Touchoo

Wonderful book-app fully composed on the Touchoo Creator

admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:28:43 +0000

The Touchoo Book-App Creator is already in use by a few lucky alpha testers. One of them is Daniela ..

Daniella Koffler is an Illustrator and an animation director.
Graduate from Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, and currently is working on book illustrations, e-books, and a new animation film.
Her graduation film has been selected to several international film festivals in Europe and the USA.

How did Nina come about?

As a child, I was always imagining things and creatures. Some of them were my friends, and so whenever I played alone, I was never really alone.
I started thinking of a girl who would have an imaginary friend who’s always there, but will never be mentioned in the text.
That’s how both Nina and her little creature, Roomie, were born.

How did you come up with the characters?
I love Vintage photography and old illustrations. I collect old children’s books from all over the world and they inspire my compositions and my character design.
Nina was inspired by several vintage photographs of sweet little girl. Roomie was meant to represent another side of Nina,
A side braver then she is, a bit more impulsive. That’s why he is an undefined sort of an animal.

What can you tell us about creating a book app?

As it turned out, creating a Book App is a large scale mission and it involves everything I learned as an illustrator, everything I learned as an animator and a few more things I’ve learned in the department of visual communication’s interactive classes.

Anything you would like to add about the book or the creation process?
As an animator as well as an illustrator, I really enjoyed this process of illustrating then animating the scenes.
Creating a book app feels like a new art form to me, and I’m very glad to be a part of it.
I like the fact that the Touchoo creator allows me to concentrate on what I do best – the creative parts.

Can you name some favorite children’s books?
O, this is a very long list…in the classic’s department I was always inspired by Tove Janssen – love the Mumins and all of her creatures.
I love fables and so the Grimm brothers and Hans Chritian Andersen are among my all-time favorites.
From the new writers and illustrators I admire the collaborations for children between illustrator Dave Mccann and writer Neil Gaiman,
I love Shaun Tan’s work and Oliver Jefferson’s books.

“For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.”(Ivan Panin)

Daniella’s website: www.daniellakoffler.com

We are launching the Kickstarter project!

admin — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:11:16 +0000

You guys may know that Touchoo has been developing an awesome web-based tool for creating interactive children’s book-apps. All children’s content creators and content owners – established or first timers- will be able to easily use it and make great new creations.

We’ve been getting amazing reviews for it from all sorts of creators – the world’s top book publishers as well as aspiring artists.

We are now launching a Kickstarter project (Kickstarter is the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects. Every project is independently crafted, put to all or nothing funding, and supported by friends, fans and the public in return for rewards.)
to gather support and secure funding to increase its awesomeness and fully launch.

Check it out by following this link: http://kck.st/LY2469

We would love your help in spreading the word about our project.

Most of all – to people who have a big following – on blogs, twitter, facebook, Tmblr etc, but also – to family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, your butcher, bosses, your manicurist, your therapist, and even random people you meet on the street. The more people know about it, the better for us and more chances we meet the goal, so please take a moment and tweet, facebook, email, call, advertise or whatever way you choose to let the world know.

Oh, yes!… There are some really great rewards for our supporters, according to their choice, interest and of course the level of support:
Book-apps from the great Touchoo selection, immense honors on the loading screen, full licenses to use the Touchoo Creator as their own publisher, exclusive support and training packs for creators, cool iPhone and android phone cases with their loved one’s picture and many more!

Many many thanks!

THE LONDON BOOK FAIR- EARLS COURT EXHIBITION CENTER

admin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:52:06 +0000

The London Book Fair wrapped up this week.

It was an extremely busy time of back to back meetings with publishers, partners, distributors and agents.

A time to introduce new people to the platform we’re developing, to strengthen existing partnerships and sense the market.

It’s been a great time of learning where the market is and where Touchoo is in it, and we’re much strengthened from a lot of positive feedback and subscriptions to the new way of doing things which we bring to the interactive book-app space

At The 4c'

Coming so closely after the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, which was just as busy and successful, the piles of follow-up email which we need to write are incredible, so there’s a lot of work coming up in the coming week.

If you were looking for us there and didn’t find us – drop us a line and let’s talk!

Q&A with Maya Sarfati

admin — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 09:43:26 +0000

Maya Sarfati author and illustrator of “A smile for Elliot” gave us a glance into the creation of her first book app.

