I've been quite the party animal this year: this time last week, I went to yet another publisher's party in London. I've never felt so loved! It was my first invitation from Andersen Press, who published my latest, Bears on the Stairs.
I met up with the Bears on the Stairs' author, Julia Jarman, at a pub round the corner to the party, so we could have a quick chat about new project ideas, then go together. I arrived first, but the pub we'd chosen was so full, I couldn't sit down. I felt a lemon just hovering on my own, so went outside (in the COLD!) to wait for Julia, and sketched through the window:
Luckily, she was only 10 minutes, but I had to draw wearing my fingerless gloves!It was a really nice evening. I met up with various other author and illustrator friends, like Mei Matsuoka, whose work I love. She illustrated the wonderful Great Dog Bottom Swap, written by Peter Bently, who also wrote my book A Lark in the Ark. Peter had come all the way up from Devon to be there. Luckily for all us long-distance travellers, Andersen Press provided a proper hot dinner for everyone too, with apple crumble & custard for pud (yum!)
Of course, I've only just come back from my previous jolly in London, but this time I also had the expense of an overnight stay in a London hotel, so I decided to help justify my extravagance by setting up a work meeting while I was there.
Remember that new story idea I began re-working for Gullane, when I got back from the SCBWI conference? Well, I filled 3
2 Comments on Partying at Night, Nail-Biting next Morning, last added: 12/21/2010
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 12/2/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Stinky, Julia Jarman, Class Two at the Zoo, Bookaboo, TV, media, Add a tag
If you tuned into CiTV on Nov 15th to see maisie Smith reading Stinky! on Bookaboo, you might have been confused to find Julia Jarman's book, Kisses Are Yuk! on instead.
Sorry about that - turns out that the Powers-That-Be changed the schedule dates, so it was on the following day instead. Duh! Hopefully you enjoyed Kisses Are Yuk! just as much (well, hopefully not quite as much...).
Anyway, if the shake-up meant you didn't manage to catch Stinky! the first time round, he is on again TODAY at 12.00pm and 3.15pm.
The episode is also repeated on Monday Dec 20th, Thursday Jan 6th at the same times, and then on Sunday Jan 16th on ITV1 at 7.10am.
And not only that: if you live down-under in Oz, you can see both series 1 and 2 of Bookaboo on ABC2 on weekends at 08:00 from 4th December through to mid January, and on weekdays at 09:40 from 7th December. Which means you get to see the hunky Robson Green read Class Two at the Zoo as well!
So, no excuse for missing it this time!
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 11/3/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: storytelling, workshop, pencil, festival, Julia Jarman, sketching on the train, Add a tag
On Saturday, I flew my broomstick to Wem in Shropshire for the Wordwise Festival. It was very hard sketching these people while keeping my balance, not least because they were travelling by the boring-old train instead!
I met friend and author Julia Jarman there, and we did a storytelling together in the morning in the lovely art's centre they have built in Wem's old town hall.
We spent most of the time on our newest collaboration, Bears on the Stairs, but we also managed to cram both Class Two at the Zoo and Class Three all at Sea into the 1.5 hour session. We've developed a good technique, taking turns, with one of us acting and getting the kids doing sound effects, while the other reads.
We never feature our 4th book, Kangaroos Cancan Cafe any more, which is a shame, but it's gone out of print (an even greater shame). I do occasionally still read it in schools though, because it's so much fun to get everyone doing the cancan!
After lunch (yummy pasta in the foyer cafe), we split for separate workshops, and I spoke to 15 slightly older children for an hour, followed by a practical workshop, sharing drawing techniques and hot tips for creating movement.
It was a lovely, mild and sunny day, which you might think a good thing, except the heating was set for deep winter and it was one of those irritating buildings where you can't turn off the radiators and all windows are sealed, so we were all stuck in equatorial temperatures and had no choice but to slowly melt.
By: Lynne Chapman,
on 9/30/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: publisher, illustration, publishing, advances, artwork, pastels, roughs, characterisation, Julia Jarman, Bears on the Stairs, hot tip, Add a tag
Here is the 2nd part of the interview I did recently about illustrating picture books.
