Here’s a really fun puzzle spread illustration created for the October 2022 issue of Chirp Magazine, depicting the Fiddler Festival in Alsace of France! A lot of liberty is taken here so kids get a glimpse of the real thing, but can find letters hidden in the scene, among other things to do within the scene! My thanks to those at Owl and Chirp for the enjoyable project!
High Five Magazine--August 2022 Issue: "Happy Cake Day!" Hidden Picture Puzzle Spread!
This Hidden Picture puzzle is in a little bit of a different style than my line work. I like to mix it up here and there! This was published in the August 2022 issue of High Five magazine. See if you can find the hidden pictures! There’s a key for you, if you need the help!
My thanks to all the fine editors, art directors and designers at Highlights for Children and High Five magazine for the fun project!
Chickadee Magazine--March 2022 Issue: "Art Garden" Puzzle Illustration
Something New! High Five Magazine Spread -- "Dragon Moves"
It was really fun to illustrate this dance like a dragon interactive spread for the January 2022 issue of Highlights for Children’s High Five magazine. Thank you, High FIve! I Hope the kids get a good bit of exercise as they groove to dragon’s moves!
Something New! Highlights Magazine Puzzle--Mitten Match!
I had the pleasure (and fun!) to illustrate this puzzle for the January 2022 issue of Highlights magazine, depicting a VERY busy village with several people missing their mittens. Kids are supposed to find the mitten in the scene and figure out who’s mitten it is. Below is some samples of these project. Thanks for stopping by!
Something New! Chirp Magazine: Take a Trip--A Space Museum Illustration
I had the pleasure to illustrate this October 2021 issue of Chirp magazine’s “Take A Trip”, featuring the Comosphere Museum in Hutchinson, Kansas. I had to really think about how to rearrange the reality of the space and most important items (lunar rovers, space capsules, etc.) to fit on a two-page spread! I did a lot of research and picture browsing to get things fun and cartoony, but with enough accuracy to be distinct to the items/space. All in all, I am pleased how it turned out! And the entire issue is about space so chocked full of interesting things to learn in a fun and informative package! Thank you, Owlkids, for your outstanding work, and letting me be a part of it so many times!
Below is the magazine spread, the original, and each page close up.
Something New! "That's Silly!" Puzzle Spead-Hardware Store Scene
Wow, what a challenging and fun illustration to do for High Five magazine’s March ‘21 issue! A “That’s Silly!” that’s featured in a hardware store made for some really fun—and silly!—things to show. I am including the sketch here, as some things changed a little for the final (The baking bear replaced the grandmother). Other things adjusted along as I got to the final art, too, as it usually does. Anyway, I hope the kids enjoyed the scene and had a good laugh here and there! Thanks, Five High /Highlights, for this fun project!
Something New! High Five Magazine Spread: "Art With Friends"
I’m a little behind with keeping up with the blog and posting new, printed work, but hey! This two-page spread hidden picture illustration was created for the December 2020 issue of High Five magazine. I enjoyed working out the bedroom this little boy was making art in! And how cute, that his “friends” are stuffed animals! They seem making some nice art there—all of them! I hope the kids enjoy the illustration, as well as finding the hidden items in the spread. Thanks, High Five!
Something New! High Five Magazine Spread: "School Supplies"!
It’’s always special to do anything for Highlights For Children, and when the art director asked me to create an illustration spread for the September 2020 issue of High Five magazine, I of course said yes! This is for their “That’s Silly!” segment in each magazine, where kids find as many “silly” items in the scene as they can. It is a good educational tool which is fun and humorous as well! Below are samples of the spread as well as closeups. I hope the kids had a few laughs as they looked over this scene! I know it was pretty fun to create!
