R. LaFille
@rivkahlafille.bsky.social
Graphic Novelist, Educator, and Kidlit GN Creator Advocate. Repped by Janna Morishima. Hartford, CT -- Austin, TX -- NYC
FIVE WISHES, Candlewick (2027) -- CREATIVE WRITING WITH MISS MARY MAC, First Second (2025)
https://linktr.ee/rlafille
FIVE WISHES, Candlewick (2027) -- CREATIVE WRITING WITH MISS MARY MAC, First Second (2025)
https://linktr.ee/rlafille
This may honestly be one of my favorite pages I've drawn, ever. It was very soul-satisfying getting to go in and finally tighten up the pencils for this before I send it to my to-be-inked folder. I have no doubt I'll make it into a riso print one day (though probably sans the right panels).
November 21, 2025 at 9:40 PM
This may honestly be one of my favorite pages I've drawn, ever. It was very soul-satisfying getting to go in and finally tighten up the pencils for this before I send it to my to-be-inked folder. I have no doubt I'll make it into a riso print one day (though probably sans the right panels).
It takes me three hours to drink a 6oz cup of coffee, and only now am I discovering cup warmers? Where have I been?!
Oh yes, I was in poor land and didn't realize how crucial my joe being hot is to my productivity. Reheated coffee brings sadness not joy.
Screw fancy cars. This is true luxury. 😭❤️🔥
Oh yes, I was in poor land and didn't realize how crucial my joe being hot is to my productivity. Reheated coffee brings sadness not joy.
Screw fancy cars. This is true luxury. 😭❤️🔥
November 17, 2025 at 6:45 PM
It takes me three hours to drink a 6oz cup of coffee, and only now am I discovering cup warmers? Where have I been?!
Oh yes, I was in poor land and didn't realize how crucial my joe being hot is to my productivity. Reheated coffee brings sadness not joy.
Screw fancy cars. This is true luxury. 😭❤️🔥
Oh yes, I was in poor land and didn't realize how crucial my joe being hot is to my productivity. Reheated coffee brings sadness not joy.
Screw fancy cars. This is true luxury. 😭❤️🔥
Isn't it obvious? 🫡
November 11, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Isn't it obvious? 🫡
I have a pretty serious love/hate relationship with some of these spreads. Grumble and sigh a lot while making them but know how the tedium and perseverance is worth it in the end. This is a moody backgrounds book with tons of weather. There are no shortcuts. 😑
November 6, 2025 at 4:32 AM
I have a pretty serious love/hate relationship with some of these spreads. Grumble and sigh a lot while making them but know how the tedium and perseverance is worth it in the end. This is a moody backgrounds book with tons of weather. There are no shortcuts. 😑
Weeping as I realize I'm going to have to draw every single leaf on those foreground rose and rhododendron bushes because it's a 2-page spread and they are so damn large. 😭😭😭
Next book gonna have some shortcuts, just sayin'. My heart can only take so much in one book.
Next book gonna have some shortcuts, just sayin'. My heart can only take so much in one book.
November 5, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Weeping as I realize I'm going to have to draw every single leaf on those foreground rose and rhododendron bushes because it's a 2-page spread and they are so damn large. 😭😭😭
Next book gonna have some shortcuts, just sayin'. My heart can only take so much in one book.
Next book gonna have some shortcuts, just sayin'. My heart can only take so much in one book.
How my hubs responded. This is why we are married. 😆😆😆
October 29, 2025 at 4:04 PM
How my hubs responded. This is why we are married. 😆😆😆
My response to local Republicans canvassing for votes this morning via text.
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
October 29, 2025 at 1:05 PM
My response to local Republicans canvassing for votes this morning via text.
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
It's been almost five years since the original first sketch of this page that ended up in my pitch packet. How far we have come!
October 22, 2025 at 1:45 PM
It's been almost five years since the original first sketch of this page that ended up in my pitch packet. How far we have come!
No, that didn't just take forever. >_>
October 22, 2025 at 1:39 PM
No, that didn't just take forever. >_>
Slowly getting there!
I made an actual perspective grid this time because it's such a large structure spread over two pages. I have my own way of gridding out wide-angle shots though. The roof and floor and two of the walls are all on separate vanishing points that still line up at the edges.
I made an actual perspective grid this time because it's such a large structure spread over two pages. I have my own way of gridding out wide-angle shots though. The roof and floor and two of the walls are all on separate vanishing points that still line up at the edges.
October 17, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Slowly getting there!
I made an actual perspective grid this time because it's such a large structure spread over two pages. I have my own way of gridding out wide-angle shots though. The roof and floor and two of the walls are all on separate vanishing points that still line up at the edges.
