'Before, I Could Draw' is an exhibition based on re-interpreting our childhood drawings, where both versions will be displayed side by side! It's a brilliant idea for an exhibition and I'm really excited to be taking part. There's some serious talent on board!
Here is my piece, a Film Noir re-interpretation of a drawing of a cuddly Mole I drew when I was four. Me and my Mum made him together from a kit, as well as a bat, and I developed this into a new Poster design for the classic Film Noir 'The Maltese Falcon' ('The 'Moletese' Falcon') I chose my Mole drawing because the text I wrote describing him made me chuckle, and I have fond memories of the cuddly toys we made together.
The exhibition opens this Friday at 2022NQ and runs until Tuesday the 7th Dec. It is curated by JAMWAH!
For more information visit the 'Before, I Could Draw' Facebook Page, and Follow on Twitter @BICDexhibition
Drawing in Manchester Gallery of Costume today, here is my favourite one - Dior Silk Coat c1955
Earlier this year I was one of 200 Artists invited to take part in Mail Me Art: Short & Sweet, an interactive project run by Darren Di Lieto from The Little Chimp Society. Artists are invited to illustrate an A5 envelope in whatever way they choose, and to post the original artwork back to Darren, culminating in an exhibition held next week, and a published book!
Founder Darren Di Lieto was... "looking for a way to connect on a real world level with all of the brilliant and talented illustrators who had become part of his community and network. Mail art was the perfect way to accomplish this task. The project has held exhibitions up and down the UK, and was published as a very nice book by HOW Books." You can read more about Mail Me Art here, and order the new Mail Me Art: Short & Sweet book here if you fancy it!
I am currently working on expanding my colour portfolio. This is one of the first new pieces I created in a cross hatching coloured pencil style that I'm really pleased with. This is a portrait of Hester, one of the ugly sisters from Ashputtel, or Cinderella.
New Illustration WIP Mousey Watching the Circus
The Ugly Sisters, ugly on the inside and out. And Ashputtel, getting a cruel cold outside water shower.
From Ashputtel, or Cinderella.
There is one week to go until the next Draw North West Meet-Up in Manchester! All North West (and visiting!) Creatives welcome!
I am very thankful for Draw North West, because after Uni a lot of my friends moved away and I felt very isolated. Illustration can be a very solitary profession as it is, and if you don't 'go to work' because you work from home or otherwise, it can be very hard to meet new people who are all doing the same!
So, it was an absolute pleasure and delight to discover a whole new community of previously dispersed fellow artists. I have made many close friends and I can genuinely say that it has changed my life for the better and made me so much happier! So, the idea of meeting friends and getting out of our 'Mole Holes' as I call it, is what I wanted to convey and celebrate with this poster :) So, if you're in the area and in the creative industry, I encourage you to come along and say Hello! We often get asked if you need to be able to draw, and the answer is no, of course not! Draw North West is a place to meet fellow creatives and make new friends, whatever area of the industry you work in :) We're all very friendly and it's a very chilled out affair, usually involving many burgers and copious amounts of drinking ;) Sometimes we even draw too :)
This is my illustration for Mail Me Art: Short & Sweet. I am one of 200 Artists invited to take part in illustrating envelopes which we then post to Darren Di Lieto, who is also the founder and co-editor of The Little Chimp Society. Mail Me Art: Short & Sweet culminates in an exhibition, which will be held in London this July, and a published book!
You can read more about the project here:
http://www.mailmeart.com/
I posted my 'Mail Me Art' Illustration on Saturday! Hope it gets there safely :D
Ashputtel, my finished Illustration for Pencil Play's February Theme, Fairy Tales. Ashputtel, or Cinderella, is so called because she sleeps in a fire place on a bed of ash. I wrote these words when drawing out the drafts for this piece:
Ashputtel exuded a natural beauty that her step sisters simply could not comprehend. So they teased her for it, calling her 'plain' and 'boring' as they wriggled uncomfortably in their silky dresses and stroked their expensive jewels. Ashputtel had barely known any different, and so of course, over time, she believed them.
At night, she would shrink into the shadows and pretend she didn't exist. That's what they wanted, and sometimes, she did too.
But when she closed her eyes, she dreamt of a different place, a different life,
and she would smile in her sleep, at all that could be...
But when she closed her eyes, she dreamt of a different place, a different life, and she would smile in her sleep, at all that could be.
Ashputtel, for my latest Pencil Play Illustration for February's Theme, Fairy Tales.
Ashputtel, for my latest Pencil Play Illustration for February's Theme, Fairy Tales. #Cinderella #WIP Here are some words I wrote when drawing the ink study:
Ashputtel exuded a natural beauty that her step sisters simply could not comprehend.
Ashputtel had barely known any different, and so of course, over time, she believed them.
At night, she would shrink into the shadows and pretend she didn't exist. That's what they wanted, and sometimes, she did too.
