{"id":356,"date":"2013-04-26T23:48:01","date_gmt":"2013-04-26T23:48:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/?p=356"},"modified":"2013-05-22T11:11:58","modified_gmt":"2013-05-22T18:11:58","slug":"illustrating-little-monk-and-the-mantis-pt-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/illustrating-little-monk-and-the-mantis-pt-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Illustrating Little Monk and the Mantis: pt. 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Previously<\/a>, the seeds of LITTLE MONK & THE MANTIS took root, with a finished manuscript finding a publisher and the author finding his artist.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

With a working title of “Mantis looks at the Moon” the manuscript containing thumbnail sketches in its margins was set aside. These sketches would be expanded into a series of layout drawings breaking down the story into the book’s allocated pages. \u00a0At one point there were considerations for step-by-step kung fu sequences, like what might be seen in a comic book. It was decided, instead, that a\u00a0story rich in the imagery\u00a0of Chinese martial arts and ancient legend should be\u00a0painted combining modern illustration techniques with the traditional Chinese\u00a0xie yi<\/em>\u00a0(Freehand \u5beb\u610f)\u00a0watercolor brush.<\/p>\n

Emphasizing the \u00a0“kung fu movie” quality of the story with a\u00a0wide-screen approach to illustrating its pages, the initial page layout was designed to be an eight inch square which opened to a wide eight inch by sixteen inch spread.\u00a0The resulting \u00a0double-page spreads would be more effective for immersing the reader into the world being described. The initial layout consisted of thirteen double-page illustrations resulting in twentysix pages of story.<\/p>\n

[photomosaic ids=”363,364,365,367,368,369″ loading_transition=”scale-up” order=”rows”]<\/p>\n

Next to follow would be the development of a color scheme. As a setting, Shaolin Temple possesses an iconic color scheme which extends into the mode of dress. While details would certainly be worked out later, the color layouts were developed to create a narrative rhythm and allowed for the adjusting of mood and setting.<\/p>\n

[photomosaic ids=”388,389,390,391,392,393″ loading_transition=”scale-up” order=”rows”]<\/p>\n

It was at this point when a finished piece of artwork was started, to serve as a sample and style guide. It would be the first scene in the book, spread one; printed on pages 1 and 2 it could be used to establish the mood and color pallet for the story on a whole.<\/p>\n

\"Shaolin
Finished Pencil art for the opening spread of the children’s picture book LITTLE MONK & THE MANTIS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Shaolin<\/a>
The initial water color wash layer for the Shaolin Temple illustration.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Spread<\/a>
The finished water-color piece is now ready to be scanned.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As the first of the book’s illustrations reached completion, it was decided that the finished book should be printed in a larger format. It would be premiere as a hard cover book with dust-jacket. The changed layout was included in a refined version of the color layout which included additional details and changes. Such as the setting of the temple yard as well as a more distinct color scheme for the monkey’s forest.<\/p>\n

[photomosaic ids=”403,404,405,407,408,410″ loading_transition=”scale-up” order=”rows”]<\/p>\n

With the first spread completed and approved, the creation of the bulk of the storybook’s artwork would happen in a series of marathon painting sessions. The twelve remaining spreads would be painted simultaneously. Each layout was drawn to the size of the finished art and mounted onto a matched sheet of plexiglass. On top of the mounted drawing a sheet of water-color paper would then be taped, this would be the surface upon which the colored artwork would be drawn in water-soluble color pencil then finished in brush.<\/p>\n

