A Sparkly New Trailer from Macmillan and FableVision Studios

A good picture book is like a soothing cup of tea on a cold winter day. Whenever I am down, or having a rotten day, I wander over to the Cambridge Public Library and settle into one of the reading nooks, arms laden with a blend of childhood classics and contemporary favorites. I know that I can rely on these friendly and familiar pages to impart wisdom and put things into perspective – all with illustrations that speak for themselves.  

I love a good story (it’s one of the reasons I entered the world of children’s book publishing and what ultimately drew me to FableVision Studios) but I’m particularly fond of stories that nurture a better understanding of yourself and the world around you. And hitting that sweet spot is A Unicorn Named Sparkle (Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group), a charming new picture book written by Amy Young.

FableVision teamed up with Macmillan to create a book trailer for the new picture book. FableVision carefully selected a score and scripted words and animation with Amy’s illustrations to adapt the themes of this charming story and do what book trailers were meant to do – inspire people to read!

Young’s book follows an economical protagonist named Lucy who comes across an ad in the newspaper for a reduced-price unicorn. Recognizing a good bargain when she sees one, she sends off her twenty-five cents and makes plans for a sweetly-scented blue unicorn with a pink mane and tail, and a magnificent pointy horn. But Lucy’s in for a surprise when along comes Sparkle the Unicorn. (Spoiler alert, he is anything but sparkly.) 

In this heartwarming story about a girl and her no-so-perfect unicorn, Young teaches us a thing or two about opening yourself up to love someone for who they are and not what you expect them to be. A Unicorn Named Sparkle will live on my shelf for a long time, beckoned when I need a good laugh and a hearty reminder to manage my expectations.

FableVision Travels Back to The Dinosaur Age with National Geographic Kids!

When I think back to the times I went on road trips as a child, I remember feeling like I was traveling for a million years. I kept myself occupied by playing “I Spy” or drawing the things I’d see through the car window. Road trips were a way to learn new things and see new places – they introduced me to the concepts of adventure and curiosity.

I’m hitting the road this summer with National Geographic Kids and FableVision Studios as they launch Dino Road Trip, a series of animated shorts that teach kids fun facts about dinosaurs in a fun and memorable journey through time. FableVision updated scripts for the animated shorts, and provided creative designs, animation, voiceover, sound effects, music, and editing. In a Mystery Science Theater 3000 style, hilarious animated dino hosts Sean and Ali provide fun, colorful commentary over National Geographic’s CG dinosaur footage. Each episode is bursting with awesome visuals and information as Ali and Sean, travel back in time 66 to 100 million years ago to discover the spectacular world of their dino friends – super cool!

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With hashtags and selfies, this dynamic duo provides colorful commentary and witty dialogue with a modern spin. I can guarantee that this road trip is anything but boring!

In one episode, Ali and Sean travel back in time 100 million years to the Sahara Dessert where they get to see a Spinosaurus up close and personal! Simon teaches us that it was the biggest meat-eater that existed during that time. “So, I guess we won’t be hugging it out?” Sean jokingly responds.

Dino Road Trip does a fabulous job presenting factual information in a way that’s relatable and fun for viewers of all ages – even as an adult, I found myself laughing at the antics of our hilarious hosts. So buckle up with National Geographic Kids and learn a bit along the way as Ali and Sean (the best travel companions you could ask for) make prehistoric times modern and fun! 

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Drawing From Memory with Rick Pinchera: Celebrating 20 Years of Stories That Matter and Move

This is a special year for FableVision. We’re celebrating 20 years of designing and developing a wide array of engaging media that have inspired, taught, and moved people to action. Behind this mission-driven company is a team committed to creating positive media to help move the world to a better place. This special series highlights some of our crazy-talented artist-friends we've worked with over the past 20 years. To help us celebrate our 20th anniversary, we asked each of them to put their own spin on a FableVision logo.

Read up on all our anniversary celebrations on our website here and save the date for our anniversary party on November 18!

