Brita Granström and Mick Manning,

It was a joy to see and meet Hannah Coulson and her work but it was also wonderful to meet Brita Granström and Mick Manning learn about their collaborative creative process and books.

Britta and Mick successfully pool their talents and build books together. They have been involved in creating many non-fiction books, including a very personal one to Mick about his father's involvement in the second world war called Tail-end Charlie.

Hannah Coulson II

These are some images from Hannah Coulson's wonderful book about the circus, This is a non-fiction book charting the history and evolution of the circus and traveling shows.

Hannah Coulson I

Yesterday I attended another wonderful Picture Hooks workshop this time with Hannah Coulson, who has been mentored by Mick Manning and  Brita Granström. This workshop was wonderfully informative and it was fantastic to see all of these artists work and working processes.
Above are some sketches from the rich visual feast that is the sketchbook of Hannah Coulson an amazing illustrator whose drawings and source research drawings are phenomenal.

Maureen Nathan

London based artist Maureen Nathan has made these beguiling animated portraits using Motion Portrait.
Motion portrait, is an app that is bringing artists work literally to life and it is very strange to see these portraits blinking into life and actively looking back at you.
Motion Portrait is incredibly easy to use, great fun and superb to use with kids on their drawings.

Dunja Jogan

The dark days of winter make me choose dark illustrations. This picture by Italian illustrator Dunja Jogan though dark in Palette, is full of love and light.

Marina Godoy

Marina Godoy is a Brazilian artist who works primarily in textiles and collage. I loved these two images of birds. However Marina's portfolio is very varied and quite dark and abrasive in its texture and content but there are lots of treasures to discover.

Tom Wilson II

Tom Wilson's work is documentation and meticulous observation from nature and from gathered natural findings. His house holds the makings of a fantastic museum of bird pellets, hides, bones, skulls, nests and other untold and unspeakable treasures, that hopefully will one day be available to everyone through a museum or series of books.

Cupping Circles

A tiny adventure made magical by catching up with a good friend and the gift of his wisdom and knowledge. Above: are some images from a sand stone cliff in Ayr of Cupping circles, prehistoric marks on the rock, Below: some beautiful lichen. 

Tom Wilson is incredibly knowledgeable about everything but especially natural history and geology so it is fantastic to spend time with this wonderful man and get a glimpse of his world. 

Tom Wilson

Today I am traveling to the west coast to catch up with an old art school colleague Tom Wilson. Tom's work was always rooted in his love of the wilderness and flora and fauna. Here are some examples of his studies of nests and  the wing and feather quarry of a sparrow hawk.
I am looking forward to experiencing his local knowledge and guide skills and experiencing the wilds of Ayrshire on a wild late November day.

Norbert Schwontkowski I

Norbert Schwontkowski's (1949-2013) work is bleak with its grey palette and yet full of humour and those magical observations of daily life. His work reminds me of a monochrome answer to Mary Newcomb's colourful sightings of the characters of Norfolk.

Barbara Perrine Chu

Barbara Perrine Chu is a dynamo of creativity, for years her blog has exposed me to new and classic painters, potters and sculptors with wonderful details of their lives and works.
Barbara's own works are bright, narratives on life. This piece called; 'Stair way to Heaven' with its loving couple floating is very Chegalian but it also has a graphic dynamism and powerful colour of Brian Wildmith or Kveta Pacovska.

Mariana Rio II

Here are some works from Portuguese illustrator Mariana Rio's current exhibition at Ó! Galeria. on display until the 19th December. The 'imaginary places' illustrated here are delightful, they make me wonder at what the world would be like if there was collaboration between illustrators like Mariana and architects to create schools and spaces for children.

Coqué Azcona I

Coqué Azcona is a Spanish illustrator for whom words are her line, her art being a visual poetry. These insect like drawings remind me of mosquitoes or midges that maybe have been sucking at peoples thoughts rather than their blood.

Tiny egg

I love it when the chickens lay odd eggs. I only have one layer at the moment and considering it is dark cold and very wet I was very proud of her yesterday when she produced this tiny egg, a lovely surprise on a dreek morning.

Nadav Weisman I

We are in need of joy, love and dancing this week, so I am sharing the work of Nadav Weisman, whose work is brimming with such joys.

Yim Sunkyung I

Yim Sunkyung's delightful happy paintbrushes, painting hearts today.

Just for sheer pleasure

My favorite drawings are made on the spur of the moment, just for the sheer pleasure of drawing them and yesterday as I waited for the time to tick round to cinema time and time to see 'The Lady and the Van' I sketched a little scene from it.

This book by Alan Bennett is one of my favorites and so when I saw that a film was being made I was very excited, and with Maggie Smith cast as the leading role and Alex Jennings as the two sides of Alan Bennett it was a perfect adaptation, with moments of genius, well worth seeing.

Picture Hooks

Above: images from Tracey Smith's 'Beauty and the Beast' created for for the Waterstones ‘Picture This’ competition. 

Below: sketches in her sketchbook of beasts.

For months now I have been in happy anticipation of the winter program of Picture Hooks at the Scottish National Gallery and today was the first event hosted by illustrator Tracey Smith with author Vivian French.

Picture Hooks is a mentoring programme which pairs up established illustrators with recent graduates and it is in it's second year.

It is always fascinating and insightful to see the working processes of children's book authors and illustrators and learn various tricks and tips for inspiring, creative working practice. 

Today its was great to see Tracey's sketch books, dummy books and prints and benefit from Vivian's years of expertise and experience in the world of children's books. 

Ariel Lee

Lets dive into the weekend with 'Scuba Water' a tiny animation by Ariel Lee. Beautiful images with wonderful music by Billie Holiday "It's Like Reaching for the Moon".

Jean Jullien

I do love the work of Jean Jullien it reminds me of Saul Steinberg and Serge Bloc in its succinct perfection of design and humour.

Windfall bed

I am late as yesterday was an epic DIY day which included a massive clearing of the garden in anticipation of a storm that never really materialised. There were lots of windfalls to be gathered and in everyone, someone had made themselves at home in a cave of fragrant apple, snoozing the cold windy days away.
Hopefully today will be a little less DIY and more art, indeed more apple beds.

Contrary

Why in November, after working on some serious commissions in wet, windy 'dreek' conditions, I start thinking of wasp stings, ice-creams and ice-lollies and cutting the grass I don't know. However I enjoyed it and the finished drawings and process made me smile.