Cate James Illustration

Valentine's Day, Whatever.

2012-01-26T13:05:00.003Z

I hate Valentine's Day but had fun creating this image for Paper Tiger despite my bitterness! Always good to do some hand-lettering.

LOLLIPOP AND GRANDPA GO SWIMMING

2012-01-20T15:28:00.003Z

Here is an almost finished page from my latest book with Penelope Harper LOLLIPOP AND GRANDPA GO SWIMMING which is due to be published in June. It is available to pre-order on Amazon, or on Waterstones' website.

These are the naughty pirates being thrown out of the pool for being very noisy.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS (almost)

2011-11-21T17:04:00.003Z

Here are my Christmas cards this year. They arrived from the printers last week and they sure are a quality item, so I am only sending them to people who I really like (If anyone is upset by this I will use the excuse that I didn't have your address). I think it will take me until next Christmas to set up my Etsy shop, but next year I am going to order loads and sell them. Hopefully. I keep forgetting the name of the animal on the left but I am told it is a reindeer. I borrowed the squirrel character from a story I wrote about a hedgehog who wants to stay up late in the snow.

Paper Tiger cards

2011-11-04T13:20:00.003Z

Here is an example of one of the 'basics' range of cards that I have produced for Paper Tiger. They will be coming out soon at a good price! Many occasions covered, more to be added!

It's Christmas next month

2011-11-04T13:16:00.003Z

If you are in Edinburgh and happen to be walking down Stafford Street you will be seeing quite a lot of my work around the place. Paper Tiger and Studio One commissioned me to produce their Christmas advertising and here are two of the posters that are in their A-boards at the moment. I drew these ages ago now....time flies.....

And now for something completely different...

2011-10-05T11:39:00.003+01:00

Somehow I am still managing to work on other great jobs despite Lollipop and Grandpa taking over my life. Studio One always have lovely work for me, and this is a poster we worked on together recently to encourage people to go down the stairs to their ace shop. It's important to balance my head out with big, bold shapes in addition to drawing characters and trees for months. I am also at some point going to be working with 3 bands soon, and I can't wait for that.

Have 2 months really gone by?

2011-10-05T11:31:00.002+01:00

So 2 months have apparently gone by since my last post, SCARY! I have been working so hard on getting things ready for Frankfurt Book Fair that I don't remember what it's like to have a social life. If it wasn't for my good friends at swimming then I don't think I would have spoken to more than 4 people since last month! I think it is all ready now though, so I am sighing a huge sigh of relief and getting ready to draw the last 15 pages of the book (by the end of the month which is a bit tight!).

So anyway.....here is the cover for the first in the LOLLIPOP AND GRANDPA series, written by Penny Harper and illustrated by ME!!!! There will be more coming out in the next year. I can't wait to start on the next one which is set in a swimming pool.

More from Phoenix Yard

2011-08-08T10:58:00.002+01:00

I am now featured on the Phoenix Yard website! Read all about me (if you want to!) here:

http://www.phoenixyardbooks.com/authors_illustrators.php

Now to get on with some illustrating!

Phoenix Yard Books

2011-08-03T17:32:00.002+01:00

Very exciting news today on Twitter and the Phoenix Yard Books website.... they have announced that I am officially their illustrator for the Lollipop and Grandpa series of books! I have been working with them on this for a few months now, so I am pleased that I can finally post about this. Check out the link for more information.

http://www.phoenixyardbooks.com/news.php?id=37

Lions and Crocodiles and Elephants!

2011-08-01T15:26:00.003+01:00

ROOOOOOOOAR! I was a very busy artist last month and gave myself a bit of extra work to do in the form of printing flat-pack animals to build yourself! Here is Mr Lion. He has two friends, Mr Elephant and Mr Crocodile. They are all printed now and will soon be available to buy in the lovely Paper Tiger in Edinburgh, and on my soon-to-be-created online shop Cate's Zoo!

Grandpa version 3 (I think)

2011-06-24T12:48:00.003+01:00

Here he is again. He has been with a moustache, without a moustache and now with one again. I love this crazy old guy. With a bit of luck (and possibly a bit more thinking and drawing) I will be spending a lot of time with him soon!

Two owls on a branch please

2011-06-24T12:42:00.004+01:00

I have started a new venture in conjunction with one of my favourite clients this month. We are designing and printing wedding invitations, and all the associated bits and pieces that go with them. This is one of our first designs (to be printed as a folding A6 card so the design continues onto the back) which is for a lovely couple who gave me the brief: "We would like two owls on a branch". I was delighted with that and I hope that they love their wedding invites.

