killers2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsRn4uJWaBLsGe_seKdfDLf7FvLuxY0t4qGcbp4C4a_GA8A6hW6JuHv84k2EsqTNCP2_ukg-qzb4JIJWLKiOSW58rLliSj_aWxYW5o0EfRODl84wuZ1u_m3TNTw6dQH088D1KFRltMWCi/s1600/killers2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8Dw-RF_-LdVQJ5g6oPNKWSNZcTsr2xHuQ-DoRiPAWPdlkkzOjJIko4vgOzMPT7qvD3UmtpqhKkZU5ttfY5F-7WXUdxia7bJDEmBffuhDV_H4PYM7mk7z7BgdJH-9pmB8zYi4EHat2TEL/s1600/Ch.20%2528B%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8Dw-RF_-LdVQJ5g6oPNKWSNZcTsr2xHuQ-DoRiPAWPdlkkzOjJIko4vgOzMPT7qvD3UmtpqhKkZU5ttfY5F-7WXUdxia7bJDEmBffuhDV_H4PYM7mk7z7BgdJH-9pmB8zYi4EHat2TEL/s200/Ch.20%2528B%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM60ORARE_J4Ma4qLYbBFMAQ7uxm4FlQnjs4PlIJ3WX7x6NkvebfPpVR_-D36gMZ_tl0ZdRVG4Z3HpezoOcu2-BtvLx5u4XLIoQwTaTJGM3L9qw_7ztdmFici7rndwn0NFA2HkD72WWudv/s1600/DSC01763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM60ORARE_J4Ma4qLYbBFMAQ7uxm4FlQnjs4PlIJ3WX7x6NkvebfPpVR_-D36gMZ_tl0ZdRVG4Z3HpezoOcu2-BtvLx5u4XLIoQwTaTJGM3L9qw_7ztdmFici7rndwn0NFA2HkD72WWudv/s200/DSC01763.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gU2J3j4kHEOrZm6Qqkp-OY01pha62aTDiVSBDJG6UEZ4Plt3883qNJSt79_YRFBCAlDjhEcXI2umgSomDA3ie8UQkCp9lxMYYDu03rQhdaPZDl7A9O7uhnzMLTPNWfIG1-QgxdQVYJu5/s1600/TitlePage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gU2J3j4kHEOrZm6Qqkp-OY01pha62aTDiVSBDJG6UEZ4Plt3883qNJSt79_YRFBCAlDjhEcXI2umgSomDA3ie8UQkCp9lxMYYDu03rQhdaPZDl7A9O7uhnzMLTPNWfIG1-QgxdQVYJu5/s200/TitlePage.jpg" width="177" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGejw4BbCqAZ7MbqB05tBAWYTr92rhWlB4KKK26e_01gFt1MV6oC5n25EBlKZxJMbV_DtkWRMOtBUJcsM3hbze7cPW0rvf_Dqzy24j8Deph3_txl_27swwj0xtMAHchFbOrkONSvaMlKVG/s1600/Dixon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGejw4BbCqAZ7MbqB05tBAWYTr92rhWlB4KKK26e_01gFt1MV6oC5n25EBlKZxJMbV_DtkWRMOtBUJcsM3hbze7cPW0rvf_Dqzy24j8Deph3_txl_27swwj0xtMAHchFbOrkONSvaMlKVG/s200/Dixon.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br />
I also went and took lots of photos of plumbing...<br />
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</a></div> Here's my favourite picture...<br />
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</a></div> And my second favourite...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqU4v-_BPe2k7olVEj-r_lqIbKVlcqer6VI7kRHXPFPofBmDzlu_WJ8c6L0URjebzoGwFRrwlVC3pihV7UlKi-E82dFmMzguvB8pEhDFpb3zP2e4VcZ8XtyjsgwL3lKfL4nD_flAjC1usQ/s1600/Ch.22%2528C%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqU4v-_BPe2k7olVEj-r_lqIbKVlcqer6VI7kRHXPFPofBmDzlu_WJ8c6L0URjebzoGwFRrwlVC3pihV7UlKi-E82dFmMzguvB8pEhDFpb3zP2e4VcZ8XtyjsgwL3lKfL4nD_flAjC1usQ/s400/Ch.22%2528C%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I based this image on an experience I had at a pet shop. I remember crouching down to look at a really fat albino rat in a cage, nursing half a dozen young. I stuck my finger in to give the mother rat a stroke behind it's ear, and to my horror she arced and puffed up violently with an audible hiss. I even felt it's warm breath and beads of spittle hit my hand. I almost fell back into the cages behind me. It was truly terrifying!<br />
<br />