Rick Pinchera is a long-time FableVision friend. He uses his experience as an illustrator, comic artist, web designer, game designer, and storyboarder to help individuals and organizations with their project needs. His clients include Viewpoint Creative, C Space, FableVision, The Humane Society, WGBH, Symbolic Studio, Harvard X, and Highlights. We asked Rick what FableVision means to him. Check out what he has to say.

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Rick Pinchera

Tell us about the logo you designed:
I sketched this out very quickly and it came together without any overthinking. When that happens, it can often be the best way to work. My aim was to capture the joy that's at the core of what FableVision does in as simple an image as possible, while nodding to all the great FableVision artists that I admire. What a thrill it is to be asked to participate in this 20th Anniversary celebration!

What's your favorite FableVision memory?
When I embarked on a full-time freelance career, FableVision was my very first client. I remember getting ready to quit my full-time job while also trying to start a project with them. I had to take several of those walks around the building to join conference calls about the project. I was stressed about all the impending changes and the little deception I was pulling but ultimately thrilled to be involved with an organization that I had long admired. I felt that if a group like FableVision would hire me, then maybe I could actually make a go of this. I still feel that way.

July FableFriday: Christina Kelly, Production Artist

For Christina Kelly, art is a way to draw connections. “Making art was and still is a social and bonding activity for me,” says Christina, a Production Artist at FableVision Studios. She’s one of the newest additions to our team – not that it shows.

“As opposed to animation and fine art, illustration relies on a key image to clearly communicate a story contained in that single moment,” Christina explains. Her job of conveying a good story by creating captivating illustrations and bringing them to life is what drew her to FableVision.

Before coming to FableVision, Christina had stints at Cloudkid and Soup2Nuts. Her work can be seen on the Sprout show Astroblast!, along with the PBS series WordGirl and SciGirls.

Christina’s flavor of art and design comes from a variety of places but most notably from a deep-rooted appreciation of Japanese anime and culture and an endearing affection for cats. This month, we sat down with Christina to chat about her art, the furry felines who inspire her, and a brand new comic book that’s currently in the works.

                   Christina with the Soup2Nuts crew

Christina, welcome! Tell us about your journey to FableVision.   My path to FableVision is a tale of suspense and mystery. Just kidding! Before my time at the studio, I spent a few years as a concept and background designer at Soup2Nuts and Cloudkid. After both places closed down, I started working here as a freelancer in January 2016. I was fortunate enough to work on multiple projects for the next several months until FableVision became my permanent home.

So you’ve been here for a little while now – what’s a typical day in the life of an artist at FableVision?
I like to get here at least a half hour early and just spend some time doing some loose doodles in my sketchbook. I’ve found that it helps me wake up and it feels a little bit like stretching before sports. The rest of the day is a combination of juggling a couple of project needs, a possible meeting, and getting feedback on designs.

                                   Christina and her sister

You were raised in San Diego. Do you find that where you live has had any effect on your art?
I think it influenced what I like to draw and a fondness for my childhood. I have a lot of good memories of drawing outside with chalk for hours and finding lots of wild animals to study. It also helped a lot that my sister would sit down and make games and comics by drawing with me.

What first drew you to art? Do you have any early sketches from when you were little that you’re comfortable sharing?
I first got into art when my parents gave me a “magna doodle” toy when I was very little. It let me create hundreds of drawings that would ultimately get wiped away in seconds so I could draw “better” doodles. Sometimes I would be so proud of them that I would ask my Mom to snap a picture so I could remember it. A lot of my art endeavors weren’t so contained though, and I have a lot of messy drawings below to prove it.

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You’re a graduate of Massachusetts College of Art and Design. How much of what you learned there have you found indispensable to your work?
As an Illustration major, I learned a lot about storytelling and composition. Learning how to simplify my art into narrative symbols is one of those fun challenges that trained me to consider every part of an illustration and decide what was relevant to the story.  

Internships also played an important role in my education. During my time as a student I interned at the animation studio, Hero4Hire Creative, under Lindsay Small-Butera, where I learned how to translate my illustration skills into multimedia form. Since I help tell stories every day, I think I never stop using those art muscles I learned at school and in the studio.  

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Look at your desk at work and list three items from it. Then, take a sentence or two to describe what those items say about you.

