I have spent today doing character pieces. Developing a character who is bullied in one of my books. Interestingly I have chosen to work in pencil here and in a particular style. The character might not end up rendered in this way but it is good to 'get to know' them in detail before deciding to go more abstract.

Well - time away from the world of digital communication. Created this during a small 'limbering up' session this morning - funny how it takes a while to get the hand and the mind connected. This quick portrait done as the ink in the goats hair brush dried up. I like indian ink, but I think it has it limits.

I often get images in my mind that are completely disconnected from projects in my mind, but are usually bits from recent imagery I have seen blended with things I am pondering.  This image is one that has been in my mind for a while - having them parked there is frustrating. Best to let them out and then they can find a setting and details some details appear. These creatures seemed to end up here.

Off to deliver my portfolio yesterday. Took the leap. I had a great talk with the current art director at Templar and then sat on trains for hours to get myself to Random house and to Bell Lomax Moreton (literary agent).

The trains took ages - I imagined that it stopped at every mouse hole on the way.

Coming back into Dorking at the end of the day I wondered if you could illustrate a journey through the place names you come across.

England must be one of the best places in the world for place names.

Again working with 6 year olds - was not going to have a batch lot of red and white striped lighthouses - so they got on with designing and making their own. The lighthouses are meant to scare you away from something unusual...

Keep away from the dolls?

Keep away from here! Mummies!

Keep away from here - spiders.

Here are some 'grabs' from work towards a portfolio piece. I am just finishing off images to head up some manuscripts I have written.

I purposefully kept the character anonymous, I like the idea that Shaun Tan moots (thebirdking.blogspot.com) of allowing the reader to decide who the character is. The book intends to engage readers of all ages - the boy simply gets older through the book and this is denoted by the evolution of his form and the appearance of his face as he begins to have a relationship with himself. See the final piece below. I am looking to combine detail and ambiguity. The letters in the ballon could do with a little more contrast. 

The simplicity and texture in the character came from looking through the beautiful work of Grace Hawes who has some gorgeous and provocative images - http://gracehawes.com/Heart-of-Darkness-II - She was shortlisted for the folio Society's annual illustration competition. http://www.foliosociety.com. That would be worth submitting to. Which way is the boy heading - towards or away from the city?

I am finishing off a few illustrations to go in my portfolio (for submission) to suggest at the style of illustration for books I am working on. This image relates to a book about bullying and ways to overcome it.