Aaron Renier

PROCLAMATION!

October 21, 2011

I'm a cartoonist, but some of my published works are chapter books and picture books, so I also see myself as an illustrator, and lover of illustrated books. I strongly endorse this manifesto I signed and everything it says for the form of children's books, and every sentiment can be directly used on graphic novels for younger readers. I hope publishing companies all over the world have this framed on their wall someday, as a reminder of why we do this.

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ANYWHERE AT ONCE

May 19, 2011

For immediate release!

If you live in Chicago and want to attend an amazing book release, go to the Chase Auditorium this Sunday the 22nd of May at 1 pm.

Anywhere at Once is a novel written by 106 2nd through 8th grade students, in 25 classes in 12 schools throughout the great city of Chicago. It's an epic story that recounts the fantastic adventures of Sam, Ophelia, and a certain learned lizard, Professor Stephen Scalious. And it was illustrated by Ms. Laura Park and myself.

Here is the cover, and a short story of how Laura and I came to be involved:

I've been volunteering at 826chi for a few years now, and I would have to say it is one of my top three favorite things about the entire city of Chicago. Everyone there is amazing, and the kids who go there are often times brilliant beyond reason.

About two months ago I was asked if I could illustrate a crazy story that was written by 106 second to eighth grade students. One long story, written by 106 students. Wow. They wanted me to do ten interior illustrations and the cover. The whole book was due in a little over a week. I said yes. How could I say no to something so bonkers?

I sat down the next day and started to read the massive 200-something page manuscript and quickly realized that there would be no logical way to illustrate the book with only ten images. Each student tilted the story on it's ear, and deserved to be showcased as much as the last. The book needed over a hundred illustrations.

I met with the editor and told her. She agreed that it made more sense, but that it still needed to be done in the same amount of time. I pictured myself drawing that many images in a week, and I really thought I could do it.

After the first day, finishing 17 drawings, I realized I never could do it. On top of that I was packing up my apartment, and leaving Chicago for the summer. Over 80 illustrations to go, and I had to pack up my place. I was in a panic.

My downstairs neighbor called and asked how everything was going, and I told her I was in it thick, and couldn't even tell her what I talked myself into doing for 826. Somehow she got it out of me. I thought she was going to laugh, and tell me good luck. But to my good fortune my downstairs neighbor asked if she could help, and also to my good fortune my downstairs neighbor was the magical Laura Park.

So together we sat down, and over two crazy days illustrated the whole book.

It was one of those projects where you are so tired that you see stars, and the stars start to talk to you.

But when it was over, not only were we happy to finish, but we were so excited that all of the students would have had a fitting image for their amazing part of the tale. We were also both really happy that we finally had finished a collaborative project before we both left living in the same building. It was a great farewell to 1216 Rockwell.

If you are in Chicago and want to get the book, I highly recommend heading over to 826chi/the Boring Store.

1331 North Milwaukee Avenue

Between Hermitage Avenue & Paulina Street

(773) 772-8108

If you live outside of Chicago you can order it here.

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The Center For Cartoon Studies diploma

May 16, 2011

I was given the opportunity to do the art for the CCS class of 2011's diploma this year. Every year the school asks an artist to do the art, and I was more than thrilled to do it.

I have been thinking about UFOs a lot lately... mostly because of my favorite podcast Mysterious Universe. I also recently watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind (I had forgotten just how good it was) ... and obviously that's where I leapt from. It may be hard to see, but the mascot of CCS is the school's "founder" Inky Solomon. He's wearing a thought projection helmet, where he's seeing a four panel strip about the work of a cartoonist student. The aliens are reinterpreting it the only way they know how.

It was really fun to do, and I'm thrilled to have done such a document for all my friends there in Vermont. Such a great class.

Congratulations 2011!

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MATILDA

March 04, 2011

So this is just a short entry to tell people I have a little comic about Roald Dahl's Matilda up on UNSHELVED. Please go check it out!

Also I have an interview up on Inkstuds in Canada. So also listen to me ramble on about myself and drawing. If you are listening with a youngster just know that between 44:30-49:00 minutes in there may be some words and topics you won't want them to listen to. I guess you can swear on the radio in Canada, and that is when I do. Listen here.

I hope everyone is doing well! I will post a much longer piece very soon.

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Shiga / Renier West Coast Tour

February 15, 2011

If you live in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle or Vancouver, come hang out with the fantastic Jason Shiga and myself. Jason is amazing and I really can't wait to sit next to him on the Greyhound for hours. I really actually can't.