Jump! The Book Trailer

Here's my new book trailer for "Jump!" which is now available for purchase at www.rionuevo.com. The video quality is much better on my web sites http://guyporfirio.com/ or http://jumpthepicturebook.com/.

Barb...

Here is one of my Preliminary sketches for Barb. The cholla cactus with a real sense of adventure.

 

Stuck on Jump!

Cool new Jump! Stickers. Always nice to have some fun giveaways at book signings.

Jump!

I received my advance copy of Jump! Which means it wasn't just a dream. All those late nights working on concepts and paintings really happened. And I'm very happy about that because Jump! turned out to be such a fun book. I can't wait to see it in bookstores and do signings with it.

The Tucson Festival of Books...

I'm gearing up for the Tucson Festival of Books happening this weekend. I'll be part of a panel on Sunday the 11th. So, if you're in town, stop on by. Visit my web page guyporfirio.com for more details on my appearance. Or visit the official Tucson Festival of Books site at http://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/. This is an amazing event folks. There is always so much to do, and so much to see. And on top of all that, the weather will be perfect. So if you like books... stop by and check it out.

Take Five...

And just like that... I'm done with my book. Finished, finessed, corrected... and delivered. I had to pull an all-nighter to bring it in on deadline. Started at 5:30AM yesterday, and finished at 10:45 this morning. But, like everything else in life, this too gets better with age. I don't know why, but working through the night was not that difficult. I hope this doesn't become a trend. But now that I've delivered my book to my publisher, I'm left with an odd feeling. Is this what mountain climbers feel like when they finally reach the summit? "Well then... that was nice, let's go get a pizza?" It brings to mind one of my favorite quotes: "It's the road, not the inn." 

Paint from the heart...

I had "The Pixar Story" on in my studio a couple days ago while I worked. Movies help me stay put in the studio on the days that I find it hard to stay put in the studio. I'm pretty sure all creative people involved in creative endeavors wrestle with this sort of thing from time to time... Even Rembrandt, I dare say. The difference is, Rembrandt didn't have access to Netflix... and I do. Anyway, The Pixar Story turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. I found it very inspiring, and felt particularly vindicated when John Lasseter credits Pixar's movie success to the fact that Pixar makes the kind of movies that they, (the directors and animators), themselves would want to see. Or, to apply it to my own work, paint the kind of pictures I would want to see. The moral of the story? Be yourself, and work from the heart.

Happy Holidays!

Working through the holidays is kind of like orbiting around the backside of the moon in the command module and loosing all radio contact with mission control. I know I’ll be re-entering the normal business day schedule soon enough - but for now, my studio is quiet and peaceful and my paintings are turning out fantastic. They're my best work to date! Life is good.

All Part of the Process...

I spent most of yesterday trying to make one of the major elements in my cover painting work like I had envisioned it, and, it, spent most of the day showing me how it wouldn't work. What we had there is a failure to cooperate — A gap between my creative vision and the canvas. Funny how even a sight gap might as well be the Grand Canyon. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. It's OK now though, I won in the end.

Today I'm on to an inside spread.

Painting!

Pausing, for a little air guitar on "Long Cool Woman" by the Hollies while I work. If all the world's a stage, my studio is a concert hall. ( I'm thinking of expanding). I'm thoroughly caught up in painting the picture book cover of all covers, it's a great day — Oops, gotta go "Ah! Leah!" by Donnie Iris is on now... Later.

Nice Things Happen...

I recently had the opportunity to be interviewed by Author, Karin Cameron. Karin is a writer. Karin has a blog. And Karin Just Won't Stop Talking... Thank goodness. http://karinwontstoptalking.wordpress.com

Please check out the really great interview Karin Cameron did of me on her blog.

It was a very nice thing.

OK, so I've got this idea...

Where does inspiration really come from? For me, it's basically... Hey!, that would make a great painting!

I painted this piece for a magazine article about competition. The only direction I received from the creative director, was: the image had to focus on a dartboard, the word “Vie” must be worked in somewhere, and, that I should have fun with it. The first two directives were easy; the last one was a blast. Is it even possible to be creative without having fun? I'm going to say no. Having fun drawing and painting is to creativity as the force is to Luke Skywalker. Now that sounded silly. I had episodes 4, 5, and 6 playing in my studio this past weekend while I worked, so you'll have to excuse the Star Wars analogies.

All Systems Go...

"Build a better mouse trap and the world will beat a path to your door." Ralph Waldo Emerson. Yes, but you have to show them where the door is! 

Time to send out postcards.

guyporfirio.com

Best case scenario? An art director, art buyer, or book editor (in the beginning phases of a book project), will see my amazing post card appear on their desk at the most opportune time. It happens. Lightening does strike. I'm always amazed how a series of random events can unfold and connect to become a great opportunity. The perfect storm. I've gotten some incredible book projects due to the most unlikely circumstances. One of which, was a project I originally turned down.

 A good percentage of the recipients of my post card will like the artwork enough to take a few moments to log onto my new web site and click through my portfolio. Perfect! Some will even take a few extra minutes to give me a little feedback. "Hey thanks, love the work, I'll keep you in mind for something." Now I'm golden — now I can sleep at night — and now, I'll keep them up-to-date with new work. 

Life is good...

Just For Show...

I am in a state of euphoria, (which is, of course, just west of Arizona.) A huge weight has been lifted now that I've finished re-designing and uploading my web page. There is nothing harder for an artist to do than let one piece of art speak for him or herself, let alone design a whole web page. You know that old saying "A lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client?" Well, in a way, it's the same thing here. I end up tweaking the minutest details as if they could make or break the whole piece. I tie myself into knots over something nobody will even notice. And I see it coming a mile away, yet I can't do anything about it. It's like trying to stop a train.

I put together a quick flyer announcing my new web page. This was much easier to do now that I'm pooped, creatively that is. I didn't care too much about the perfect design in this instance, save, that everything is spelled correctly. But a funny thing happened. After toying around with a couple of design ideas, I found one that I kind of liked and threw it together. When I sat back to get a fresh eye, I realized that my design looked a lot like something my dad would have hand painted and called a "showcard." My dad became a sign painter as a second career when I was still in art school. In fact, our buildings were less than a block away from each other on State Street in Chicago. We would meet for lunch once and a while. He still paints. Well, long story short, I decided to leave my design as is because it reminds me of my dads work. 

New Web Site...

I finally finished and uploaded my new web page, http://guyporfirio.com/ . This design will be much easier to maintain and change as I add new content. Stay tuned...