Creating the artwork for my new book

By Lynne Chapman

I'm a bit behind with my 'Swap! artwork, so no more time for filming: it been head-down-time this week.

This was my desk on Friday night. I have decided to treat myself to some bigger, bolder bits of artwork for the next few days, having focussed on vignettes for quite a few days now, which are so fiddly. The joy of these bigger, simpler images is that you cover vast areas of the paper really quickly, so get a great sense of achievement.

Of course, having blocked in the main areas, I still have to slow down and fill in all the detail, but at least I have the sensation of having got lots under my belt to start with.

I'm working on two at once like this when I can: it helps to speed things up when the images contain similar content. If you want to learn more about how I create my pastel artwork, take a look at my YouTube channel or the films page of my website. 

Filmed Demonstration: Creating a Picture Book Illustration in Pastels

By Lynne Chapman

From time to time, people have asked me if I could make a film demonstrating the pastel technique I use in my picture books. I wrote a step-by-step illustrated guide, talking through the creation of a cover illustration for an educational project, but it's taken a while to get round to an actual film.
John and I did done a couple of try-outs earlier in the year, with the how to draw a cat and how to draw a dragon films. We've learnt from those and this new film is tighter and more adventurous, showing me working on a real project in the studio.

It's the perfect time, while I am creating the artwork for my next book, Swap!: I wanted to show something 'real', rather then re-create artwork. John filmed me doing this piece, where Lucy, having enjoyed swapping places with her dog Sparky for the morning, starts to feel a bit bored:

Of course, the artwork took more than twice as long to do, what with all the messing about getting the lighting set up and working out the best way to talk through what I'm doing, and continually stopping and starting, but I'm really pleased with how it's come together, so it was well worth it. 

A big thanks to John, who did all the filming, as well as getting his head round all the technical editing stuff. If you enjoy it, please share it with your friends, so we can get the hit-count up a bit. Cheers!

Starting My New Picture Book Artwork!

By Lynne Chapman

I've finally had the go-ahead from my publisher on those last few redraws of the illustrations for my new picture book Swap!, so at last it's all go! I've only done about half my tracing-up, as it's such a tedious task, tracing all the line work onto my pink pastel paper on the light box. I have to do it in the dark too, despite the sunshine outside (groan), as the pastel paper is too thick to see through otherwise. 

It was great to get stuck into colour though. I started with the first spread of the book, not because I like to work through in the correct order, but because I had clear ideas about the colours things needed to be (pretty much pink, pink, pink), so it was a safe place to begin. 

It was also a comfortable way to find the main characters, as they are very large on the page. I  was imagining Lucy blond, but concerned that might not jump out of the page as much as brunette, especially as I am rather fond of soft, pastel coloured backgrounds (which we will drop in later, digitally).

I wasn't sure what colour to do Sparky. Black would be tricky for showing details, white a little boring, brown a bit dingy and dull... I wanted him to stand out from the backgrounds too, so I chose white with tan bits, to make it more interesting and colourful.

Watch this space for the rest of the artwork.  

Jack and the Beanstalk

By John Shelley

I posted some of the linework to drawings before painting from Jack to Mame no Ki (Jack and the Beanstalk) before, here are some completed pieces in colour from the finished book, which will be released by Fukuinkan Shoten publishers in Japan in September. I don't know of any deals struck outside of Japan as yet, it would be wonderful to see an English language edition of course!


Here are some of the interior images (without text)

Dino School

By Mike Brownlow

This is an image from a book I've just finished illustrating for Simon and Schuster in New York. The book is called 'Dino School' and as the name suggests, it's about a school for dinosaurs. This particular story is about a T-Rex called Teddy, who can only roar extremely loudly. Think Brian Blessed in dungarees with scales and teeth. Actually, don't. It's too disturbing.

Jack and the Beanstalk

By John Shelley

My current work-in-progress is a picture book of Jack and the Beanstalk for Fukuinkan Shoten publishers in Japan.

I was specifically asked to approach this in a very traditional 'English' style, which you can probably tell! These are unfinished images of the line work before painting in watercolour. Inevitably a lot of the pen work will blend in when the spreads are painted, a problem I often face, but I'm hoping a lot will still be clear. Anyway, so far so good!

Cover for Highlights magazine

By Mike Brownlow

This is a cover I finished recently for Highlights High Five magazine in the States. Happy, smiley animals for a bright, sunny morning. I painted it digitally in layers on top of the pencil rough I'd scanned in.

Here's to a good 2012 for us all.