We Don’t Make Fuzzy-Bunny Books (part 3)
Anybody remember a critter called the “Kenku” in the old AD&D Fiend Folio? I loved that guy! I think, because I liked the idea of an intelligent human-like animal adventuring in a fantastic setting. I have always wanted to draw him, so I doodled one out a couple of years back, here it is:
That got me thinking about creating a fantasy world where there were no humans, but animals that had taken on certain traits like walking upright, making clothes, reading, learning spells, etc.
Sure, its been done before. Obviously Brian Jacques’ Redwall series comes to mind, but then so does Disney’s film adaptation of Robin Hood (as my brother has pointed out, some of the Kenny art bears a resemblance to Milt Kahl’s work). And, of course, there is my fav, The Wind in the Willows.
So I started with a doodle of a rabbit wizard. I thought a rabbit was a good median character: they are quite intelligent, found in a variety of environments, and are social animals - the perfect adventurer!
This sketch of my rabbit-wizard sat in my files for some time waiting patiently for a world to be created around it. Ultimately, it would set the design tone for the characters inhabiting Kenny an the Dragon. If a rabbit was this sort of persona, then I needed something obvious that could be the warrior, the gallant knight, of my tale. Immediately I thought of a badger.
See how this begins building? My agent, Ellen, was right - a fantasy animal world was indeed the perfect setting to for my dragon to arrive in. I feverishly began to design the cast of main characters, and then began creating the environment for them to inhabit…more on that next time.
…now I need to roll up the stats for my mouse thief character to go with my owl mage…
April 26th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Tremendously inspiring.
im foaming at the mouth at the chance to gawk at the final art, and the coolest part is that your books tend to release in the August-September frame which always makes for good birthday gifts for me:)
i cant wait! im so glad that you are out there doing this T! bringing the art of childrens illustration back home!
April 26th, 2008 at 11:49 am
See, this is the same impulse that makes me go “Hey, I think I want to run a TMNT & Other Strangeness game!” every so often.
April 26th, 2008 at 11:56 am
So what grade level is this book targeted at? When I first saw it I thought it was more of a children’s book (Kindergarten, 1st grade) but now with this description it seems older than that. I really would like it either way (I had a bookshelf full of children’s books even before I had kids.) But my son who loved Spiderwick (10 years old) would obviously love it to be geared toward him.
April 26th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I love the rabbit.The whole idea is making me soo inspierd!I love the way you draw!Your art reminds me of brian froud,os auther rackham?
lots of loves;
ryce
May 20th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Kenku rules! I happen to be in possession of two editions of Fiend Folio, the old and the new…
the new one doesn’t include Kenku, but it has a Kenku-like critter called Chronotyryn…
May 23rd, 2008 at 2:33 am
Don’t know if you ever got the chance, but have you read Linda Medley’s Castle Waiting comic book? Good stuff.
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:27 am
I LOVE “Caste Waiting”. Jim Gaynor, the old webmaster, turned me onto those stories…great stuff!
May 27th, 2008 at 11:48 am
i don’t get what this has to do with redwall and Brian jacques or fuzzy bunnies
June 5th, 2008 at 2:59 am
Hello, I recently stumbled onto this blog/website by accident, I was looking for art from the animated movie Wizards in the Google image search, when I came across a picture of what is refered to on this blog as the “Rabbit Wizard”, and I felt compeled to create that character in 3d,
you see I am a 3d digital artist who recently graduated from art college, The Art Institute of Orange County by the way, and I felt that my portfolio was lacking characters, so I was wondering if it would be ok if I made the ” Rabbit Wizard” in 3d, and gave full credit to the artist, whom ever drew it.
July 18th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
[…] Lopez did a take on my rabbit wizard which was part of the inspiration involved with Kenny and the Dragon. Nice mood in the cave piece […]