Sun is shining. Weather is sweet. Make you wanna move your dancing feet.....

It’s July my birthday month! Here is a  little character dancing, which  I did today for my new web site currently being designed.

I last posted in cold  wet February and lots of interesting things have happened since then, which I will post about next month.  I also have a new blog address (technical Google issues I don’t understand!).

I had a crazy, yet fantastic time at the Bologna Children’s Book fair in March where I showed my work and came home fired up, with great feedback,  if somewhat shattered. My luggage was laden with visual goodies .. namely Beatrice Alemagna’s new picture book   ‘i cinque malfatti’. This is a stunning  book  with breath taking layouts and colours. Every time I look at it, it brings a smile to my face.

As for me,  I have been told I have become a hermit.. because I am always at home, either  writing or drawing. But I am a very happy hermit as I love what I do!

I am  currently working on two picture book projects for my Masters for the MA in Children’s Book Illustration in Cambridge. One was  inspired by the floods on a three hr train journey from Salisbury to Cambridge, as I looked out at the soaking landscape from the window. Below are Billy and Bob having fun in the endless rain, before things go wrong.

The other project is about a spider  monkey – inspired by my favourite childhood toy monkey (I was clearly not a doll girl) whom I discovered in our attic recently, a little moth eaten!  I took myself off to Marwell Zoo for a day sketching real monkeys – such entertaining creatures to watch. Here is one of my first character sketches, informed from those observational drawings at Marwell Zoo.

 And to end on.. here is another sketch from a summery day in my work room. Have a great July!