Sneak peek preview of a commission I'm working on for Loll Kirby, of Story Seekers UK. Really pleased with it so far :)
Over Christmas I had some of my illustration wares in a pop-up Gallery and Boutique shop in Manchester called Grumpy in the City. After a roaring success, it is re-opening for an additional two weeks from this coming Wednesday the 23rd of January!
I'll be selling illustrated cards and prints, and my Sea Otter t-shirt I designed for Paper and Apparel will be there too!
There is also a late night opening launch this Thursday until 8pm, where you can come and say hello to many of the artists selling their work! I will be there from around 6:15pm til closing.
Here's the Facebook event page! Hope to see you there :)https://www.facebook.com/events/398898656861436/
It's less than a month until International Book Giving Day takes place on February 14th!
I created a Bookplate for the event which can be downloaded for free here!
I'm currently working on getting some good translations together so I can make alternative versions in other languages!
Here is the Press Release for the event :)
Celebrate International Book Giving Day this February 14th!
February 14th is not only Valentine’s Day. It is also International Book Giving Day - a day dedicated to getting new, used, and borrowed books into the hands of as many children as possible.
Well known children’s authors from around the world including Chris Haughton, Mem Fox, Viviane Schwarz, Barney Saltzberg, Clara Vulliamy, Sindiwe Magona, Emma Reynolds, Peter H. Reynolds, Sonja Chandrachud, Ed Vere, Nicola L. Robinson, Jane Clarke and Patricia Polacco are giving books to children on February 14th and are encouraging others to do the same.
You are invited to celebrate by:
1. Giving a Book to a Friend or Relative. Is there a child in your life who would enjoy receiving a book on February 14th? In lieu of or in addition to a card or box of chocolates, choose a good book from a bookstore or public library to give to your child, grandchild, friend, or neighbour.2. Leaving a Book in a Waiting Room or Lobby. Choose a waiting room where kids are stuck waiting and there are few to no good books available. Purchase a good book, and deposit your book covertly or overtly in your waiting room of choice. The goal here is to spread the love of reading to kids, so choose a fun book, nothing controversial.
3. Donating a Book. Wrap up a box of children’s books that your kids have outgrown and get them into the hands of children who could really use a book or two. Donate your books to your local second hand store, library, children’s hospital, or nonprofit organization working to ensure that all kids have access to books.
Let us know you are participating so we can add your name to our list of people giving books for International Book Giving Day at http://bookgivingday.com You are also invited to share photos of Book Giving Day festivities by adding the hashtag #giveabook to Instagram photos or by emailing photos to [email protected]International Book Giving Day is a grassroots initiative run entirely by volunteers like you! If you would like to do more, there are a variety of ways for you to get involved. You can plan an event in your community such as a used book drive, book swap, storytime session, fundraiser, volunteer event or Beers for Books event at a local bar, where [1 U.S. dollar, 100 yen or the equivalent] per beer is donated to Room to Read. Submit events to International Book Giving Day’s event directory to invite others to participate. You can also help publicize International Book Giving Day by hanging International Book Giving Day posters and by encouraging friends, family members and others in your community to celebrate.
Let’s see how many people we can get to commit to giving a book to a child by February 14th!
Connect with others celebrating International Book Giving Day: website: bookgivingday.com instagram: instagram.com/bookgivingday/ twitter: @bookgivingday hashtags: #giveabook, #IBGD[location] (e.g. #IBGDLondon)
Hello all!
I hope that you've all had an absolutely marvellous Christmas and New Year. Over Christmas I went down to Devon to see my family, went out for some lovely winter walks, went bowling, built an awesome camera with my Dad and skimmed stones on the beach :) It was wonderful!
So! Last month, the very lovely Kate Hindley asked me to be a part of a blog-it-and-pass-it-along post called 'The Next Big Thing' - As in, let's talk about the next big book project that we're working on! And then I pass it on to three more people.
Here we go!
What is the working title of your next book?
'Reynard the Detective'
Where did the idea come from for the book?
The idea of wanting to write a story about Reynard the Fox came about many years ago when I first read about him in 'The Book of Magic' (Chronicle Books) where it said that Reynard the Fox had a magic ring which made him invisible, but that it "existed only in his imagination"! This intrigued me greatly and stayed with me. I was also interested in the name 'Reynard' as my surname 'Reynolds' is related to it, and I found that the Reynolds Coat of Arms has a Fox as its crest. In my final year of University I knew I wanted to work on a story based on Reynard the Fox. But it was about a year and a half to two years ago when he became Reynard the Detective :)
What genre does your book fall under?
It is a crime, mystery, and adventure detective story! With a Film Noir twist :) I think it would fall under the 9-12 children's chapter fiction when shelving, but I think other age groups would enjoy it too.
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Oh gosh.... It would have to be voice actors of course, and I really don't know for Reynard – But he is definitely British. For Brittany, perhaps Brian Blessed haha!
