Congratulations to @aidenschmaiden.bsky.social for THE SUNBEARER TRIALS & @elyjenna.bsky.social who illustrated THE GARDENER OF ALCATRAZ--both books were awarded as part of Louisiana Readers’ Choice Awards. TST was selected as the winner for Grades 9-12, TGoA was the honor title for Grades 3-5

🎨 This weeks illustrator spotlight @elyjenna.bsky.social Jenn is represented by @ksonnack.bsky.social and is interested in illustrating picture books and nonfiction. Jenn's Illustrator Page Get Spotlights in Your Inbox

family grocery trip #kidlitart

I directed (and animated -- witness my V shaky hands;) this little bit dedicated to House Special studio pup, Tallulah! Thanks to Eric Bacon for edits and sound, John Nolan for DPing, Margaret Meyer and Katie Mello for support and fab work, and the Tallulah for being the starlet that she is!!!

It's been gratifying to jump into my first Co Directing job! Grateful to House Special, my Co Director, Aaron Sorenson & Producer, Jenn Catalino for the support! Coming up for air before we're totally wrapped to say that I'll be fully available as of April:) Vis Dev, PD/ AD, and Directing

Would your school or library like to choose outstanding STEM picture books for the Cook Prize? Register to Participate www.bankstreet.edu/library/cent... #bankstreet #bankstreetccl #calkinscreek #lorialexanderbooks @elyjenna.bsky.social @bankstreet.edu

Did we also vote with Russia against Ukraine and all the EU countries in the UN on the resolution about the war because Zelensky was disrespectful to Trump? Oh wait, that was a week before their meeting. Maybe this has nothing to do with the meeting and it’s something else.

Goodbye 2024! It’s been a challenging year. We lost our sweet puppy Gavin, work was a bit of a wasteland, and we all went through the election cycle😱…. but there was also learning, growth, & even a few unexpected gifts<3 Looking forward to a new start.

I’ve been a little quiet, but it’s for a happy reason— I’m taking on my first project as Co Director at House Special:) I’m still a freelancer, and a PD / Vis Dev Artist, but also really excited to stretch and try something new!

Storyboard art for How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966), dir. Chuck Jones and Ben Washam, MGM Animation/Visual Arts

This is extremely old lady of me, but I got some heated booties and I am SO happy right now.

An exciting thing landed in the mail! I just received my copies of #ThroughTheBows This is one of my favorite covers that I've gotten to do, and for such a cool anthology!! There's even a sketch version of it available<3 preorder at you Local comic shop, or visit DSTLRY.co to cla8m your copy!!

😭💗

When I used to teach I tried to instill the idea of moving thru short projects, rather than ‘perfecting’ 1 endlessly. Working in commercials early on taught me the value of tons of short fast unique problems with time limits and varied personnel, then on to the next… it was a great way to learn! 👇🏻

Here’s another oldie from the pitch graveyard! This one was for Mark Gustafson<3 His wicked sense of humor always came through, even in a simple bathroom cleaner spot. Character designed by another prolific and fabulous House Special Director, Aaron Sorenson <3

I started as a fine art painter— mostly portraits. This is the “YOU STOLE FIZZY LIFTING DRINK, YOU GET NOTHING!!” Gene Wilder moment. I made a new drwng/ ptng of him every day for a while post undergrad. I’ll see if I can find more of them to share. Fun fact: actress Blake Lively owns this one!

While I’m sharing Christmas bits— here’s a Santa that was the wrong take on a project, but I still kinda like him!

Happy #kidlitartpostcard day! I’m Jenn Ely, and I’m available for Picture Book work! I’ve mostly done non fiction so far, but I love color, texture, spooky stuff, and just trying new things<3 #kidlit rep’d by Kelly Sonnack @ksonnack.bsky.social jennely.com

From the pitch graveyard- after the tortoise & the hare race, slow & steady ruled above all, but now the Hare is trying to show that speed is good too! I wanted to use diagonals / Xs (like his ears) because they’re the fastest route between two points, vs rigid grids / horiz + verts to reinforce!

I was walking Gilda this morning and something really scary happened… I heard screaming through my headphones, and I took them off and saw a white van speeding down the street, a woman was reaching and screaming out the passenger window “Get the license plate, please call someone, HELP ME HELP ME”

Here’s a few more from Wendell & Wild! I loved working on the graveyard for this one<3

This was one of the last pieces that I ever got to make for Mark Gustafson, co Director of GDT’s Pinocchio, and someone who gave me many of my first opportunities in this industry. We lost him too soon. :..(<3 He was a truly good man, and I think about him often.

It's #NationalIllustrationDay, so I thought I'd share some of my #kidslit and Tribute art show work<3 All of these are traditionally painted with acryla gouache + some collage:)

One of my favorites<3

I've needed to take a headshot for a while, and have avoided it because I just hate the idea of anyone judging my work by anything other than the work.... buuuut I think I figured out a way to pull my work into it? Could be a disaster. Stay tuned!

Anybody else want to go back to Halloween?

This is a super oldie-- but I made this after I first moved to Oregon after growing up mostly in the South! I was stunned by the sheer amount and variety of greens💚

Patric took way better photos of our new addition<3

I’m working on building with cardboard today— in the vein of this little cardboard city I made for a deforestation PSA spot last year.

It's been raining all day, so mostly been snacks puzzles & window watching for our new pup<3 but that can be fun too!

We adopted a pup yesterday! Her name is Gilda, and she's a sweet 1 year old husky:)<3

Here are a couple pieces + the sketches that led to them, that I made when ‘Wendell & Wild’ was still in development, had no script yet, and Kat’s hair was still blue<3

Coraline recently celebrated its 15th Anniversary. I was the Supervising Animator on the film by Director Henry Selick and LAIKA. Here is a short BTS I put together a few years back. vimeo.com/1002895101/2...

Lovely

Just got a comp version of a comic cover that I made for my favorite writer and I cannot wait to share it with you guys! Especially with it being a painfully slow year workwise, this feels like a big win<3

Please share your blue art💙

Woke up feeling weighty post election feels, but trying to manifest a vibe because I still need to get things done...

A joyful part of my job is seeing a frame come together + get better with every artist that touches it! @realgdt.bsky.social’s Pinocchio Ask was- Pin sitting in a tree longing. My idea was that he sit on a pylon-the lines echoing marionette strings. Fab to stage + Dani Devereux’s matte CRUSHED!

Happy holidays, all. I’m new to Bluesky. While I’m stop motion factory worker by day, but I also make stop mo at home by night… like this skateboard yule log here I done did. #stopmotionanimation #yulelog #skateboard

If you see this post something green💚

Sharing some art to get going<3

Hi All👋 I’ve been off X for a while, but excited that this may be a good replacement. I’m an artist mostly working in animation and kids books.