I made an actual perspective grid this time because it's such a large structure spread over two pages. I have my own way of gridding out wide-angle shots though. The roof and floor and two of the walls are all on separate vanishing points that still line up at the edges.
WIP. There's a reason I'm not answering emails right now. 🥲
October 17, 2025 at 3:47 AM
WIP. There's a reason I'm not answering emails right now. 🥲
Just bought my first adult lamp at the ripe old age of 44. I've never owned a not-ikea lamp before.
Life goal achieved. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Life goal achieved. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Just bought my first adult lamp at the ripe old age of 44. I've never owned a not-ikea lamp before.
Life goal achieved. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Life goal achieved. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Yet more overfinished pencils for FIVE WISHES, but this time it's because I'm testing out how I want to portray rain mood in the final inks. Rain is notoriously difficult to draw. I'd like to nail my approach before I commit!
October 16, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Yet more overfinished pencils for FIVE WISHES, but this time it's because I'm testing out how I want to portray rain mood in the final inks. Rain is notoriously difficult to draw. I'd like to nail my approach before I commit!
Been taking a bit of a social media break lately, but popping in because I'm gearing up to start inking, and I am REALLY looking forward to inking this page in particular. It has been, quite possibly, the trickiest page in this entire book. Because bikes.
I brought it on myself, so no complaints!
I brought it on myself, so no complaints!
October 14, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Been taking a bit of a social media break lately, but popping in because I'm gearing up to start inking, and I am REALLY looking forward to inking this page in particular. It has been, quite possibly, the trickiest page in this entire book. Because bikes.
I brought it on myself, so no complaints!
I brought it on myself, so no complaints!
Some quick tests on plain printer paper making sure my printer settings are good, bluelines opacity set, and what size I want to ink at. Favoring a 1.5 ratio right now.
Absolutely GIDDY to finally start inking! It has been too long.
Absolutely GIDDY to finally start inking! It has been too long.
September 23, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Some quick tests on plain printer paper making sure my printer settings are good, bluelines opacity set, and what size I want to ink at. Favoring a 1.5 ratio right now.
Absolutely GIDDY to finally start inking! It has been too long.
Absolutely GIDDY to finally start inking! It has been too long.
Behold! The fearsome floof whom guards my keep!
September 2, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Behold! The fearsome floof whom guards my keep!
I feel like I just came up with the perfect name for these little chibi fellas: EMOTIS. A combination of emoji, emote, and emanata to refer to CHARACTER SPECIFIC facial expressions for use with off-panel speaking, background conversations, or even for clarity in dialog-heavy scenes.
August 29, 2025 at 3:47 PM
I feel like I just came up with the perfect name for these little chibi fellas: EMOTIS. A combination of emoji, emote, and emanata to refer to CHARACTER SPECIFIC facial expressions for use with off-panel speaking, background conversations, or even for clarity in dialog-heavy scenes.
I. AM. DONE. (this is my head exploding)
544 pages of fairly to VERY tight pencils over 18 months. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE.
And soon...I INK! /rubs hands together evilly/
544 pages of fairly to VERY tight pencils over 18 months. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE.
And soon...I INK! /rubs hands together evilly/
August 28, 2025 at 3:10 AM
I. AM. DONE. (this is my head exploding)
544 pages of fairly to VERY tight pencils over 18 months. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE.
And soon...I INK! /rubs hands together evilly/
544 pages of fairly to VERY tight pencils over 18 months. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE. DONE.
And soon...I INK! /rubs hands together evilly/
Some days, you get four pages done in a day...others, you only get one panel.
It's usually because of backgrounds. 😑
It's usually because of backgrounds. 😑
August 11, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Some days, you get four pages done in a day...others, you only get one panel.
It's usually because of backgrounds. 😑
It's usually because of backgrounds. 😑
Just decorated a cake, and let's just say...I should probably keep my day job. More likely to succeed as a cartoonist than a cake decorator, that's for sure.
Gonna stick to drawing them instead. 🤣
Gonna stick to drawing them instead. 🤣
August 7, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Just decorated a cake, and let's just say...I should probably keep my day job. More likely to succeed as a cartoonist than a cake decorator, that's for sure.
Gonna stick to drawing them instead. 🤣
Gonna stick to drawing them instead. 🤣
Fewer than 30 pages left to pencil now (and five of those are blank facing pages!).
So close. I am...so close. 😭
So close. I am...so close. 😭
August 3, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Fewer than 30 pages left to pencil now (and five of those are blank facing pages!).
So close. I am...so close. 😭
So close. I am...so close. 😭
July 31, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Drop a bad guy you actually love.
July 29, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Drop a bad guy you actually love.