Bearbrook book project

A note on the following artwork for Bearbrook,as you look over the designs for different parts of the story you will see that I have used many different mediums ,and some artwork will be at different stages of development. This is because the story or world of Bearbrook is still growing and shrinking at times. It is my hope to work with an editorial agent and then book editors or art directors on how best to present the world of Bearbrook. I would also like to note that this is only a fraction of the artwork that I have done and that although some of the story outline is in place here I have not included all of the plot or any sample chapters but they are available on request.            

 Early cover design (above) inside page (below)

                                           
Character pages of  Kicky (above) show how he will grow from a carefree youth to a young teen, on his way to becoming a true steward of the forest in his coming of age adventures.   
          
            Below is a test page of him and his house on the river. 

                

Kicky and best friend, Fishtail the beaver (below). These two pals have no idea of the life changing adventure that lay before them. 

The Hut, is the heart of the pond and is also the main trading post for all the critters that live in Waterville Valley, its also Fishtail's home. Below is a pen and ink of the Hut before watercolor, the characters will be added later digitally so I can have the most options with the background art.  

The Storm that sweeps Kicky and Fishtail away, (below) the mill wheel is breaking away from the mill on the dam taking them with it into the raging river, sweeping them far away from the only world they have ever known.

When Kicky wakes up he finds that he is lost and has know idea where Fishtail is or where he himself is for that matter. He is surprised to find that he has been saved from the river by Trotter, a map making rabbit who seems to have fallen off of his own maps and is himself lost. This partnership starts Kicky on his adventures to find his friend and his way home. What he finds along the way surprises him at every turn.     

  

The Honeyhawks are the first strange beast that Kicky runs into but not the last. The story is full of both the real and the fantastical along with a rich helping of true natural facts about how the forest world grows and the care it takes to keep it all in balance.   

The illustrations below show Kicky in the world of the Gray harvesters, "The Grays". Kicky fell into one of their harvest nets after he battled the Honeyhawks.Trotter was hurt during the fight with the Honeyhawks and can not travel, so he camps below and works on his maps. It is during this time that Kicky first starts to learn of the real inner workings of the forest as they gather and care for both seeds and nuts. Their kingdom among the trees is vast and their network of trails and pathways that have been carved and woven into the branches of the trees is said to reach from one end of the forest to the other.

      The Grays are also master armor makers, making the stunning suits from pine cone scales and nut shells. Kicky notices however that they do not make it for themselves, for it is far to big for them, like the best of the seed and nut they are hung from ropes readying them for what the Grays call "The great dropping" Kicky can tell that something big is about to happen as life around the Grays intensifies. He is told that the Thumpra approach with the Rackpackers.                        

                                 The Royal Rabbit Guard  

                                     "RRG, or Thumpra" 

The Thumpra are the true ground force of the R.R.G. their numbers can't be counted,they seem to appear and disappear at will, using their elaborate network of burrow tunnels to pop up anywhere they like, it is said that the Burrowruns like the Grayruns reach from one end of the forest to the other. It is the Thumpra that Kicky first meets when he is still staying with the Grays.

The Rackpackers of the R.R.G

Huge moose that the Thumpra ride through the forest as they gather the harvest.

                                                                                                                                                                                                     

The Crows (below) 

This devious group of characters who are trying to manipulate the workings of Bearbrook to their advantage,are not to be trusted.

 "The Pinnacle" Illustrations of the Crow's Nest (above and below) The stairway leading up to the Crow's nest is known as "The Agonies"by all who have to use them, for each step brings them nearer to the crows nest and the unknown.


                   

       
                                         The Kingdom of Bearbrook

A last note  I would just like to point out one more time that even though you just saw a great deal of artwork for Bearbrook you have only seen design concepts for the first two acts and I realize that very little of it could or will end up in the finished book that will be for others to help decide, most of it was done to help me form the world and find the story's within it.  I hope you enjoyed this look into the forest world of Bearbrook.
Please feel free to send me any questions or feedback you may have.