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••••••• The Exquisite Picture Book Project has returned as of September, 2016! Details below! •••••••
The Exquisite Picture Book Project
We're creating a group picture book! Each week, I illustrate a different writer's words and mail them the original art. The first page was written by a grade 7 class in Scarborough, Ontario, and they introduced our first character, Sparkles. Since then, Jean and Winkler have joined the story—and we have no idea what happens next. Would you like to write the next page?
Have a look below to learn more about our story and to submit the next page! The CBC also invited me to speak on Metro Morning recently. You can hear my interview here (and also read a bit more about the project).
Submit your line for the next page of The Exquisite Picture Book Project now! 50 words or less. Follow our progress below so you can write to the previous week's page. Deadline for written submissions for the next page: Friday 3pm. I'll announce the winner on the Monday morning of each week.
P.S. I update Twitter and Instagram regularly with story progress.
Hi everyone!
As promised, the Exquisite Picture Book Project is returning! Let's figure out what happens to Sparkles! Can Jean reach her? Does Hector hector—or gasp, *eat* —Sparkles?
I am going to do things a little bit differently this time (which I'll explain below), mostly because I'm still recovering from the mystifying ailment I've mentioned previously. Still, I'm so excited to get back to Sparkles, Winkler, Jean and Hugo. Let's find out how our story ends!
Each Monday morning, I'll announce the next line of the story, and I may (or may not) issue an illustration. I do plan to eventually illustrate all the pages, I'm just not sure if I can do it on a deadline (for the time being). But! If you are struck by an idea and want to illustrate a page, let me know and I'll share your artwork through the EPBP page on my website.
Here is the story so far. Scroll up-down-sideways to see all the artwork to date. I had originally thought I'd make each page look similar style-wise, but I think I really like how different each week has become. Moving forward, illustrating each page in a different style will help me work quicker (and more immediately).
I think we should try to wrap our story in the next 4-5 weeks. Can we do it? What happens next?! I think Jean needs to step-in! And don't forget about her magical flying boots!
Page 1: "There was a star named Sparkles. She lived in a galaxy all by herself."
Page 2: "Sparkles played the saxophone. Before that she played the drums. She played neither well."
Page 3: "In another galaxy, Jean had just opened her present—it was a bright, shiny, new telescope."
Page 4: "Jean read the name on the packaging again. "From Sparkles," it said.
Page 5: "Winkler, Jean’s beloved cat, was so-named because he loved to wink. A lifetime of winking had made one of his eyes very far-seeing and the other one very near-seeing. Winkler had always wondered what would happen if he were to look with his far-seeing eye into an even farther-seeing telescope."
Page 6: "Meanwhile, Hector the blackhole, who was lounging around a galaxy not too far from Sparkles, grinned mischievously as he finished off eating a big silver star. Hector was hungry for more stars..."
Page 7: "Winkler panned frantically between Hector and Sparkles. "Jean will know what to do", he thought, before bellowing a summoning cry.
Page 8: NEXT LINE DUE BY 3 PM FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH. SUBMIT YOUR LINE IN THE BOX AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE!
Thanks so much for your continued involvement (and supportive messages). More soon!
Tyler
Here's the rough sketch for Week 7! "Winkler panned frantically between Hector and Sparkles. "Jean will know what to do", he thought, before bellowing a summoning cry.
Announcing the winning line for page 6! Thank you, Alexander Robert Liszka!
"Meanwhile, Hector the blackhole, who was lounging around a galaxy not too far from Sparkles, grinned mischievously as he finished off eating a big silver star. Hector was hungry for more stars..."
Rough sketch!
This new character (and story line) should add some urgency to arranging a meeting between Jean and Sparkles. Jean has winged-boots and Winkler appears to have some magical powers—can they save Sparkles?
Follow the story above—can you write page 7? I'm extending the deadline by a week for this next page. Page 7 is due Friday, April 22nd at 6 pm EST! Submit your story line in the form (above). I'll release a drawing for page 6 next week!
The fifth page has been chosen!
"Now, Winkler, Jean’s beloved cat, was so-named because he loved to wink. A lifetime of winking had made one of his eyes very far-seeing and the other one very near-seeing. Winkler had always wondered what would happen if he were to look with his far-seeing eye into an even farther-seeing telescope."
Page 5 was written by the wonderful Leslie Feist. Here is the final page!
The fourth line has been chosen!
Jean read the name on the packaging again. "From Sparkles," it said.
Thank you to grade 8 student Owen Huizinga from Princess Elizabeth Public School (District School Board of Niagara), and his teacher Sherri McQueen for submitting this winning line!