In this film I talk about how I plan a book and I look in detail at some of the specific challenges presented by my latest picture book, Bears on the Stairs. I also talk about how I am paid, explaining what 'advances' are and how they work.
(if you missed the first half of the interview, click here)
If you found this video interesting or helpful, there are two further filmed interviews coming up, about how I became an illustrator and about keeping a sketchbook.
If you are interested in becoming a children's book illustrator yourself, my post about how to create the best folio of work should help.
If you would like more hot tips on drawing, you might like this, about sketching people.
If you are a published illustrator looking for tips on doing school visits, try this.
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
3 Comments on The Nuts and Bolts of the Job, last added: 9/30/2010
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 3/4/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Julia Jarman, sketching on the train, storytelling, school, talk, workshop, World Book Day, sketchbook, Add a tag
Over 13 million £1 book tokens have been distributed to school children across the UK, because today is World Book Day, and the biggest annual celebration of books and reading in the UK. Hurray!
Which is why I've been invited into so many schools this week...
Monday: I kicked off with a day at Roundthorne Primary in Oldham. I took the train across the Pennines and did these sketches on the way. It started off really misty but burned off into a lovely, sunny day, which makes it a fantastically beautiful run, though I spent most of it with my nose in my sketchbook, as you can see.
Tuesday: closer to home, at a dinky little village school: Barlow Primary. A lovely, varied day and lots of fun. The finale was a drawing demo for all the juniors, giving away the drawings as prizes for children to take home. Thank you so much to Mrs Wolstenholme and Mrs Broad for giving me a lift to school and bringing me home.
Wednesday: in the studio, catching up and catching my breath - phew!
Today / Friday / Saturday: off again, at 6.30am, back across the Pennines to Tameside, to visit Yew Tree Primary. By the time you read this, I will be giving it my all, with a PowerPoint lecture to all the older children.
But instead of coming home at the end, I'm taking a train directly to Bedford, where I am staying a couple of nights with friend and author Julia Jarman, and doing 2 further days of events down that way.All being well, I should finally return home about 6.30 on Saturday night. I'll fill you in on the gossip about all that later (if I have any energy left!). Don't think I'll be out on the town that evening, do you?
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 1/27/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Julia Jarman, Class Three All At Sea, Class Two at the Zoo, Kangaroos Cancan Cafe, libraries, storytelling, festival, Add a tag
Remember Corby's crazy Big Draw event in October? They have invited me back for their Play on Words Festival in March so, if you missed out last time, you have another chance to catch a storytelling.
And this one will be EXTRA SPECIAL, because I will be doing the events together with Julia Jarman, author of Class Two at the Zoo, Class Three all at Sea and Kangaroo's Cancan Cafe!Now, anyone who has met either of us will know that we are both inclined towards over-excitement, so, when we get together it's very lively and a lot of fun. As well as the stories, there will be pirate songs and cancan dancing, and everyone will get to draw, including me of course!
If you want to join us, we will be performing on March 6th at Corby Library.
There will be 2 identical shows, aimed at 4 - 8 yr olds, from 11.00 - 12.30 and 1.30 - 3.00. Events are free, but you need to book a place by calling 01526 203 304, where you can also find out about all the other fun things that are going on for the festival, all over town: as well as loads of lovely storytelling, you can make a Gruffalo from felt, or weaving a story in willow - sounds fascinating!
There will be 2 identical shows, aimed at 4 - 8 yr olds, from 11.00 - 12.30 and 1.30 - 3.00. Events are free, but you need to book a place by calling 01526 203 304, where you can also find out about all the other fun things that are going on for the festival, all over town: as well as loads of lovely storytelling, you can make a Gruffalo from felt, or weaving a story in willow - sounds fascinating!
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
1 Comments on Come to Corby!, last added: 1/28/2010
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 11/22/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: storytelling, workshop, festival, Julia Jarman, Lydia Monks, Steve Cole, libraries, Add a tag
Yes, there were real-life celebs staying at our hotel in Stockton, and not just the literary types we expected. I was rather disappointed that it had to be Jeremy Clarkson (who I don't even like) and the team from Top Gear (that I don't even watch). Still, a tad surreal to be drinking at the same bar with them, all the same.It was Gala Dinner night of the Northern Children's Book Festival, and a lovely occasion. All the authors, illustrators and organisers had a really nice meal together, and then just hung-out and chatted in the hotel bar, getting to know new people and catching up with old friends.
