Bed Book in Progress | SALLEY MAVOR

Sometimes it’s unclear how much to share of one’s project while it’s in the works. In this age of social media, I feel a pull to share images and post updates about what’s going on because it’s fun and exciting and it’s happening right now! It was simpler in the past, when I would work for years on a children’s book, knowing that the illustrations wouldn’t be seen until they were released in a printed book.

UPDATE: Here are links to posts about illustrations I’ve finished for the book: South America, Japan, North Africa, North America, Holland, India, Iran, Ghana and Afghanistan. To see a list of all my books, click here.

There has got be an approach that lands somewhere between instantaneous sharing and holding back for years. The book is scheduled to come out in 2020, so I’d rather not wait until then. After some thought, I’ve decided to zero in on the details and show closeups. Hopefully the publisher will agree that showing peeks behind the scenes is OK, too. I’ve tried to document different stages along the way, to give you an idea of my process, while retaining a bit of mystery about the finished project. So, be warned that this is a teaser.

Update: Signed copies of My Bed can be ordered in my shop here . Watch this 8 minute documentary about how I created the illustrations for the book.

The new book, My Bed is an exploration of varied cultures from around the world. This South American scene shows children sleeping in hammocks.

I made the hammocks using a basic wire structure, with blanket stitching that looks like weaving. It took several prototypes before I figured out how to make it look right.

The background in embellished with embroidered bushes and thread covered wire branches.

The scene features a lush environment with lots of opportunity to make felt and wire leaves and flowers.

Over the next year, I will share details from other illustrations, documenting the process with photos. I hope that you enjoy the upcoming ’round the world tour!

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