1. I have a Bee and Puppycat figurine that came out of a “blind box” toy. I’m a huge fan of the series, and I would love to make something similar someday.
2. This is my new marimo plant! I got her as a gift from my Mom. I decided to name her after my great grandmother Florence. I love the weird marimo culture (people treat them like real animal pets!) and wanted one of my own.
3. Here is a possibly fake space phone I got as a special gift. I can’t make any calls on it but it makes some funny sounds. It makes me smile so I like having it on my desk. I think sometimes objects remind me of fun memories better than photos. (Photos are important to me too though!)

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Can you walk us through your creative process? What are some of your challenges? What do you find rewarding?
Concepting and brainstorming is still always a deceptively time consuming part of my process. The one important thing I’ve tried to learn over time is to spend more time brainstorming through sketches and less time in my head. Even bad ideas are still ideas. I have found that I work very well with a traditional pad of paper and pencil to get very quick ideas out.

 Though I definitely always love seeing the final polished product of any project, one of the most rewarding moments is when someone peeks over your shoulder and sees a concept after lots of brainstorming and thinks it’s clever. The best idea always seems to be the one that comes after a lot of early concepts, so I always stick to that system instead of going with the first idea that pops in my head.

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You’ve created art for shows like Astroblast!, WordGirl, SciGirls, and the Annecy Film Festival featured piece, "Rhino Named Paul." Do you have a favorite memory from that time?
It’s hard to pick just one! Everyone at Soup2Nuts that worked on “Astroblast!” had a very good sense of humor, so when a challenge came up we always found a way to have fun while fixing the problem. One of my favorite memories is when we had a series premiere party and made themed snacks for the show. I made pistachio pudding cups and won a very stylish beanie hat that I treasure to this day.  

I also really enjoyed getting to draw a LOT of cute animals for Cloudkid’s “Rhino Named Paul.” I always get really excited when I get to work on character design projects, an area where you really get to play with shapes and expressions. In particular, there’s one scene in the series where there’s 10+ different colored sleeping cats in a house that I got the esteemed task of designing. Talk about a dream come true!

Rumor has it that you’re working on a comic book. Tell us more!
I am! I spent a year working on a 30-page comic book called “The Terror on Tashirojima Island.” The book is about an island off the coast of Japan that is inhabited by lots of cats. It’s also about demons, but I promise it’s not that scary! I’m going to be premiering it at the local independent comics expo MICE in October.

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You have a really wide range of experience from animation to concept designs. Where does one start if they want to be an animation maven?
I am very fortunate because even though I did not study in an animation program at school, I’m working in animation today. I would say that it definitely helps to do some combination of applying for internships at places that you think you’d like to do work for, going to networking events in your field of interest, and posting your work online. Meeting people and getting feedback on your work helps a lot.

Is there a particular personal project that you’re fond of?
I’m very fond of my college thesis illustration series I did on cats in mythology. I had an excuse for a whole year to research any weird lore or cultural myths surrounding cats. It was everything that I was very passionate about learning, so it was a lot of fun to work on. I think it also helped me find my identity as an illustrator.

What’s kawaii?
Kawaii is a Japanese word for “cute.” For example, on my desk I have a “kawaii stickers” set, which perfectly describes the adorable kitten and puppy stickers inside.

Does your slight obsession with cats influence your work?
Whoops, what tipped you off? Cats definitely influence my work and life. I grew up with a few cats and my mother went to school to be a veterinarian, so my fondness for animals may as well be in my genes. Whenever I get stuck trying to doodle or sketch, I still draw cats as my go-to muse.

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More About Christina!

Favorite Harry Potter book: The first one!
Least favorite word: Flubber
Best cartoon ever: Steven Universe!
Lifetime supply of one food: Sour dough bread
Favorite graphic novelist: Emily Carroll
Name of debut album: Happy Cat Sounds Volume 1
If you weren’t making your living as an artist, what would you want to have as a career? I’m always in between animal rescue and librarian. I love books but I also love being able to be around pets. I think working at a Cat Cafe would be the perfect job!