It was great to chin-wag with friends Julia Jarman and Lydia Monks, but I also met Steve Cole (author of the best-selling Astrosaurs series) for the first time, who was great fun.
I was thrilled to meet author / illustrator Jan Fearnley too. I love her Mr Wolf books. We were all having such a nice time, we didn't get to bed until well after midnight.
Next morning, we were up bright and early(ish) to strut our stuff for the big Gala Day. Kids came from miles around in huge numbers (many in fancy dress) and a great time was had by all.
As well as all the different author events, and the bookshop with authors signing until their hands fell off, there were actors running around dressed as Heroes and Villains (the theme of the day), so you were likely to get whisked into an adventure with Robin Hood. Plus, all the libraries in the region manned stalls (dressed as pirates, knights in armour, damsels in distress....) where children could do craft activities or get their faces painted.
I was told one little boy refused to go home at the end, because it was 'the best party ever!'.
I took my camera, but was so busy all day, that I completely forgot to get it out - sorry folks! And I was kept company on the train home by Lydia and Steve, which was lovely, but meant I didn't do a single drawing either. I did a few on the way up, but I'll share those with you next week, when I tell you about my other adventures 'up North'...
It was great to chin-wag with friends Julia Jarman and Lydia Monks, but I also met Steve Cole (author of the best-selling Astrosaurs series) for the first time, who was great fun.
I was thrilled to meet author / illustrator Jan Fearnley too. I love her Mr Wolf books. We were all having such a nice time, we didn't get to bed until well after midnight.Next morning, we were up bright and early(ish) to strut our stuff for the big Gala Day. Kids came from miles around in huge numbers (many in fancy dress) and a great time was had by all.
As well as all the different author events, and the bookshop with authors signing until their hands fell off, there were actors running around dressed as Heroes and Villains (the theme of the day), so you were likely to get whisked into an adventure with Robin Hood. Plus, all the libraries in the region manned stalls (dressed as pirates, knights in armour, damsels in distress....) where children could do craft activities or get their faces painted.
I was told one little boy refused to go home at the end, because it was 'the best party ever!'.
I took my camera, but was so busy all day, that I completely forgot to get it out - sorry folks! And I was kept company on the train home by Lydia and Steve, which was lovely, but meant I didn't do a single drawing either. I did a few on the way up, but I'll share those with you next week, when I tell you about my other adventures 'up North'...
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 11/19/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Julia Jarman, storytelling, festival, Add a tag
I packed my bags again on Tuesday, but I've not earned another holiday quite yet: I am spending 4 days working in Durham, as part of the Northern Children's Book Festival.
I really enjoy the social element of the NCBF: instead of a lonely hotel room somewhere, a meal for one with a book, followed by sitting on the bed to watch rubbish TV (pause to wipe a tear...), all the authors and illustrators at the NCBF are put up in the same hotel. It's so lovely meeting new people, and each evening we get to have dinner together.
We're shipped out every morning to a different area in the region, to work in various libraries or schools, before being dropped back again at the end of the day.
I took the train up on Tuesday afternoon and started my visits in Hartlepool on Wednesday, then Durham today, S. Tyneside on Friday. I'll be up there until Saturday night though, because Saturday is a wee bit special: a climax to the festival called Gala Day.
There is a big Gala Dinner the night before in Stockton, with everyone involved, then we all strut our stuff the following day. I will be doing events with Julia Jarman on Gala Day. We've done this several times now, and it's always good fun and rather mad. We had a great time together in Edinburgh.
I'll report back next week, hopefully with some photos. In the meantime, these sketches were done on Monday, on my way to and from Lisburne School in Stockport. Hello to everyone there and thanks for inviting me to visit. It was lovely meeting you all!see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 8/20/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: storytelling, festivals, Peter Bently, Julia Jarman, Lydia Monks, Add a tag
Hello! I am at this moment sitting in the Author's Yurt at the Edinburgh Festival. It's a big tent, sort of a cross between an igloo and a tepee, where we can hang out between events. There is coffee (and wine!) on tap and they even supply freebie sandwiches.
