Brainstorm Walk

At the Young Alberta Book Society AGM, I spoke about Jonah Lehrer's new book, Imagine: How Creativity Works. Then we took a brainstorm walk around artist/author Georgia Graham's farm.

To get creative, Lehrer says, we think we need to sit at the computer or drawing board for hours until inspiration strikes. But really, according to Lehrer, the best ideas pop up when we're not buckled down. So when we're taking a walk or a shower or playing the piano, that's when our brains draw new connections.

To that end, some companies have installed napping couches in their offices. Pixar housed the engineers, techies and artists in one building and made them share a bathroom because bumping into people for unexpected conversation can trigger creativity.

That's not to say that after you have the good idea, you don't need to spend zillions of hours at the drawing board to finish your book!

How do you fire up your creativity? Let's have a conversation in the comments.

Subscribe to my blog if you'd like to continue the discussion in future: click the subscribe button at the bottom right sidebar to have blog entries delivered to your email inbox.

Or give me a call the next time you're in Calgary - we'll take a brainstorm walk!

A Storyboard

At the Young Alberta Book Society AGM, I gave a talk about storyboards. I promised the talented bunch of folks in the room that I'd post a storyboard template, so here it is. You can download this template by clicking here.

The Young Alberta Book Society

Thanks to the Young Alberta Book Society, I've talked to kids at hundreds of schools about what it's like to write and illustrate children's books. I've drawn pictures for Metis kids and Hutterite kids and immigrant kids and suburban kids of every color from farms to inner cities to exurbs.

Every October, YABS sets up author and artist tours. If you're a teacher or librarian, you should join YABS: they subsidize school visits and provide a website where you can tap into Alberta artists. Check them out at www.yabs.ab.ca.

Driftline Ranch

I spent the weekend at a friend's place in the foothills of the Rockies.

Geology 101 will tell you that the whale-shaped hill is called a drumlin, left behind after the glaciers receded an ice age ago. Pods of drumlins dot this area.

A lovelorn grouse was drumming just behind me as I sketched. Every time I got up to try to spot him, he went silent. I hope he impressed the ladies!

First Contact

Calgary's recent Comic Expo reminded me of an illustration that I did for The Shatner Show, a book published by UPPERCASE. Curator and designer extraordinaire Janine Vangool asked me to contribute a portrait of William Shatner: I drew Trekkies lined up for the great man's autograph.