children's illustration

 

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This is me in my studio working on Smudge's Grumpy Day

 

How did I get to where I am now?

 

have worked as a freelance illustrator for nearly 20 years, but I wasn't always a children's illustrator (in fact, I originally trained as a textile designer). I started off designing cards and giftware, then spent many years illustrating for a wide range of magazines and newspapers - everything from the Sunday Times, down to those strange trade magazines you get on 'Have I Got News For You'. These days I specialise in writing and illustrating children's books, and am delighted to discover that this means I also get invited to work with children in schools, libraries and at festivals!

 

Teaching:

 

Although I now work mainly with primary school children, I used to teach college students. For some years I spent half the week at the Sheffield College, lecturing in Illustration. I also taught Electronic Imaging (more or less illustration on a computer). This involved a rather painful learning curve, but has proved invaluable ever since. I also spent two years working with a young people's literacy project, Need To Read, both as a literacy tutor and running a weekly art club.
I don't have time for regular teaching work these days, but I really enjoy running one-off workshops and giving talks. A day spent in a school or at a festival fits nicely around my other work and gives me the opportunity to get out of the studio and have a bit of fun with some of my readers!

 

How do I create my illustrations?

 

The picture book illustrations, like the one I'm working on in the photograph above, are drawn in soft pastels on coloured pastel paper. It's the paper that gives them the distinctive grainy texture. I usually do them quite a bit larger than the finished book size, so that I can manage the detail easier.

 

The illustrations for book covers, like the Broomstick Witches series for example, are quite different. They are pen and ink drawings that I scan into my computer. I then colour them on the computer, and send my publishers the artwork digitally.

 

What else do I like to do?

 

When I'm not working, I like to write and perform poetry as one of 'The Electric Tomatoes', watch a good film, get lost in a novel, eat Thai food, or walk with my husband in the spectacular Derbyshire countryside near our home. I've also just started going to belly dancing classes!

My other big love is travel - the more unusual the better, and always with my pocket sketchbook.
click here for a look at the sketchbooks I bought home from recent trips to Vietnam & Namibia