Z.R. Southcombe's Blog, page 29
February 2, 2015
Jane Thorne and Dornwell Studios on sharing a creative space
So apparently WordPress didn’t like me reblogging this. Poos.
Anyhow, below is a link to an interview with my illustrator, Jane, and some of the artists she works with at Dornwell Studios. It’s a wonderful space, and I always have a nosey around when I go to visit. The interview looks at what it’s like to work as part of a shared space, set in an industrial, suburban area. Insightful.
The interview: http://artistsallianceblog.com/2015/01/30/dornwell-studios/
If you’re interested, I also wrote a piece on SONZA after their most recent studio exhibition. You can read that here.
January 28, 2015
The Inspiration behind ‘What Stars Are Made Of’
There were two main prongs of inspiration for this book: mental health, and The BFG. Not exactly related, I know, but hear me out.
I was diagnosed with Depression & Anxiety a couple of years ago. Many of you know this. At that point, I was considered to be affected at a moderate-severe level. Writing, painting and music have been some of the things that brought me out of that depression and now they help me manage it. In some ways, this book was a tribute to myself; a tribute to the journey I took out of my own darkness.
It’s interesting to me that one of the phrases most used by readers to describe this book is: “It’s got HEART.”
And what about The BFG? For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, The BFG is one of my favourite books from one of my favourite authors, Roald Dahl. It stands for ‘The Big, Friendly Giant’ and features an amusing array of vocabulary. A lot of Dahl’s books made a significant impact on me as a child, and this was one of them. When I read this book, it was the first (and only) time I have ever thought: “I wish I wrote this book.”
The Star-Maker in What Stars Are Made Of is heavily inspired by the BFG, who journeys through the night collecting and sharing dreams. See the connection? (Thanks, Roald Dahl!)
The print book What Stars Are Made Of is available for pre-order now.
The eBook is available to buy from Amazon and other retailers.
January 14, 2015
Proof copies and special announcement for The Caretaker of Imagination
On Monday, I received the proof copies for my first written book, The Caretaker of Imagination, to be released in March this year. Squee! I was rather excited that day!
The proof version had a mock cover design (pictured above). It was an illustration that my illustrator and I liked for the cover art, but I later decided to use a different illustration (pictured below). I’d chosen this one because I thought it reflected the story more, and would be more vibrant – it will be in colour – and more appealing to the kids who would be reading this book.
Cover illustration for The Caretaker of Imagination.
Once the proof came through, I realised that I really was in love with the treehouse illustration. After a small discussion with a friend on Facebook, I’ve decided to use this mock cover as a Special Illustrator’s Edition.
This will most likely be in hardcover, a larger size, and have full-page illustrations – I just need to confirm details with my lovely illustrator, Jane Thorne. I’m looking forward to having this edition available, if only to show off Jane’s intricate artwork. The pictures in the standard chapter book simply don’t do justice to her original work.
Make sure you’re up to date, and sign up below to get an email when the REAL book is released. There’ll be giveaways on Facebook and Instagram soon too, so make sure you’re following me there. I’m very chatty :-)
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January 7, 2015
Extra bits – behind the scenes & time lapse video
I’ve added a new page to this website, called ‘Extra Bits’.
It’s got a fun time lapse video, plus you can see pages from my notebook / sketchbook in my super messy handwriting. This goes back to the first draft for The Caretaker of Imagination, of which I’m at revision one-million-and-seventeen (or thereabouts) and my storyboarding for What Stars Are Made Of.
Click to go to ‘Extra Bits’ now.
The game will go also on here once it’s done (I’ve been procrastinating with painting the animation sprites – oops!).
January 3, 2015
A writer’s inspiration board 2015
Below is my inspiration board. Openness, creativity and freedom are the ideas I am building my life around. They’re things I need to work on – I’m really good at bottling emotions in and not talking about it, and that’s really not good for me!
Inspiration board 2015
On the right-hand side is a very important saying. It’s an excerpt of a poem from a 19-year-old Australian poet, Erin Hanson. It reminds me to take risks, and to have a go at things, because if I don’t try I’ll never know if it’s possible.
And if I do try, the worst that could happen is that I fail. It’s a blow to the ego, but pffft! The possibility of success is too exciting to worry about failure.
The last piece on my inspiration board is how I judge my own writing. When you make art, whether that be painting, music, dance or whatever it is you do, it can be easy to compare yourself to others unfavourably. But the truth is, no one can tell the story you’re telling. It’s yours, and only yours, to tell.
To remind me of this, I ask three questions:
Does it empower?
Is it true to myself?
Am I proud of it?
If I can tick all of those questions off, I know I’m on the right track.
This is what keeps me going. I’d love to hear your thoughts – what inspires you?
December 11, 2014
Debut Book Release: a wordless picture book
So, I’m super excited to announce the release of my first book (which, ironically, has no words). It’s a picture book called What Stars Are Made Of, and has been illustrated and published by yours truly.
What Stars Are Made Of is a wordless picture book; a magical story told through images instead of words.
The story chronicles one night in the life of the Star Maker, who takes the sadness from the world and turns it into a beacon of light & hope, because sometimes it’s our darkest moments that make us shine.
All the illustrations are now complete, and we’re ready to go! I’m releasing it as a digital-only book for now, and will look into releasing a print version early next year.
‘What Stars Are Made Of’
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