What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
'The Chief Inspector is dead, the city is in chaos – Join Reynard the Freelance Fox Detective, and Detective Brittany from the police, as they team up for the first time and embark on a thrilling adventure, to solve the most baffling case they've encountered yet!'
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Top secret for now, but all will be revealed!
How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
I'll let you know when it's finished!
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
I really don't know!
My work is very influenced by Film Noir though, I love the long shadows, the lighting, and the objects of the time period.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
It has been my dream to write and illustrate my own book since I was five. I've been developing the story of Reynard for a while, and it is the characters and the illustrations I first produced for the story which have driven this book forward and kept me working on it.
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
I didn't write the story starting at chapter one, I wrote the story in different sections and then pieced it together, filling in the gaps like jam in a giant tasty cake!
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For exclusive 'Reynard the Detective' updates and sneak peaks, you can join my Newsletter here:
Happy New Year!
We were talking about books a lot the other day on twitter, and so I decided to post a picture of my book shelf! I then asked if anyone would like to do the same with any recommendations that they may have, and I'd do a little post about it, so here they are!
This is my (main) book shelf! Some books are organised by author, some by feeling, and the books in the top left is my 'to-read' section! And here are a couple I got for Christmas that I can't wait to read:
And two wonderful Christmas books that I very much enjoyed reading as well. By Emma Chichester Clark and Raymond Briggs.
The best book I read in 2012 and one that I would thoroughly recommend is Philip Pullman's 'The Ruby in The Smoke'. If you haven't read this series yet (can't believe I haven't until now) and you love his work, then I recommend this even more. I found it absolutely gripping, and I loved the setting of Victorian London, and his characterisation of the villain, making you disgusted and scared of them at the same time. In superb Pullman style, this story is wonderfully told. He has the ability to utterly immerse me in the story, to the point where I am no longer conscious that I am reading, (to me the best sign of a good writer) I am there, in that world. I can't wait to read the next one.
Now, onto some other people's book cases and favourites!
Lots of good stuff in there, and check out the tasty Graphic Novels stash on the bottom left!
Anne-Marie has tons of great Book Recommendations over on her website, so do go check it out :)
Next is the marvellously decorated Book case of Book Monkey Jo! aka @BookMonkeyGirl Thank you Jo! Love your tea cups and Roald Dahl collection :)
Next we have Author, Poet and Illustrator Colin West aka @mooseandmouse 's bookcase! And I must say what an impressive collection it is too! And so colour co-ordinated. I love seeing different people's bookshelves. This looks like a wonderfully well-loved collection. Thanks Colin!
This next one is straight from the Library Mouse herself! aka @librarymice :D This is Book Blogger and Children's Book enthusiast Melanie McGilloway's beautiful bookshelf! It looks so cosy and homely in there, can I come and stay and read all day please? ;)
And now, we have the truly epic book collection montage from Zoe Toft! aka @Playbythebook Zoe runs a really fantastic Kid's Book Blog that I very much recommend that you check out if you haven't already! playingbythebook.net
Aaaannnd Book Blogger and lovely lady to boot Loll Kirby! aka @StorySeekersUK How magical is this? I love it Loll, thank you! Check out Loll's book reviews and articles on her website here: Story Seekers
Thank you so much for sharing these everyone, I really enjoyed seeing your book shelves and hearing about your book collecting habits and your favourite reads this year :) What was your favourite book of 2012? And what are you looking forward to reading this year? :)
Phew! Boy has this month gone by fast. I sent out my first batch of illustrated Christmas cards this year, and I was delighted to hear that so many people enjoyed them! Some people even posted a little picture of their card after it had arrived! Here they are below:
Photo from the talented Drewscape, all the way from Singapore! I love these annotations and his cute as anything Totoro of course :)
Photo from the lovely Clara Vulliamy, from her delightfully coloured table top!
And a beautifully atmospheric photo from Josie Armand Smith, a talented hat maker, miniature felt animal maker and Twitter entertainer!
Thank you all very much! And here are the beautiful illustrated cards that I received this Christmas:
Splendid card from Josie and her little daughter Bea!
Merry Christmas! And have a fantastic New Year :)
I'm in an Exhibition with my Children's Illustration Collective Pencil Play! :D
I am delighted to announce that we'll be holding our first exhibition together in 'Mysteryland' at Z-Arts in Manchester this month! It's a wonderful space, and we are so happy to be involved with the first exhibition for Children and Families that they have held. Huge huge thank you to fellow children's illustrator and exhibitor David Parkinson for getting us involved with the exhibition :)Opening times and information about the other exhibitors can be found here: Z-Arts Information Page. As well as the exhibition, there will be prints, cards, bags and other goodies available. Feel free to share this poster around and spread the word, and we hope to see lots of you down there for the opening day!
First!!!!