31 October 2011

Booooooooooo!

Happy Halloween everyone. Its one of my favourite times of the year. I feel more at home in a jumper and thick socks, making stews, carving pumpkins and drawing spooky pictures. It confuses me slightly that the media these days seem to think that celebrating Halloween over here is a new thing. I remember lots of Halloween parties when I was younger in the early 80's. My mum even made me a fantastic costume of Evil Edna the TV witch from 'Willo the Wisp' (anyone remember that?) out of a massive cardboard box. I don't understand this idea that it's all come from America in the last few years. Anyway, I love it.

 Here's my celebration Halloween sketch, our pumpkins immortalised and also some favourite spooky illustrations from favourite illustrators. You lucky people.....



                                              I just have such a thing about birds and bats.....







 The incredibly talented David Roberts (left, bottom left and bottom right) is the most wonderful illustrator at evoking a spooky and sinister mood. His black and white work is second to none in my opinion. Look at that snowfall....



 This is a favourite book cover of mine from the ever talented Tony Ross. I've often tried to replicate fluid lines like this (without too much success!). Genius.




A perfect example of an Edward Gorey - the most sinister, disturbing yet beautiful book. An A-Z of unfortunate deaths of tiny children. Interestingly, both my children think its wonderful. So much for wanting happy endings.

10 October 2011

Big Draw Brillustration at Blackwells

What a great day. The Brillustration group http://brillustrationbristol.blogspot.com/ (myself included) had a wonderful day on Saturday 8th of October, drawing live in the window of Blackwells bookshop Bristol - creating a 'free form' window display with no pre-sketches and no real plan! We had a window and a bookshop crammed with local illustrators and authors. There was badge making inside and lots of great badges were made (it was highly addictive!) and many of our books for sale inside the shop. There was a great buzz both inside and outside the shop. Lets hope we do lots more. We're hoping for a Christmas window which would be amazing.

                                                Blank paper of the most terrifying kind.

                      Beginnings. Illustrator Lauren Tobia's lettering kick starting us all into action.

                                                 Me and Lauren Tobia stuck in a window.




                               Lauren Tobia's great sketch of Anna Hibicus beside her book.

 My dragon from 'Sir Laughalot' making an appearance underneath Hannah Cumming's 'Lost Stars'.

                                                                 Finished window.

My favourite sketch of mine of the day. I was mortified it wasn't in my sketchbook so had to take a photo to remember it.
Well done us. From left to right - June Goulding, Lauren Tobia, Donough O Malley, Hannah Cumming, Sarah Warburton, Paula Bowles, Mark Sperring, Louise Cunningham and Rob(!). Essential contributors who had to leave before this pic - Sam Church and Lilly Allen.

5 October 2011

Portugese children re-illustrate Rumblewick and the Dinner Dragons (Rumblewick e o jantar com os dragões - Curiosos à Vista)



I stumbled across this video on youtube and it made my day. I never thought in a million years that a whole class of Portugese school children would re-draw/re-design the front cover of Dinner Dragons. The results are just lovely. Some fantastic Rumblewick facial expressions there. Thank you to whoever posted this into the cosmos. Just beautiful.