This week a new episode of the “Early Risers” podcast dropped featuring Zsame Morgan of Baby Cakes Books out in Minneapolis, Yuyi Morales in Mexico, and Meleck Davis of Minneapolis. I was so honored to be on the show and really enjoyed several of their episodes. I’m just getting familiar with Meleck’s work, but Zsame is one of the first indy bookstores to support my book Furqan’s First Flat Top and Yuyi is an OG in the kid lit world.
Early Risers is a podcast that focuses on early childhood education. Specifically, how to talk to children about race, representation, kids books, and mirrors and windows by Dr Rudine Bishop Sims.
Dig this? Check out this interview w/ Colin Ehara for his show The Paper Planes
Ey, Bodies Are Cool is a really great book and its a hit in my household. Check out this video where I explain. I love this book because it flows, it’s short and to the point. And it really does emphasize an understanding and curiosity to see all types of people and bodies.
Synopsis: This cheerful love-your-body picture book for preschoolers is an exuberant read-aloud with bright and friendly illustrations to pore over.
From the acclaimed creator of Dancing at the Pity Party and Roaring Softly, this picture book is a pure celebration of all the different human bodies that exist in the world. Highlighting the various skin tones, body shapes, and hair types is just the beginning in this truly inclusive book. With its joyful illustrations and encouraging refrain, it will instill body acceptance and confidence in the youngest of readers. “My body, your body, every different kind of body! All of them are good bodies! BODIES ARE COOL!”
What’s this? Whew, I’ve read over 600 picture books y’all! An author who I admire and respect “Adrianna Cuevas” was sharing her favorite books and it inspired me to share some of mine with you. I’ve read ok books, garbage ones, and some that I think are incredible examples of the picture book format. Here and on the socials I’ll be recommending some of my favs. Please support your community and the creators by requesting them at your library or local independent bookstore. Peace. My name is Robert Liu-Trujillo. I am the author and illustrator of Fresh Juice.
Dig this? Check out my other picture book recommendations:
Check it out, this is a pdf with 15 tips that I’ve learned from, failed at, or screwed up on as a freelance illustrator. I started making art as a kid drawing for fun, doing graffiti, and then going to college to study and changing my major 3 times. After the second major change and becoming a dad I officially began freelancing, accepting money for my art and let me tell you it has been a bumpy road.
Feel free to cop this for a young student who wishes to be a freelance artist who works for themself. I wrote the words, did the illustrations, and my lovely wife Joy did the design/layout for it.
Here’s a coloring sheet for all the folks trying to introduce the study and concept of “Ethnic Studies” to their students early. You can download a copy of this from my shopHERE.
Thanks for your support and here is the previous download-Analog music.
Check out this time lapsed video I made of coloring it in.
Hey fam, excited to share this coloring sheet I illustrated for Race Forward (formerly Colorlines). Shout out to Erin Zipper for bringing me in to do this. And shout out to Nicky Rodriguez who also illustrated a coloring sheet. Quickly, Facing Race is an annual conference where organizers, educators, artists, and regular folks like you get together to talk about racial justice. For some people that inspires eyes rolling, but for the eclectic mix of folks who go it is a lifetime of work. Learn more about it by following Race Forward and attending the conference virtually.
And download the coloring sheet to have fun drawing!
Here’s a bit of process from the art making:
Thumbnails
Sketches
Final drawing used as a coloring sheet during the 2020 Facing Race conference.
What up folks? Ok, so people have been asking me for downloadable coloringsheets for a minute and i just have not had the time. But, last night I decided to make one using art and type that I’ve already created. I added a few things but most of it is older work. Anywho, if you’d like to get this and download a high res version of it for your own drawing purposes or for a student, you can do that……..
This is my first of many I hope, not only of stuff you can draw on, but of art you can license for other purposes I hope. We’ll see. For now enjoy. And if you like music related art peep this collage of characters from 3 years ago.
