Safari Monkey puppet

Remember this good news? 

We have a publication date! This definitely makes it feel more real. 

Illustrator Me

Here are four sample illustrations from a book I’ve been working on ....

The pictures have been those of friends and their children, or indeed people who became friends when I asked them about drawing and why I was doing it. 

These first two are just photographs from my phone’s camera. 

And these second two are scanned and cleaned up, but low res just for the internet. 

The most cocoa-pops I’ve even seen on the floor. I think I would have yelled something not take a photo like my friend, but I’m very glad she did. This is a rather good ‘naughty’ picture. 

I have other manuscripts, and illustrations swimming round my head and so perhaps I should get on... lockdown isn’t over yet. Covid19 isn’t beaten. 

Good News ...

This is Safari, and soon he will be available in book form. He’s actually a very cute puppet and not shy to performing in front of whole villages and school children, especially in Africa. I was asked to illustrate some of his adventures for publication, and I spent a very busy two weeks with my pastels and pencils just before Lockdown. 

And despite the fact that things are not easy for publishers, after consideration, and probably some fun Zoom meetings I heard yesterday morning that this book has been accepted, it’s one of Mary Weeks Millard’s first books for younger children, and her first with this publisher. I feel so excited and that this will be a stepping stone for me. Look out for more information as and when I can share. 

Peter and Jane?

No, this is my work - a snippet of one of the drawings for my children's book!

Two of a good friends children made wonderful models for this picture about having fun! http://www.herewearetogether.com/2012/07/19/drawings/

Doing some Drawing ...

Two children, water - fun!

These will be Pastel drawings, for my book ...

WIP children's book - the first picture ...

added a duck and some broken bread ....

And there's space for text too ...

but bread is rather hard to draw ...

WIP Illustrating again ...

Adding depth ....

I am so excited with this project, I have wanted to work on the children's book for years! xxx

WIP pastels, and pottery!

Yesterday i did not post because i was far too busy having a fun birthday, but today i took a wonderful picture of a friend of mine and her daughter, and my box of pastels out ... This needs a lot more work of course! I have not used my pastels for a long time.

And as the sun went down and the chickens went to roost, I make myself a hot chocolate in one of my birthday presents, see beaker folk to get your own lovely mug!