The Magic of Live Wedding Sketching
Wedding season is almost here, and I’m so excited to be booked for more events! I’ve been hired for lots of weddings this year, focusing on my reportage-style ink drawings with watercolour on top. Lately, I’ve been doing more live guest portraits, which has been a fun challenge. It’s tricky to figure out how many I can get through during an event, but it’s been great to experiment with my style.
I love adding colours from the wedding flowers and decorations into the portraits. There’s something magical about creating artwork live at a wedding—it captures a special moment in a way that’s different from photography. The best part is when guests wear brightly coloured outfits because it gives me a chance to really make the watercolours pop.
Recently, I had to take some time off to recover from back surgery, but I’m getting stronger and gearing up for wedding season, which kicks off in November—just in time for summer in Tasmania! A lot of the weddings I do are up in Launceston, but I’d love to work on more in the Hobart area too. I don’t mind traveling though, especially with my electric car and our house’s solar panels making it more affordable.
I still need a few more weeks to fully recover before I can take on long drives, but I’m really looking forward to getting back to it soon!
SS23/24 Summer Print Designs
As you may know, I am an artistic director at Keshet Design where I create and oversee print designs for each seasonal fashion collection. I just wanted to share some of the current ones with you that I designed from scratch. I love creating colourful pieces for bold, unique women!
I’ve also been enjoying creating some process videos about this work behind the scenes. What sort of content would you like to see about this? Let me know in the comments!
Live Wedding Painting Tasmania Part 2
Imagine painting love stories, not at home, but right there in the middle of someone’s wedding. That's what I got up to recently, painting at not one, but two weddings in a weekend! And get this – the first one? It was a surprise for the bride, a gift from her sister.
I'm talking about LIVE wedding painting – turning special moments into art on the spot. Let me take you behind the scenes of these two love-filled events, where I worked as quickly as possible to create wedding day magic.
So, first up was Emily and Jason. They had their beautiful reception at Lark Distillery. They walked into their reception, thinking it's the scene they planned, and there I am with my paints and ink pens – surprise! Emotional vibes all around.
Lark Distillery, with its rustic charm, was the perfect spot. Warm tones, beautiful decorations – a dream setting. My job? Create quick sketches of guests. Different groups popped by my station for a snapshot, then back to the party they went.
Here's the tricky bit: it was a last-minute surprise, so I didn't know who's who among the VIPs. I tried to capture the heart of the celebration and did some last minute prioritising. There are a few leftover that I am continuing after the fact.
The next wedding of the weekend was Susannah and Kieran's love-filled day at Stefano Lubiana Winery. Picture this: an outdoor ceremony, an indoor reception with live music and tons of close knit family.
What set this wedding apart? Well, for starters, it wasn't about sketching guests this time. Instead, my task was to capture about 5 key moments of the day. I had to be quick on my feet, deciding which moments would make it. Susannah had a wishlist – their son, the cake, and the couple during the ceremony. Having a starting point helps, and knowing the family personally helps even more.
Here are some more snaps from the day. The trickiest part was not having daylight towards the end of the evening. I was adding finishing touches in the dark. Time to buy a portable light for my painting kit!
Looking back at this busy weekend, these gigs were more than just drawing. They shaped my style and how I approach each celebration. I have so much to learn and that’s what makes it so fun!
Tips for Future Couples:
For couples thinking about live illustration, here's a tip: If you have lots of guests, think about a different style – maybe capturing key moments instead of individual portraits. It's not just about the amount of art, but showing a unique perspective. If you do prefer guest portraits, be prepared to potentially have some of them finished afterwards.
Feel free to reach out to me if you want to find out more or check availability.
Until next time…
Follow the journey on Instagram:
Brooklyn Book Festival
I consider myself to be a pretty intermediate to advanced level traveler. I’ve been to so many developing countries, chaotic cities, and middle of nowhere icons. With this experience and my formative years spent growing up in New York City, I figured I can handle just about anything on a trip. Well my first trip back to NYC humbled me in many ways. This time I was older and had a one year old in tow. That certainly changes the vibe! We were traveling for 30 days straight. We were SO tired. We were SO depleted. We were so spoiled by the baby friendly city at home. My wishes for a highly productive NYC trip would not come true.
One of the highlights of the NYC trip that did come to fruition was being a part of the Brooklyn Book Festival! Of course there was climate change level flash flooding in NYC the day before it happened which was also the day we arrived into the city. However, the water cleared and the families flooded in to the festival!
Our activity was run by author, Dan Poblocki alongside illustrator Chris Danger and myself. Dan created a mad libs style story for the audience members to fill in the blanks. Along the way, Chris and I illustrated some of their wildly inventive scenes and characters.
After this illustrated story time was over, we signed books!
Of course, my number one fan was excited to get multiple books signed in person since it had been a while. <3
One of the best moments of this day was also when we went to Chipotle after. The burrito bowls had been missed, but the highlight was actually seeing a young girl reading a freshly signed copy of Big Apple Diaries at a table in there. I awkwardly waved to her and her family but she didn’t look up for even a moment. She was totally engrossed in my book, and I love to see it!
My nephew, Alex
Despite our absolute travel chaos, it was really special to be in NYC again
The Best Graphic Novels for Young Readers to Encourage Empathy
I recently wrote this guest article for Shepherd.com and here is a snippet!
Who am I?
