I haven’t posted on here for an absolute age.
It’s not because I haven’t been busy, well, obviously…
It’s Semester 1, year 2 of my MA in Children’s Book Illustration at Anglia Ruskin, Cambridge School of Art – and it’s fabulous as ever. I’ve been working on a book aimed at the pre-school age group (our brief for this project is to produce images for a specific age group), which is about penguins. I’ve noticed however, that everyone seems to be working on a book about penguins. And then there’s John Lewis and all. Oh well – but really, this post is not about that! I will post some penguin stuff on here very soon, as I have just entered a few of the spreads into the V&A Illustration Awards – the student/unpublished category. Go on, click the link and the student category and just count how many other illustrations there feature penguins!
I have also been very excited about winning an opportunity to pitch a character idea that I’ve developed. Back in November at the Children’s Media Conference, in which I presented to an audience including three publishers from Macmillan, Bloomsbury and Penguin. I was overwhelmed by the positive response to my character, and my drawings, and have signed something called an ‘option agreement’ with Bloomsbury to develop the character with a view to producing a series of books. I would have written all about the development of that character here already, but as there is a confidentiality clause in the contract I need to ask Bloomsbury what I can and can’t publicise. Very exciting however! I’m meeting with the lovely ladies at Bloomsbury very soon, so hopefully something will be able to go up here after that – even if just a sneak preview.
So – back to today. I went to my son’s school nativity this morning, and well – it’s got me posting here again at least – a very quick sketch, not further developed (as it would be in a more professional context), of a few little kids in their costumes. You know, picking their nose, cuffing snot and scratching their bottoms and all.
Yes, of course kids are cute….
Natalie Eldred 