Illustration for Picture Books first-ever-exhibition!

Right, next bit of news, which I'm very excited about. I have gathered together some of the lovely students from the past 4 terms of the Illustration for Picture Books course, for their first ever group exhibition at Studio 73 in Brixton Village!

Illustration by Sam Goode 2013

It'll be an eclectic display from a talented bunch - expect handmade books, whimsical, funny and experimental illustrations, and original prints and cards. Some of the work will be for sale.

Handmade book by Clare Yerbury 2012

The show will open on Tuesday 29th July, running until Sunday 10th August, at Studio 73, Unit 73 Brixton Village, London SW9 8PS. We should be holding a private view on Friday 1st August. I hope to see you there!

Summer (school) is here again!

Roll up, aspiring illustrators! First on the agenda for a jam-packed summer will be the Illustration for Picture Books Summer School, at Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge, which I'll run for a whole week from Monday 21st July - Friday 25th July.

Illustration by Sally Anne Walker (former student!)

If you fancy getting stuck into a full five days of illustration, storytelling and making handmade books, see the Hills Road website* for more info and bag a space.

There are still places available and it's open to all - you might have little or no artistic experience, or might be gathering work for a portfolio, or want to realise an idea you've had for a story. Or you might just want to do something a bit fun and different. An excuse to draw and write all over a few glorious summer days!

*Please note: to find the Summer school course, scroll down to the bottom of the web page for the courses highlighted in grey. The title given to the course on the Hills Road website is Book Illustration. The course highlighted in yellow, near the top, is for the 10-week course beginning in September. 

Ghostly Bess

As I've still got a minor obsession with Tudors, I decided to make a portrait of Queen Elizabeth 1.

I've been trying to experiment with a few new techniques recently (literal translation = I've been making a mess). For this picture I tried out ink relief, where you use gouache paint to resist india ink on canvas (I found a pretty clear, unfussy tutorial about it on Craftsy). It gives a patchy, painterly effect that I really like.

I'm quite pleased with it. She's got the look of a ghost about her, which seems to fit.

I made another portrait of her a few weeks back, a linocut, which I don't like as much but it's interesting to compare the two.