My events are now all done. They went really well and I'm having a lovely time. It was great fun working with Peter Bently and Julia Jarman again - our sessions together were chaotic but hilarious (no real rehearsal time, as we live at opposite ends of the country).
I have been looked after really well by my publishers, who took me out for gorgeous meals the last couple of evenings (thanks guys!). I've been to a talk by Ian Rankin, and another by the wonderful Gerald Scarfe. For the first time ever, I met Simon Puttock, author of Big Bad Wolf is Good and I also sat in on the storytelling by my good friend Lydia Monks.
It's been REALLY windy and because the whole thing is done from inside tents, it feels like we could all be whisked away at any moment! It's mostly not rained in the end, but then the skies opened this morning, which of course gets rather noisy on the tent roof when you are reading stories! But the sun has just come out, so I think I will wander into town and see what is happening at the Fringe. Just got to sample another sandwich first...
My events are now all done. They went really well and I'm having a lovely time. It was great fun working with Peter Bently and Julia Jarman again - our sessions together were chaotic but hilarious (no real rehearsal time, as we live at opposite ends of the country).
I have been looked after really well by my publishers, who took me out for gorgeous meals the last couple of evenings (thanks guys!). I've been to a talk by Ian Rankin, and another by the wonderful Gerald Scarfe. For the first time ever, I met Simon Puttock, author of Big Bad Wolf is Good and I also sat in on the storytelling by my good friend Lydia Monks.
It's been REALLY windy and because the whole thing is done from inside tents, it feels like we could all be whisked away at any moment! It's mostly not rained in the end, but then the skies opened this morning, which of course gets rather noisy on the tent roof when you are reading stories! But the sun has just come out, so I think I will wander into town and see what is happening at the Fringe. Just got to sample another sandwich first...
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
7 Comments on Live From Edinburgh!, last added: 8/23/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 8/1/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: roughs, Julia Jarman, Bears on the Stairs, illustration, Editor, publisher, drawing, Add a tag
Well, what a relief! The response to my Bear on the Stairs roughs has been really good: hardly any changes at all. Hurrah!!
Both Rona, the Editor at Anderson Press, and Julia Jarman, the author, were very complimentary and feel I have got things pretty much right. This is brilliant news, as it's quite a tight artwork deadline, so no major redraws will save a bit of time.Julia liked that cat idea and suggested introducing him into as many spreads as possible, so I'll sort that out, like above, which is from the page where he tries to bribe the biggest bear.
Both Rona and Julia prefer the versions without the little vignettes, so we'll be going with the boy looking through the banisters at koala instead (now with added cat in arms):
And just the big bear on his own in the spread that comes next, rather than as previously:
Julia made other interesting suggestions. Unfortunately many weren't practical to draw without creating new problems. For instance, for the page above, Julia suggested looking up the stairs from the bottom, over the boy's head, to the bear looming at the top, his big shadow up the wall.
This sounds good, but of course we'd then see the other two bears, which would be confusing.
Also, you may remember some of the difficulties I had getting the big bear large enough on the page. I sat him down in the spread above, because standing forced him to be much smaller in a landscape spread. In Julia's idea, looking up the stairs with Bear at the top, perspective will make him a great deal smaller still.
Being smaller also diffuses Big Bear's ability to 'loom'. I hit this issue once before, drawing the Mule School image above. The text originally had Stomper's friends peering up at him 'looming' down from the cliff above.
We had to change the wording and rework the whole page, because it is impossible to 'loom' at a distance.I enjoyed drawing the boy holding the cat above, but was frustrated that you couldn't see most of it, as it looked really cute. So I've done this one too, which hopefully we can use somewhere, maybe on the back cover.
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
5 Comments on My Bears Feedback is Here!, last added: 8/3/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 7/20/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: publisher, illustration, roughs, Julia Jarman, Anderson Press, Bears on the Stairs, Add a tag
Today I emailed my finished drawings for Bears on the Stairs to the Editor at Anderson Press. Hurray!!
