About the PIT Crew Chronicles
The Mission: Sharing Osbard and Crew’s Uncounted Adventures.
Welcome to the Pirates-In-Training (PIT) Crew Chronicles @OsbardStudio. The PIT Crew Chronicles is more than a newsletter; it is a log of the storytelling and art building process. We are literally building the tools that build the Studio, block-by-block, creating a storytelling platform for kidlit fans, writers, and beginner artists.
The Captain & The Apprentice
J. S. (Steve) Shepard is a storyteller by heart. However, when Osbard suddenly needed a new illustrator, Steve (a former art school dropout) dusted off his drawing board and began his artistic journey anew. Inspired by his love of the classic line art of Winnie-the-Pooh, Steve felt an invitation to learn illustration starting with simple lines, basic shapes, and a creative space designed for beginners.
Just as the original Pooh illustrations were created as line art and colored later, Steve is learning the craft in that same spirit. Under the pen name Siar Osbard, he is building the tools he sails with—the Arrt!! Skills & Badges activities of the Studio and the Shipshaper Tools drawing set—to share Osbard and Crew’s “uncounted adventures” one block at a time.
Siar Osbard
Old Gaelic, c. 1400s.
Siar [sea-ahr] noun 1. Westward wind, zephyr, a sea breeze. 2. Osbard’s favorite letters of the alphabet: the C (Sea) and the R (Arr!!).
Osbard [awz-bahrd] noun 1. A magical storyteller. 2. A dramatic plea for one more do-over (i.e., following a bungled Mulligan)—OSBARD!!
What You’ll Find Aboard OsbardStudio
As a member of the PIT Crew, your inbox becomes a gallery and a classroom:
PIT Crew Chronicles: Weekly, real-time updates on the storytelling and sketches behind Searching for Dog (Osbard’s first Studio storybook).
Arrt!! Skills & Badges: Beginner artists can learn alongside Osbard, Crew, and creator as we master the 7 Pillars of Arrt!!, creating polished (and un-polished!) Made-of-Arrt!! masterpieces on the Studio’s Center Stage.
App Store: Updates on the development of Osbard’s very own App Store of free interactive apps and digital art tools.
The Crew Philosophy
At OsbardStudio, we believe the best stories are the ones we build together. Whether you are here for the articles and stories, to create your own stories and art, or simply to experience the voyage:
All are welcome. All are included. So all aboard!
Support the Voyage
All of Osbard’s digital content—the Chronicles, the Arrt!! Skills & Badges, and the App Store—is free for everyone, forever. If you’d like to help build the Studio block-by-block, you can choose a paid subscription or become a Supporting Founder. These contributions act as the “Steel Beams” of the Studio, keeping the Digital Theater of Arrt!! open for all apprentices.
The PIT Crew Creed
We are red
We are blue
We are purple
We are green
We are black and white,
and all the colors in between.
We are the PIT Crew — OSBARD!!