FableVision and The Trustees of Reservations celebrate 125 years of conservation with new picture book

Massachusetts’ Best-Selling Author/Illustrator Duo Commissioned to Create Commemorative Storybook to Celebrate The Trustee’s 125th Anniversary—the Commonwealth’s Largest Conservation & Preservation Non-Profit

What kind of child grows up to change the world?  The Trustees of Reservations, the Commonwealth’s largest conservation and preservation organization, knows the answer. As part of their 125th anniversary celebration they commissioned FableVision co-founders Peter H. Reynolds and Paul A. Reynolds to write a commemorative-edition children’s picture book as a tribute to a little boy named Charley Eliot—who could grow up to be Massachusetts’ visionary preservationist and founder of The Trustees of Reservations—now known simply as The Trustees.

FableVision's Peter H. Reynolds, Paul Reynolds, and Julia Young pose with a portrait of Trustees founder Charles Eliot. 

FableVision’s founder and New York Times best-selling author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds is excited about the book’s impact. “At FableVision, we’re very fond of visionaries—and Charles Eliot truly was one. I’m thrilled to be able to draw attention to his vision and mission that allowed The Trustees to protect so many of Massachusetts’ most precious sites for 125 years,” shared Reynolds.

Reynolds’ twin brother Paul, who recently landed the Library of Congress MassBook Award for Best Picture Book of the Year for his storybook collaboration with Peter called Going Places, was deeply touched by this project. “In researching, I learned that Eliot’s life was tragically cut short at age 37 by spinal meningitis, after which his father Charles W. Eliot, who was President of Harvard University, wrote a 770-page biography of his son’s life. Reading it, I felt as if Eliot’s father transported through time and was sitting next to me sharing about his remarkable little boy. Building on those details, I tried to create a story that would capture his son’s love for nature and history—a passion that would propel little Charley into a lifetime of conservation advocacy. The landscape of Massachusetts was impacted for generations because of this man’s vision. I hope this story inspires all ages to continue Eliot’s vision through the work of The Trustees, and that it will foster the next generation of stewardship of our natural and historic resources.” 

The endpapers at the front and back of the book feature full-color illustrations by the Reynolds’ longtime colleague and fellow FableVisionary Julia Anne Young who is also a writer, illustrator, and designer. Young’s drawings feature a handful of The Trustees’ signature properties around the Commonwealth. 

Attendees of The Trustee’s 125th Anniversary Gala in May received advance copies of the storybook.  Released in a limited-edition printing, the Charley Eliot and the Knights of the Woods storybook was carefully hand-bound by FableVision’s print partner, Bridgeport National Bindery (BNB) in Agawam, MA.  

BNB’s Michele Brennan notes, “Our most seasoned hand-binder from our library division, an immigrant from Moldova who has been with Bridgeport for nearly 35 years, used the time-honored technique fan binding. This is a centuries-old skill, one we decided to use once I shared the mission of The Trustees. Bridgeport preserves these skills and passes them on to our younger interns. It seemed appropriate to bind the books in this way to honor The Trustees’ 125th Anniversary.”

 Limited quantities of the collectors-edition book are also available at 12 sites, including The Trustees’ most visited National Historic Landmarks: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich and Naumkeag House and Gardens in Stockbridge.   Additional Trustees locations carrying the limited-edition book include Appleton Farms Dairy Store in Ipswich, KITCHEN at the Boston Public Market, Appleton Farms’ booth at the Boston Public Market, The Old Manse in Concord, Powisset Farm Guest House at Field Farm in Dover, Tully Lake Campground in Royalston, and Dunes Edge Campground in Provincetown.

Celebrate this special book with Peter and Paul during special book signing events this summer, including a public unveiling and birthday party at the Boston Public Library on Saturday, July 23, as well as special teacher/librarian event at The Blue Bunny Books in Dedham later this year.

 The Trustees’ 125th anniversary celebrations will continue throughout the year with other public events and celebrations. Festivities include a Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra concert on August 6, hosted for the first time ever at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich. The Trustees will hold a special Member Appreciation Party on July 14 from 6 to 8p.m. in partnership with the Copley Square Hotel, also celebrating their historic 125th birthday, and with gratitude for 125 years of loyalty to The Trustees (RSVP required).