This was the last one left to draw (although confusingly for you guys, it's from the middle of the story):
Once the spreads were all designed, I went back through them, redrawing, tidying them up and tweaking details. For instance, here are 'before and after' versions of spread 5 (that I initially talked about a while ago):
The team at Anderson will also forward everything to Julia Jarman, the author. Feedback can take anything from a week to 3 weeks. Sometimes there are only tweakings to be done, sometimes radical changes. I'll let you know what they say. Cross fingers...
I will have a think about ideas for the front cover of the book while I wait to hear.
The team at Anderson will also forward everything to Julia Jarman, the author. Feedback can take anything from a week to 3 weeks. Sometimes there are only tweakings to be done, sometimes radical changes. I'll let you know what they say. Cross fingers...
I will have a think about ideas for the front cover of the book while I wait to hear.
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
2 Comments on Yahoo! The Roughs Are Done!, last added: 7/23/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 7/16/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: illustration, drawing, roughs, layout, Julia Jarman, Bears on the Stairs, Add a tag
I've just drawn Bears On the Stairs spread 6: where the child bribes his way past the nose-picking koala with a glass of milk:
I like the simplicity of not having the doors showing through the banisters, so I'm wondering whether I can get away with just the floral wallpaper or, probably better, cutting the background altogether and having plain colour. We'll see.It wasn't until I posted the illustration here that I realised the stairs were way too steep, so I've rotated everything a little (which has given me room to enlarge things slightly too - always good!):
A minor thing, but I'm wondering if Julia might consider changing 'get' to 'give', which would makes slightly better sense with the image...
A minor thing, but I'm wondering if Julia might consider changing 'get' to 'give', which would makes slightly better sense with the image...see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
3 Comments on Finally Getting Past the Koala!, last added: 7/16/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 7/14/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: illustration, drawing, roughs, layout, Julia Jarman, Bears on the Stairs, Add a tag
Going back to start work on spread 3 (where we get to meet the fat koala for the first time) I've hit a new problem...
Julia's text goes: 'In the middle there's a fat one with big, biffy paws. Mummy says there isn't.' so I was busy sketching the child and koala together on the stairs, much like this following page (only still half way up, where koala lives).
Julia's text goes: 'In the middle there's a fat one with big, biffy paws. Mummy says there isn't.' so I was busy sketching the child and koala together on the stairs, much like this following page (only still half way up, where koala lives).
Then suddenly it struck me - how did the child get past the little bear we have just seen on the previous page, commandeering the bottom step?
And I realised it wasn't just a problem for spread 3 - how did he get past the koala to be in the following image (the one at the top) meeting Big Bear? Uh-oh. We discover how he bribes the bears later, but don't know that yet.
I had a thought: perhaps the child could be peering through the banisters, so he hasn't had to pass little bear at all:
But now it makes even less sense that he would suddenly find himself at the top of the stairs for spread 4!
I could leave the child out of spread 4 altogether, but the bear won't easily fill the space, unless perhaps I lay him down. Another possibility is to include the child as a little vignette within the spread, telling the reader about the bears without actually being there: sort of 'reportage':
If I do this for the big bear page, I think I'll have to do it for koala too, otherwise it would be too weird, but there's plenty of space under the text...
What do you think? I rather like the vignettes, but will show Anderson Press both ideas, and let them decide which works best.
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
8 Comments on Another Tricky One With the Bears..., last added: 7/15/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 7/11/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: roughs, layout, Julia Jarman, Bears on the Stairs, illustration, drawing, Add a tag
Remember how Joanna's feedback helped me to see my doors weren't working? Well, turns out that re-hanging the door in spread 1 had a major knock-on effect for spread 2...
Julia's text here says: 'On the bottom step there's a little one, but he's very fierce and growly. Mummy doesn't believe me.'
Ages ago, when I first looked through the project, I did the above sketch sheet of ideas for this page. A bit later on, I worked it up to this drawing:
I didn't want to take us out into the hall too early: I wanted a transition spread with the child still with Mum, telling her about the bear, which we now see properly.
The touble was, I could find no way to fit this drawing into the layout, without the composition being very one-sided, or the gutter running through the characters and losing any workable space for the text. But, once I rehung the door the other way, it all fell into place:
So thank you Joanna again!
As you can see, the cat fits quite neatly into the picture. Not sure of the best position for the text on the right - the publisher can decide.
