Read in the bath. On the train. In bed. On holiday. Read on a plane, ship, bus, read secretly at work. Read anywhere, read everywhere. Read yourself out.
Books shown- 'Design: A short introduction' Heskett. 'The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake', Poems by Ted Hughes, 'Therese Raquin' Emile Zola, 'Vile Bodies' Evelyn Waugh, 'Freedom' Jonathan Franzen, 'Catch 22' Joseph Heller, 'Antique Packaging' Josep Garofe, 'How to Make Books' Esther K. Smith, 'The Journals of Sylvia Plath 1950-1962'.
Yesterday they held a seminar at the London Book Fair about the 'Best New Illustrators Award' (of which I am one!) It was chaired by Nicolette Jones, with Polly Dunbar, Anthony Browne, and Lauren Child on the panel. Seven of our gang of ten attended, and at the end of the talk we had to go up alphabetically and talk for a few minutes about our work. Despite starting with the wrong person, no-one being able to operate the slideshow and someone tripping over their bag, it all looked highly professional! In fact, I think we all did pretty well at our impromptu speeches, especially as we were being watched by a panel of picture-book greats.
I wandered around the fair falling in love with various foreign books, and thoroughly enjoyed talking to the other illustrators. Alice Melvin had come down all the way from Edinburgh, Chris Haughton was back from Nepal, Viv Schwarz was wearing a lovely hand-made dress, Claudia Boldt had green tights on, Salvatore Rubbino told me the best lego story I've ever heard... and did you know Joe Berger is illustrating 'Chitty-chitty Bang Bang'?
I completely forgot my camera though, which was a shame, but if I can get my hands on some pictures I'll post them up. This is a photo from the awards ceremony of most of us, L-R Levi Pinfold, Me, Claudia Boldt, Viviane Schwarz, Alice Melvin, (Children's Laureate) Anthony Browne, Joe Berger and Salvatore Rubbino.
The exhibition of our artwork is now at Foyles in Charring Cross, to see where else it's going click here
Photo from Booktrust
1. Paul Gauguin 'Black Pigs' 1891. 2. Gustave Caillebotte, Boulevard Haussmann, Snow, 1880-81.
I'm going to be starting the final artwork for my new book 'Buddy' very soon. I'm excited about this book, as I really love the story, and it has scenes that are going to challenge my drawing skills. With each book you have to set yourself a new objective, so you discover and learn, and hopefully improve your skills. 'Buddy' has some very diverse landscapes in it, including a couple of exotic spreads. So I've been doing a fair amount of research into how to create that heat, and glorious colour, and who better to study than Gauguin? I'm also feeling very inspired by a few Caillebotte paintings for my wintery city scenes.
This morning the postman delivered my new set of inks, all 26 colours. It's a new brand of inks for me, I can't get my hands on my favoured set anymore, but these seem very similar. I've also got a great set of french Sennelier pastels, I'd highly recommend them. (Tip: If you use the darker shades never rub straight into paper always work it in gently with your fingers or it marks.)
So I have a head full of ideas, a desk full of art materials, now I just need to get started!
If you have any questions about papers, materials, or anything artwork-wise I'd really love to hear them!
I'd like to pack a suitcase full of beautiful luxury swimwear, and go on holiday with all my favourite girlfriends.
1. Zimmermann bikini 2. Chloe Bikini 3. Retrosuperfuture Sunglasses 4.Steven Alan Dress 5. Suitcases (credit unknown) 6. Miu Miu Swimsuit
Photo from LIFE.
Sam Cooke = Genius.
Definitely worth buying off iTunes to hear the clearer version!
We've had a really beautiful spell of hot weather, and it's made me think of how much I want to go to the seaside. I lived in Cornwall for a while, and I often miss it, but my heart belongs to Kimmeridge bay in Dorset. As children, me and my brothers spent most of our weekends and summers camping and going to Kimmeridge. We'd swim, go rock-pooling, windsurfing, sail in my Dad's little boat, draw on the rocks, and take the steep walk up to Clavell's tower and along the cliff path.
Last June, my two older brothers and I took a day trip to Kimmeridge, it was so lovely to visit and remember how much fun we had! All this week I'm dreaming of swimming in that deep, cold, inky blue water.
As promised, here is a little vignette from my BRAND NEW book 'Otto the Book Bear' out in July!! So tell me, do you like the look of him?
These origami creations by South African artist Quentin Trollip are FANTASTIC. His flickr account has more. Apparently these are made from one square of origami paper, pretty impressive! (Found via Miss Moss)
I was asked by Zoe at playingbythebook to contribute a list of my ten favourite picture books. It was quite tough, and books keep coming to mind that I wish I'd had room to put in. Do go and have a look at mine and the other contributor's lists- Viv Schwarz, Tim Hopgood, James Mayhew, Jan Pienkowski, and Clara Vulliamy. From our lists you'll see that Maurice Sendak and Alexis Deacon do rather well!
Lovely reader, what is your favourite picture book?
Wow, who knew Laura Carlin was doing ceramics? I just read about it in 'World of Interiors', she has a blog here if you want to see more! I would just LOVE one of her plates.
Yesterday the Australian artist Shaun Tan was announced as the winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. A prestigious prize, with the largest prize money of any in Children's literature. Tan has not only just been handed a cheque for £490,000, he also recently won an Oscar for his short animation 'The Lost Thing'. The animation was adapted from his picture book, of the same title (picture right), and you can download the short on iTunes.
If you don't know Tan's work, it's worth familiarising yourself, because we are certainly going to be seeing a lot more of him! His most recent book 'Tales of Outer Suburbia' (image right) is a collection of short stories, with a good mix of his both his painterly style and exquisite pencil work.
I'm just getting into the depths of final work for my fourth book, but I'm feeling a little distracted by spring in the air! My mind keeps wandering to thoughts of drawing trips in warmer climes, the list of exhibitions and films I really want to see, as well as moving home. I do feel full of ideas at the moment, maybe that's part of that 'spring feeling' too?
Does anyone have any fun plans for spring?
1. Really want to see this at Tate Britain 2. Yum 3. Rita Hayworth 4. Love this book, love this cover
Along the road of making a book, it's inevitable that some drawings get left behind. It doesn't stop me feeling very sentimental about them though. Here are two I randomly chose to share. The one on the left was the a very early ink drawing for 'Wake Up', it was an idea for the 'Dress up' spread.
The one on the right was one of the first cover ideas I ever drew out for my new book 'Otto'... even now I still love something about it.
If these go down well, I do have some other great ones. In fact, I must find a pig drawing I did for 'Wake Up' that I was so sad to take out... I shall explain why it was omitted when I put it up!
Well, this blog is off to a rip-roaring start, I've just won an amazing award from Booktrust!
There are ten winners, and it was great to meet the rest of the Best New Illustrators gang, and toast our victory! Here is the list, so many amazing illustrators, the future looks very bright. I also love Anthony Browne's wonderful narration on The Guardian. Worth a look/listen.
The award announcement was at the Illustration Cupboard in London, and it was a lively, fun and celebratory affair. There are lots of pictures to come of the night, but for now I only have these low quality pictures that were quickly taken. The picture top left is of the lovely Claudia Boldt, and me. The other is of me, Andrea MacDonald and Sue Buswell (from Random House) at my fantastic surprise dinner.
Coming up later this week, some never-before-seen drawings...
Ps. I'm now on Twitter, follow me @katiecleminson
This will be a place where I will be writing what I've been doing, showing you behind-the-scenes of my work, and unveiling the many things that light up my curiosity.
(Ps. You can follow me on twitter @katiecleminson)
