THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO 

           THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO RETURNS FROM BLOG-HIATUS 

The long pause was supposed to be temporary, to focus on becoming more adept at Adobe InDesign. Meanwhile, the new stories just kept unspooling and there were so many illustrations to complete. Excuses, excuses, right?

The next book out of the chute, THE ISLAND OF THE SIX-TOED CATS, is a fully illustrated story. It's running more than 100 pages. The vocabulary is at 3rd grade reading level--just about perfect for us, here at the studio.

The character you are looking at is the Key West harbormaster. He is a fussy, old bachelor with bad nerves. The year is 1961--- when practically anything is possible.

                                                  theapplewoodstudio.com

     

SCOUTING TALENT IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL (APPLEWOOD ON THE ROAD)

DATELINE NEW MEXICO:  TALENT SCOUTING

 The Applewood Studio has been offline for weeks now scouting talent
      in faraway places. So many new faces have emerged in the past several
         weeks, it has been hard to narrow them down. Here are a few of the best:

...too interested in posing... and a little stiff...

...too hard to understand...

...too weird...and of course, much too famous...

   

...too old...

...too smelly...

Just right!

(Found him killing time at the Plaza Major in Madrid)

NEW YEAR'S DAY SUPPER AT THE STUDIO

DATELINE: NEW MEXICO  1/1/2013


       NEW YEAR'S DAY  CELEBRATION SUPPER AT THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO



 

SKETCH WALL AT THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO

DATELINE NEW MEXICO: Late Summer 2012 --
the Applewood Studio posts a glimpse at one of the story board walls:

      A quick, throw-away b/w sketch for THE CATS' HEMINGWAY
(a picturebook in progress).



           

                  One of our cat models, Gingy, showing
                of her top-secret, special pose. At the studio,
                we refer to it as  the "OLS" pose, an acronym
for the obese, lying sideways pose)

While this is not exactly a storyboard, it is the transition to it. 
This wall is an essential part of a picture book sketch dummy.


"click"

THEAPPLEWOODSTUDIO.COM

 

A VISIT TO SANTA FE

DATELINE: The Applewood STUDIO                                                                            
 An Impromtu Outing to Santa Fe

Everything is in bloom in Santa Fe. 

     So, he was not invited. (He is a famous flower eater and head banger.)  Everyone else was included.
 

           Shopping for anything as mundane as diapers or shoe laces
is a challenge in Santa Fe.  Controlling those pesky impulse buys
    is practically impossible, except here at the Casa de la Ridiculosos.

We are happy to report that the plaza was teeming
with tourists and Canyon Road galleries were
moderately busy.
theapplewoodstudio.com

THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO VISITS AUSTRALIA

DATELINE:     AUSTRALIA    VISIT

           The Applewood Studio tours the Atherton Tablelands, and the Daintree

As usual, the Applewood Studio is on the hunt for new models. We visited Down Under for likely prospects.  Here are some that didn't make the cut.

                                                      EMU

               It is possible to get too close to wild emus.  They can be
   touchy birds. Who wants another diva in the studio? FYI  This picture is
        too close. They will go away if you seem to be taller than they are. This is a
problem if you are short, or sitting on the ground when they approach. 
(Remedy: Raise your arm up and make your hand into a talking duck.)

This clip is from a video called FRIENDS OF WILBER:

When Emus Attack (YouTube). 

(It was not shot by The Applewood Studio.

It is not the property of the Applewood Studio) Note that the remedy is not beibg utilized.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=pQM_MyoIZ0c


CROC

                        The down-side of this man eating crocodile IS patently obvious. 
He is a militant nudist .He refuses to wear any of the outfits for special shoots!

Another You Tube clip.  Watch at your own peril. 

What is the job description of the men in this video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9GMSDVFCA8

COWS 

 

                             You can always count on cows to tell you whoppers.These two Aussie brahmas in North Daintree insisted that they had relatives in New Mexico.
             "Herefords from Las Vegas," they kept insisting ."Fair Dinkum!" 
This roughly translates as,  It's for real, dude!  It's a fact that these brahmas can
 twitch every inch of their wrinkly hides to hinder the sun flies and mosquitoes. 