As a graphic novel creator and art teacher with years of experience, I understand the importance of introducing serious topics for discussion in an accessible way. My art students of all ages are curious about different subjects, wondering what life is like for others and if their own feelings are normal. Graphic novels are a perfect tool for fostering these discussions. Having been interested in comics as a medium for a long time, I'm thrilled to share this with young audiences and encourage the exploration of diverse perspectives.
I wrote...
Big Apple Diaries
By Alyssa Bermudez
What is my book about?
In Big Apple Diaries, a heartfelt diary-style graphic novel memoir by Alyssa Bermudez, a young New Yorker doodles her way through middle school—until the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack leaves her wondering if she can ever be a kid again.
The books I picked & why
When Stars Are Scattered
By Omar Mohamed, Victoria Jamieson
Why this book?
This book deeply touched me. Through the eyes of a child, it portrays universal emotions of hope, family, and resilience amidst the refugee crisis.
It sheds light on the harsh realities of living in a refugee camp, offering valuable insights into the experiences of displaced families. It's a powerful tool for teaching children about empathy. The ending moved me to tears and prompted me to research and donate to several relevant foundations.
I believe graphic novels possess a unique power to immerse readers in the characters' experiences and emotions. When a child reads When Stars Are Scattered, they step into the world of a refugee camp and gain a new appreciation for everyday necessities.
This graphic novel, based on real people, offers a distinctive storytelling format that can convey silence, body language, and the passage of time in ways other mediums cannot.
Live Wedding Painting Tasmania!
It’s been a while, folks! I went off and had a baby in August and am just dipping my toes gradually back into work, comics, and events. What a whirlwind!
I jumped back in a couple of weeks ago for a live wedding event where I sketched and painted during a ceremony at the Port Cygnet Cannery in Tasmania. It’s such a unique venue and it was an honor to be asked to do this.
Setup and ready to go!
I prepped some papers and took some reference images of special mementos for the couple in advance to be sure to include these extra special images that are incredibly meaningful on their day. Then it was time to start!
The ceremony has finished, sketches are planned, and now it’s time to make everything look fabulous!
I used my favorite pen ever, the Pentel Brush Pen, which is permanent ink. In addition to this, I used my Yarka watercolor paints and lush Fabriano hot press paper. All archival materials ensure these little moments will last forever. Here is a snippet reel of everything in action on my Instagram:
If you or anyone you know is interested in hiring me as their wedding artist, I would love to come up with a special plan just for you! Get in touch via email - alyssa (@) alyssabermudezart.com
Writing and Illustrating a Graphic Novel Memoir for Children
This blog entry was originally created for the Children’s Book Council of Australia, Tasmanian Branch Blog in December 2022.
I always knew I wanted to create something special from my childhood diaries, and over the course of almost ten years, I turned them into a graphic novel called Big Apple Diaries. It all started while taking a comics class in 2012 as a student in New York City, where I was born and lived my whole life at that point. When I moved from New York City to Tasmania in 2015 I realized how important the New Yorker side of my story was. There is something about seeing it from a distance that made it clearer to me.
I used my diary entries and experiences to retell the story of my childhood in New York City around the September 11 attacks in 2001. These entries were so important for creating this book because I could capture the mindset of a young teen instead of relying solely on the memory of it. Of course, memoir-style writing can be triggering, so I don’t think it would have been possible for me to write about that part of my life without enough time and space between the experience and now.
Big Apple Diaries is my first ever long-form graphic novel so it was definitely a learning curve for me. I’ve illustrated many picture books, but the jump from 32 pages to almost 300 was a lot to think about!
All of the writing had to be finished first, and that is something that often surprises people. The storyline is the most important part of any book. I started with very simple drafts and didn’t worry about the spelling or specific wording yet. I made sure to create story arcs within my “real story.” Once that draft made sense, I went back over it and carefully rewrote it several times.
A very important part of the graphic novel process that makes it different from other writing is that I had to choose which parts of the story would be told in words and which parts would be told in pictures. I used different colours in my Word document to make this easier for me. Everything I wrote in black was the words of the story, and everything I wrote in blue was for the pictures. One of the best parts of the graphic novel medium is capturing emotion and subtleties through imagery. Sometimes big feelings don’t need to be named on the page, and a simple expression can speak for itself.
Once all of that was ready to go, I roughly laid out the text and created simple sketches to determine the layouts, pacing, and timing. Next came editorial feedback from the publishing team, adjustments, and sample art. Once all of the stars aligned and everyone agreed it was ready to go, I returned to page one again. This part was the most fun for me because all of that difficult problem-solving with layouts and writing was done, so I could just enjoy the process of making the artwork!
I underestimated how emotional it would be to create the images to go with something so deeply personal. It was wonderful exploring the visuals of New York City from that time and recreating the relationships with my parents and friends.
It was very meaningful to put together a story that took place twenty years ago and can still be relatable to readers today and in the future. I’ve enjoyed sharing this book with students here in Tasmania and virtually in the US. Even though Tasmania and New York City couldn’t be any further apart, the feelings that come with growing up bring everyone together.
Big Apple Diaries is ALAs Best of 2021!
“The Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table is thrilled to introduce the 2021 Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List. This reading list highlights the best graphic novels for children aged 5 – 12 years old, published in late 2020 and through 2021, and it aims to increase awareness of the graphic novel medium, raise voices of diverse comics creators, and aid library staff in the development of graphic novel collections.”
What an honour to see my very own Big Apple Diaries on this list alongside so many beloved stories.
