Next year's resolution...

In the past year I have illustrated FOUR books, yes FOUR. That is a lot. But I am not exactly a natural author, so I have been working with people who are. I have never had an actual career goal ever before but I am determined that next year I will get to illustrate one of my own stories. I am currently working with my superagent Kathryn on a new story, and here is an illustration for that story. I'm quite excited about it all so let's hope that someone wants to publish it. Anyone..?

Good clients are good

For a year and a half now I have been working with lovely Paper Tiger and Studio One in Edinburgh as their not-in-house designer, and I get to do some really interesting stuff for them. Here is a snippet (what a great word) of one of my recent ads. Look out for it in their shops!

Monsters, Horses and Scottish things

This is a little bit of an image from the other book I am working on at the moment but it's all a secret!

This is a monster who is a bit upset about her baby being kidnapped by a lonely and mean crofter (it could happen!). More about this next year...

Lollipop & Grandpa 3!

Lollipop and Grandpa and the Wobbly Tooth is at the printers!!! It's not an easy feat to draw three books in one year but we are proud to have done it! This one is by far my favourite, and features a cheeky woodpecker, an elephant and a tug-o-war team. 

It will be published in just over two months and I will try to remember to announce this on my blog!

We are hoping that there will be more from Lollipop and Grandpa next year...

Update begins...NOW!

HELLO! I have just realised that it's been over 2 months since I have posted anything on my blog. I do this quite often and it's a habit I should put a stop to probably.

So...I will start with this exhibition.

TAKE FIVE ILLUSTRATORS is an exhibition currently running at the Scottish National Gallery, on the Mound in Edinburgh. It is on until the end of October so make sure you go see it.

The exhibitors all work in children's publishing and we are a lovely mixture of styles. Three of us are graduates and sometimes teachers at Edinburgh College of Art which makes me proud.

In addition to the exhibition we are all presenting a two hour masterclass for adults, and two reading and signing sessions for children. I am looking forward to mine which is on July 28th. All work is for sale, and there is merchandise in the shop! It's not a particularly well advertised exhibition, so to find it, enter the gallery by the garden entrance and pass all the cafes and desk and it's at the back in the education centre. Let me know what you think!

LOLLIPOP & GRANDPA AND THE WOBBLY TOOTH

Here is the cover image for my new L&G book. I think this is my favourite book so far as there was a lot to draw and it was all fun. Not saying anymore about this book yet, apart from it is published in September this year and is really very sweet!

My dream...treehouse

I was asked to produce an illustration for a children's magazine by Hannah Foley. She is setting up her own company to publish this magazine (the name changes all the time so I am not too sure what it is this month!) and it looks to be great! I know other illustrators and authors who have contributed to it, all quality people!

This is my dream treehouse and is basically a self portrait in treehouse form! I need live music, food, swimming, sleep, art and travel to get me by. Oh, and books. And I would probably need somewhere to run but I used artistic licence on that one! I also need sunshine, so the trees are palm trees in Australia probably. I think I need a holiday...

Modern Faces Tour

My lovely friends in Modern Faces are doing not too bad for themselves! After supporting Kasabian last year, as well as The Charlatans, they are now well into a UK tour. They have an EP out on vinyl and are playing in Edinburgh on Friday this week. Check them out!

NEW BOOK ON MY DOORSTEP!

This morning I received my first advance copy of LOLLIPOP & GRANDPA GO SWIMMING. It feels like I just finished drawing this book (so many armbands to colour in...) and here it is already!

I like this story as it is set in a swimming pool, (obviously) which is an environment I am particularly at home in. I have dedicated this book to my best pals at swimming, Sandy and Charlie. They feature on a few pages, and can be seen swimming past the big blue whale. Sandy has been away for months getting his hip replaced with a better one, but I was very emotional when I saw him back in the pool yesterday. He's all fixed. 

I am almost finished with the next book in the series too, but then I have a rest from these cheeky characters. I will miss them.

MOUSEFACE!

..."it's been me birthday"... was something my best friend Kirsty said to a lady in Jenners in 1994 to explain why she was making a purchase. I laughed at her a lot for this overshare and we have used the quote ever since. ANYway...last week it was her birthday again, and mine, and made her this mouse card to celebrate her mouse birthday. Kirsty calls me Mouso Jamesyface amongst other things, and we both very much enjoy a Dressed Mouse, which is a gentleman who looks like a mouse in clothes eg Sergio Pizzorno (ONLY when he is wearing a bandana on his beautiful head though).

I think that's probably enough of that now. Should probably do some work.