I'm still around. Just a bit busy

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Hi guys. Sorry about the lack of postage on here. I have been pretty busy trying to finish Herman and Rosie and I'm almost there so I haven't had the time to think about much else. I have though, posted the odd thing or two over on my Facebook page (including this illustration) - sorry, I'm not abreast of all the social mediums at the same time!

Anyway, I had better keep this short. This illustration is of a bunch of trees I am drawing for Central Park on my Manhattan map illustration. It's a heap of fun drawing a map. Especially a map of New York. See you in a bit - maybe over on my Facebook page!

On the subway

Man, this makes me happy! This is one of the many reasons why I will always love New York. I can't imagine this happening anywhere else.

My new book (is coming along...)

 

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Hi all! By that I mean Jen. Sorry for the lack of posting lately. I have been in hibernation, shut away in my studio working on the finals for my new book, 'Herman & Rosie' which comes out next year with Penguin (Australia). The text is pretty much down (but you can bet I'll be tweeking it until it goes to print) so I have been trying desperately not to get behind on my deadline (mid December - crap!) - I can hear it coming but can't see it yet, thankfully.

I thought it might be nice to show you a little bit of what I'm doing. The book is set in New York (hopefully that's going to be obvious) and centres around two lonely characters called Herman (a crocodile) and Rosie (a deer). I don't want to give too much away just yet but it's a dual narrative story about music, the city, connectedness and it has a horribly tragic ending. Actually I just made that last bit up. Wouldn't that be different! Anyway, in this scene above the two are watching the world whiz by. This is actually a cafe/restaurant I frequented in New York last November. It's a long way from finished (I have a bunch of animals to draw yet and some collage will replace line work) but it might give you an idea about how I work. This book is very much a mixed media book - specifically collage. I'm using all sorts of things; old papers, graph papers, photos and vintage engravings. Also a lot of crayon because I just love crayon. Especially my new Sennelier oil pastels. They are beautiful! I am having the most fun I have ever had with a book.

And here's a couple of finished illustrations - one from the start of the book and one much later.

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I'll keep you posted with some updates and illustration sneak peaks soon, but for now I had better keep going. See you soon.

A Herman & Rosie teaser

On the way home the city seemed darker and louder and busier than usual.

Herman didn't feel like playing his oboe that night.

I am working away madly on my new picture book, 'Herman and Rosie' at the moment, which is due for release through Penguin next year. We are about to go away for a northern holiday (chasing the sun) so am working around the clock trying to do as much as possible before we leave - why is it always like this? Will no doubt fall in a heap on the plane and catch some disease that no one's heard of since the fall of Rome. Anyway, I thought I might post up an illustration before I left just to keep you in the loop. I'm going to blog about the whole process as I go - if you would like me to! Especially when I have more time.

This is a scene in the book where Herman loses his job and has lost his way. It's probably the 'blueist' part of the story in many ways. It's definitely bleak. I guess that's fairly obvious. I kept the city out of it mostly -  just a New York lamp post and a mail box. I didn't think I needed much else. There are plenty of other city spreads along the way. My dark cloud kind of shocked me a little at first but I've grown used to it. Hopefully it isn't too scary. I had fun with my fonts and even got out my oft-neglected rubber stamps. There's something very satisfying about using a rubber stamp isn't there? Then again, maybe that's just my 'home-craft' geek talking. Get out your crochet hooks we have oven mitts to make!

Looking forward to immersing myself in it all when I get back but for now I must find the sun. See you when I get back.

From Somewhere in New York

Well, the East Village actually. 'The Bean Cafe' on the corner of 1st Avenue and East 3rd to be totally exact. This cafe is open from 7 in the morning till 2 the next morning - that's a lot of coffee. It's also very dog friendly. You only have to sit in here for half an hour before you can tick off all the breeds. Lots of little doggy coats. Funny.

It's been a great week. I have had a bunch of fun walking (so much bloody walking!), sketching, taking photos, taking in the night life (which only stops when, well... when it's not light anymore), catching up with old friends and meeting some new folk. It is such a vibrant city. So full of zest, so eager to please if only just to draw you in before you realise you're hooked. Then again maybe that's just me. I do, and have for some time, been happily mesmerised by this city and all it's charming big city quirks.

The East Village, where I'm staying, is a really cool part of town. It's full of lively little bars, music venues and eateries. It's not as stylish or quaint as it's neighbors Soho and Greenwich Village but is so much more real and representative of the ambitious New Yorker carving out a career (so many in creative industries) or of the carefree New Yorker (mostly of the younger variety) living in the moment.

It's the ideal place for my new book's characters Herman and Rosie.

I can picture them both in their tiny little downtown apartments doing their best to get by in the chaotic city. I can visualise Herman playing his Oboe (which I think I'm changing to a sax based on some extensive time in the field) on his apartment rooftop at night.

Maybe a little like this rooftop which is the rooftop of my apartment's building.

Had a really nice catch up with Irish Illustrator/Author Kevin Waldron who lives in Brooklyn along with fellow Irishman Oliver Jeffers. The Irish are everywhere in New York and Brooklyn seems to be the new place for artists and musicians to live or have studios. Kevin actually lives in the East Village and cycles across the Brooklyn bridge everyday despite the unAustralian temperatures. Man, it is cold here!

Geez, what else? Oh yeah, had a really nice Thanksgiving with some friends up in Bronxville. So pretty up there. Saw some art exhibitions, hooked up with a NY literary agent, had far too many beers and late nights, caught a basketball game and some NY comedy (didn't finish until 3:30 in the morning!) Have some publisher meetings this week. Doing a picture book for Penguin US so that should be fun.

Looking forward to my Ali joining me this afternoon. It feels like it's been more than a week here. Anyway this post has been far too long and far too self indulgent (I apologise for this - I realise blog's are self indulgent by default but it's nice sometimes to pretend otherwise). And now a sketch or two. Forgive the quality - I had to photograph them and the morning light's not great. Catch you later.