I've been playing around with different ways to colour black and white images and I've found a nice digital brush that I like.  It's a lot faster than my usual method so that's a bonus.  Here are a few of my experiments.

Welcome to Hartlepool

This is my competition entry based around the story of the Hartlepool monkey.  Being a children's writer I wanted a happier ending to my story.  I wondered what would happen if a monkey spy really washed ashore and set out to infiltrate a town.

The Hartlepool Monkey

The AOI has collaborated with The Northern Illustration Prize looking for works around the theme of 'monkey' but more specifically in response to the story of the Hartlepool monkey, if you choose.

I've made a comic for my entry.  Here are a few of the panels, in no particular order.

I'll post the full comic once the competition closes.

A little sketch

CKG 2019

I was really thrilled this week to learn that the The Station Mouse has been nominated for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2019 alongside so many other incredible books so a massive thank you to whoever nominated it.

I'm delighted to see so many friends listed, to see some of my favourites this year being recognised and to discover the books that somehow passed me by.  All picked by children's librarians.  You can see the full list here  and don't forget to check out the CILIP Carnegie Medal nominees too.

What better way to celebrate than with a good book?

Stranger by the Sea

Here's my entry for the Observer/Cape/Comica graphic short story prize 2018.  

It was shortlisted and is on display at Orbital Comics until November 18.

One inch squared

Last month House of Illustration issued a Drawing A Day challenge on Twitter inspired by John Vernon Lord.  The drawings were to be 1 inch by 1 inch, one per day.  I looked upon the challenge as a chance to limit myself to one pencil and to only do one version of each drawing: they weren't to be perfect or corrected.  As usual, I ended up with a narrative.  You'll notice I only have 16 and didn't complete the full month but here they are...

Here is the full set

I decided to colour this one properly