(Sorry. No You Tube of the skin twitch available.)

theapplewoodstudio.com  

1. 

A special visitor at the Applewood Studio

DATELINE: THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO WELCOMES BOB THE PEACOCK

            
    We spent an exciting day (and night) with Bob the peacock. We found out that he actually had a tail before he began his adventures with us at the Applewood Studio. The consensus seems to be that Bob didn't mean to run away from his lovely family, but rather was looking for a girlfriend. His English is limited, so the details remain sketchy. We do know that he likes corn and mulberries. Bob doesn't mind an  impromptu photo shoot, either. 

Cheers, Bob! 

Stay home with your nice family, please.

Portrait of Bob
The handsome escapee peacock.

Tail-less Bob lives up to his name.

  Want a giant headache--Listen!   

Need to hear MORE?

Attention:These videos are not the property of the Applewood Studio. 
They are currently publicly posted on YOUTUBE.  Want more?  Try search terms like Peacock Voices.

theapplewoodstudio.com

NEW MEXICO SPRING?

DATELINE NEW MEXICO: 
Mother nature's little joke--April snow at the Applewood Studio.  It only lasted a few hours-- and will probably be the only moisture we will see here for months. 

YUCCAS

 CHOLLA CACTUS

DESERT WILLOW  (FOREGROUND)

theapplewoodstudio.com

STILL WAITING FOR SPRING AT THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO

Ground hogs are scarce at the Applewood Studio, so we have employed a variety of small animals to tell us when Spring will arrive.  Meet our expert panel...

                                                        "Only yellow snow 'round here, Dummy!"
                                                         One spotted donkey's opinion.
                                                     

                                                                             " Duh."
                                                       Aren't German Shepherds supposed to
                                                       be the geniuses of the canine world?  

                     We probably shouldn't have bothered to ask him.

                                                         "Feed me.  I will say anything you want."
                                                                       A typical raven.

"I'm an Albuquerque turkey, 

so what do I know?" 

WAITING FOR SPRING AT THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO

DATELINE:  NEW MEXICO, THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO

Ground hogs are scarce at Applewood Studio, so we have employed a variety of small animals to tell us when Spring will arrive.  Meet our expert panel...

                                                                  "Getting deeper."
 This tortoise actually lives up in Colorado at the Gator Farm-- we call him on the phone for snow reports. He lives in a a geothermal enclosure most of the time.  By the time he makes his way to his front door, it will be Spring.

                                "Bah! Who cares about snow?  Don't ask us hard questions!"
These emus are fr-enemies of the tortoise, hoping to gain a little publicity.  They are also avid follows of the Kardashians and the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills".  They don't care about nature.  It is worth noting that emus are characterized by their vicious temperaments.

                                                     "Hey, if it isn't duck hunting season, I'm happy."
   We could not get a reliable prediction from this resident Mallard.

                                                           "Yes, yes, more snow is coming."
We didn't actually ask this nosy cat his opinion, but he says the he is sure that more snow is on the way.

 This psycho laser-eye bunny was in attack mode-- we didn't hang around to ask questions. 

                                                                 "Poo on Winter!"  

What else would you expect a Herring Gull to say?

                                                              "Me no speak English."
FYI--We are pretty sure this horse is the Mr Ed.  He is trying to be incognito these days.

                                                    theapplewoodstudio.com 

TEA CAKE WARNING FROM THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO

DATELINE: NEW MEXICO--
THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO FUELING THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC


2PM MST, 4PM EST:  EMERGENCY MEETING CALLED

All members of the Applewood Studio have agreed to issue a warning to tea cake eaters. If you have recently baked tea cakes using the recipe entitled, BABA'S RUSSIAN TEA CAKES, you might be in serious trouble.  Look carefully at the picture below.  Could this be you?  The only cure is to stop ingesting teacakes ASAP!

                                                          

theapplewoodstudio.com

BABA'S RUSSIAN TEACAKES AT THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO

DATELINE:  NEW MEXICO-- THESE COOKIES ARE ADDICTIVE!