As you can see, the cat fits quite neatly into the picture. Not sure of the best position for the text on the right - the publisher can decide.
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
1 Comments on Joanna Saves the Day Again!, last added: 7/13/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 7/7/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: illustration, roughs, Julia Jarman, Bears on the Stairs, Add a tag
Remember Julia's last line: '...but they get them on the way down!' This is a rework of that spread:
Note the cat's now in, plus pictures on the wall and a narrower staircase to before:
But though a funny punchline, we've decided it's just too scary a note to end on: we don't want kids having nightmares.What to do? Julia suggested combining two earlier spreads to free up an extra page, allowing me space for an additional final picture, to bring things to a happier conclusion.
I toyed with the child rescuing Mum and Dad: a happy end plus a conquering of fears. But though easy to do given 2 images, it wasn't really possible to get from the image above to happiness and safety in just one picture.
So we decided to finish with the child tucked up in bed, now the bears are gone, as above, with his 3 teddies: obviously the same three bears.
It does still save the parents, since the imaginary bears disappear once they reappear as real teddies. I thought I'd show Mum and Dad looking round the door though, just to reassure the reader that everyone is fine!
I thought the cat would likely be thinking about joining in on the comfort...
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
5 Comments on A Tricky Dilemma to Tackle..., last added: 7/10/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 7/1/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: illustration, drawing, roughs, layout, Julia Jarman, Bears on the Stairs, Mr Strongmouse and the Baby, Add a tag
We're a good way through the story by this stage. Mum and Dad refuse to believe about the Bears on the Stairs. Julia Jarman's text for this spread is: 'Mummy says it's my imagination. Have you cleaned your teeth? It's past your bedtime. Go on. Upstairs.'
Since the first two spreads of the book take place in the living room, I thought for visual variety I would take Mum into the kitchen, to make a drink for her and Dad.
As you might have noticed, I'm also considering introducing a family cat (Maddy's influence?):
A pet provides another form of interaction with the bears. I invented a cat in Mr Strongmouse and the Baby:
He was handy for sort of representing our eyes on the action, reacting to events in our stead, and so adding another dimension, as well as something for children to spot:
In the Bears spread, in an echo of page 1, I originally had the koala through the open door making faces at the child, but because the door is between them, the child couldn't appreciate it. The cat on the other hand works fine.
A pet provides another form of interaction with the bears. I invented a cat in Mr Strongmouse and the Baby:
He was handy for sort of representing our eyes on the action, reacting to events in our stead, and so adding another dimension, as well as something for children to spot:
In the Bears spread, in an echo of page 1, I originally had the koala through the open door making faces at the child, but because the door is between them, the child couldn't appreciate it. The cat on the other hand works fine.
The banisters are proving to be a real pain though.
They are always getting in the way. It took ages to get the koala visible enough through the gaps for his position to be readable.
They are always getting in the way. It took ages to get the koala visible enough through the gaps for his position to be readable.
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
8 Comments on Nobody Believes Me!, last added: 7/19/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 6/22/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: storytelling, festival, Stinky, Lark in the Ark, Peter Bently, Julia Jarman, Class Three All At Sea, Class Two at the Zoo, Lydia Monks, Add a tag
Some good news - the programme for the Edinburgh Festival is finally published, so I can tell you what I'm up to, without getting my knuckles rapped!I'm really excited, as I've not been invited to Edinburgh for several years and then suddenly I'm asked to do 3 different events at once!
I start on Weds August 19th at 10am, with a re-run of Hay's A Lark in the Ark storytelling, with Peter Bently in our snazzy T-shirts.
After lunch it's another joint event, with author Julia Jarman, reading Class Three All at Sea and Class Two at the Zoo, at 1.30pm. We did a similar event a while ago in Lichfield, which was hilarious. You can see some photos in the Picture Gallery.I have the rest of that day free to visit other events. I rather fancy a talk by Neil Gaiman, as I love his wonderfully dark work, and Gerald Scarfe is a must.
Next morning, on Thursday 20th at 10am, I am doing a storytelling on my own (though I will be kept company by Stinky! the baby warthog and his swarm of flies). There will of course be all the usual silliness, plus smelly songs and pongy drawings.All my events are suitable for 4 - 8 yrs and cost £4. Tickets go on sale today. If you want to book a place visit the festival site or call 0845 373 5888.
