book collaborations
the architecture of
the cocktail
What a thrill for Melissa to use her architectural drafting skills for this unique cocktail book. After being contacted by a book editor from HarperCollinsUK who asked, “Have you ever thought of illustrating books?”, Melissa answered, “What took you so long?” The result is this nifty cocktail book. Hand-drafted at her antique drafting table, using her t-square, triangle, square, and lead, she created patterns to denote ingredients, mimicking the use of ‘poché’ in architectural drawings.
the architecture of the shot
Due the rave reviews of The Architecture of the Cocktail, HCUK commissioned a spinoff book, featuring fabulous recipes for delicious and dastardly shots! Kids these days, when she was in college shots were out of the budget. Instead, a $2.50 pitcher of tap beer was her go to bar beverage.
the art of being bill
When Melissa was approached to contribute to the Bill Murray focused book, her immediate reply was yes! Woodstock, a nearby Americana farm town with its classic town square, was the film set for Groundhog Day. Visiting a famous setting paired with the chance to illustrate vintage transport was impossible to resist.
ms. american pie
Have you ever wondered what the view of the iconic American Gothic House upstairs window is? Melissa was asked to illustrate the book written by Beth Howard, a pie-maker who lived in the American Gothic House. Submitting her Shepherd’s Pie recipe, as well as illustrating the book, Melissa and her daughter Corey were tasked to bake it on the back porch during the outrageously fun photoshoot. With a climb upstairs, they were able to peek through the famous window.
citysketch - london
Working still with her fabulous editor, Melissa’s next book was to be a sketch-as-you-go travel book. Following the written content, Melissa gathered London photos as inspiration for her illustrations. Unforgettable and irreplaceable help came from her mother, Andrée, an archaeologist, avid traveler and pro iPad user!
citysketch - new york
Adding to the Citysketch series, NYC was the next subject. Remembering fondly her many trips to New York, Melissa relied heavily on photos from a recent college tour with her daughters. Escorted by a college friend (and native New Yorker) they roamed the city following the list, which rolled around a pencil. This soon became a sort of scroll to lead them all around the Big Apple. A highlight: both daughters recreating the Steve and Miranda reconciliation on the Brooklyn Bridge.
citysketch - paris
To round out the Citysketch books, next came the commission to roam around Paris by pen and paper. Drawing on her love of art history, Melissa was delighted to capture sumptuous images of the city of lights. While sketching the Eiffel Tower, Melissa was reminded of her trip to Paris with her three college-aged children. Disclaimer: three of the foursome are terrified of elevators! In lieu of descending via the jittery and creaky lift, the group dashed down the iron stairs to the safety of the ground below… but what a sight.