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Sanae Ishida

A crafty little atelier in a grey city

Happy Friday + Upcoming Events

September 29, 2017

Happy Friday! I shared the beginning of my sea life doodles on Instagram a few days ago, and this is how I ended up filling up the sheet. Every so often, I pause and revel in the fact that this is my job - watercoloring is so fun!! These illos will get incorporated somehow into the next book, the final art of which is due in a month. I'm making slow but steady progress... So this means that I might be absent from here for long stretches again, especially since I'll be going on book tour for ... Read more

Filed in: illustration, watercolor • by sanae • 2 Comments

Happy Friday + Randomness

September 15, 2017

Happy Friday, my friends! I've been quiet here, there, everywhere. Thinking a lot, reading a ton. Speaking of reading, I created the poster above for Sasquatch Books for an upcoming event. Obviously, I had fall on my mind. I also made a spring version: Which do you like better? I believe it's getting printed right now, though I don't know which version they decided to go with. I'm betting autumn. I haven't felt engaged online for a long time. Not because there isn't great content ... Read more

Filed in: illustration, watercolor • by sanae • 18 Comments

Happy Friday + Hallelujah!

June 2, 2017

Happy Friday, my friends! I did it! I did it! I completed my rough art for the next book that's coming out in 2018. Normally, I create digital rough art using only Photoshop brushes like these and these, but I wanted to try a little something different. For this next book's rough art, I used only black watercolor and I enjoyed it so much! It's a different kind of challenge to paint with a single color to create various shades. Surprisingly, it took less time to hand paint than it does to do ... Read more

Filed in: black and white, book, illustration • by sanae • 4 Comments

Happy Friday + Happy Easter

April 14, 2017

Happy Friday! I always start off with an ambitious list of things I'm determined to complete while my mom is here in Seattle. Since my mom is the world's greatest babysitter (Homemade Japanese feasts and treats! Art lessons! Never-ending willingness to play board games and charades!), I feel a certain amount of pressure to get as much work done as possible. And every time, I don't even make a dent in my list and throw in the towel mid-week. As far as spring break goes, it's been mellow and ... Read more

Filed in: illustration, watercolor • by sanae • 8 Comments

Happy Friday + Randomness

March 31, 2017

  Happy Friday! A while ago, I created a coloring book for K's school event and this was one of the pages of the book, inspired by the Seattle Japanese Garden. I've got all things Japanese on my mind because we are spending a couple of weeks in the land of the rising sun this summer. Super super super super excited!! My predominant thought is: I have to make clothes! My wardrobe has been whittled down to nothing these days and the situation is quite alarming. I love planning ... Read more

Filed in: black and white, illustration • by sanae • 7 Comments

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When my daughter was a baby, oh, nearly two decade When my daughter was a baby, oh, nearly two decades ago, I read roughly a zillion board books to her. My favorites were Lucy Cousins’ Maisy series, Taro Gomi’s and anything with food. It’s with not a little awe and delight that I am creating my own baby board books these days. I adore my sumo books (I especially love seeing them in libraries), and I’m giddy with anticipation for GOOD NIGHT, NINJAS. Eight more weeks till publication! Preorder link is in bio 😊📘🥷I keep dreaming that these sumo and ninja baby books will become well-thumbed and beloved storytime staples…if you’ve been in the trenches of reading to babes and toddlers, do you have a favorite board book?
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