Body language is very important in my books. While a facial expression can easily hint at the emotional state and thought processes of the characters, body language gives the reader extra clues about how the characters are feeling and thinking. This makes it easier for the reader to understand the images and the story. I would argue that accurate and expressive body language also makes the characters feel more real, more human – which helps the reader to engage with the story.
I’ve always found that hands are the hardest thing to draw. Here’s a simple technique I used to make things easier when I was illustrating my new book My Dead Bunny.
My new book is about a zombie rabbit. It’s written by Sigi Cohen and it’s called My Dead Bunny.
Last week I showed some reference sketches for the secondary characters (Mum, Dad and the sister) and the three main human characters (Sigi, Billy and Stan).
Today I’m showing some reference sketches for the eponymous character: the dead bunny.
Continue reading “Meet the Cast of ‘My Dead Bunny’ (part 3)”
My new book is about a zombie rabbit. It’s written by Sigi Cohen and it’s called My Dead Bunny.
Earlier this week I showed some reference sketches for the secondary characters: Mum, Dad and the sister.
Today I’m focusing on the three main (human) characters: the unnamed narrator (who I named Sigi after the author), and his friends Billy and Stan.
Continue reading “Meet the Cast of ‘My Dead Bunny’ (part 2)”
My new book is about a zombie rabbit. It’s written by Sigi Cohen and it’s called My Dead Bunny.
This week and next, I’m writing three posts to introduce you to the cast of the book.
Continue reading “Meet the Cast of ‘My Dead Bunny’ (part 1)”
Last weekend I visited Balingup for their annual Telling Tales Children’s Storytelling Festival.
Balingup is a beautiful town in the South-West Region surrounded by farms, bushland and pine forest. When the sun is out the scenery is stunning – it’s all green hills and winding valleys. But on cold winter mornings a mist descends upon the town, which creates an incredibly spooky atmosphere. It’s the perfect setting for a scary story …
Learning to be a better writer and/or illustrator can be a tricky process. There are courses you can do, but a lot of the work ends up being self-directed, just you and your notebook or sketchbook, putting in the hours.
I’ve pulled together this list of books that have helped me along the way.
Continue reading “6 books to help you make better picture books”