Older Readers (Grades 5 - 6)
Allergic. Written by Megan Wagner Lloyd. Art by Michelle Mee Nutter. 2021. Scholastic, $12.99 (9781338568905).
Maggie loves animals; however, she learns she is highly allergic to anything with fur or feathers, despite desperately wanting a pet of her own.
Artie and the Wolf Moon. Written by Olivia Stephens. Art by Olivia Stephens. 2021. Graphic Universe, $16.99 (9781541542488).
After discovering that the giant wolf stalking the woods is her mother, Artie is thrust into a new community of werewolves, and the history of her family that has remained unspoken is unearthed along the way.
The Awakening Storm: A Graphic Novel (City of Dragons #1). Written by Jamail Yogis. Art by Vivian Truong. 2021. Graphix, $12.99 (9781338660432).
After moving to Hong Kong with her mom, Grace must get used to everything from learning a new language to making new friends at her fancy boarding school. But when an old lady gifts her a mysterious dragon egg that hatches overnight, Grace will have to deal with a whole new set of problems as evil forces try to harness its power.
Big Apple Diaries. Written by Alyssa Bermudez. Art by Alyssa Bermudez. 2021. Roaring Brook Press, $14.99 (9781250774286).
In this graphic memoir, 12-year-old Alyssa navigates the challenges of the cusp of middle school--grades, friends, a first crush on a cute new classmate, preparing for NYC's complicated middle school application process, her art, working out what it means for her to be Puerto Rican, and splitting time between her mom's and dad's apartments. When the terrorist attacks of 9/11 happen, the collective loss puts everything else in stark perspective, and Alyssa tries to figure out if she can still find a way to be a kid and find purpose and meaning amidst the destruction.
Black Heroes of the Wild West. Written by James Otis Smith. Art by James Otis Smith. 2020. Toon Graphics, $16.95 (9781943145522).
A short history of Black Americans who were extraordinary individuals who lived incredible lives in the Wild West. Mary Fields was born a slave who became a stagecoach driver. Bass Reeves, was the first Black Deputy US Marshal, and Bob Lemmons was amazing with horses.
Bounce Back. Written by Mikaso Rocks. Art by Mikaso Rocks. 2021. Feiwel and Friends, $12.99 (9781250806291).
Lilico must move to America from Japan right before her basketball team's finals, and her new home is not so welcoming. The mean girls in her grade don't want her on their team or in their class.
Class Act. Written by Jerry Craft. Art by Jerry Craft. 2020. Quill Tree Books, $22.99 (9780062885500).
Drew Ellis feels as if he works twice as hard as some of the kids at Riverdale Academy Day School but doesn’t get the same opportunities in life.
The Dragon Path. Written by Ethan Young. Art by Ethan Young. 2021. Graphix, $12.99 (9781338363296).
Eager for adventure, Prince Sing of the Wong Clan, journeys with his clan to the Old Land in order to have a better life.
The Ghoul Next Door. Written by Cullen Bunn. Art by Cat Farris. 2021. HarperAlley, $12.99 (9780062896094).
Eleven-year-old Grey has a run in with the mysterious ghouls of his New England town. His new friend Lavinia knows tons about local history but will their unlikely bond cause problems for the living residents of Anders Landing?
The Girl from the Sea. Written by Molly Knox Ostertag. Art by Molly Knox Ostertag. 2021. Graphix, $22.49 (9781338540574).
Morgan's life has changed a lot in the past few years. Dealing with her parent's divorce, a little brother who is angry, the dynamic of her friendship with her friends changing, and a secret she is trying to hide, Morgan learns how important it is to trust your friends and love your family.
History Comics: The American Bison: The Buffalo's Survival Tale. Written by Andy Hirsch. Art by Andy Hirsch. 2021. First Second, $19.99 (9781250265838).
Learn all about the American Bison, the last of North America's megafauna and its near extinction as part of the genocidal Native American Wars and its recovery from the brink.
History Comics: The Wild Mustang: Horses of the American West. Written by Chris Duffy. Art by Falynn Koch. 2021. First Second, $19.99 (9781250174277).
Join two prehistoric horses as they explore the history or wild horses in America.
Hooky. Written by Miriam Bonastre Tur. Art by Miriam Bonastre Tur. 2021. Etch/Clarion Books, $24.99 (9780358468301).
Dani and Dorian miss their bus to magic school and don't want to disappoint their exacting parents, so they begin a wild ride of trying to find another place to learn magic. Learning under their aunt leads to them becoming wanted fugitives, so they land in an inconspicuous town with a jealous errand boy, a welcoming soothsayer, and a cute waiter.
Horse Trouble. Written by Kristin Varner. Art by Kristin Varner. 2021. First Second, $12.99 (9781250225887).
Kate loves being around horses, even though her horseback riding skills are less than amazing. But how will she navigate the snide comments of other girls in the stable without her best friend to have her back?
Jo & Rus. Written by Audra Winslow. Art by Audra Winslow. 2021. KaBOOM!, $12.99 (9781684156108).
Two unlikely friends find each other with the help of a mysterious one-eyed cat.
Jukebox. Written by Nidhi Chanani. Art by Nidhi Chanani. 2021. First Second, $14.99 (9781250156372).
Shaheen's dad lives in his own world of vintage and rare vinyl collecting, and every moment of her life has a soundtrack. When her dad does not come home one night, a mysterious Jukebox, old vinyl records, and cryptic notes on music history are her only clues to her father's abrupt disappearance.
