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F IS FOR FRIDAY, WHEN FENWAY TURNS 100
posted: April 19, 2012


Here are a few more from F is for Fenway, written by Jerry Pallotta and illustrated by Yo soy. Fenway Park turns 100 years old on April 20, 2012. The book is out and the book signings are in the works! Havin' a ball.


Jerry Pallotta's writing is wonderful. Each letter of the alphabet represents some part of Fenway Park and is accompanied by a 5 line poem, as well as a brief historical anecdote.



.....Next book signing is at Wellesley Books, in Wellesley, MA on 4/21/12 in the AM.

...

This is Y for Yankees rivalry. According to the facts in this here book, the Red Sox and Yankees have played each other over 2000 times in the last 100 years....

L & M... L is for Ladder, and M is for Manual Scoreboard. Fenway is the only major league park with a ladder in the field of play. Note the score. Sox are kickin' butt!...

Kenmore Square...

R is for...... RED SOX!...

We take a seventh inning stretch here to cover the process a bit... Ink drawing first......

Color is worked in layers underneath (for the most part). (digitally, for those new here). I use various colored papers that I scan and use as backgrounds, or custom brushes used like rubber stamps to get some interesting textures....

The contents are then placed into the recombobulator machine. This one: A is for America's Most Beloved Ballpark. Take that! Wrigley Field....

'Z' you ask???? That is for Zamboni. Fenway sets up an ice skating rink in the winter. (A Zamboni is an ice resurfacing machine). Thats my niece Emily in the pink striped scarf. True....

6 comments
Hal Mayforth April 20, 2012
Beautiful job, Mr. Dykes. I can't wait to see the whole thing. Also your timing is impeccable.
Steve Brodner April 20, 2012
This old Yankee fan loves this and Fenway (and, perversely, the Sox). The images dance and sing. Like baseball (on a good day). Are these being sold at the park? You could clean up tomorrow! Congrats!!!!!
Paul Rogers April 20, 2012
Congratulations on the book John. Looks fantastic!
Rob Dunlavey April 20, 2012
See you tomorrow at the signing John. Go Sox!
Victor Juhasz April 20, 2012
Fabulous. What a fun book with great images. This has to be a Sleeping Bear production, correct? Who was your editor and art director?
John Dykes April 20, 2012
Hal, Steve, Paul, Rob, and Vic Thank you! Real glad you like what you see. Was certainly a fun project - although the organizational aspect of working on a book like this is tricky... all the sketches, pieces of reference, etc. Piles and stacks of stuff, endangering others. Steve - we're trying to get a book signing set up at the store across the street from Fenway. Need a player appearance, though. I've got a few great contacts, so it might just work. Rob - See you there - Vic - Yes, Sleeping Bear Press. They sent me one that you had illustrated - good to see that! I worked primarily with Jennifer Bacheller, AD...
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