Autumnal characters and Old Artwork

Autumn marks the end of summer and out with the old fading flowers and greenery and in with the rich coloured, falling leaves and berries. It also marks a transition for me as an artist as I will be entering the real, face to face art world rather than sitting in my little tower painting away.  I am sat facing some beautiful white berries hanging over from my neighbour's garden.  I wonder what they are?

I have been looking through all my old work and having a big sort out.... An autumnal clean.

It's very strange to look at old work as it triggers a variety of emotions... mainly OMG!!!! Did I really paint like that? I have obviously developed my style as I used to be a lot more looser with big paint strokes and I had the goggly one eye bigger than the other stage. 

Old painted artwork alongside new sketches

Looking through I found lots of old character ideas that I never fully developed and my mind has been filled with more ideas.  I definitely need a big board in my studio to organise this mind of mine as it never stops these days!   I would love one of them magnetic glass ones which you can write on too :-) I have found some great board organisers on Pinterest so I might actually make one!

I found these little gems I had painted (above) and decided to do some new and improved characters based on my old idea.

Ready to be painted!!! Check out the chewed pencil and eraser courtesy of Alice the chihuahua!

So as I am sat here on a bleak, drizzly day with a brewing cold I decided to brighten up my day and upcycle some old characters and there is a picture book magically forming in my head with cute characters set in an autumnal scene of rich colours.  The little characters are based on the natural forms of plants and already have names.

I'm looking forward to painting the little cuties this afternoon!

Happy Autumn to you all

Seven Stories

I have been wanting to visit the Seven Stories - national centre for children's books in Newcastle for ages and I was lucky to be taken to see it on my last visit to see my cousins, Jane and James.

It was everything and more.  The exhibitions were like stepping into your favourite children's books and made me feel like a kid again. I even had a go a being Alice, Little Red Riding Hood and Mr Fox! It was so inspiring to see authors and illustrator's work up close and personal and I loved seeing all the sketchbooks and work in progress.

Oliver Jeffers

Oliver Jeffers

 It was great to see all the children reading the books and becoming interactive with the characters, dressing up and discovering new worlds of fancy.  One minute you are going through a rabbit hole and the next you are transformed into a borrower sitting on a giant cotton reel.

Shaun Tan - The Lost Thing

Dummy Book - Quentin Blake

Quentin Blake

   

Axel Scheffler

The Borrowers

Love mustard!!!

Quentin Blake

Lauren Child

So many dummy books!

As always I had to go into the attached bookstore and was so happy and excited to see the book I illustrated The Three little Pigs for Ladybird Books.  I have never seen it in any bookstore before so it made my day!

My book in the Seven Stories Bookstore

       Seven Stories is so inspirational for both adults and children and I would highly recommend it!!!

Yum Yum!  I LOVE BOOKS!