\"color<\/a>
The initial color pencil rendering shown mounted on the slightly wider plexiglass<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Previously, the seeds of LITTLE MONK & THE MANTIS took root, with a finished manuscript finding a publisher and the author finding […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":357,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12,13,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-childrens-book","category-illustration","category-mantis"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/GrassMantis.jpg?fit=700%2C486&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3egHU-5K","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":316,"url":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/little-monk-and-the-mantis\/","url_meta":{"origin":356,"position":0},"title":"Little Monk and the Mantis: a retrospective.","author":"PLUGO","date":"April 22, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"\"With illustrator Patrick Lugo's colorful, energetic paintings, author John Fusco has brought to life an inspiring tale of the development of one of the many styles of Shaolin Kung Fu -- a style derived from one young monk's observation of a praying mantis. To paraphrase the teachings of one of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "children's book"","block_context":{"text":"children's book","link":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/category\/childrens-book\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"moon light mantis: water color sketch","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/MoonlightMantis.jpg?fit=700%2C499&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/MoonlightMantis.jpg?fit=700%2C499&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/MoonlightMantis.jpg?fit=700%2C499&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/MoonlightMantis.jpg?fit=700%2C499&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2044,"url":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/242021-artistseditions\/","url_meta":{"origin":356,"position":1},"title":"Little Monk: Artist’s Editions","author":"PLUGO","date":"February 4, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Have I ever told you about Artist\u2019s Editions for my award winning children's picture book? I've set aside to copies of Little Monk & the Mantis for a very special destiny.","rel":"","context":"In "blog"","block_context":{"text":"blog","link":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/category\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Monk-and-Mantis_AE-PLUGO-e1598312177250.png?fit=1200%2C713&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Monk-and-Mantis_AE-PLUGO-e1598312177250.png?fit=1200%2C713&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Monk-and-Mantis_AE-PLUGO-e1598312177250.png?fit=1200%2C713&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Monk-and-Mantis_AE-PLUGO-e1598312177250.png?fit=1200%2C713&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Monk-and-Mantis_AE-PLUGO-e1598312177250.png?fit=1200%2C713&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":431,"url":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/illustrating-little-monk-and-the-mantis-pt-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":356,"position":2},"title":"Illustrating Little Monk and the Mantis: pt. 3","author":"PLUGO","date":"May 18, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Previously, The story now titled Little Monk and the Mantis: a bug, a boy and the birth of a kung fu legend has been broken down into thirteen key images, one of which has been completed. After nearly a year of development and the deadline for completed artwork fast approaching\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "children's book"","block_context":{"text":"children's book","link":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/category\/childrens-book\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"illustrating Mantis Kung Fu","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Feb-5-2011_5469.png?fit=720%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Feb-5-2011_5469.png?fit=720%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Feb-5-2011_5469.png?fit=720%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Feb-5-2011_5469.png?fit=720%2C480&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":662,"url":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/little-monk-shaolin-abbot\/","url_meta":{"origin":356,"position":3},"title":"Little Monk & The Shaolin Abbot","author":"PLUGO","date":"March 20, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Just this afternoon\u00a0the Venerable Shi Yongxin (\u91ca\u6c38\u4fe1), Abbot of Shaolin Temple paid a visit to the Kung Fu Tai Chi magazine offices. As Senior Designer \/ Art Director I was tasked (along with the rest of the media crew) with following him around the office, camera recording. As gifts were\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "blog"","block_context":{"text":"blog","link":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/category\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Artist's Edition Cover","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/ArtistsEditionCover.jpg?fit=691%2C940&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/ArtistsEditionCover.jpg?fit=691%2C940&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/ArtistsEditionCover.jpg?fit=691%2C940&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3427,"url":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/plugo-at-scbwi-book-launch\/","url_meta":{"origin":356,"position":4},"title":"PLUGO at SCBWI book launch","author":"PLUGO","date":"November 9, 2021","format":"aside","excerpt":"The chance to present present myself as a published author is rare and worth remembering.","rel":"","context":"In "blog"","block_context":{"text":"blog","link":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/category\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/SCBWI-VBL-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C960&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/SCBWI-VBL-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C960&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/SCBWI-VBL-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C960&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/SCBWI-VBL-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C960&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/SCBWI-VBL-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C960&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10731,"url":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/my-art-gallery-show-saturday\/","url_meta":{"origin":356,"position":5},"title":"My Art Gallery Show: Saturday","author":"PLUGO","date":"March 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"See original art from Little Monk and the Mantis, Tiger\u2019s Tale, Let\u2019s Go!: A Kids Comics Studio Anthology, From Cocinas to Lucha Libre Ringsides: A Latinx Comics Anthology, Lucy Veloz: High Flying Princes and Undead Kungfu Ghost Killer #1 on display at the Sun Gallery","rel":"","context":"In "blog"","block_context":{"text":"blog","link":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/category\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C811&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C811&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C811&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C811&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C811&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=356"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":539,"href":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356\/revisions\/539"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plugoarts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}