Tilly has arrived!

On Friday I received some very exciting post from Egmont Press...my samples of ‘The Terrible Time Without Tilly’. It’s still so exciting to receive the actual printed copies of any book I have worked on rather than just seeing it on screen. 

I illustrated this very funny story (wonderfully written by Hilary McKay) last year, and its available to order on Amazon now...Click HERE. It’s a humorous story about a girl named Tilly, who never has time to tidy her bedroom because she is too busy helping other people! But she’s had enough, and decides to leave home...but how will her family cope?

My agents over at Advocate have also kindly featured it on their blog. Click HERE to see what they have written.

Moving on...

So as usual I have neglected my blog for a while. However I do actually have a valid reason...we recently moved so I had no internet for a whole 10 days!!!!! “How did I cope?” do I hear you say...well, the iPhone was my life saver! At least I could still keep in touch with clients through email on there. Otherwise I suppose it was quite refreshing not to have the internet...no twitter, no Facebook, no wasting hours looking up rubbish. However it did prove a little tricky when needing to send a client an urgent job they asked me to do...all worked out in the end though, quite nicely in fact.

Anyway, I’ll stop rambling on about that. So I have my new little (teeny weeny tiny) Studio set up now and am feeling much much more relaxed now I can work properly again. I’m playing catch up on a few projects including book covers, books samples for potential new projects and yet more greetings cards (if I can fit them in).


Also, last week I was honoured to be featured on the lovely Sunshine Smiles Publications website. 'Sunshine Smile Publications is dedicated to celebrating children's books and is a fantastic platform to showcase talented creators of children's books & YA fiction.’


They Kindly featured me as one of their showcased Artists. To go to the feature click the Sunshine Smiles logo beneath...

  

Sammy’s Stripes & Lily’s Lost Spots arrive!

I received very exciting post today...my sample copies of Lily’s Lost Spots and Sammy’s Stripes, from the fabulous publishers Caterpillar Books. It feels like such a long time ago since I drew these its great to see them in print.

These samples are the prints for Brazil, hence the foreign text!!!

 The first inside of spread Sammy’s Stripes... 

And the last spread of Sammy’s Stripes...

They’re both on Caterpillar Books website too. Just click the picture below...

Greetings (cards) all round...

Recently alongside more fun book work I have been illustrating lots of greetings cards, which has been a really refreshing change as its something I tend to have less and less time for when I am busy with illustrating books. I have just recently finished off a new 12 card range for the lovely people at ‘Original Poster Company’ so fingers crossed they will be out in the shops sometime soon this year. (And hopefully I’ll be able to share some pics of these soon).

I have also just illustrated various designs for Nigel Quiney and a couple of online companies, as well as just finishing a new xmas range.

Ooh and last week I spotted one of the designs I illustrated last year for 'American Greetings’, its on their website...just click the card below if you want to go to the link. It plays music and everything!! (the card that is, not the website!)

MORE Princesses and Fairies!

A very long time ago (well, actually this time last year, but it feels like a very long time ago) I illustrated four girl’s activity books for the fabulous publishers Igloo Books. And finally they are available to buy...woohoooo! There are two Princess books and two Fairy books, each full of puzzles and activities, as well as fun make-and-do’s. They also contain over 50 stickers and press-out pages to play with. Just a bit of fun and magic for the little girls!


Click the books below to follow the links to their website...

Super Sam is out!

A while back I posted about a fab little story that I was asked to illustrate called ‘Super Sam’ which was written by a very talented 10 year old, and published by Collins Educational. Well, I have exciting news...its now available to buy, on Amazon!

I havent received my copy yet but very much looking forward to seeing it in print. 

Click the cover below to go to the Amazon page.

'Sam is an ordinary dog who likes to sit around and sleep in his basket – but Sam has a secret. When his owners leave the house, he becomes Super Sam! Find out what heroic deeds he performs in this entertaining story.'

Bouncing Books!

Last year I illustrated four little bouncing books for Small World Creations...aptly named ‘Little Bouncers’. And my dinky little set of four books just arrived through the post today...woohaaay!