How did Eliot come about?

Writing and illustrating for children has always been a dream of mine. After being exposed to this great world of interactive books, I knew I had to take part of it.

I decided to contact Touchoo, after seeing their sweat work, and try to interest them with an idea for a book. Luckily at the time they were looking for new illustrators and writers to work with, so we met .

Elliot joined me at the meeting and apparently made a nice first impression. I was offered to be a part of a great project and to experience the Touchoo creator tool.

What inspired your idea for the book?

As a mother of a three years old girl (and a six month old baby), I often find myself looking for creative and useful tools for helping my kid through whatever life brings on ( its not easy being three years old…) In “a smile for Elliot” I try to inspire the little readers to realize that the things that truly brings us joy doesn’t have to be things that are out of reach, and that fantasies “taste” better when there is someone close to share them with.

How did you come up with the characters?

I have pages full of stuffed animals sketches… it took me a while to come up with the idea of using a koala bear, and after viewing a few photos I Immediately knew that I found my Elliot.

What technique did you use for the illustrations?

I used mainly Photoshop and combined some hand drawn textures, made with acrylic paint.

What are some of your favorite children’s books?

My favorite book is peter pan by J. M. Barrie

Meet us at the TOC conference and The Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2012

admin — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:13:31 +0000

We are delighted to announce that Touchoo’s CEO Omer Ginor and Art Director Tamar Hochstadter will be representing us at the Bologna ‘Tools of Change for Publishing’ Conference.

The conference deals with important aspects of children’s book publishing in light of the new digital era. Traditional children’s books increasingly merge with digital technology and expand across devices and platforms; the way children find, enjoy, and learn from books is rapidly changing.

Omer will address these burning issues at a session titled ” The Opportunity in Digital: Putting Publishers at the Helm of Digital Book Sales”

We believe that children’s books and children’s stories will gracefully find their way into the digital world (and vice versa..) – but who will lead the way in this evolution – software developers, game designers and technocrats or authors, illustrators and book publishers?

Will the book publishing world lose the battle to the gaming industry?

Personally we would like to see the books win ☺

We’re APProved!

admin — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 20:23:42 +0000

Two of our apps have recevied the APProved Badge! Check out the great reviews we’ve got from Famigo:

Great reviews about “The sun goes to bed” + snick pick

admin — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:18:15 +0000

Amy Solomon from Giggleapps wrote a great review about our book app “The sun goes to bed“:

“The Sun Goes to Bed is a lovely interactive storybook – a perfect story before bed”… “These yawns are lovely, relaxing and most contagious, making it difficult for me, even as an adult, not to yawn myself as I listen to the included, peaceful-sounding narration.”

Kirkus Reviews also liked this bedtime book app:

“This simple bedtime story succeeds with the help of lovely art, soothing narration and well-chosen interactive effects.”

..And, as promised in the title, here’s a snick pick:

Daddy Balloon – Labyrinth

admin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:31:52 +0000

1 Little Boy

admin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:12:34 +0000

Peter, Paul & Mary’s “The Night Before Christmas” is on the App Store!!!

admin — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 22:19:59 +0000

The responses to this Book App are just incredible.

“Honestly, this app is for kids of all ages from a young preschooler to an older grandparent, and there really is something for everyone. I can only imagine how many times Booking Son and I will play with this app during this holiday season. It’s a wonderful way to revisit this timeless story and I highly recommend it!” - bookingmama.net

“This App certainly makes the holiday experience richer!” – doesmommyloveit.com

“At first, my daughter and I chose the read-along version, as we were eager to see what fun was waiting for us, with each turn of the page. And, boy were we impressed. I loved how the items that you could interact with would have a flashing circle around them. This made it easier for my daughter to know where to tab on the iPad screen. And, each time she tapped on a object and it moved or made noise, she smiled from ear to ear. If you love apps, especially holiday ones, or love interactive storybooks, this app is a must download.” ctmomreviews.com

The Night Before Christmas brings up wonderful memories for so many people and is there anyone out there that can imagine Christmas without Clement C. Moore’s classic tale?

Soon I will post about the creation process of the book and working together with Peter Yarrow, from Peter, Paul & Mary, who is one of the niecest people I ever worked with, but I didn’t want to withhold the preview youtube clip from you guys any longer!

This was KerenE keeping in Touch(oo)!