Dark Tales

2011-05-26T17:37:00.003+01:00

At the moment I am working on a really wide range of things which keeps me as balanced as I possibly can be. After the bright colours of 3-7 year olds and band stuff I have enjoyed working on illustrations for 8-12 year olds. This is one of my favourite things lately which is for some really quite nasty and dark stories for older kids.

GO SEE THE MODERN FACES!

2011-05-26T17:35:00.003+01:00

Here is a great looking flyer for a great band!

And look who they are supporting, how very exciting.

I love doing this kind of work so any bands, please get in touch!

MORE birds (makes a change from foxes)

2011-05-17T13:08:00.002+01:00

Birds birds birds.

21 pigeons to be exact. This is what I am doing today, although the actual work is for kids so this version is purely for me. I redrew the little blighters to be more kids-book friendly and have just finished it. Again, it's for a publisher so fingers crossed once more.

Why do roughs look better than finished artwork?

2011-05-17T13:02:00.002+01:00

Here are 2 characters I am working on at the moment for a publisher. Fingers crossed they will love them and ask me to illustrate their books.

These guys are pretty much me and my Grandad in the old days when everything was fun and I was still small. Although at 5'2" I don't think I've grown that much!

My Grandad was an amazing artist and I think of him everytime I draw.

I think he accidentally threw me in a river once. He definitely covered me in ketchup (by accident) and he could build anything at all with a few boxes, sheets of cardboard and a roll of masking tape. Genius!

Modern Faces

2011-05-17T12:55:00.002+01:00

For those of you who don't know me, I am REALLY into my music, and love working with bands.

These guys are the amazing Modern Faces from Dunfermline (and their loyal and enthusiastic fans) at Capitol in Glasgow last a couple of weeks ago.

I was being their photographer for the evening, and after immediately breaking my camera upon arrival I fixed it with a screwdriver and a miracle, and got some good shots.

Hopefully I will be working with them on artwork and things in the future.

They are supporting Kasabian next month at two of their English gigs, very exciting indeed!

Birds

2011-05-17T12:51:00.002+01:00

Here we are, back again with more stuff.

As previously mentioned, my very good friend Holly Archer and I are having an exhibition in York soon, and here is a sneak preview of one of the screenprints I have printed from our collaborative drawings.

This is the colour-scheme for all 9 birds. So far I have printed 4 and I can't wait to get back into the workshop to get the other 5 onto paper. LOVE screenprinting!

Bones

2011-04-05T17:10:00.008+01:00

Animal bones are far more interesting to draw than actual animals I discovered last December on a drawing trip to the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow. There was less snow there than in Edinburgh which was a nice break from walking like a penguin, and I took Kate on her first journey on the Clockwork Orange.

These fine chaps are the starting point for work I am showing in an exhibition in York this summer with my good friend Holly Archer.

I am also screenprinting some birds tomorrow that we drew whilst sitting with Holly's Masters show last August. It was boring and we always love a drawing competition. They are getting thrown on the wall in the exhibition too. Exciting times!

New Old Work

2011-04-05T17:01:00.008+01:00

I recently rediscovered some work I started years ago. I think it was for some kind of competition that I didn't ever enter. When I was a Masters student I spent a lot of time listening into people's conversations and writing them in my sketchbook. Weirdly one of them featured the name of a person I later met in Leicester (probably not the same exact one, and to be honest he's someone I wish I hadn't met). These images are based on some of the words I wrote and illustrated in my massive sketchbook that smells a bit like sick.

Yet another fox

2011-03-04T11:36:00.003Z

Latest work on my exciting project.........

I love working on this little chap, he is very very cute.

FREMSLEY!

2011-02-24T12:50:00.003Z

I was lucky enough this week to meet the great illustrator Jonny Hannah at eca. He did a fantastic talk about his work, spoke to me about my work, and set a 48 hour brief to come up with a poster to advertise an imaginary record shop in Cowdenbeath.

From a list of possible spoken pieces to use for inspiration I chose "Fremsley" by Ivor Cutler. He is my new hero and Fremsley is my new favourite thing ever! Please look it up in YouTube. Cutler's work has been used in David Shrigley's work too.

This is my poster.

FREMSLEY.

New Story

2011-02-04T12:12:00.002Z

I am VERY excited to be working on a project with a very good friend of mine who just happens to be an amazing author for kids. It is top secret at the moment, but here are some character sketches.