Something New! Grassi Lakes Hiking Trails Illustration Spread
This illustration for the summer 2020 issue of Chirp magazine took a lot of turns due to the Covid-19 pandemic, changing subject matter twice before it became what you see here. My poor clients! We all survived and in the end, it was decided the Grassi Lakes Hiking Trails in Alberta, Canada would be showcased! It was a fun challenge to look at the map and work out a stylized illustration of place geographically. I have the view looking north to south. Anyway, what a great place to visit and hike, see the falls, and rock climb among many other activities. Here’s the official link to the provincial park. I hope to discover and enjoy it myself some day! Oh, and due to pandemic, I haven’t been able to get a hard copy of the magazine, so these digital files will have to do for now. You can see the AD’s notes in the layout!
(c) OwlKids
Something New! Magzine Spot Illustrations/Cartoons -- The Great Bear Rainforest!
It’s always a pleasure to work with Owlkids Publishing and Owl magazine on their many educational projects. This time, I did a spot illustration/cartoon & map for an article about The Great Bear Rainforest, located in British Columbia, Canada. It looks like a wonderful place to check out and perhaps hike and enjoy other activities. Someday I will go! In the meantime, I hope the kids enjoy learning about this place, and that the bear cartoon and map add to their fun of learning! Samples are below. The second bear was one of the sketches I sent to see what would be best to put in that spot. The bear sitting up was chosen, but the other is just too cute to not include! And please check out Owlkids and all the books and magazines they have to offer! Your kids will be glad you did!
Something New! High Five Magazine "That's Silly!" Spash Park Spread Illustration
It’s always a treat and blessing to do work for Highlights and High Five magazine! This “That’s Silly!” spread is for the June 2020 issue, and features a splash park full of kids keeping cool—along with unusual and “silly things. See if you can find the “sillies” yourself! Below are close-ups of the illustration to make it easier to see. Have fun and have a happy, cool, safe summer! And be sure and check out High Five and Highlights magazines and books. They care about your kids and do a wonderful job of making it fun to learn—or just plain have fun!
Something New! "It's An Animal News Flash!" Spot Illustrations/Cartoons!
I created a few spot illustration/cartoons for the May 2020 issue of Owl Magazine’s “Incredible!” section, which is always so fun—and so informative! Presently, we’re living with the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and they aren’t sending sample copies at this time, so I have the spots mocked up in the spread. Sometimes the final changes a little, and certainly the designer makes it more sharp, clean, & clear, so thank you for overlooking these flaws on my samples!. : )
(c) Owl Magazine/Paula J. Becker 2020
Something New! Magazine Puzzle Spread: "Drive-And-Go-Seek" ("I Spy")
Here’s a VERY busy 3-page illustration spread I did for a magazine, in which kids are to identify numbers of cars & trucks from the poem (by Stacy Lane) and find them in the picture. I hope they enjoy doing that as much as I enjoyed creating the puzzle! Sample photos are below.
(c) Click Magazine/Paula J. Becker 2020
Something New! Whooping Crane Spot Cartoons!
I had such fun drawing these Whooping Crane illustration/cartoons (below) for this article to educate kids about this amazing bird! I love birds and birding so getting the opportunity to come up with something humorous to accompany this article was really special for me. Please get the magazine (OWL magazine, April 2020 issue) and learn about Whoopers and more!
(c) Owl Magazine/Paula J. Becker 2020
Something New! Highlights Hidden Picture (The Corona Virus 2019 Edition)
Highlights is really one of the best companies to freelance for, I have always said! Things have changed a lot over this past decade, but they never cease to appreciate their illustrators! So with this odd time of the world shutting down and sheltering because of a very-bad-no-good virus, they have found ways to be relevant, helpful, and continue to educate and amuse kids! I am grateful and honored to be one of many illustrators commissioned to do a special HP to reflect the this period of time. These Hidden Picture illustrations were published on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, where kids and adults alike can find the hidden objects, and maybe even identify with the scene. I know I do! My contribution is below, including some closeups. Thank you, Highlights, for all you do!
(c) Highlights For Children/Paula J. Becker 2020
Something New! "Critter Clinic" Puzzle Spread
Here’s a really fun puzzle spread I did for Bayard/Owlkids and one of their magazines. This spread was for Chirp’s Jan/Feb 2020 issue. It was such a fun illustration to work on! Below are some samples and closeups. Thanks for stopping by!