Just Pretend. Written by Tori Sharp. Art by Tori Sharp. 2021. Little Brown Books for Young Readers, $24.99 (9780316538855).
Tori’s life has big changes as she enters 8th grade.
The Leak. Written by Katie Reed Petty. Art by Andrea Bell. 2021. First Second, $14.99 (9781250217967).
12- year-old Ruth Keller is an aspiring journalist who finds a mysterious black substance at the local lake.
The Legend of Auntie Po. Written by Shing Yin Khor. Art by Shing Yin Khor. Kokila, $22.99 (9780525554882).
A historical look at life for a young Chinese-American girl working at a western logging camp of the late 1800s, but also a magical dive into how stories and our imaginings of heroes shape the way we view the world.
Living with Viola. Written by Rosena Fung. Art by Rosena Fung. 2021. Annick Press, $22.95 (9781773215495).
Livy's anxiety manifests as a shadowy twin named Viola who criticizes her as she moves to a new school, makes new friends, and deals with the pressure of being the child of immigrants.
Miles Morales: Shock Waves. Written by Justin A. Reynolds. Art by Pablo Leon. 2021. Graphix, $24.99 (9781338648041).
Miles is struggling to balance school, his personal and family life, and the demands of being Spider-man, when an earthquake in his mother's beloved home of Puerto Rico upsets the delicate balance.
The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow. Written by Emma Steinkellner. Art by Emma Steinkellner. 2021. Aladdin, $12.99 (9781534431485).
Moth is learning about being a witch, but her mom won't teach her any good spells, especially ones that would fix some of her problems.
The Queen’s Favorite Witch, Book 1: The Wheel of Fortune. Written by Benjamin Dickson. Art by Rachel Smith. 2021. Papercutz, $14.99 (9781545807217).
It's 1563, and nefarious plots are swirling around Queen Elizabeth I, who is newly in need of a royal witch. Meanwhile, young witch Daisy is desperate to get out of her village and do more than sell potions at the market, so she runs away from home to apply for the position.
Séance Tea Party. Written by Reimena Yee. Art by Reimena Yee. 2020. Penguin Random House, $20.99 (9780593125328).
Lora is a middle school late bloomer who feels left behind by her friends until she is reunited with a ghostly companion from the past.
Shark Summer. Written by Ira Marcks. Art by Ira Marcks. 2021. Little Brown Books for Young Readers, $24.99 (9780316461443).
Gayle, dealing with a disastrous softball season, is spending her first summer on Martha's Vineyard. A Hollywood film crew is filming a movie on the island over the summer and is hosting a youth film contest. Gayle meets Elijah and Maddie and between the three they set out to discover the
truth behind the island's own sea monster and win the prize money.
Sue & Tai-chan #1. Written by Konami Kanata. Art by Konami Kanata. Translated by Melissa Tanaka. 2020. Kondasha, $12.99 (9781632369390).
Sue is an elderly cat enjoying her feline years in relative solitude and peace, when suddenly rambunctious kitten Tai-chan comes along, wreaking havoc to her household.
Tell No Tales: Pirates of the Southern Seas. Written by Sam Maggs. Art by Kendra Wells. 2021. Amulet Books, $21.99 (9781419739668).
Anne Bonny and her crew of female pirates sail the Caribbean, seeking adventure and stealing treasure.
Tidesong. Written by Wendy Xu. Art by Wendy Xu. 2021. Quill Tree Books, $12.99 (9780062955791).
A 12-year-old girl named Sophie is sent to live with her aunt to study hard at magic and gain entry to a prestigious school of magic.
Thank you so so much.
New Repeat Patterns
I rediscovered these paintings recently when I was looking for some of my former botanical art paintings. I originally painted these lilies and sprigs for a custom wedding stationery set commission a few years ago. All of the pieces were scanned in and isolated, so that means it’s PERFECT for compiling a new repeat pattern.
After I found that design, I realized I would have TONS more like it. I often hand paint individual pieces and scan them in to collage digitally. The next pattern below is made from one of the wedding stationery leaves and then lots of berries I painted for a “Berry Christmas” holiday card.
Which do you prefer?
If you are loving it, they are available in a few products in my shop and also as fabric in my Spoonflower shop.
Bookish Gift Pairings
What would you pair with these books?
I had some fun brainstorming for this. If you have already read these books, my selections will make more sense. I think thoughtfully picked books are the best gifts, but it is even more fabulous when you can experience an activity that engages you in the story even more.
I am also thinking hair clips and favorite band posters!
These gifts are all more fun with friends too
Lucia The Luchadora And The Million Masks takes place at the mercado, so that feels like the perfect place to find a Lucia gift pairing. My friend and I spent a whole weekend making our own Lucia costume, so this leads well into a craft activity.
My Singing Nana has all of the beautiful details of a Mexican American Abuela. I wish I had all of the beautiful Talavera inspired kitchenware and other objects that remind you of your own Nana’s recipes.
I hope everyone has a beautiful Holiday season.
xo Alyssa
Big Apple Diaries Buzz Part 2
I love seeing what people are saying about Big Apple Diaries, but I especially love to hear what kids are saying! Here are some snippets that I highlighted as well as editorial reviews:
I love Naomi’s accompanying drawing.
So accurate.
Click through to read the full review
Click through to read full review
Click through to read the full review
Click through to read the full review.
