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Author: Robert Liu-Trujillo

Inspiration Board 46

Ok here is my first Inspiration board for 2025. A lot of this comes from last year but some of it is brand new. Alright, lets run it down, top to bottom, left to right.

  1. Event: 8th Annual Social Justice Children’s Book Fair I have co-organized for 8 years! Peep it!
  2. Network: PBS or Public Broadcasting Service TV network puts out great shows, videos about educational and informative topics and I wish I could give them more money and resources! Watch!
  3. Book: Ghost Roast is middle grade graphic novel about family, class, the supernatural, and history. Read it.
  4. Music: The Long Kiss Goodnight is a newish LP by Rocky Rivera and Otayo Dubb (Hip hop). Listen!
  5. Music: If You See Someone Stealing Food…No You Didn’t is a new LP by Bambu (Hip Hop). Listen!
  6. Book: Our Little Kitchen is a great picture book by Jillian Tamaki about cooperation and community. Read it.
  7. Art: Monica Trinidad made this incredible piece that sums up my feelings about people vs corporations. Peep it.
  8. Art: This illustration is about story artist Paul Briggs whos an incredible illustrator. Check him out.
  9. Book: Mexikid is a great all ages graphic novel by Pedro Martin about family, being bicultural, childhood, etc. Read it!
  10. Film: We Like it Like That is a great doc about a musical sub genre born in NYC by Matthew Ramirez Warren. Watch it!
  11. Music: Saw Emily King (Singer, songwriter, guitarist) play live and shes incredible soul music. Listen!
  12. Podcast: The Light is a great show by photographer Brooke Anderson about movement artists and cultural workers. Listen!
  13. Book: Swim Team is a great all ages graphic novel about growing up, appearances, history, and swimming by Johnnie Christmas. Read it.
  14. Health: Yoga! Ive been practicing for almost 15 years now. I do it weekly and it helps stretch my mind and body. Learn more.
  15. Film: Ultraman Rising is a really cute take on an old school Japanese character by Shannon Tindle. Watch it!
  16. Podcast: Asian American History 101 is a great podcast about people, places, things, and events from AAPI history. Listen!

Did you miss the previous inspiration board? Here it is, plus a few more

What’s this? This inspiration board is one of the ways I stay inspired and sane through all of life’s trials, and tribulations, work, etc. I’ve been making inspiration boards full of films, books, music, events, people, artists, movements, and more for over a decade. Do you have an inspiration board? Please share in the comments. Who am I? My name is Rob Liu-Trujillo and I’m an artist working in kid lit, public art, and other disciplines. Go to my website, or follow me on IG or YouTube. You can also cop my first art book here.

January 13, 2025
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Character 175 – Butterfly boy REDO

I drew and painted this character in 2014 and while I have lots of shit to do, sometimes its fun to just revisit or in this case redo old work. Part of it is to see how much I’ve grown and pat myself on the back for a moment. Part of it is to think about where I want to go skills wise. Soooo…

Here’s a side by side comparison of this “Butterfly Boy”. 2014 version and a 2025 version. Thoughts? Improvements? Thoughts?

Dig this? If you like my characters check out my last character collage of figures from 2020-2024

January 9, 2025
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Video: Sketchbook Tour 5

Hey fam, its been a year since I posted one of these. I wish I could post them more often but sketchbooks take time. At least they do for me and even when I share them, I’m not showing you every single page. You gotta pull up to see that. Anyways, check it out. I’m just coming out of an uninspired period. I make art of course, but was I feeling it like I used to? Naw. So, I’m starting to feel it again and just enjoying myself.

There are 5 of these tour now. Been doing them for 3 years now and I’m not rushing. Just taking my time. Watch!

Dig this? Check out this page of Sketches (including personal and client work)

January 9, 2025
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Collab w/ Rights of Every Child

Rights of Every Child is a project by author and activist Danielle Davis. Its a project that seeks to highlight the human rights of children all over the world through artwork. Here’s a word from them:

The Rights of Every Child Initiative is here! It’s time. It’s time to spread the word. It’s time to speak out for children. It’s time to uphold their vital rights. We are inspired by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, a document signed by all UN countries and ratified by all but one: the US. This document outlines fundamental rights around how we must protect children. In the coming days, weeks, months, and beyond we will share illustrations by talented, caring artists who are vocal about children’s rights that convey one of rights as only they can. The language is distilled and simplified for our purpose and so that the heart of it that’s close to the artist’s heart comes through. It’s time. Thank you for joining us as this movement grows, blooms into something we can only create and do together on behalf of children—every one.

Here’s what I wrote about the piece:

With this illustration I wanted to focus on the light, innocence, and power that can come from a child. If given the space to speak they can have some pretty powerful observations, ideas, and solutions. The problem is adults who have either forgotten what it means to truly listen and empathize with children; or the adults have lost their own humanity. I wanted the child to have warmth and light and I illustrated the adults holding the microphones more dull as they sometimes feel this way.

