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! 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!
Something New! Chirp Puzzle: "Fall Fun"
Here’s something for the fall issue of Chirp magazine—an illustration puzzle, with the scene at a pumpkin patch, complete with a maze and other fun things to do! Kids will have a good time with this, I am sure, finding pumpkins, black cats and spiders! Such a fun project to work on and pull together. Thank you, Owl!
Something New! Highlights Puzzle--Check-Double-Check
It’s always a treat and privilege to do some work for the amazing Highlights magazine! I was given the task of doing a puzzle depicting a bicycle race across the African Savanna—with animals bicycling, of course! I had such a fun time illustrating these cute characters! Then I made subtle changes to the same illustration, which is the fun part—to find the differences! See if you can, too, if you will!
Magazine Spread: "Winter Fact or Fiction?"
Below is a really fun maze I did for Owl magazine, winter issue, illustrated in a more of painterly style than using more line.
Magazine Illustration: "Cat Craze"
Here’s something for Chirp magazine! It was a cat theme and I was also asked to do this two-page spread in a different style than the other “Cat Chat”. I really enjoyed painting all these cats doing fun, silly stuff. I hope the kids enjoyed the variety of “crazy cats, and that the puzzles were an added bonus to helping them in their cognitive growth!
