Extremely Gruntled

Here they are -- the two new books of mine from Scholastic, Make It! Robot and Make It! Rocket. 

It occurred to me that this might be the only occasion I'll be able to say "I had two books published today." To have one book published is an event. To have two published on the same day is really pretty unusual, even if the books are very closely related.

Sometimes as I grind through a mountain of artwork or sweat over a text or have a cherished project rejected, it's easy to become disgruntled with working in the publishing industry. Then they publish stuff of yours and the world seems a better place.  This week it's safe to say that, just for the time being at any rate, I'm extremely gruntled.

No Line!

I've just received the proof copy of a book I wrote and illustrated for OUP earlier in the year -- a re-telling of the Elves and the Shoemaker. It was a bit of a departure for me because I decided to do away with a holding line, which for a long time has been the way I've preferred to work in Photoshop. I rather liked the result. The pictures felt fresher somehow.

I think a dissatisfaction with your own style is something that most illustrators feel at some point or other, and I've certainly jumped about more than most in an attempt to find a perfect formula. This approach made me re-examine the way I added shadow and texture, and I even found myself drawing the roughs in a slightly different way, aware that I could do more than usual with elements such as candle light... if that makes any sense. Anyway, I felt I was using a different part of my brain, which was enjoyable!

Dog Did It! out today!

I'm pleased to announce that "Dog Did It!" is released today! It's written by Lynne Garner, illustrated by me and published by Piccadilly Press. The story is about a troll who eats too much green worm soup and tries to shift the blame for the ensuing series of farts onto his pet dog. But Dog doesn't like being the fall guy and plots revenge...

We're working on a sequel at the moment. Look out for previews at the Bologna Book Fair.

Here's a double-page spread of Boris the Troll guzzling his green worms. Yum!

Dinosaurs of Doom Out Now!

The Dinosaurs of Doom have been released onto an unsuspecting world! The book, complete with Mega Pop-up, rampaging armoured dinosaurs, mad scientists and general mayhem has just been published and is in the shops now! Thanks once more to Hannah Ray and all at Macmillan's Children's Books. Go Time Pirates!

New Book

This is the cover of the book I've recently finished illustrating -- 'Dog Did It!' It's written by Lynne Garner and published by Piccadilly Press.
It concerns a small troll called Boris who loves green worm soup rather more than he should do, because it has disastrous effects on his digestive system. Boris continually blames Dog for the inevitable smelly emissions, until Dog manages to get his own back. So, all the big themes of literature are covered... friendship, betrayal and farting.
I was quite pleased with the hairy finish I managed to give the trolls. Last I heard it should be in the shops early 2011.