Once my feet were back under me after the main drag of the pandemic and I'd settled back into teaching and almost into my new apartment, I had the idea to create an illustrated children's book. This idea was not out of the blue as I've spent a considerable amount of time exploring the history of children's book illustrations and for decades used preliminary drawings by E. H. Shepard of A. A. Milne characters to make points while teaching drawing. I can't reconstruct the initial impulse but in October 2021, I decided to take action.
What good character could lead the book? It had to be an animal. So I rooted through years of sketches and paintings I'd made of animals and propped some up to see what might strike my fancy and inspire the beginnings of a story.
What good character could lead the book? It had to be an animal. So I rooted through years of sketches and paintings I'd made of animals and propped some up to see what might strike my fancy and inspire the beginnings of a story.
A wolf? A squirrel? A rabbit? A teddy bear on a rabbit?
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The lamb, of course, won out..
Within the week, I'd composed an early version of the Wander song and by the 21st of November, the lyrics were complete although I coaxed them on occasion into their final version this past summer.
I over complicated story ideas. The story had to have a cast of characters, right? A Border Collie! A Maremmano-Abruzzese! A ewe!
I over complicated story ideas. The story had to have a cast of characters, right? A Border Collie! A Maremmano-Abruzzese! A ewe!
The basic illustration ideas flowed easily from the lyrics. My first color trial (below) determined the tone and palette of the setting and, honestly, is remarkably close to the finished project .
Because of teaching and the whatnot of life, I only had time to work on the project between early November and the end of each year. I continued attempting to create a complex story with the above described players and spent the following two holiday seasons with palm to forehead wondering why I couldn't work it out.
Because of teaching and the whatnot of life, I only had time to work on the project between early November and the end of each year. I continued attempting to create a complex story with the above described players and spent the following two holiday seasons with palm to forehead wondering why I couldn't work it out.
As these things happen, suddenly lambs were everywhere. A local shop owner generously gifted me the Woolloomooloo Shoe mascot that I'd clutched like an emotional support animal when I spotted it on the display table.
 | On a general errand, I spied a picked-over section of Christmas ornaments . All sheep!  One lambie sported a knapsack. A wanderer! Yes, I bought it and it's been hanging from one of my drafting table lamps ever since. |
I kept at the project and at the end of making a stack of postcard snowmen last year, a winter lamb appeared.
Finally, early this year, hidden in plain sight, it dawned on me to use the lyrics to the song for the book. Plenty of text for a perfect little story.
As soon as my summer course work was complete, I sat myself down to work on Wander illustrations and did not stop till the project was complete. And that experience is a matter for another post.
I must thank my good friend, Mineke Reinders for witnessing this process week in, week out over the past three years and for unflaggingly cheering me on.
As soon as my summer course work was complete, I sat myself down to work on Wander illustrations and did not stop till the project was complete. And that experience is a matter for another post.
I must thank my good friend, Mineke Reinders for witnessing this process week in, week out over the past three years and for unflaggingly cheering me on.
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