Click through to read the full review
Click through to read the full review
BBC Interview Worldwide
I cannot believe that me and my little comic book were recently featured on BBC News around the globe. What?! Here is a collection of it translated into other languages. I was interviewed for about an hour or so virtually and then it was edited into this really lovely video which incorporates my book, words, reflections, pictures from childhood, and more.
English:
Hindi:
Indonesian:
English:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-58496145
Vietnamese:
https://www.bbc.com/vietnamese/media-58477695
Serbian:
https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/svet-58488225
Chinese:
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/world-58475207
Indonesian:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79ziLtHxmtY
Hindi:
https://www.facebook.com/BBCnewsHindi/videos/329412558870091
Urdu:
https://www.facebook.com/bbcurdu/videos/425107372390022
Telugu:
https://twitter.com/bbcnewstelugu/status/1435898665118302209?s=20
HOW COOL
Big Apple Diaries Debut Buzz
This has been a crazy time. I wanted to remember and gather some of the launch time memories, articles and more.
My husband’s family showed up to pizza night celebration of Big Apple Diaries wearing some custom crafted t-shirts. <3
Big Apple Diaries Featured on BBC News Worldwide:
Honestly this is so insane I have a whole separate blog post about the BBC interview.
Comics Creator Chat - Memoirs - First Second Live on Instagram:
This was an amazing opportunity to talk face to face with other graphic memoir creators. So cool!
So cool talking to fellow memoirists.
Creator Chat with ALIA Graphic
ALIA Graphic Novels and Comics is intended to be a resource and network for library and information professionals who are responsible for and/or interested in comics and graphic novels. The group aims to support library staff interested in all aspects of collection development, advocacy and programming related to graphic novels and comics.
Official Launch with Word Up Community Bookstore:
Word Up is a multilingual, general-interest community bookshop and arts space in Washington Heights, New York City, committed to preserving and building a neighborhood in which all residents help each other to live better informed and more expressive lives, using books as an instrument of reciprocal education and exchange, empowering not only themselves, but their community.
Chatting with Remy Lai
Story Time: 9/11 20th Anniversary Kids Panel with Greenlight Books:
This event in particular felt very important, as it was commemorating the 20th anniversary of 9/11. It was a huge honor to discuss this with other amazing creators from various backgrounds and perspectives.
All of us!
My number one fan in Brooklyn tuning in.
A peek into one of my school visits this month:
I visited Claremont College and Sacred Heart Geeveston. It was just amazing and the questions and comments will stick with me for a long time.
Reviews and Media Collection:
As seen in BBC Worldwide: 9/11 attacks: ‘I saw the world as a scary place for the first time’
As seen in Shelf Awareness: “In this diary-style graphic memoir, a Puerto Rican middle schooler in New York City documents her embarrassments, joys and sorrows in genuine, comedic and moving cartoon-embellished entries.”
ABC Hobart Radio Interview - Reliving a Childhood during September 11
As seen in The Manhattan Mercury: “Alyssa Bermudez bases “Big Apple Diaries” on her own diaries of growing up in New York, so her graphic memoir accessibly blends the trauma of 9/11 with the ups and downs of everyday life.”
As seen in The Queens Public Library - 9/11 Reading Recommendations and Resources for Discussion with Children
As seen in San Francisco Chronicle Datebook Review: “Reconstructed from the author’s own memories, this disarming graphic novel grafts optimism onto tragedy to plot the path forward.”
An interview with Fuse 8, A School Library Journal Blog by Elizabeth Bird
As seen in School Library Journal, “Educators seeking firsthand accounts of 9/11 will want to share this with their students, while middle graders looking for an engrossing graphic novel in the vein of Raina Telgemeier’s or Shannon Hale’s work will be pleased.”
As seen in Kirkus Reviews, “An authentic and moving time capsule of middle school angst, trauma, and joy.”
As seen in Publishers Weekly, “Combining eye-catching layouts with frank vulnerability … Bermudez puts her whole heart on the page, and the love she holds for her younger self can be deeply felt in every entry.”
As seen in Sequential Tart, “Super great stuff -- good for some history and points of view and ... a journal of just growing up.”
As seen in A Mighty Girl, We Remember: Children’s Books About 9/11 for the 20th Anniversary of the Terrorist Attacks
As seen in Reading Middle Grade, 52 Best Middle-Grade Graphic Novels, Review Here
As seen in No Flying No Tights
Guest Article for The Children’s Book Review - Illustration Inspiration
Joints for Jabs - A Pandemic Story about My Mom, Part 2
This is Part TWO of Joints for Jabs. If you have not read Part ONE, click here.
My mom told me this story the day after it happened. I could in her voice that she was giddy and excited about what she wanted to tell me. She’s a pretty animated storyteller so it was nice to hear her so happy. She was beside herself laughing.
Here’s what happened on 4/20/21:
There were actually more parts to this story. Linda’s first day out continued with walking to Washington Square Park where she was stopped for another unrelated interview. It seemed like everyone needed to hear from her that day after not hearing from her for so long. She literally saw butterflies in both parks that day.
And now, months later with everything gearing up again with the Delta variant, my mom describes being more at peace with spending so much time in her apartment. She says she will be wearing her turbans and caftans inside until it’s safe to emerge again. Her pandemic adventure continues.
Until she is allowed to come to Tasmania and stay with me…
Joints for Jabs - A Pandemic Story about My Mom, Part 1
It’s hard to put this experience into words. My mom’s pandemic experience… my experience being separated from her for almost twenty months now… When I moved from NYC to Tasmania, I was under the impression that I would be back and forth frequently. Once my mom retired, she spent months at a time here. Australia’s borders are still closed and parents are not considered immediate family under the exemptions.