DATELINE: THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO -- BACK TO NORMAL

                 PHONY ATTACK OF THE GIANT HEAD LICE
All is well at the studio.  The giant lice turned out to be a pack of horned lizards--good old horney-toads.  What a relief!
We are back on the regular drawing and printing schedule.

yarn    the  Applewood Studio Press 2012

                                       


 I like to remember that the journey of a thousand miles must begin with the first step...

Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao- tzu. Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)

   
TS

(Off to feed the five meanest rabbits in the world.  Flopsy, Mopsey, Silky, Chompers, Bitey....Ow!  Dammit.)

APPLEWOOD STUDIO MODEL ATTEMPTS TO AVOID INFESTATION BY GIANT HEAD LICE

DATELINE: THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO

EMERGENCY / MONSTER LICE ARE HERE



  Our most reliable model, Ginger, has been trying to reduce her contact with the environment.  Her fears of becoming contaminated by monster-sized head lice are well founded.  Indeed, this particular variety of giant lice is lurking everywhere in the Southwest!




Super model, Ginger, attempting to avoid contact with the floor
although hard surfaces do not seem to provide much protection

       

A louse sucking the blood out of the hand of a field biologist

Well, now you've been warned--so, look out!   
TS


theapplewoodstudio.com

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horned_lizard

GIANT HEAD LICE INVADE THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO

DATELINE NEW MEXICO--December 4, 2011: HEAD LICE INVASION

Emergency steps have been taken to breech the attack of these monster lice.
The Applewood Studio seems to be at the epicenter of the invasion.
Note the unhappy expression on the victim's mouth, a grimace, as she deals with a single louse.
TS

NOVEMBER NEWS: AUTUMN AT THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO

   DATELINE NEW MEXICO: 

         FALL ARRIVES AT THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO

Two rabid dogs shunning water....

 


A cat (without rabies) catching some twinklebells of  sunshine.



These green chili peppers are ripe.  Pick 'em why don't ya?



Day of the Dead is just after Halloween.

   It really is getting cold in New Mexico. So many tourists visit us wearing only shorts and tee-shirts.  This is a big mistake--huge! It gets down in the 30s and 40s in November. Lately, our models have been spending time huddled in holes or finding sunbeams to keep warm.  Now is the best time for cats to model because they will sit (still) on heating pads for hours.  TS
theapplewoodstudio.com

BLACK AND WHITE SKETCHES AT THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO

Welcome to sunny New Mexico, the home of the Applewood studio.  Today we have an average schedule of events, mostly sketching in preparation for handing in dummies to publishing houses.

17 OCTOBER 2011 DAY STUDIO SCHEDULE

>9:00am-11:30am
This morning we will concentrate on sketching rabbits,
and cats in black and white.  These small rough sketches
should be suitable for picture-book dummies.  Today's
sketches will be for Wallflower.

>11:30am-12:30pm  Outdoor photos. Chase run-away

    dogs and find the box turtles.  Poop scoop the back acre.

>12:30pm-1:00pm Lunch break --and run errands

>1:00pm-2:30pm More sketching--concentrating

   on throw-aways.

>2:30pm-til ?  meetings

theapplewoodstudio.com

DATELINE: THE APPLEWOOD STUDIO- OBESITY EPIDEMIC!

Welcome to sunny New Mexico,
and business as usual at the Applewood Studio.

Just like the rest of America, we are battling the obesity epidemic. One of our favorite models, Ginger, has joined the super-plus-sized ranks. Luckily practically everybody loves a fat cat--especially in winter when heating pads can be in short supply.

Illustrating heavier cats, or any fat animal, is more fun because they don't move much--although they often have a limited pose repertoire. The sitting-pose, or as you can see with Ginger above, the lying-down-pose is popular.  Remember, always have snacks available for your zaftig models.


TS

Welcome to the Applewood Studio. We are located in New Mexico.

            Today we have added a wild Valley Garter Snake to our menagerie.  We have named it Emmett, although its sex remains unknown.  Unlike the rest of our models, Emmett refuses to cooperate.  He, or possibly she, is a biter.  More on the rest of our Applewood Studio super models later....

 TS