Here is the sketch for this week's page (below)!
I actually re-illustrated this page multiple times. I wanted something a little scrappier than my original vision. Have a look at the different pages below! The first one is the final one (and it's the image carousel above also).
The third line has been chosen!
"In another galaxy, Jean had just opened her present—it was a bright, shiny, new telescope."
Thank you, Joseph van Veen! Details to come. I'm working on the drawing right now (Tuesday, March 22).
The colour version will come later today, but for those following the story, here's my sketch of Jean with red winged boots and her sidekick Winkler (wizard cat or astronomy buff, I'm not sure?). Jean's holding her brand new telescope. Her planet could be Earth...or another one...
Page 1: "There was a star named Sparkles. She lived in a galaxy all by herself."
Page 2: "Sparkles played the saxophone. Before that she played the drums. She played neither well."
Page 3: "In another galaxy, Jean had just opened her present—it was a bright, shiny, new telescope."
Page 4: Deadline for submission is Friday, March 25th at 6 pm! What happens next? Will Jean spot Sparkles?
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The Exquisite Picture Book Project
www.tylerclarkburke.com/epbp
WORK-IN-PROGRESS!
The second line has been chosen!
"Sparkles played the saxophone. Before that she played the drums. She played neither well."
Thank you, Shelley Mutch! I'll mail the original art to you this week!
And now to figure out what happens next! Maybe Sparkles' terrible playing caused everyone to leave (or hide)? Or maybe they've run off to retrieve their instruments? Will practicing help Sparkles? Or should she follow her real passion (whatever that might be)? Someone else suggested she was being watched from afar...maybe someone could send help? Or friendship?
Please submit your story line for next week (above). And please share this project with teachers (if you wouldn't mind). Thank you!
The first line has just been chosen!
"There was a star named Sparkles. She lived in a galaxy all by herself."
This line was submitted by Enrica Wong's Grade 7 Gifted Withdrawal classroom at St. Rose of Lima in Scarborough! Thank you!
I still have the flu (!!), so I've just done a rough pencil sketch of this first line, but I plan to add colour this weekend.
SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN UNTIL 6 PM ON FRIDAY FOR PAGE 2.
I've illustrated Sparkles as a fun-loving, saxophone-playing star. She's wearing a beret and sparkly boots. I've included a few ideas or considerations for our storyline below (eg. How did Sparkles get her saxophone?).
• Learn about the project below! The CBC also invited me to Metro Morning recently. You can hear my interview here (and also read a bit more about the project).
The Exquisite Picture Book Project
I'm inviting daring dramatists, caustic wits, silly strangers, and curious kids to submit a story line or lines (weekly) to an ever-growing collective picture book project. I'm posting original art each Friday morning and accepting storyline submissions from Friday (after the drawing is released) to the next Monday. I think some fun things to consider for the next page (and pages, eventually) are:
• How does Sparkles spend her day?
• Does she like being alone?
• Has she always been alone or why is she alone?
• What other things define Sparkles?
• What more can we learn about this character?
• How'd she get the saxophone?
Stay tuned for some sample submissions!
I plan to post some of the ones I've already received later today!
I will choose a submission by end-of-day Monday, illustrate the page by Friday, mail the original art to the suggester, and then wait for the next Monday to choose the next story line or lines—lines which should build on the previous week's submission so we can continue our Exquisitely meandering story.
I'm hesitant to draft too many rules, but I think I'll start by suggesting that each submission is under 50 words (one line or several) and written for a broad audience (all ages). If a submission is not in English, please include a translation.
The more people who participate, the more adventurous the process, so:
Do you want to try to make a book together?
All submissions will now be accepted only through my website (above), but updates and news will be posted below:
Instagram: @tcbtcbtcb
Twitter: @tylerclarkburke (if the word count doesn't fit, send me a picture of your submission)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/ExquisitePictureBookProject
Get in touch if you have any questions. Thank you for stopping by The Exquisite Picture Book Project!
Tyler
P.S. Learn more about Exquisite Corpse art projects (from Wikipedia):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exquisite_corpse
P.S. Please share if you wouldn't mind, especially with teachers (I'd love for some classroom submissions). And with other writers or illustrators. Other parents. Friends. Old relations. Other extroverts leading an introvert's life. My secret dream is to get so many submissions that I can set up a weekly poll so participants can help me choose the next part of the story.
P.P.S. I haven't decided if the illustrations will all look stylistically different or if they will all look the same-ish. Surprise me, me. I think I'll know once the story reveals itself. My hope is to receive so many submissions that I can set up a poll weekly so followers can help me choose the next instalment.
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