This was never the plan. It of course was never anyone’s plan, but here we are. In many ways, we are extremely fortunate. We are lucky to be healthy, and lucky to be in the positions we are in. The luck of me living in Tasmania for all of this is a completely different story.
This story is part one of Joints for Jabs, a pandemic story about my mom.
Part two coming soon…
Fashion Illustration Night!
One of the silver linings of the pandemic has been accessing virtual events that I normally would miss out on because I am far away and in a tricky time zone for New York events. I used to attend the Society of Illustrators sketching events and am so happy that I’ve been able to join here and there via Zoom.
Today was Fashion Sketch night and luckily it was a Friday morning for me. Usually Friday mornings I am teaching painting, but it’s the term break so my schedule was more open. This one was hosted by Ted Michalowski featuring Cabaret Couture. The model, Janet, was unbelievable and wearing the most fun dresses to draw that I could ever imagine.
More about Fashion Sketch night and other Society of Illustrators events: https://societyillustrators.org/events/
Here are some of my two-minute sketches while working on my Cintiq monitor in Photoshop:
I then really wanted to figure out how to add the color quickly. Here are some 5-10 minute poses. She did this amazing makeup with white eyeliner and disappearing eyebrows, so that was a fun challenge!
Then she changed outfits to another UNBELIEVABLE dress. We had some more time with 15-minute poses and I think I finally figured out what colors were working better digitally. I wish I had more time with the second one. What a dress!!!
I also remembered to screen capture some of my drawing process which I sped up into a 5 minute video. Check it out to see how it all works!
That’s all! I hope to be able to attend more of these going forward.
Ladies in Pink - Art Nu Exhibit
When it’s Winter in Tasmania, it’s time for Dark Mofo! Dark Mofo is a festival associated with MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art. It’s not your ordinary festival. Timed alongside Winter Solstice, the week or two of events range from curious, engaging and sometimes shocking. There was a guy buried under the road for three days one year. Things get weird. I love it.
The Nolan Gallery and School of Art usually runs an exhibition during this time to coincide with the festival and tons of tourists visiting. No tourists this year though! Melbourne went into lockdown right before it started, so the usual crowd was missing. But the show went on, and I was thrilled to participate in the Nolan Gallery’s exhibit this year.
This year, Nolan Art used the traditional nude figure in art as inspiration for the group show - named Art Nu. Betty writes, “The nude is often a misused genre, still redolent of painted girlie pictures for the upper class. This exhibition ignores this tradition and hands the depiction of the naked body back to the women and the very nice men.”
At first, I wasn’t sure if there was anything I could add to it in time. After all, I am writing and editing ANOTHER graphic novel. My brain basically has zero vacancies during this time. I have so many nude figure drawings spanning many many years and I try to attend life drawing whenever I have the capacity. So Betty suggested using them as inspiration for a pattern. Once she said the magic word, pattern, it sparked an idea.
Patterns are a happy place for me with art. I like to make them for fun, mostly just for myself and for personal use. If I could approach this show with that mindset, I would be able to make something quickly that would feel fulfilling and also not take up too much writing time.
So I worked with what I had - tons and tons of life drawings.
Some more recent ones in ink.
Here are a few on minty green backgrounds. I went through a phase of prepping paper with mint green paint before attending the session. I love the way black ink looks on this and little white highlights.
The next challenge was to clean them all up and arrange them in a pattern. I ended up separating these into two pieces because I realized I had so many pregnancy drawings that I loved and they looked really special together. In reality these drawings are all of the same two pregnant women, but all together in the pattern it looks even more powerful.
The nude figure in art has historically been depicted and dictated by men. In this piece, I aimed to celebrate the female form depicted from life in ink, viewed from a woman's perspective. I've created an interconnected pattern out of my drawings of live pregnant models. They were captured in a moment in time, in the essence of one of the most powerful parts of being a woman.
Here are some screenshots in the process.
Removing background colors, adjusting stuff… etc
Then it was time to figure out some color options! I removed the color from all of the drawings, and now it was time to add some back in!
Digital painting for one of the backgrounds.
After playing around with the colors and placements, I locked it in. To finalize it, I added more textures, contrast and extra black ink marks to unify it.
Ladies in Pink
Ladies in Pink - Pregnancy
Each one is a limited edition print run on stunning museum grade cotton rag which can be bought exclusively at Nolan Art in person or online.
Photo by Giles Hugo from the opening night.
Art Nu
Be sure to check it out if you’re in Hobart!
A Guide For Buying Paints - Watercolour Edition
I’ve been teaching drawing and painting for a DECADE now. I hardly feel old enough to say that, but it’s true. And most of the two decades before that was spent drawing and painting as well. I’ve always loved this, it’s no secret.
Watercolours weren’t always a top choice for me. They are spontaneous, challenging to control and not as forgiving. When I started out as an illustrator I was convinced that I needed the opposite of all of those things. I wanted realistic details and control!
Something that changed my perspective on watercolour was a technique I learned during an MFA class at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Sergio Ruzzier was our guest demonstrator, and he showed us how he tints his paper yellow first. Because watercolour is a transparent medium, the yellow acts as a tint for all of the colours that are layered on top. It’s basically a warm filter that unites all of the future colour layers together. This blew my mind, and I have painted in watercolour so much since then — always with soft yellow first.
