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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Craig Worrell: Sketchy Guy (Part 5)

by Chautona Havig · 3 Comments

Stay tuned at the end of the interview for more information on Craig, his website, and the blog where he showcases his recent work.

What do you suggest to people who want to learn how to draw more accurately?  Are there any books you recommend?  Videos?  Online classes?  Correspondence courses?

The easy answers are keep a sketchbook and draw all the time and learn to see.  80% of drawing is seeing and not everything you see translates to the page so get out there and start drawing from life.  You will learn something new nearly every time and usually more from your mistakes than anything.

As for books and stuff, for kids I can’t speak highly enough for “Commander” Mark Kistler.  He had a show on PBS but I think you can find his stuff online.  It’s drawing basics like perspective, foreshortening, shading, etc. and making it fun.  For older students who are interested in figure drawing there is no reason to go any further than George B. Bridgeman.  It’s volumetric anatomy for Artists and not Anatomists.  His “Complete Guide to Drawing from Life” is probably the most used book on my shelf. It will change how you see.

What is your dream project?  What would make you just go wild with excitement if you had the opportunity to do anything you wanted?

Ooooo that’s a rough one to nail down.  I guess it would be the opportunity to get my hands on some of the iconic characters of literature.  Someone like a Peter Pan, Long John Silver, Ebenezer Scrooge, Little John, Tin Woodsman, Pigsy, The Monkey King, etc would be a dream to tackle.  I guess to be able to add something to that experience for a reader or a viewer would be amazing.  To be able to really inhabit those characters in their worlds for a while is really why I prefer story related art.

What is the “downside” to art?  Policemen hate paperwork… what do artists hate?

That’s kind of a small question with a big explanation; I’ll try to keep it brief.  It’s the looks you and your family get sometime when someone either first meets you or asks about you and say, “ahh he/you is/are an artist.”  It’s the same dismissive look people give when talking about the deranged or hard of thinking.  Part of that is our fault really, Art has done more to talk to itself than it has to talk to others in the recent past and they just can’t relate.

The other thing that I am sure most everyone can relate to is when people disrespect your time, your talent and the difficulty of what you do.  My theory as this relates to Art is: once upon a time everyone use to draw, and it was fun.  Then at some point they stopped for lack of interest or discouragement or whatever but they retained the memory of drawing, coloring, painting, sculpting = play.  So when they have to deal with those of us that kept “playing” they think most of what we do is easy and basic goof-offery which leads to 5PM on a Friday projects due at 6PM that same day, a client asking for the moon and expecting it and the dreaded work on speculation.

What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?

Well first two things that pop in my head are both from the same person my Mother-in-Law, Beverly.  When I graduated college she gave me a business card case with “Illustrator” engraved on it, something about that meant a lot.  The second comes from a conversation my wife told me about where Bev had come to the realization that I see things differently because I am an Artist.  Her attempt to put herself in my shoes and that she was I guess impressed in some way I took as quite a compliment.

What question do most non-artistic types forget to ask in these kinds of interviews?

Seeing as how I don’t get interviewed, well ever, I guess the thing I hear the most is more of an observation than a question.  “I can’t even draw a straight line.”  To which I reply, “Neither can I that’s why I use a ruler.”

Craig shares a blog with several of his artist buddies  Sketch-of-the-Day.  There’s a lot of amazing work on this blog… I always love stopping by to see what he and his friends have done lately.  However, I have to give you a warning.  Not everything on this site is appropriate for children.  While there is nothing pornographic, a few of the images are of a more sexualized nature and therefore not appropriate for everyone.  So, consider yourself warned.

Craigs Posts

His Sketches of Dove

And his website!  C.B. Worrell . com!

Stay tuned for his work in Cloaked in Secrets!  The itsy bitsy bits of what I’ve seen coming are so EXCITING.  I’m almost as thrilled, if not more,  as I am about my book!

Now, on a professional note, working with Craig has been incredibly rewarding.  He has just enough professionalism to give you confidence in his work even before you see his ideas on paper.  However, he’s not so “all-business” that you wonder if he’ll sterilize your characters or if you wonder if he’s being tortured to do the work.  Just listening to him, you can hear the passion for what he does as he talks about things.  It’s truly a wonderful experience, and I recommend him heartily.  Now, if I could just win the lottery so I could give him an amazingly huge tip… that’d be cool.

He even did a portrait of me… sight unseen.  I’m just so impressed…

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Filed Under: General Information, Interviews Tagged With: Annals of Wynnewood, Shadows & Secrets

Previous Post: « Craig Worrell: Interview (Part 4)
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Comments

  1. Michele says

    April 30, 2010 at 8:17 pm

    That “portrait” of you…I’m pretty sure he’s been drawing that guy as long as I’ve known you. If so, it must be me and not you. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Michele says

    April 9, 2010 at 9:41 pm

    I loved the interview!!! Craig is so wonderful, I’m glad I was able to recommend him. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Cari says

    April 9, 2010 at 12:31 pm

    Craig, Chautona — thanks for all your hard work bringing Wynnewood to life! Can’t wait to see the latest artwork and read the next adventure of Dove.

    Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 264: A Chat with Romance Author, Sarah Monzon
byChautona Havig

Finally getting a chance to chat with Sarah Monzon was a total delight, and learning all about her latest release, All’s Fair in Love and Christmas was equally awesome.  My copy is here and waiting for me to dive into the battle of the celebrations!  EEEP! Listen in to see what that even means!

Note: I sound like I’m underwater. We heard it during our interview, but I couldn’t make it behave and couldn’t fix it. Sorry!

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

How Does an Intense Christmas Competition Lead to Love?

All’s Fair in Love and Christmas has so much going for it that I don’t know where to start! Fun mom who made our heroine’s childhood Christmases an international delight without ever leaving home?  Check!  Social anxiety adding to the stress of competing for a promotion?  Check?  Romcom hilarity?  Check, check?  And add to all that Sarah’s wonderful writing and delightful characterization?  I’m all in.

We also chatted about why she chose to write about a woman with social anxiety, her preferred reading methods, and some of my favorite books by her. For a refresher, those are The Isaac Project, 12 Days of Snowmen, and Book Nerds & Boyfriends (a collection of three novellas).

All’s Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon

Two workplace rivals. One festive competition. And a romance that upends it all.

Every December two things are guaranteed for graphic designer Mackenzie Graham–Christmas celebrations and the annual promotion at her workplace. Those two things are by no means mutually exclusive. In fact, the better an employee is at harnessing the Christmas spirit, the more likely they’ll win the new job. With her social anxiety, Mackenzie never thought she’d be a contender in her company’s holiday competition, so how exactly has she found herself dueling her workplace crush with wrapping paper tubes and using tinsel as her weapon of choice for a much-needed raise?

Jeremy Fletcher’s life is meticulously planned out, including how to win this year’s promotion at work. Not only will the new position fulfill some of his career goals, but as a single guardian to his twin niece and nephew, he needs the salary increase to support his family. Jeremy has barely noticed Mackenzie Graham around the office, but now that she’s his rival, he can’t stop thinking about her. Her quirkiness intrigues him, and he’s afraid that if he can’t get his head on straight, the promotion isn’t the only thing he’ll end up losing to Mackenzie.

“Inspirational rom-com readers are going to love this one.”–BETHANY TURNER, bestselling author of The Do-Over

You can learn more about Sarah on her WEBSITE.  Also follow her on BookBub and GoodReads.

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Episode 264: A Chat with Romance Author, Sarah Monzon
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