I chose this [right] because I do believe we don’t listen to young people enough.

I typically search for several reference pictures, collage them together using photoshop and then make a sketch. After the sketch is done, I redraw it on thicker paper and paint it using watercolor.

Find more information about the project here: Rights of Every Child

Dig this? Check out this piece i did for the People’s Kitchen Collective zine!

December 16, 2024
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Order from my shop by DEC 19th

Hey, the end of year is almost here. I’ve been making some new prints, stickers, etc since the beginning of the year and theres a wealth of books and art in my shop which has accumulated over the years. But, I’m going to take a break until the new year. So, if you wanna get a phystical item from my shop please order by DEC 19TH. Only digital downloads will be in the shop during the break.

SHOP LINK

Dig this? Check out my home studio tour

December 16, 2024
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Sketchbook pg 7

Been awhile since I uploaded a drawing from my sketchbook. I have been overdrive mode for the Social Justice Children’s Book Fair over the last few months so its nice to get back in there and draw. No specific outcome, just drawing. Most of these including photo reference Ive collected. RIP to my aunt Anita.

Dig this? Check out Sketchbook pg 6

My sketchbook tour at the beginning of 2024. I will def upload a new one for 2025.

December 9, 2024
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Social Justice Children’s Bk Fair-Dec 7th 2024

Folks, the time has come for the 8th annual Social Justice Children’s Book Fair! We have been working and planning on this one for a whole year! Peep this video.

📣 Some of y’all still might not know this but I’m one of many organizers of this little but powerful book fair for kids. We rep Bipoc, Queer, Social Justice Minded, traditionally published and self published creators trying get their work to kids. We started this in 2017 right after the first Trump Election. All volunteers, all gas for 8 yrs now. This year we finally got some funding via The Akonadi Foundation and fiscal sponsorship from The Social Good Fund w/the help of “Jill Kunishima”.

We’ve hosted hella authors, illustrators, publishers, organizations, and community. People in red states, shit even counties just outside of the town hate on it, but if you’re feeling some type of way-don’t forget the power of a small dedicated group of homies. Take a break, but keep going. Stay principled and curious. #socialjusticechildrensbookholidayfair

Go to our website: www.SocialJusticeChildrensBooks.org or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.

Saturday, Dec 7th, 12-3pm, Emerson Elementary School in Oakland

Dig this? Check out this Oaklandside article about last year’s fair

December 3, 2024
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Short Story 33 – Sunday Afternoon

Sunday Afternoon- For Amina’s family, music is medicine. Almost every Sunday , the phones and ipads were put away to do one thing: Music. The rules were: do your chores your homework, play, read, or relax but throw on your favorite music and just chill out. And so Betty listened to an album from vinyl club, Maya practiced scales , and mama just relaxed to her favorite that week.

What is this? Short stories are a way for me to sharpen my skills, to play, to practice, and to stretch out by trying new ideas for stories. In 2010 they started off as a way to practice the format of picture books but I’m interested in other formats now too. My name is Robert Liu-Trujillo and my most recent book is Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco published by Lee & Low Books.

Here’s some of my past short stories:

Dig this? Check out my first self published Art Book- 130 pages of sketches, paintings, characters, and more HERE

November 20, 2024
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My book read by Da’Vine Joy Randolph

Ey, this is some pretty cool news to wake up to. Back a few months ago Storyline reached out to me and my publisher about including my book in their read aloud series, but I didn’t know it would be like this. Watch this video-check out the high production quality, the animation, and the talents of actor Da’Vine Joy Randolph who did an amazing job reading it.

Huge shout out to the marketing team at Lee and Low, Storyline Online, The Sag Aftra Foundation, my agent Marietta Zacker, the film production and editing crew, the animation team who made my characters move, all the orgs and actors involved with spreading literacy and a joy for reading, and of course and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. If you’d like to see an activity guide for the book go to https://storylineonline.net/books/fresh-juice/

Dig this? Check out these reviews for my book Fresh Juice/ Jugo Fresco.

November 12, 2024
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Thought on AI vs hiring artists

My people, when looking 2 make bks, posters, etc requiring art. If u use an AI program, understand that their owners have “stolen” individual art pieces & entire portfolios of working artists w/o compensation. We’re 4 ease & affordability, we just want to be paid for our labor. We are workers too.

If you’d like to hire artists for your project, think local. There may be art programs, workshops, or universities, artists meet ups, comic conventions, art fairs, etc in your city. If there are none, then search for artists by searching art challenges, social media, artist hub websites, etc.

Above all, hire a human to work with. You get the benefit of helping to give work to a working expert to do it. You bring a human mind, emotion, history, etc to the project, And often, the artists will bring their friends, family, resources, & community to the project. This helps the reach of the project!

Dig this? Here’s a word from me about waiting vs creating

November 4, 2024
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