Illustrations

I really enjoy illustrating all sorts of things. At school I loved drawing from looking down the microscope in Zoology lessons. I like peering closely at things, looking into their worlds and then trying to capture them on paper. I tend to find myself musing over something and an idea for an image slips into my head. I then draw it often ending up with a watercolour or pen and ink. Themes sometimes occur such as Aesop's fables or alphabets, but generally they are one offs. Throughout my career I have often been asked to illustrate this and that and I've usually done it willingly. I enjoy the challenge of finding references and creating an image to enhance someone's writing or ideas. I have done a number of cartoons and these are usually about situations I find amusing. I have illustrated a few books for Usbournes Mitchell Beazley among others and I'm certainly willing to consider most ideas with authors. So if you are interested please get in touch.

The illustrations and cartoons which are available to buy have a price with them. If you would like me to have a go at visualising a witty idea you have, please feel free to discuss it with me.

This  illustration is titled The Hag is Astride. I started it on a day when Kate was at university and I was waiting for her. Of course it was 31st October and I must have had nothing much else to think about except Hallowe'en. It is from this poem (or is it a song?) which I seemed to have known since childhood; I have no idea why I committed it to memory except that my mother was very keen on my learning things, but I can't believe she gave me this. Whatever, this is how I remember it:-

                                               The Hag is astride, this night for to ride,
                                                The Devil and She together.
                                                Through thick and through thin, now out and now in,
                                                What ever be the weather.

Right up my street, magic.