Here's my very early concept for the cover design:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AQP6vRV94-CQjcLy6d1r2GmjuZ-U1NixXZ1lCJcGnmRcJxthjoYRKrZ7N4Lgn6vLVzK3n3HBIEiSxX5nK9d80ArphYdAevONNFhzAiXM0fdmjwTAQPErHsoSdo-oiSzsnOfN09pp6n_i/s1600/JacketDesign1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AQP6vRV94-CQjcLy6d1r2GmjuZ-U1NixXZ1lCJcGnmRcJxthjoYRKrZ7N4Lgn6vLVzK3n3HBIEiSxX5nK9d80ArphYdAevONNFhzAiXM0fdmjwTAQPErHsoSdo-oiSzsnOfN09pp6n_i/s320/JacketDesign1c.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>I'm a huge fan of old movie posters, and pulp covers. I was really excited to get a chance to do something in that style. Here's the layout I came up with:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYoH6ZMK7NXiA3SzCW_bzOhC2n5o0605aRJ79SM_1F0DIGa3FSv3aCy8cmTb-rPGBBLkSvj2jLeegSi4GELqjUmFfPaLuozxLReDY2Q_zGX_9y40dGpXzUgtb89No0vy1ic_IpuVmoghz/s1600/JacketDesign_2d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYoH6ZMK7NXiA3SzCW_bzOhC2n5o0605aRJ79SM_1F0DIGa3FSv3aCy8cmTb-rPGBBLkSvj2jLeegSi4GELqjUmFfPaLuozxLReDY2Q_zGX_9y40dGpXzUgtb89No0vy1ic_IpuVmoghz/s320/JacketDesign_2d.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>I then submitted a coloured rough for approval...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMHUQaKQ64lFMocrr-XO5nKzS2ICjd80TGBvZqp1GOQHEdC9rWBSktaQdclHpxlScsBQR9jG2Nfh3XKvOQJrRDcDf-h5x7txin2a225vRuNh34rRfsVBqcEWiCpMTtm5B5Gm_7PP5CE-u/s1600/JacketDesign_colour_01c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMHUQaKQ64lFMocrr-XO5nKzS2ICjd80TGBvZqp1GOQHEdC9rWBSktaQdclHpxlScsBQR9jG2Nfh3XKvOQJrRDcDf-h5x7txin2a225vRuNh34rRfsVBqcEWiCpMTtm5B5Gm_7PP5CE-u/s320/JacketDesign_colour_01c.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br />
I then did the finished art, which was done with acrylic inks and coloured pencils...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zWxnGzwGMpnMYInhYUnBJ6O5PYHxelixIX06i5aIFIJE3W-G7EU_IV14tGndhBJZswQc5T7IT28bb2qrJBA0v53c8SAWJdtntPPXHbebPZ-bGbVT98rN0czP2vQ8bJ-7psbwXHuUU-te/s1600/OO%2527M_FinalJacket_01c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zWxnGzwGMpnMYInhYUnBJ6O5PYHxelixIX06i5aIFIJE3W-G7EU_IV14tGndhBJZswQc5T7IT28bb2qrJBA0v53c8SAWJdtntPPXHbebPZ-bGbVT98rN0czP2vQ8bJ-7psbwXHuUU-te/s320/OO%2527M_FinalJacket_01c.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>I didn't do anything with the text, I wanted to leave it to the designer, Darren, to come up with something cool, which of course he did...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_E8u6YiRUPnYDC1rJz69Ep8wGRq4syAtgRPEeufpNGQ3XHru14czPNjwARsMbjFx3yLhyphenhyphenwjhYuD2aqjL7F4QOk8a2BrnHaLdB6paJag2cGLLJOZv82dVj2ewV1SR5i8CMjgcqY13ZoUvS/s1600/l_bd5a8e36b61c5d067613e4f79b52dfd9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_E8u6YiRUPnYDC1rJz69Ep8wGRq4syAtgRPEeufpNGQ3XHru14czPNjwARsMbjFx3yLhyphenhyphenwjhYuD2aqjL7F4QOk8a2BrnHaLdB6paJag2cGLLJOZv82dVj2ewV1SR5i8CMjgcqY13ZoUvS/s320/l_bd5a8e36b61c5d067613e4f79b52dfd9.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>Darren also did a fantastic job of designing the rest of the book too. Over all, I was extremely happy with the finished book — the reproduction was spot on, and it all looked very classy. I'm proud of this book.<br />
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NEXT: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Octavius-OMalley-Mystery-Missing-Mouse/dp/0207200491?ie=UTF8&tag=benredl-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">OCTAVIUS O'MALLEY AND THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING MOUSE</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=benredl-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0207200491" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />Ben Redlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07796124717951518602noreply@blogger.com0