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    The Children's Book Review

    Inside the Studio with Laura Huliska-Beith, Illustrator of The Goodnight Train Rolls On

    Bianca SchulzeBy Bianca Schulze4 Mins Read Ages 4-8 Bedtime Books Illustrator Interviews Picture Books Poetry & Rhyme
    Inside-the-Studio-with-Laura-Huliska-Beith-Illustrator-of-The-Goodnight-Train-Rolls-On
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    The Children’s Book Review | October 24, 2018

    LAURA HULISKA-BEITH has illustrated many popular books for children, including The Goodnight Train (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), 10 Little Ladybugs (Dalmatian), The Recess Queen (Scholastic), and many more. She lives with her husband and three dogs in Kansas City, Missouri.

    Inside Laura Huliska-Beith’s Studio

    Ever since we moved in to our old house in Kansas City, I knew I wanted to convert the attic to an art studio some day. The only way to get up there was to knock out the ceiling of the small sun room (my old studio) and add a spiral staircase. This fixture was later dubbed “the pizza-shaped-stairs” by a group of young artists  who came over for a workshop years back. I love that description!

    stairs-3

    Up against a brick chimney, smack dab in the middle of the room, is a sewing machine for special projects.

    sewing

    Behind the brick chimney sits a large worktable my husband made for me which is invaluable (thanks, Jeff!), and always has different projects going on at different ends. Unless I’m working on a book— then it’s consumed by paints, water buckets, ½ painted art boards, and scraps of fabric and painted paper.

    big-table

    The floor houses several dog beds where you can find a dog or two always eager to help out with art direction (or art consumption— we have a 7 month old puppy who loves to CHEW!).

    I’ve collected art objects around me that have personal meaning; masks, books, quilts, paintings and drawings by family, friends, and artists I love and admire. A quilt by Yvonne Wells greets me every morning as I climb the pizza-shaped stairs and it just makes me smile!

    stairs

    Laura Huliska-Beith’s Creative Process

    The creative process begins with printing out and reading the manuscript sent to me by the editor. First, I’ll let the imagery wash over me like a movie. Then I’ll read the script again and jot down notes and sketches and whatever first comes to mind.

    The characters are usually the first images that I’ll try to figure out. Once they are in place (after many revisions), I’ll move on to sketch each page, using tracing paper to make more versions of the same scene, very loosely.

    sketch-1

    Then to the computer where I’ll scan those sketches and rework the same image until it’s just right, with the right amount of details, making sure there is space for the text.

    sketch-2

    in-progress

    Sometimes I will print out all the sketches to make a book dummy. It’s so helpful to be able to physically turn the pages of a book to help determine the flow of the story.

    For THE GOODNIGHT TRAIN (and the two follow-up books), the final art was painted with acrylic paints on Strathmore vellum illustration board. The background always comes first. Some elements are painted separately on paper and cut out, and others are painted directly on the board.

    palette

    process-2

    When the paintings are done, they are hung up on a clothesline so I can see how things are flowing, and if colors and layouts are working together.

    line-up

    The paintings are scanned in the computer and fine details are added before the art is sent off (either mailed physically or sent digitally). It’s an intense process, and my studio gets pretty messy, but I sure miss the characters once the book is finished! Then back down the pizza-shaped stairs to walk the dogs and say hello to rest of the world.

    Photo Credit: Jeff Beith

    —

    Learn More About Stephanie Graegin

    www.laurahuliskabeith.com | Instagram

    The Goodnight Train Rolls OnThe Goodnight Train Rolls On

    Written by June Sobel

    Illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith

    Publisher’s Synopsis: All aboard! This colorful companion to The Goodnight Train is leaving the station, with new nighttime hi-jinks and all the rhyme and rhythm that made the first book a bedtime read-aloud favorite.

    When a herd of poky sheep slows the Goodnight Train to a crawl, the Engineer’s quick thinking (and counting!) has them rolling along in no time—until one tricky sheep sends the train and its sleepy passengers tossing and turning! The clickety-clack cadence of the poetic text is sure to lull listeners to sleep, but not before they take in the candy-colored landscapes full of delightful Dreamland details to discover. All aboard!

    Ages 4-7 | Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers | September 4 2018 | ISBN-13: 978-1328500199

    Available Here: 

    Text, logoBuy on AmazonLogo

    Discover more books like The Goodnight Train Rolls On, written June Sobel and Illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith, on The Children’s Book Review by following along with our articles tagged with Bedtime Stories, Laura Huliska-Beith, Rhyming Text, Trains, and Transportation. And be sure to check out more authors and illustrators featured in our Inside the Studio column.

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    Bedtime Stories Inside the Studio June Sobel Laura Huliska-Beith Rhyming Text Trains Transportation
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    Bianca Schulze
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    Bianca Schulze is the founder of The Children’s Book Review. She is a reader, reviewer, mother and children’s book lover. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, the goal is to share her passion for children’s literature to grow readers. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she now lives with her husband and three children near Boulder, Colorado.

    5 Comments

    1. Jenny Whitehead on October 24, 2018 1:42 pm

      This is a fantastic article about Laura Huliska Beith’s Kansas City studio and her process of illustrating her wonderful children’s books. I love her work! Every book illustration is filled with lots of energy, dynamic characters and and beautiful color palettes. Laura has such a creative, warm spirit about her. Her studio personifies the kind of artist and person she is. I can’t wait to comb through every picture of ‘The Goodnight Train Rolls On!’

      Reply
      • Bianca Schulze on October 24, 2018 1:49 pm

        This is a lovely and thoughtful comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed Laura’s article. We’re thrilled that she shared this peek into her studio and process with the TCBR readers. I hope you come back and let us know your thoughts on this new book. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Laura Huliska Beith on October 24, 2018 3:39 pm

      Bianca thank you so much for this post and for all the wonderful work you are doing to support children’s literature and help foster young readers!! Cheers to you! Laura Huliska Beith

      Reply
      • Bianca Schulze on October 25, 2018 1:34 pm

        Awww! Thanks so much for the kind words and gratitude! I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Back when I used to work in a bookstore, THE GOODNIGHT TRAIN was one of my favorite picture books to sell. So I was thrilled to get the insiders scoop on your creative process!

        Reply
    3. Vanessa on October 24, 2018 9:04 pm

      Laura Huliska Beith you are such a rare Jewel. Your work is so creative and colorful and lifelike! You make reading fun for the little ones and BIG ones! Thank You for sharing your AMAZING talent ❤️

      Reply

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