I love drawing foxes.

Filmhouse Poster

2011-02-04T12:06:00.004Z

The successor to my role as Illustration Studio Assistant last year at eca has organised an exhibition in The Filmhouse cinema next month showcasing work produced in our print workshop. The brief was to choose a film, design a poster and print it. Simple.

I chose Betty Blue, a French film from 1986, and here is my poster design. I screenprinted it.

Come along to see them all from March 12th (I think!).

Paper Tiger

2011-02-04T12:00:00.002Z

As usual it has been too long since I posted anything new up here so I think there may be a wave of new stuff hitting my blog in the next week.

I am very pleased to now be working with Paper Tiger and Studio One on their posters and advertising. They want to keep some of their iconic images and use them in contemporary ways.

This is the latest; a Valentine's advertisement due to hit The Scotsman.

I am working on Studio One, and trying to design a series of images for them to use around the shop and in their advertising.

Students

2010-11-16T16:29:00.005Z

Following on from Jeremy Kyle, I am now drawing 'University Challenge' teams.

Co-incidentally, I have been asked to produce an illustration comparing uni students to art students and here are the results, as drawn from real-life episodes. Luckily this week the first ever art school appeared on the programme, making this commission a whole lot easier!

I am proud to be a double art school graduate!

Wee Exhibition in Bijou, Leith Links

2010-11-01T20:01:00.005Z

My pal of many-a-year Miss Weezil Gribinson, or Liza Robinson as she is actually called, has kindly asked me to adorn the walls of her lovely little bistro 'Bijou' in Leith Links, Edinburgh, with some animals. Always eager to oblige, I am hanging my work on Thursday night. It is a small collection of animals and characters who featured in another exhibition I had last year with fellow illustrator Vicki Gausden.

They are all available to buy as digital prints for a very reasonable price!

Here is a lovely lion.

London Here I Come (again)

2010-11-01T19:54:00.003Z

WOW! What a busy week I have lined up. After a kind of boring weekend I now have soooo much to do before Saturday, when I fly off to East Midlands Airport. There is a single launch gig on Saturday night to celebrate the release of Superevolver's single 'Viva La Revolution' (OUT ON MONDAY 8TH NOVEMBER, AVAILABLE ON I-TUNES SO BUY IT!) for which I did the artwork, and on Monday I am travelling to London to visit Walker Books. Exciting times!

This is one of the roughs for my book. It is a hedgehogs' equivalent of the side of my fridge where I keep all sorts of unimportant information and photos.

And another fox......

2010-10-06T12:06:00.002+01:00

Here is the grumpy fox again. He is searching for Harry and Barry the squirrel twins!

I am working on quite a mixture of stuff at the moment which is great. I am also really loving my time up at the art college with Kate, Casey, Juuuuuuuulia and Via. Haven't actually worked with any students yet but there's plenty of time for that! Just back from a full-on weekend of gigs in Dublin; wont be able to afford to go back there for a while, HOW expensive?!!! Still recovering from that. Time for a nap.......

SUPEREVOLVER ARE SUPER

2010-10-06T11:56:00.004+01:00

Best brief in ages....I have been asked to produce the artwork for Leicester band Superevolver's new single, featuring Kasabian's Tom Meighan.

It will be released on November 8th and proceeds go to charity so make sure you download it!

This is the cover, and I am also busy producing a booklet for the inside of the CD when it is released.

I love Superevolver.

New work

2010-09-20T17:33:00.004+01:00

I am writing and illustrating a story for children at the moment and this is the very first rough for it! I love drawing foxes. This is a particularly grumpy fox.

I am back at Edinburgh College of Art tomorrow as Artist in Residence and I cant wait! I have a studio space with the Masters students and am planning to spend a lot of time in the Print Workshop (where I will be working with the students 1 day a week).

It will be good to be surrounded by people again after a lonely summer in my studio by myself!

Latest from Jeremy Kyle

2010-08-23T11:44:00.002+01:00

As usual it has been ages since I posted anything on here so thought I'd share my latest selection of gentlemen from the Kyle in the past 2 weeks. What an attractive bunch they are too. Still not sure what I'm going to do with my 200+ drawings, I'm hoping for some genius inspiration as ever.

I am getting a website update today so I will add some of these drawings onto that, as well as some other stuff I've been doing (if I can find anything I like enough!).

I have been taking it easy the past few weeks and helping the MA illustrators through their last month of working. Go see their show if you can this week, especially Ms Holly Cust's selection of animals. She is ace.

