Crane Dance

So about 30 years ago my uncle Ben, a wildlife biologist in British Colombia for many years, started writing a book called Gooseplay. Adapted from a Swedish children’s story from the early 1900s, it’s an adventure about a boy who shrinks to the size of an elf and—riding on the back of a farm goose—follows a flock of wild Canada geese on their migratory path through B.C.

Years ago Ben asked if I’d be interested in illustrating Gooseplay. I was still in school at the time (studying anthropology and journalism). Between finishing classes and working several jobs, I spent my nights researching images (at the library!) and drawing quietly in our tiny apartment. This process was part of what led me to take up illustration as a career.

That was seven years ago, and needless to say my style and techniques didn’t really exist yet. I’m now in the process of re-illustrating Gooseplay, and thought it would be fun to post some of the images as I complete them, along with the originals when there’s one that corresponds. Here’s the first colour illustration draft, “Crane Dance” and original illustration it will replace (from a different part of the book) “Night Heron.”