The soft yellow becomes the white of the paper. In watercolour you can always go darker, but never lighter.
Something that also makes a huge difference is the quality of watercolour paints. I’ve tried them ALL. Paints are made up of pigment and binder. For watercolour paints, the binder is gum arabica. This can be diluted with water for various results. Different companies/manufacturers also add other elements that may help the flow of the paint.
If you want your paintings to last, they need to have lightfast pigments. This means that as it is exposed to light or humidity, it will not fade or change colours. Do you remember how your classroom grade paints faded into nothingness? They are not for use beyond there. They are mixed with fillers and extenders so you actually need to use more of them to get a decent result. And no classroom paint layers will ever add up to the vivid colour you may need. If you want your painting to last more than a decade, it will need to have permanent lightfast pigments. Each paint tube should have a lightfast rating on it — excellent, very good etc.
Some of my students are like “but I’m just starting out” and they feel as though they somehow aren’t good enough to buy “real paints.” I encourage anyone who really wants to dive into what watercolour has to offer to upgrade to literally anything above classroom quality. This way you can really see what vivid pigments can do on the page. It is magic!
Colour charting your own paints is something I highly recommend.
Infinite Colour Choices?!
The thing is, you don’t need a set with a million colours. With proper colour theory and colour mixing exercises, you can mix most colours from the following type of list. However, I would add that you do need more tubes/colours if you are using watercolour instead of acrylic. This is because the more you mix watercolours together, the faster they dull. If you want the most vivid colour imaginable, it will need to come from less mixing. If you love more muted and natural colours, go right ahead with fewer options to mix with.
A Cool Red
A Warm Red
A Cool Blue
A Warm Blue
A Cool Yellow
A Warm Yellow
Pthalo Green
Umber or Sepia
Paynes Grey or something like it.
Most sets have options with those as the minimum starting point. Each brand might have its own option, and artists have their personal preferences as well. You don’t need black because you can make a very dark colour imitating black that has more life in it. Shading your colours with sepia or paynes grey can be a nice alternative to black anyway. You can make beautiful oranges and purples from those mixtures, but if you use tons of purple and hot pink in your paintings I would suggest adding it to your palette separately.
Something to be aware of is the transparency of your watercolour paints. Many tubes/pans will have a little circle on the back to indicate whether the colour is transparent or not. This is only important for your layering as you will need to put down your least transparent colours first. This will make more sense when you’re actually painting.
Lastly, the staining of each paint colour differs. This doesn’t necessarily mean the quality is better or worse, it just means you won’t be able to “lift” out certain colours because they stain the paper permanently. You’ll get to know this with your own set. It doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.
A classic painting exercise that I highly recommend for any medium.
Some of my favourites, which I will link to below.
Pans vs tubes is a personal preference. Pans need to be reactivated by water, and the tubes need to be diluted with water.
I find that I waste more paint if I use the tubes, however, watercolours can be reactivated after they are dry. That means you never have to waste the paint you squeeze out. You can save your palette with all of your paint on it, and just wet it again when it’s time to paint! Sometimes they become a bit crumbly or it requires a bit more effort to reactivate, but it still works. This is not possible with other paints.
You might prefer tubes if you are doing larger works and find it easier to have tons of colour accessible when you require it for broad strokes.
For shoppers in the USA/Canada:
The following section contains affiliate links with Dick Blick, meaning I would earn a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase through these links:
Top Choices for a Beginner Enthusiast Watercolour Set:
A gorgeous, ever-popular set of watercolour paints by Winsor Newton— There are several options, and this half pan set of 12 has all of the essentials. Other options include a super cute travel set and individual colours to extend your palette if you wish. You can’t go wrong with something like this.
If this is way out of budget, I still encourage you to paint. Some decent student grade brands include Reeves (tubes) and Grumbacher.
Another beloved classic set with VIVID colours and add on options would be Daniel Smith! If you have no other colours, the 12 set is perfect. If you want to extend your palette, they have beautiful colour scheme sets too.
Top choices for the Watercolour OBSESSED -Most Gorgeous Sets Ever:
Schmincke paints are not for beginners unless you just have cash to kill and bigger ambitions for your painting journey. They are the most beautifully vivid quality pigments and would be a prized possession and tool. The 24 set is already a luxury, but they do a 36 set too… which to me seems like overkill. That being said, if someone anonymously dropped off the 36 set to me, I would not complain.
If you want to be just like me, this is my current watercolour tool kit:
I have been using Yarka paints for the last seven years or so. As a student I couldn’t afford Schmincke paints, so I found this brand as an alternative. (Winsor Newton and Daniel Smith would also be suitable high-quality alternatives). The first set I got was the Yarka Original Set of 24. I paint pretty often and I haven’t had to replace many of the pans. I use cadmium yellow the most, so I keep an extra in the tray. It has beautiful, vivid colours and has produced MANY illustrations for me.
Click through to shop this set at Dick Blick
Once I became addicted to that set, I found their “Sequel Set” which has more turquoises, hot pinks, and a beautiful indigo blue which I now use for everything. Depending on the style and your colour palette you might not need something like this. It works beautifully for what I do.
A bird painting after my sequel set.
A few of the new pinks and purples in my Yarka Sequel set.
A whole bunch of my brushes.
Brushes for Watercolour - Where to start?!
Brushes are always a personal preference, but there are some that will make life a bit easier when painting with watercolours. The shape, flexibility, fibre and length of the bristles all do different things.
