Window Shopping...

We had a family day out to the seaside yesterday, and spotted 'The Pirates Next Door' in the window of Watersones, Llandudno!

It had a nice spot amongst the shortlisted titles (and a couple of imposters), right in the middle... Daisy and Rosie were very excited and Rosie toddled into the shop shouting 'Daddy's book! Daddy's book!'

Also in the window was (fellow Arena artist) Alex T Smith's 'Claude in the City', which I've just bought for Daisy. Alex is brilliant and funny and the Claude books are full of his wonderful illustrations, so I've got my fingers and toes crossed for both of us, for the awards ceremony in March!

I'm going to be a little quiet online for a while, so I can give my next book, 'The King of Space', my full attention as I head towards the impending deadline.... My router will be turned off, my noise cancelling headphones turned on, and my Wacom stylus will be a whirl of doodling action.

Meanwhile, I may occasionally post some 'work in progress' on my 'King of Space' blog.

I shall return sometime in April, if everything goes to plan....

Aardman's 'Pirates!' Production Blog

A little while ago, I wrote a load of waffle for Aardman's production blog , which chronicles the production of 'Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!' movie (or 'Pirates! Band of Misfits!' if you're in the US of A). I tried to give a brief description of my job on the movie, with a few illustrations to help explain the process.
The Pirate with Prosthetics is one of my favourites, because he was one of the first characters where I had such an influence on the finished puppet. And he's a funny looking chap too. If they make any toys to go with the movie, he'll be the first on my shopping list.

The Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2012

I found out recently that 'The Pirates Next Door' has been shortlisted for the The Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2012. The prize aims to "champion new and emerging talent in children's writing" and I'm hugely excited to be shortlisted!

yeh, I know... Same old Picture....

So here's another one!

This year the prize was opened up to include picture books, and is now split into three age categories: Picture Books, 5-12 years and Teen fiction.

My fellow Arena artist, Alex T.Smith has also been shortlisted in the 5-12 category for 'Claude in the City'. Alex produces wonderful illustrations and stories that are full of humour, and his picture book 'Home' is a particular favourite of my daughters. Daisy's due to start reading 'Claude in the City' as soon as she finishes 'Fantastic Mr.Fox'....

I mentioned last week that the first edition hardback of 'The Pirates Next Door' is out of stock at Templar. The hardback is still available in book shops, and there may be the odd copy online at some retailers. But if it's difficult to get hold of, the paperback is now available to buy from Waterstones HERE, or in-store.

I think Templar are also planning to do a second, smaller run of hardbacks which should be available in April or May.

Will Gallows and the Thunder Dragon's Roar

The second 'Will Gallows' book was published on Friday by Anderson Press. 'Will Gallows and the Thunder Dragon's Roar' is available in all good book stores and online emporiums now!

This is the second in the series by Derek Keilty, following 'Will Gallows and the Snake Bellied Troll', with covers and black and white interior illustrations by me.... Here's Hox Swillet, a mean old snake-bellied troll and train station manager.

Sold out..?

So it seems that Templar have sold out of the first edition hardback of 'The Pirates Next Door'! There'll still be copies in book shops here and there (Waterstones in Bath has 55 copies!) and some places might have them online. But for anyone in the UK who was slow off the mark, the paperback is now available (3 months early!!) on the Waterstones website... Here.

And there'll be a few more hardbacks available in April with a second printing.

And if you're not in the UK, you might be getting your own version soon anyway. Countries publishing 'The Pirates Next Door' in 2012 include the USA, Australia and Brazil.

The King of Space!

I've recently started work on my next picture book, 'The King of Space'. This has been a long time waiting in the wings...

(a quarter size dummy book that I took along to show Templar this summer)

In October 2004, I entered CGtalk's 'Grand Space Opera' challenge, and came up with the idea of a little kid, who wanted to take over the whole universe and become 'King of Space'. I loved the idea of a small and grumpy boy, wrapping a sheet around himself, making a crown, and wreaking havoc whilst becoming master of the known universe. I did a series of sketches, but never finished the challenge due to moving jobs and trying to renovate a house in time for an impending baby.

But I kept on with doodles of the boy, Rex, and wrote a few short strips, that never actually got drawn. I did use 'The King of SPace' for some Q&A answers (issue 12) in Imagine FX magazine, and a poster workshop (issue 18) too.

In 2007, I visited Templar Publishing with my lovely new agents, Arena Illustration, and amongst other ideas, I took a bunch of drawings for 'The King of Space'. Having originally envisaged the whole thing as a comic strip, I wasn't sure it would work as a picture book, but Templar's Art Director, Mike Jolley, really liked the concept. But first, Templar were really keen on me developing a portfolio piece I'd done called 'Ye Pirate Muncher', and that became my first published book in September 2009.

I was back at Templar in 2010 to talk about a second book, and took along some (very rough) roughs for a 'King of Space' picture book. But 'The Pirate Cruncher' had sold quite well, and Templar were keen for me to write another pirate book, so I wrote a story called 'The Jolley-Rogers', that later became 'The Pirates Next Door'.

But this summer, for my third book, I've been working on ideas for 'The King of Space' and that's what will be coming next, in autumn 2012!

I started a blog in early 2007 which was originally going to feature strips and drawings and general musings, but I'm going to resurrect it to show the picture book process from start to finish (whilst still trying to keep much of the story secret). Click here, or on the 'King of Space' link on the right in my links menu. there'll be some new (and old) stuff there over the weekend!

I also used 'The King of Space' for a concept tutorial for Computer Arts magazine in early 2009. Here's the finished art for that...

Wallace and Gromit's Animated Art Auction!

Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal is running an online auction between the 1st and 10th November. The auction will raise funds towards the Echocardiogram Appeal to support the Cardiac Ward at Bristol Children’s Hospital.

After doodling away as a character designer on Aardman's upcoming 'Pirates!' movie, I was delighted to be asked to join in with a sketch of one of my favourite characters from the film, the Pirate with Gout. Here it is:

The sketch is in graphite on acid-free 200gsm cartridge paper, and was sketched on a sunny day in a back garden in Bristol. Aardman have framed the drawing too.

The auction is running on ebay for ten days, there are some amazing drawings, paintings and prints for sale and all the money is raised is for such a good cause!

And for a bit more information, the Telegraph and Guardian online are both running articles about the auction...