Today I finished the art for Augustus and Ollie, my new picture book with Walker Books Australia.

So excited for this book – featuring Ollie and his best friend (and dog) Augustus.

The idea was first conceived in 2014 over a tea (or was it a coffee? Definitely a hot beverage) with a sketch of a large dog and small boy. Fast forward four years and this sketch has become my 25th illustrated book and the first picture book I’ve both written and illustrated for Walker Books.

Released Australia wide in early 2019.

A quokka selfie was among the highlights during a brief holiday from my studio.

Two weeks exploring Western Australian beaches and karri forests reminded me how lucky I am to live in this remote part of the world.

Refreshed and refocused I’m back in the studio finishing off my latest picture book with Walker Books.

I look forward to showing sneak peaks from this new book soon.

Yes, I’m supposed to be 100% focused on my new picture book. But I couldn’t help procrastinating with this watercolour and pencil sketch of a little girl being blown away by the wind.

Okay, play time over, back to work (proceeds to kitchen to make a coffee).

An old dog howling – trying to find the perfect note. Or, as I like to think, how I look attempting to sing…

Watercolour and gouache over pencil.

Creating a chicken illustration is always fun – they have such personalities! This extract, from a larger painting, is of a bantam rooster crowing… Very similar to how I looked today coming up with a new picture book idea!

 

 

The perfect birdhouse. I’d say this birdhouse illustration would be the perfect design for the feathered tree dweller.

An extract from a larger drawing.

Finishing off a stormy watercolour illustration for The School Magazine.

Created in watercolour and pencil.

After a relaxing holiday in Sydney and the Blue Mountains I’m back in the studio refreshed and prepped for a creative 2018.

Kicking off the year with illustrations for The School Magazine.

Faber Castell pencil on Arches Hot Pressed.