I think I’ve finished

An endpaper is usually the very last picture I do when I illustrate a book. I’ve just finished one. It means - I’ve finished a book!

Looking at my previous blog I’m surprised at how quickly the time goes. I did a couple of events and school visits and painted a couple of pictures.

Last time I mentioned changes I have to do in my latest book “The Mouse Who Wasn’t Scared”. Here they are.

This is now the very first page of the book. The opening scene.

I promised to hide the sleeping wolf a bit more, so I did. Can you see him under the leaves?Now you can see him! I’m quite proud of this wolf, I must say.

So it left me with the cover. Here is a pencil sketch for itand here is the finished cover. It’s the front and back of the book.This is how the book cover may look when it’s fitted with the text.

I’ve mentioned events I’ve done with Nicola Davies. We are currently promoting our new book “A First Book of Animals”. During those events Nicola does most of the talking and I paint. I do four paintings in 50 minutes.  We give the pictures to the children, so I don’t really have time to look properly at the finished pictures, but this time somebody took a photo of my whale.This one was rather good I thought.

Here is another lovely photo I received.

It’s a window of the Children’s Bookshop in Huddersfield. It’s not the first time they decorated their window with my book. This time it’s “Blue Penguin”. Thank you very much!

I’m about to start working on two board books, but before that I’ll travel to visit the European School in Luxembourg. It will be a very busy couple of days, but I’m looking forward to it!

And the very last announcement. I found this rather old drawing done by my youngest daughter Cecilia. It’s a drawing of a big tiger and guess what was on the birthday card I did for her 18th birthday last week? A TIGER!