By happy coincidence, my good friend Lydia Monks, also based in Sheffield, is doing events on the same days, reading her new book Eeeek, Mouse! (sequel to the wonderful Aaaarrggh, Spider!), so we will be able to travel together. see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
7 Comments on Edinburgh Festival, last added: 6/24/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 6/20/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: research, pencil, sketchbook, roughs, characterisation, Julia Jarman, Anderson Press, Bears on the Stairs, Add a tag
The hero of Bears on the Stairs is a small child, who is of course the one who's dreamt up the bears.
I've been unsure whether to do a boy or girl, as Julia doesn't specify. My first thought was a little girl, as they are so cute to draw.
However, there is an interesting issue to bear in mind: whilst girls will read books with boys or girls as heroes, boys can be reluctant to read stories about girls. It's not a problem I've had to consider much before, because animals are usefully unisex!
In the end, to maximise appeal in these difficult times, I am going with a boy and I'm please that he is still coming out pretty cute.
My wonderful (sometimes!) hubby has just given me a great idea - why not try one of the bears as a koala or a panda? Off to try it out on the fat one in the t-shirt...
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
8 Comments on A Boy or a Girl?, last added: 6/20/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 6/18/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: research, pencil, sketchbook, characterisation, Julia Jarman, Anderson Press, Bears on the Stairs, Add a tag
I've had a nice chat about the blog with my Editor at Anderson Press. I worried that there might be issues with me showing work in progress, and bits of text from the new book, at this early stage. But great news: she thinks it's a wonderful idea and says I can show you anything I like - hurrah!
Julia's story is called Bear on the Stairs (about being scared to go to bed). I started getting my head into gear by thinking about the main characters, and filling a sketchbook page with research images, drawn from the Internet.
There are 3 bears in the story: a little fierce one, a medium-sized fat one, and a massive one with big teeth. I think some of my first characterisations were a bit too scary:
It is tricky, as they have to be mean and nasty, but not so scary they give the reader nightmares. It will help to make them as funny as possible, and they are evolving, getting funnier each time I draw them. These are my first sketches for medium-sized bear:
As you can see, I have decided to accessorize them, to diffuse matters further. At the moment, the little one wears stripy trousers, the fat one is squeezed into a too-tight t-shirt, and the big one wears a baseball cap (ignore the text - it's because I'm drawing directly onto those layout sheets):
I expect our furry friends will continue to evolve, but I am feeling much better about them now. What do you think? see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
7 Comments on Getting the Pencil Warmed Up!, last added: 6/19/2009
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 5/16/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: publisher, illustration, Book Fair, Frankfurt, Julia Jarman, Class Three All At Sea, Anderson Press, Add a tag
Isn't it funny how everything always happens at once? Anderson Press have just asked if I would like to illustrate a new text. Hurrah!
It should be good fun as there's lots of drama in the story. It's quite dark and scary in places, which appeals to me, but there's also plenty of potential for humour and wonderful characterisation.
The author is Julia Jarman, who I've illustrated for several times, on projects with Orchard and Hodder, most recently for Class Three All At Sea. I've never worked with Anderson Press before, but they obviously like what Julia and I have done in the past, and that's why they will have thought of me - thanks Julia!
Julia and I make a good team, as we think alike. We are both really into promotional work too, which means we're always bumping into one another at festivals (believe it or not, there are some authors you never get to meet). Sometimes we even perform together, and will be presenting Class Three All At Sea together at Edinburgh this summer (more details later).
This new book is an ASAP project: Anderson Press want me to get it all finished in time for the Frankfurt Book Fair in October (see Dragon-Proof!), which means I'll be getting going on the roughs almost straight away. So, for the time being, everything else is on the back burner.
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
7 Comments on A New Picture Book to Illustrate!, last added: 5/17/2009
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Wow, Lynne! Sounds like you are becoming a real party animal :)
Thanks for sharing your day with your delightful sketches and exciting news. From the news we here on the other side of the world, the UK seems to be snowed in completel, so it is great to follow your wintery adventures!