The books themselves actually bounce, by pushing them down they then pop up and bounce about!


I was really pleased to hear the good news that they have been printed in 6 foreign language editions, those being Brazilian, Slovenian, Russian, French, Croatian and Latvian (shame the only one I can just about decipher is French!) as well as the English and US editions. So they’ll be bouncing all around the world!


They are available to buy on Amazon...just click the titles for each book to go the amazon page for each...

Puppy Pounces

Kitten Skips

Bunny Bounces

Froggy Flips

And here’s some pictures of them (unfortunately I couldn’t quite capture them bouncing!). 

A feature in Art Buyer Magazine

Thanks to my great agents at Advocate I have some of my artwork in the latest edition of Art Buyer Magazine...yippeeeee!


Art Buyer is a magazine for the global art licensing industry, which is published twice a year in January and May. Advocate feature 6 times in the current winter issue...and my illustrations appear on page 31 alongside the talented Marina Fedotova’s work in the article “A Character with Charisma”, written by Edward Burns.


Here’s the images...

And here’s the text...

I’m really very happy to have been featured in it!

And if you fancy looking into Art Buyer a bit more their website can be found here: http://www.artbuyermag.com/

So it’s a bit late...

So it’s a bit late, but better late than never hey...Happy New Year to all!

After a week of being fully back into work I’ve forgotten I even had a christmas break...from what I can remember it was pretty good. Oh and we saw the New Year in dressed as monkeys (a Noah’s ArK themed party!) although woke up the next day with broken ears and a missing tail. oh dear.

Anyway, work wise its been a busy week and looks like the first couple of months of 2012 will remain that way. Currently I have artwork to colour for a new book for Egmont, a calendar to design and more greetings cards to whip up...oooh plus a really great private commission I am working on. So its full steam ahead for 2012...and I hope to be able to post up many more printed books this year that I worked on in 2011. So I’ll try to keep posting on here!

Merry Christmas to all!

Well it’s been a busy week in the lead up to Christmas, trying to get lots of projects to a point where I feel I can leave them for a few days with out panicking about them.

I’ve had roughs to complete, colours to complete, amends to make, cards to paint and new book plans to start...and it feels like I am getting there..fingers crossed, one more day to cram it all in! Having been in my own busy bubble the last few weeks I can’t actually believe its Christmas in three days.

Anyway, I’d just like to say a big Merry Christmas to everyone out there who actually reads my blog, and a big thank you for doing so too! 

Now where's christmas cake...?

A few bits and bobs

So I’m still busy as ever (and thankful for it too), but looking forward to a much needed few days off over Christmas. However at the moment I have my head buried in pencil work for a new book with Egmont Publishing - another great story from them!

Also, a couple of weeks ago I completed all the artwork for two picture books I have been working on for Igloo Books and happily got the thumbs up on it all last week. So I was very happy indeed.
They’re really funny stories, one set in a jungle about a very troubled little Elephant, the other set in a farmyard about a troublesome Cockerel upsetting his neighbours!

I can’t disclose much more than that but for now here’s a little peak of the worried little elephant character (something’s stuck up his trunk!!!).

I know I’ve already mentioned that the Treasuries are now available to buy, but I’ve seen they are also available on Amazon...so if you did want the links here they are...

Princess Stories: CLICK TO BUY ON AMAZON

Ballerina Stories: CLICK TO BUY ON AMAZON

AND...I received my copies in the post - yay!

So here’s a few piccies of the insides of Princess Stories (please excuse the poor photography - I’m blaming the bad winter light!)....

The Treasuries are out!

At the beginning of this year I took on a job that I was both really excited about being asked to do but also just a little scared about...it was to illustrate two Treasuries for girls compiling of 160 illustrated pages in each, so 320 pages of illustrations in total, in not too longer time. The biggest job I had taken on yet!

So, having manically completed two 1001 sticker books in January I then began work on the Treasuries in February. My head was full of pinks and purples and I pretty much breathed, ate and slept ballerinas and princesses for the first four months of this year.  Oh and I was basically a caffeine-fuelled sugar-boosted working zombie. However, it really was a fabulous project to take on and I really learnt a lot about my own illustration work whilst in the process.

