Spider Magazine, the May issue is out!!

I was so happy to come home today and find this in the mailbox!!! You can pick up your copy of Spider Magazine at Border's Book Stores or get a subscription here.

© 2010 by Carus Publishing Company Christina Ann Rodriguez, first published in Spider Magazine

Just mailed out the final art to Spider Magazine!!

I am really excited to have finished my paintings for Spider Magazine. They were shipped off yesterday afternoon. Here are a couple of the preliminary sketches you can expect to see in color in the May issue of this year. :)

A pup named Rosie

I just sent off this pet portrait to a customer. This was his dog named Rosie and it made him very happy to have something to remember her by. He emailed me, "I just opened up the painting and I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am with it!! It truley means the world for me to have this, it's simply perfect. Thank you". It feels great to make people happy with something you created :)

Spider Magazine!

I am currently working on some sketches for a story with Spider MagaZine (yay!). My illustrations will be in the May/June issue so make sure to check it out! I am really happy to be working with them, I remember when my younger sisters would get Ladybug and the other Bug magazines in the mail. :o)

SCBWI and More!!

I went to the SCBWI Conference and had a blast!! I was able to work hands on in a small group with the amazing and award winning illustrator EB Lewis. He gave much insight to the career of illustrating children's books. He showed us much inspiration and how creativity can be viewed in the every day life. One thing he did say that was interesting was that you are not considered to be an expert in your craft until you have put forth 10,000 hours practicing it. That would take about 10 years if you never once put down your brush. He was so knowledgeable and motivating I couldn't wait to go home and paint again!

I also met with Christine Tugeau who is an agent at her own agency. She gave me some helpful tips with my portfolio and some advice for my new forth coming picture book. I also met with Donna Mark, the art director of Bloomsbury Press who was very helpful in showing me my strengths and what I should focus working more on in future paintings.

I can also officially say that I will be illustrating a bilingual picture book written by Judith Ortiz Cofer. Our book will be out Spring 2011 and is being published with Arte Público Press! Yay!! I am super excited and will definitely have my work cut out for me since this is my first book. This was the preliminary concept I sent into them in order to get the contract. I will have to make a few changes to the characters. Stay tuned!!

Lots of Good News!!

My Zoey portrait will make it's next tour stop at the Holy Family School of Lakewood, NJ for their Tricky Tray Gift Auction on November 8th. I will be donating a custom portrait of the winner's pet. Tickets are being sold now. If you would like a chance to win one of my hand painted pet portraits please stop by the school. The address is Holy Family School 1141 East County Line Road
Lakewood, New Jersey 08701 or visit the website for more information.



On a side note I am pleased to say I will be signing my first picture book contract next week!! Woo Hoo!! I can finally say I am officially a children's book illustrator!! Can I get a WOOT WOOT!! ;o) More info on that to come!



I also very excited about an upcoming SCBWI illustrator's conference in November in which I will be working with award winning illustrator E.B. Lewis in a critique. I will also get a chance to have a private portfolio review with Donna Mark, art director for Bloomsbury Children's Books. I will be bringing with me the finished version of this sketch that goes along with a manuscript given to me by E.B. in which I was assigned to choose a double page spread for the story to illustrate for a critique. I am very happy to be taking out the scary little boy looking through the magnifying glass as a suggestion from E.B. so I can focus more on these fun frogs.

Vote for me to be the next WRAT Rock Girl!!!

So I tried out to be the next wrat rock girl.....I made it to the final 32 contestants now I need you to vote for me!!! This will be great exposure for me since I will get a chance to talk on the air, be interviewed in magazines and meet bands. What could be a better way to get my name out there to tell people about my art and represent my home turf on the radio?? So Please vote for me!!

http://www.wrat.com/Default.aspx?tabid=993

Color Me: Bathing Elephant

Print and color in this coloring page and send it to me at mail@crodillustration.com as a jpeg or pdf and I'll post it on my blog! Happy Coloring!! For more Coloring pages click here.

New Postcard!..and Color Me: Pelicans Fishing

Finally a new postcard! I just ordered it today. I tried out a new company 48HourPrint so I hope they come out nice!!! I was able to get rounded corners which I am also excited about!! If you noticed I also reversed the painting for the front of the postcard. It helped the over all flow and design so I think it was a clever choice to have the car headed towards the right corner.
Here it is:
Front:

















Back:




















Print and color in this coloring page and send it to me at mail@crodillustration.com as a jpeg or pdf and I'll post it on my blog! Want to learn more about Pelicans?? Just click here. Happy Coloring!! For more Coloring pages click here.

Alice In Wonderland Trailer!!!

Watch it here!!! http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=60963677