Studio Snapshots: David Deen

Today we’re featuring David Deen, the amazing illustrator of Tolo, Cotsen’s digital adventure! Furiously sketching and coloring owlbears and nagas from his brother’s D&D books, David also grew up reading fantasy books. After earning a BA in Art, David worked as a computer game artist before going freelance. We asked him to give us a quick tour of his Colorado studio (and we get to meet his cats)!


As my art has shifted to being mostly digital, my studio space has shrunk to a fairly compact little space in the corner of my basement. I still have a sketchbook for initial concept sketching and printouts of the information I need to reference. And we have two cats that keep me company as I work, Summer (shown above) and Smudge.

Most of the work is done on my iPad Pro, where I use a couple of different programs designed to provide the look of traditional media with the benefits of easy revisions and no loss of quality from the artwork being photographed or scanned.

While I’m working on the illustrations, I use the computer to find reference photos and look up information I might need… and to entertain my ears with music. Once the final images are created, I send them straight to the computer through Dropbox. Then I can finalize the files, send them to the client, and do all of the other business involved in illustration.

The studio for creating traditional artwork is currently being used as a guest bedroom; the drafting table is folded down and the supplies are all put away. I hope to get back in there in the new year and make some paintings again, but in the meantime, my little digital corner of the basement is enough to keep me making all the artwork I need.


Images courtesy of David Deen

Book Title Mash Up

Does your taste in books vary wildly? No problem, just combine them! We designed this book title mashup activity as an ice breaker for Cotsen Critix, our literary society for kids ages 9-12. It was inspired by the hilarious Very Condensed Book postcards designed by Hilary Brown Greetings.

The kids had a fantastic timer recounting titles and mixing them up, as well as talking to each other about the books they love. Here’s our favorite dozen…

Are you my Mother, Harry Potter?
The Twilight Games
We the Big Idea Math People
Beauty and the Deathly Hallows
Warriors on the Prairie
Snow White and the Titan’s Curse
Under the Holes
A Wind in the Wardrobe
Go BFG Go!
Where the Sidewalk Ends Wild Things Are
If You Give a Mouse a Chocolate Factory
The Confessions of Charlotte’s Web

The BiblioFiles Presents: Victoria Ying

Just posted! A BiblioFiles interview with graphic novelist Victoria Ying, creator of City of Secrets and its sequel, City of Illusion.

In City of Secrets we meet two children, Ever Barnes and Hannah Morgan. Ever is an orphan, hiding in a massive, intricate jigsaw puzzle of a complex known as the Switchboard Operating Facility. He is befriended by Hannah, the daughter of the wealthy businessman who owns the facility. Soon, the two children discover the facility houses a secret that people are willing to kill for. With war escalating between the cities of Oskars and Edmonda, the race to uncover the secret becomes all the more urgent. And dangerous.

In City of Illusion, Ever and Hannah travel to a third city, Alexios, which specializes in illusions and magic. Unfortunately, villains are still on their trail, attempting to unlock the mystery that ties all three cities together. The stakes are huge, and the winner can gain enough power to conquer and control everything and everyone.

Ying’s graphic novels are incredibly stylish, with sweeping action and interesting visuals. Part espionage and part science fiction, her characters enliven the page, creating an experience that feels like you are turning the pages on a fast-paced film. Imaginative and intriguing, they absolutely deliver on adventure and heart.

In addition to her two full-length graphic novels, Ying has produced short stories, illustrated numerous picture books, and has been a developmental artist for Disney Studios and Sony, working on major films such as Frozen, Tangled, Big Hero 6, Moana, and Wreck-It Ralph.

Follow this link to the BiblioFiles interview


Image courtesy of Victoria Ying