Jago Illustration

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Myron’s Magic Cow Reviewed in Books forKeeps March 4, 2007

Filed under: Barefoot Books, Myron’s Magic Cow, Review — jagoillustration @ 3:24 pm

Here’s another review of Myron, not the best I’ve read but not too bad either.

“Myron lives in an apartment block with his impatient mother amongst the humble streets of what looks like a New York suburb. One day, on the way to the store to buy some milk, he is accosted by Goldilocks. She sells him an immense cow, purchased from a ‘dopey boy’ named Jack for a pack of beans, that she can’t fit into her car alongside her three bears. The rest of the story in this 40-page picture book describes the mildly amusing consequences.

The infiltration of reality by intertextually shuffled fairy-folk is common enough, and I wish the author had played the theme as ambitiously as the illustrator, whose depiction of Myron plodding along the sidewalk with a cow bigger than an elephant promises great things. I found the pace of the denouement equally pedestrian, but younger readers will be intrigued by the monstrous scale of Myron’s predicament, and by the potential of yet another fantasy icon introduced on the final page. GH”

http://www.booksforkeeps.co.uk/issues/156/24587

 

Some recent work October 21, 2006

Filed under: Barefoot Books — jagoillustration @ 6:14 am


Some recent work
Originally uploaded by Jagosilver.

 

More recent work October 21, 2006

Filed under: Barefoot Books — jagoillustration @ 6:11 am


More recent work
Originally uploaded by Jagosilver.

 

More recent work October 21, 2006

Filed under: Barefoot Books — jagoillustration @ 6:10 am


More recent work
Originally uploaded by Jagosilver.

 

More recent work October 21, 2006

Filed under: Barefoot Books — jagoillustration @ 5:25 am


More recent work
Originally uploaded by Jagosilver.

 

A cautionary tale…. October 19, 2006

Filed under: Barefoot Books — jagoillustration @ 9:57 am

I’ve just had three months of work rejected by a publisher. While this is upsetting, they are perfectly entitled to reject it if they feel it is not up to standard.

What I want to warn people about is this publisher’s contracts and business practices.

When I was initially contacted about this book I was offered the same amount that they paid me for a book I did 2 years ago. The new book was also going to be 10 pages longer (42pp), have a tighter deadline and require a fair amount of research.

My agent tried in vain to negotiate a better deal but they wouldn’t budge on anything, even down to small things like upping the number of copies of the book I would receive (they said it would be unfair to give me more copies than the author, is it my fault the author didn’t ask for more?!).

The contract specified that I would paid on signature, on approval of final art and on publication. Once again, my agent tried to get this changed to include a roughs payment and to reduce or remove the payment on publication. They refused. I reluctantly agreed to do the book because at the time, I needed the money and thought I could make a good looking book out of this.

After continual reminders, I finally received my contract payment 45 days after returning the contract to them.

I completed four spreads and the cover, ahead of schedule to be used a sample for the Frankfurt Book Fair, they gave no indication there was anything wrong with the artwork at this stage. Over a month later, after some frantic work (into the night and across the weekends) I delivered the final artwork for the rest of the book.

They e-mailed me yesterday to tell me that the illustrations were “below the standard we require to invest in publication.” They would not be publishing the book and would not be paying me anymore money. They had given no indication before this that there was anything wrong. I think this raises serious questions about how professional they are as a company, if they cannot come to a decision about artwork until they have the whole book.

Because of the way their payments were arranged I was not entitled to anymore money from them, despite having completed the entire book.
I would strongly recommend strongly recommend anyone who is negotiating a contract with a publisher to ensure they have a rejection clause in their contract and if possible to push for a payment at the point of approved roughs.

As it is they can commission you for a book, reject it when you’ve finished it and only pay a signature fee (if you’ve received it by then).

This book was supposed to be a lead title for their spring 2007 range so I imagine they will be very frustrated at not having the book, the difference is of course that they have all been paid fully, whilst I was wasting my time on it.

Hopefully the lesson they will learn from this is that for a ‘lead title’ to be successful they need to allow enough time and a big enough budget for the illustrator, treat them with a little respect and be around to offer feedback (both the founder and the designer went away on holiday during the production of the book.)…. but I doubt it.

Needless to say I will not be working for them again, and I will be checking my future contracts very carefully, as I’ve learnt this the hard way.

 

Another Myron review… 5 stars! September 14, 2006

Filed under: Barefoot Books, Myron’s Magic Cow — jagoillustration @ 9:49 am

Children’s book reviews — picture book *Myron’s Magic Cow* by Marlene Newman, illustrated by Jago- Curled Up With A Good Kid’s Book

*Myron's Magic Cow* by Marlene Newman, illustrated by Jago

Myron’s Magic Cow
by Marlene Newman, illustrated by Jago
Ages 4-8 40 pages Barefoot Books September 2005 Hardcover    

With hints of fairy tales run amok, Myron’s Magic Cow is peopled by whimsical characters set in the framework of everyday life in the city as a little boy sets out to buy milk for his mother’s morning pancakes.

Five dollars clutched in his hand, Myron trudges the familiar blocks (with brilliant illustrations by artist Jago) until he meets a girl with curly blonde hair pulling a cow by a rope: “You need milk and I need money- so let’s cut a deal.” Hinting at the adventures ahead (the three bears waiting in the car), the girl trades Myron the cow for the five dollars and is on her way, leaving Myron to ponder the wisdom of his decision.

Myron pushes and pulls the uncooperative cow home, ignoring the stares as he passes, at a loss for how to transform this very large animal into the milk his mother needs. Much to his surprise, when Myron utters the magic word, “please”, the cow speaks. Myron’s decision is about to be rewarded by the amazing possibilities revealed by the cow.

Thereafter the story evolves into the realm of fantasy and imagination, Myron’s world transformed and his perceptions of reality changed by the magic behind the mundane. With its whimsical story and outstanding illustrations, this wonderful book explores the parameters of the imagination and the infinite boundaries of fantasy.

Myron’s Magic Cow is a product of a contemporary press, Barefoot Books, celebrating “art and story with books that open the hearts and minds of children from all walks of life, inspiring them to read deeper, search further and explore their own creative gifts.” Not to be missed!


  Luan Gaines/2006 for curled up with a good kid’s book  

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