It's my second big race of the year next week, Glasgow's half marathon. Cant wait for it to be over so I can maybe get a lie-in one day! Until then, I will leave you with Jeremy's lovely men!

JEREMY KYLE, YES OR NO!!!!?

2010-07-19T18:23:00.003+01:00

I have been spending my mornings lately swimming a LOT and then (after stuffing my face) drawing all the victims of the awful daytime TV do-gooder, Mr Jeremy Kyle. I am now on sketchbook number 6 and have scanned all of them. I now have the task of putting them together in some kind of amazing piece of work......I feel a screenprint coming on.

DID I MENTION THAT I AM ECA ARTIST IN RESIDENCE FOR ILLUSTRATION 2010/11?!!!

Drawing Book Poster

2010-05-20T14:02:00.003+01:00

Hooray! Here is a great poster advertising the Drawing Book exhibition.

I love the drawing of the man and the pencil which I photographed during playtime at one of the schools we worked in. I have to confess that I didn't have many letters drawn by the kids, so I got some of the illustration masters students to help me out by drawing half of them. I think it's hard to tell which ones are which though which says a lot for the talents of Holly and Casey!

It's a lovely sunny day today and I think it's time for an ice cream and a sit on the balcony with the best views in Edinburgh. Lucky me!

Drawing Book

2010-05-12T15:34:00.003+01:00

The degree show is going up, students are upset, it's freezing outside and I'm colouring in birds drawn by 10 year olds. These are apparently both vultures, and whilst I have coloured one accordingly, the more chicken-looking one is slightly more open for debate as to its species.

I am meant to be designing a poster for the 2nd year's Drawing Book exhibition, but this was way more fun.

Back to work......

Domestic Bliss

2010-04-26T15:46:00.002+01:00

I have been working with the fourth years on a poster to advertise their drawing talents.

Their brief was to draw five household objects from their homes as linear or monochromatic forms. I then took the drawings and created this screenprinted poster.

I went for a kind of seventies Penguin book cover feel, and it's looking quite splendid on the studio wall!

Drawing Book project

2010-03-19T15:59:00.004Z

I have been working in 5 schools in Edinburgh for the past 3 weeks, alongside eca 2nd year illustration students and author Vivian French. We are working on a project called Drawing Book which consists of the writing and illustrating of one book per school, with the children contributing ideas and pictures. It has been really good fun (and hard work), and the images that we have come away with are hilarious. The students are also writing books, and all the work is to be exhibited in the Scottish Storytelling Centre from June 5th.

Sunset Song

2010-03-19T15:56:00.004Z

I have no image for this on my work computer I'm afraid, but I have discovered this link to a project I have been working on with publishing students from Napier University. I have produced a book jacket design alongside 6 images for an ebook version of the story. You can see the kind of thing we have come up with on the banner to the blog below.

http://napiersunsetsong.com/about-us/

Quick update

2010-02-24T17:58:00.005Z

I have been told by my students to update my blog because I am useless at doing it lately.

So here is what I have been doing..........

I recently(ish) went to the book launch for "The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner" at Napier Uni's amazing Craighouse campus. Everyone did a brilliant job organising the event and the book looks great. While I was there I saw a preview of the soon to be published "Thirty Nine Steps" which I also did the cover for. Looking forward to another book launch for that!

I am now working on the next book which is "Sunset Song" by Lewis Grassic Gibbon. I have a lot to do and not much time, as usual.

So what with all this, trips to follow Kasabian all over the place, and my job at eca I am not being very good at updating my blog, or my website.

I will try harder though!

Brother Fox

2009-12-15T15:39:00.003Z

Back again!

I have not posted anything in ages but I have good excuses. I am working full-time at Edinburgh College of Art in the Illustration department and the Printmaking workshop. I absolutely love it, but I don't get as much time at the moment to do my own work. I am still taking commissions though!

I recently got a commission for a CD cover from a band in Sheffield. Brother Fox is made up of letterpress and screenprinted images and is now the face of 'Little Robots' new EP.

Storytelling Pick & Mix

2009-07-06T09:49:00.003+01:00

Hooray! Storytelling Pick & Mix is finally up!

It was the hottest day of the year and we worked for 6 solid hours to get there but it is ready at last.

There are boxes of characters, objects and animals and 4 large backgrounds. The idea is to make up your own stories with our artwork, and then write and draw them, and send to us!

We will put the best ones on our website.