Shapes: These are all personal preferences and depend on your type of painting and style.
The most versatile shape would be the round. Round brushes hold water and also have a nice point for precision. I personally love natural pointy round calligraphy brushes from China and Japan. They hold TONS of water and retain a beautiful point.
Other really useful shapes are riggers and spotters. They are also pointy and round, but the length is different. A rigger brush is wonderful for outlining, long continuous strokes etc. The spotter brush is short so it has less flexibility and is great for extreme details.
Some might like square brushes or big mop brushes depending on the texture and style you are going for.
There are natural or synthetic fibres in brushes. Generally, the natural ones hold a point longer and hold more water, but there are many synthetic brushes that are wonderful too and will be more cost-effective. It is important for round brushes to retain their shape, so if you can afford one natural fibre round brush, spend your brush money there and buy synthetics for other shapes. Some of my favourite types of brushes are the ones that have synthetic and natural fibres mixed in so it has the benefit of natural and cost reduction of synthetic. Check them out below:
The following section contains affiliate links with Dick Blick, meaning I would earn a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase through these links.
Combo of Natural and Synthetic (the best of both worlds)
I have some of these brushes and they are gorgeous. The natural and synthetic combination makes them amazing for shape retention, quality and feel. This set of three would be perfect:
Silver Brush Set of Three
For A Fully Synthetic Set Option
This set is cheaper because it is a synthetic fibre, but it will work beautifully for smaller paintings.
2 Round, 1 Rigger and 1/4” One Stroke
Heavier weight paper for more water.
When it comes to other types of painting, the paper or surface doesn’t really matter. For watercolour, however, the paper makes a huge difference! You might think you’re saving money on crappy paper, but if your paper starts literally pilling and coming apart, it defeats the purpose of the whole endeavour.
First, your paper needs to be acid-free. This means it won’t turn yellow and it will endure the test of time. The pad/sheet of paper should say acid-free on it. I always recommend using your crappy whatever paper for testing colours and techniques and then using your acid-free good quality paper for actual paintings. You don’t need to use your fancy stuff for a colour wheel exercise.
Second, your ideal watercolour paper should be made out of cotton! This means you can scrub it, add tons of water to it and it will let you. If you use a different type of fibre it will limit your technique.
The weight of the paper is up to you. If you use thinner cotton paper it can work, but it might buckle as you add more water to it. One way around this is “stretching” your thin paper which requires soaking it in water and taping it to a board with special tape. ( I am usually too lazy for this, but it’s actually amazing when you do it.) To save time and effort you can do a thicker weight paper, like 140lb/300gsm+.
Hot press vs cold press means the texture of the paper. When the paper is pressed into shape, the temperature makes a difference to how it turns out. Hot press eliminates most texture, so your paper will be super smooth and bump-free. Cold press will leave a texture. This is definitely a personal preference. I prefer hot press for my illustration work so I can control things a bit better afterwards. Cold press is lovely for landscapes and other paintings that texture will add character to.
You can buy paper in pads, blocks, rolls or gigantic sheets. Sometimes I recommend students get a big sheet of hot press and cold press so they can cut them up and decide for themselves which they prefer going forward.
All of my book illustrations are done on hot press arches or fabriano watercolour paper, tinted yellow first.
The following section contains affiliate links with Dick Blick, meaning I would earn a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase through these links.
Cold Press, Heavy Weight, Budget Friendly:
I have used many many many blocks of this Strathmore Paper. It’s great! 140lb/300gsm means you can really play with it.
Hot Press, Some of the Most Gorgeous Paper Ever:
Arches and Fabriano paper are my personal favourites. 100% Cotton, these pads come in blocks where one edge is gummed together, or all four edges are. That just helps it retain shape with water.
Other things!
In the world of watercolour, there are endless things you can add to this list to make your head spin: masking fluids, mediums, accessories, watercolour boards, etc. It can be overwhelming, so if you have no idea where to start - pick a simple paint set, 2-3 brushes, and some paper.
What sorts of watercolour exercises are you interested in learning about? Comment below, email, or reach out on Instagram @bermudezbahama
Shop Relaunch!
It’s been a while since I’ve focused on my shop, and while my recent update isn’t massive, I am still excited to share it with all of you. I’ve designed at least a dozen new surface patterns this year which is the sort of artwork I like to create just for fun. Many of these patterns can be found on websites like Redbubble, Society6 and Spoonflower, but I wanted to make sure there were items that I could vouch for specifically. Ones that would excite me!
The following extremely cute products are ones that I don’t ship directly from my house. This saves me and the world from unnecessary production and expense. So each item is made to order and is shipped from the closest dispatch location to the recipient. Easy and better for the world!
Big Apple Diaries debuts in just a few months, so I wanted to share a limited number of prints from one of my favourite pages of the book: Common Sights on the NYC Subway. This is an 8x10 print with some of the silliest things I’ve seen on the trains over the years (at least the PG ones). You can order a copy of Big Apple Diaries by clicking here or requesting it at any of your local retailers.
I used to hand sew and embroider these adorable little Tasmanian Tigers based on my original watercolour illustration. Hopefully I will get a chunk of time to make those again, but for now I am sharing some of the cute sleeping Thylacine design on tote bags, t-shirts and prints.
I’m also excited to share some new cute Lucia The Luchadora merchandise! T-shirts, a long sleeve rash vest which can be used as an awesome superhero girl power costume, and more!
I would love to know what you think and if there are any products or patterns that you’d like to see in the shop!