Sketchbook Dump Spring 2024
I’ve been experimenting with a new picture book style in my sketchbook. I’ve been using a Faber Castell fountain pen and slouching unhealthily on the sofa. This is the perfect combo for some lazy, loose line!
Sketchbook Feb 2024
Some sketchbook drawings from February. These were done using watercolour and a fountain pen, then some light editing in photoshop.
Warm-ups 1-3
I’ve started doing some morning warm-up sketches so I can keep up with playtime and loosen my hand for the real work later in the day.
Let’s see what happens!
Flo Takes Flight
Last year I worked on a pitch for a new children’s book. Whilst it didn’t go anywhere, I enjoyed the process and learnt a bit more about writing for children. I found anthropomorphising birds a challenge. Whilst long-tailed tits look adorable in real life, I found their colouration a challenge in an illustration. I tweaked the black feathers to a range of rich browns and amplified the pink blush. Combining this with a simplified body shape (a bubbly ‘8’ from the front, a kidney from the side), I think I managed to inject some personality into her.
The story takes place on the edge of a woodland. Flo lives with her siblings who have all learned to fly. Flo is small and must wait her turn though. One evening her impatience gets the better of her and Flo makes an attempt at flight. She tumbles to the floor and far from home. Now Flo must find her way back and avoid the attention of the stalking fox. Will she survive and learn to fly? The only way is to try, try and try again.
Coloured art was created using pencils (Tombow Mono 100 4B) and colouring in photoshop.
Bob Versus The Selfie Zombies
A look at my work on Bob Vs The Selfie Zombies. Written by Andy Jones and published by Piccadilly Press. Available now!
"An instant hit. Bold, clever and funny, with writing that absolutely sizzles. My kids and I are now confirmed fans of Andy Jones, who weaves a smart time-hopping tale around his instantly likeable characters." P.G. Bell, author of The Train to Impossible Places
"A rip-roaring time travel comedy adventure. In the future, this book might actually save the world." David Solomons, author of My Brother Is a Superhero
From author Andy Jones and published by Piccadilly Press comes ‘Bob Vs The Selfie Zombies.’ This is the first in a series about a boy called Bob who can travel into his own future. I was kindly chosen to illustrate the book and had a great time doing it. The style was a little looser than some of my other middle-grade work which I think suited the tone of the story.
Future Malc (Bob’s best friend) was my favourite character to draw, probably down to the piercings, octopus tattoos and Viking beard!
I worked on these entirely in photoshop. With middle-grade books, I work entirely in one PSD file with a layer group for each illustration. This helps me stay organised and aware of my progress as I go. It’s also handy for keeping consistency as I can quickly look at completed illustrations as I go.
Here’s a description of the story…
From Amazon page: ‘IT'S DOWN TO BOB TO SAVE THE WORLD . . . ALL HE NEEDS IS TIME!
Bob and his best friend Malcolm are determined to win the school talent competition with their band The Tentacles of Time. For one thing, there's £50 worth of vouchers to be won. For another, the future of the world depends on it.
Bob doesn't know why he can time travel. He does know that it always happens at the worst possible moments. Like when he's in the bath. Awkward! But when Bob comes face to face with his future self in the middle of a disastrous alternative reality, he has to do something!
In this terrifying version of the future, an evil genius has created a smile-operated selfie camera that turns people into zombies. The world as Bob knows it has completely collapsed. There's not even anywhere to get a decent pizza! It's up to Bob to fix the present, change the course of time and save the whole world!
A hair-raising race into the future and back again . . . and again.’
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year 2023!
Happy New year everybody. I’m going old school and firing up a new blog. I like it better than social media, it’s cosy and personal and suits me. I’ll be sharing sketches of different styles I’m working on as well as my commissioned works throughout the year. I will also include some short stories and process posts. Hope you enjoy.