The exhibition runs from now until September at The Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, Edinburgh (In John Knox House). 10am - 6pm.

Pick & Mix

2009-05-26T12:33:00.002+01:00

I have been busy the past couple of months getting ready for a joint exhibition with illustrator Vicki Gausden.

It is an interactive exhibition of characters, animals, settings and objects all ready for you to make up your own stories, and is running in the Edinburgh Festival at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on the High Street (John Knox House).

This blue whale could be one of your characters.

New Napier University Collaboration

2009-03-17T20:10:00.003Z

After the very successful edition of The Hound of the Baskervilles being published last year, I have been asked to team up with this year's publishing students for a new publication of James Hogg's "The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner".

The book is a dark and disturbing tale and these are 2 of the illustrations along with the cover.

I got some great feedback from last year's book:

"It looks modern and will definitely attract young people".

"The cover is very striking..."

"They thought it looked edgier than a 'classic' usually looks. They really liked the illustrations too".

"I think the illustrations are brilliant".

Postcard commission

2009-03-01T18:39:00.006Z

I have just finished a fairly challenging commission involving the depiction of disability in the arts. There are 6 images and they are all on my website.

Cheeky Monkeys

2009-02-24T09:59:00.004Z

Just finished a piece with a very tight deadline for 'Artsmark'. "10 monkeys trying to open a map and a bewildered teacher" was the brief. I loved doing it.

Latest Commission

2009-01-16T11:50:00.002Z

I have just finished my latest commission which was for Gloss Arts in Gloucestershire.

It is a postcard to send to their registered artists reminding them to send them their CVs.

Images 33

2008-10-30T11:55:00.002Z

I just found out that 3 images I entered to be included in the AOI "Images 33" annual and exhibition have been selected.

They are part of a personal project illustrating Philip Larkin poetry, which I find very emotive.

Book Launch

2008-10-29T11:14:00.003Z

Last night was the book launch for the republished "The Hound of the Baskervilles" I worked on with publishing students at Napier University as part of the 500 years of Scottish Printing celebrations.

I was very proud to see my illustrations and book jacket in print, and the students did a great job with the project.

Picnics and Cat Chasing

2008-08-20T15:46:00.000+01:00

Another image from my new story.

Rabbits like picnics.

Rabbit in a superhero mask

2008-08-20T15:41:00.003+01:00

This is another image from my new story.

I am really enjoying seeing it come together.

It is about a rabbit, an old book, and lots of adventures.

New Book

2008-08-13T13:57:00.003+01:00

I am working on a new idea for a book this week using a lot more painting and drawing, and relying less on the computer.

As my background is in fine art I am loving the chance to use more traditional methods in conjunction with photoshop and seeing what happens.

Chickens

2008-07-30T12:33:00.003+01:00

I am working on a book about Hilly the hen and her 5 little chicks at the moment. It is the first time I have written and illustrated so it's very exciting!

Scared Simon

2008-07-07T15:48:00.001+01:00

This is Scared Simon in winter. I have illustrated him being scared in every season of the year.

Chicken Facts

2008-06-27T12:52:00.004+01:00

I have been reading interesting facts about chickens and illustrating them today.

It has been very educational!

New work

2008-06-17T15:31:00.002+01:00

I am currently working on a story I have written myself based on four popular fairy stories.

I am recovering from "illustrators flu" which seems to be going round Edinburgh at the moment but it isn't stopping me from working!

More 3 Little Pigs

2008-05-28T11:27:00.002+01:00

I am really enjoying this work. I like playing around with a combination of flat colour and texture. I use the scratches on the reverse of my old etching plates, and old pieces of paper to create most of the textures.

Pigs

2008-05-13T13:55:00.000+01:00

Finally got round to creating the pigs as characters. It's a shame that two of them get eaten by the wolf though.

I'm going to carry on working on the story for the rest of the week seeing as the sun has disappeared.

Rudyard Kipling Just So Stories

2008-05-09T11:38:00.000+01:00

This is Painted Jaguar, he is a character in "The Beginning of the Armadillo" by Rudyard Kipling.

He is a bit stupid and not very good at catching hedgehogs or tortoises.

2008-05-08T21:32:00.000+01:00

I have been working on illustrating "3 Little Pigs" this week.

More images to follow as they are produced!

Hound of the Baskervilles

2008-04-24T18:04:00.000+01:00

I've been commissioned by Napier University Publishing students to create a modern interpretation of this classic novel. It will be published as part of the Celebration of 500 years of Scottish Publishing.