Jungle Shorts

Hi again chaps.

Following on from the last few posts, here's another bit of work done recently.

This is the sketch stage of the cover for a book about a boy who's Mum buys him embarrassing Jungle patterned shorts to play football in. (I only put the pattern in with the colour though)

It was quite a nice tight brief for what was they wanted included image-wise, which I often quite like. Sometimes if it's left a bit open I get options paralysis, but if some constraints are put on, I can get something out nice and quick.

So it was a nice job to do.

In other news, I've decided to do some ideas for some greeting type cards.

At the moment I'm planning on these being based around bears

(Lot of bears in my work at the mo, and more coming up, so I'll be getting a lot of practise.)

But I'll put up some of the bear sketches soon.

Baby Milk Bear

Hiya chaps,

On a bit of a roll with the posts here.

This is another bit of work I've done fairly recently.

It's a cuddly bear for the label on some baby mik.

The agency already had the pack designed, and a rough of the bear, and my task was to draw a nice cuddly bear, that had the head and paws etc in the same place as their rough, but that looked natural, and not like a hunchback. Cos it's head was over to one side, in order for it to fit in next to the logo.

So I thought of it as a bear reaching up to be picked up, and in that pose the head and everything was in the right place, but he looked nice and natural, and his face and paws weren't obscured by and of the design elements.

But it was a fun quick job to do, and quite a nice interesting problem to solve.

Books

Hi Chaps,

As you may or may not have noticed, I haven't blogged too often in the last month or so.

BUT, now I have something to show of what I've been doing.

I'll spread it over a couple of posts I think.

But, this is from a book I've been working on.

The artwork is delivered, which is v satisfying, and I'm just waiting to see what tweaks they may want.

But here are some sketches from it.

Two versions of a character sketch for the main character. She is naughty and cheeky but likeable.

The doctor.

And Cecily (The main character, gasp, telling secrets here) and her family racing along in the car.

I'll maybe post the final versions of these sketches so you can see them in colour & stuff.

But, more soon :)

Doggie Doodle Friday

Hello Chaps,

Sorry it's been a while since posting, I've been working on a couple of books, so will put some sketches of their workings up soon, so you can see some of what I've been up to.

In the meanwhile-time-being I've got a sketch of a doggie up on the Doggie Doodle Friday page.

This is a page run by the Book Sniffer Blog, which is a fab blog about children's books.

Here is the Doggie Doodle Friday page - http://tinyurl.com/62rovtf

Mine doggie is the one second in, third row, and I am honoured to have it featured among all the other great doggie's there, by, among others, Lauren Tobias and Alex T Smith, whose blogs are here - http://laurentobia.com/ and here - http://alextsmith.blogspot.com/ in case you've not already seen them.

And the Book Sniffer Blog is here - http://booksniffingpug.blogspot.com/

London Book Fair

Well, it's the London Book Fair, next week, so I'm going along.

I've got some work printed, and postcards made, and I'm polishing my boots, and picking out a shirt.

I may wear my 'Kaftan Shirt' as it's called. (Not quite as groovy as it sounds, it's just not got a colllar, but it's nice.)

But anyway, I don't know if anyone else is going along, but it'd be great to bump into people.

Maybe at the Illustrator Networking thing on Monday, or at the Lauren Child and Anthony Browne conversation, or the Booktrust talk, or just round and about :)

Booktrust Best New Illustrators Award

Hiya,

Quick post here about the Booktrust Best New Illustrators Award which was announced last night.

Winners are here:

There's some good stuff there.

Illustrators whose work I've come across already are -

Claudia Boldt, who I met v briefly at LBF last year,

Chris Haughton, who does great stuff, lovely colours.

Viviane Schwartz, whose cat books are fab.

And Sara Ogilvie, and Kevin Waldron and Levi Pinfold.

But I must say I do think they are very well chosen cos I do rate all of them very highly, there's some really inspiring, marvellous work there.

Well done all :)

Hamble, Felix, Elsie, Ernie

Well, I was sketching out characters, and these two popped up.

Hamble and Felix Hamshanks.

Hamble dines exclusively on strips of salted beef and lemon juice, her husband Felix, subsists on whisky and dried prunes.

And here they are.

I think if I need a couple of baddies, these two might be it.

They make a dastardly living stealing pet rabbits, making them into slippers, and selling them to rich clients.

The dastardly cads.

But....

Would it be ok to feature them in an illustration aimed at early readers, to go in my portfolio, or are they a bit too creepy, OR, would it be a good thing to vary my portfolio with them even if they are a bit creepy?

Do you think they would they be suitable for children's books as they are, or should I make them a bit more charicatured and fun?

Any thoughts would be welcomed :)

Below are two slightly more friendly looking old characters, this is Elsie Hotterpoppercot, and Ernie Bramble.

Elsie makes the scones, Ernie makes the jam.