Thanks for taking a look at my website, which shows just a small section of the work I have created for books and editorials over the last 30 years as well as writing and illustrating one of my own stories.
I work in coloured inks and watercolour layered with coloured pencil, as well as trying out all sorts of media to find just what I need. Then use digital design tools where needed to embellish and get things just right. I also work in the digital realm where deadlines are very short, but always seek make make digital work look like it was done on paper.
I’ve never sought out awards, so was pleasantly surprised when Whistlestop Tales was Voted Children’s Book of the year 2022 at the Christian Resources Together Awards in the UK.
I love working with children and the first half of my life I spent as professional youth and children’s worker. The school space continues to feel like a second home. The biggest shock they get is just how quickly I can draw almost anything they throw at me.
I am neuro-diverse, and use this crazy brain of mine to help me to connect and spin ideas and images very quickly to create engaging images to help writers and story tellers to tell their stories.
And before you say what everyone else does, yes I know that my illustrations look very much like Quentin Blake! (or editorials from the New Yorker if you are in the States).
I started learning to illustrate in the late 80’s with an eye on becoming an editorial cartoonist, which has happened only relatively recently. The heart of which is speed, and a particularly British pen and ink vibe. As I progressed in my illustration journey my art became tighter and tighter until it was very realistic and proficient, but had no joy in it.
Then a number of years ago I had to make some practical decisions. And one of those decisions was what gave me joy, and what made people react emotionally to the art, not just remark on how well it was executed.
The answer, go back to where it all started. Work messy, fast and intuitive. And the reaction was amazing, and joyful. And coincidentally looks a bit like QB’s because I started in the same space. Not that I mind one bit!