And now months late I have spotted that they are available for sale. Woohooooo!

I have only seen them on one online shop for now, but am awaiting my own copies from the publisher and cannot wait to see them actually printed.

If you fancy taking a peek or why not even purchasing them (they could make a great christmas present for any little princesses or budding ballerinas out there!!!) just click the pictures below for the sales link.

Both Treasuries contain 16 really sweet and fun stories including Princesses and their magical flying horses and Ballet dancers trying to save their school from closure!

I hope to post up some photos of the books soon...

Thanks Teddington Town

I was very pleased to see that I have been featured on ‘Teddington Town’s website. The site is a great source for local news, events & information and they have featured me on their ‘Art Update’ alongside Lizz Knutt, the Architects Gallery,  Mackenzie Gallery and The Landmark Arts Centre.

Click here to see: http://teddingtontown.co.uk/2011/11/23/art-update/

Thanks very much Teddington Town!!!

More Xmas Card Spotting

It’s fast approaching Christmas  and so recently I’ve been snooping around the xmas displays in WHSmiths and was very happy to see two of my Xmas Card designs available to buy now.

The 12 Days of Christmas is a charity card pack with donations going to Tommy’s Charity. And the Mice designs are part of a two design box set. It’s a bit early to be saying this...but hey ho...Happy Christmas!

Photos of just the cards below...

Feeling pretty tired

I now have a Facebook Page!

Marcel is pleased to now announce that I have finally created a Facebook page for my Illustration. I’m not sure if I have just added another thing for me to keep up to date and add to the ‘to do list’ but hopefully I’ll be a bit quicker at updating this one!

To see my page or ‘Like’ it...

Charity Xmas Cards in Oxfam

As I whizzed past the window of my local Oxfam something familiar caught my eye...of course it was one of the packs of the Charity Xmas Cards that I illustrated!

So if you fancy buying Christmas cards this year that will be sure to donate to a good cause then these might be worth a buy...(wink wink, nudge nudge)...

They’re also available to buy online at Oxfam. Here’s the link...Charity Xmas Cards

Little Shakers...available to buy!

Just a quick post to say the ‘Little Shakers’ books that I illustrated for Igloo Books are available to buy on Amazon. YAY!

For Noisy Jungle click here: NOISY JUNGLE

For Noisy Farm click here: NOISY FARM

Something that makes me giggle...

Ok, apologies first, I know it’s been a while since I have properly written on here, but as usual I never seem to have a spare minute. I have been busy working on Puzzle samples, Book samples, Fathers Day cards, new Christmas cards for WHSmith and illustrating two very funny childrens books for the lovely Igloo Books. I’d love to share a few of the illustrations but as they are very much work in progress I can’t share anything with you just yet. 

So all I have to give you for now is this very funny picture below, that I found on the web. Any time I get tired with work I just look at the little girls face...I can't tell if she’s laughing or screaming, but either way it makes me giggle so much...happy laughing!

I’m cold.

All I really have to say is...

Feeling a bit dizzy!

Sooooooooooooooooo much going on right now I’m feeling just a bit dizzy. 

Juggling a zillion different projects for a gajillion different clients which is calling for me to be uber-organised. At the moment its just leaving stars spinning round my head.

Not complaining though of course! Right...back to the ink pot...

Another Puzzle Available To Buy!

It’s that exciting time again when finally something I have illustrated a loooooooong time ago appears in the shops. This time it’s the dinky double-sided Pet’s Pocket Puzzle which is exclusive to Marks and Spencer. 

To order online or just have a peek click this link: Marks-and-Spencer-Pocket-Puzzle

Here’s a slightly bigger snapshot of the two sides of this puzzle... 

A much needed break...

Just thought I’d share a couple of pics from my holiday in Portinatx, a beautiful and peaceful spot on northern coast of Ibiza. 

After a week of burning hot sun it was a bit of a shock to the system coming back to rainy old England. 

Although, perhaps its a blessing really...it just means I can stay in my dry and (relatively) warm studio and get on with all the many illustration projects I have on the go. So back to the drawing board it is for me...