Competitions
Book illustrations are what first inspired me to draw, to even consider making drawing my career. From Quentin Blake to Philippe Daure,
book illustration is where my heroes are at. I still enjoy being whisked away by the magic of beautiful illustrations marrying with the text,
and it is an absolute pleasure when I achieve that too.
HIGHLIGHT: Shortlisted for the Kelpies Illustration Prize in 2018
Check out my cover design for Soldier's Game by James Killgore.
Book Illustration Competition 2019
This year's the House of Illustration contest had Howl's Moving Castle as subject. I absolutely adore this book by Diana Wynne Jones, so I just had to squeeze in some time to make these submissions!
I'd hoped to try my hand at embroidery for this, seeing the running theme in the book about Sophie stitching life into things, but time constraints pushed me to use some creative digital collage.
Showing Sophie in the shop, listening to the gossip while very much separated from that living world.
"Slow down, Sophie!" I wanted to show Howl's frustration and worry at Sophie's state.
Love how the dog just bounds into the moving castle!
Book Illustration Competition 2018
Organised by the House of Illustration, I prepared these images following their prompts for the Conan Arthur Doyle compilation of Sherlock Holmes short stories.
Book Cover Design for "Selected Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes", by Arthur Conan Doyle, after the House of Illustration 2018 contest prompt.
Full page illustration for "Selected Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes"'s short story "A Scandal in Bohemia", after the House of Illustration 2018 contest prompt.
Full page illustration for "Selected Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes"'s short story "The Man with the Twisted Lip", after the House of Illustration 2018 contest prompt.
Full page illustration for "Selected Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes"'s short story "The Musgrave Ritual", after the House of Illustration 2018 contest prompt.
Kelpies Illustration Prize
Featured here are my designs in response to the Kelpies Illustration Prize:
2017's featuring Ruby McCracken and in 2018 with Soldier's Game.
The Soldier's Game cover design was shortlisted!
The synopsis of the book this cover illustration was for clicked with me. I knew what it was to grow up having to move house and adjust to a completely different culture. Bless Ruby.
This design was shortlisted in the Kelpies Illustration Prize of 2018. It was a pleasure to depict the family heirloom in linocut. It's amazing what stories a pair of shoes can tell.
Some etching I did as development for the Soldier's Game cover design.
Picture Hooks 2016
Submissions to Picture Hooks mentoring scheme in 2016. This was the point where I decided to focus my practice towards professional illustration. These images drew on my childhood memories, trips to lake Tekapo in New Zealand, games with our Dog Mikey, a cairn terrier, and really enjoying playing with line.
I wanted to depict the peacefulness of a family walk, the wideness of the great outdoors.
A little girl playing outdoors with her dog.
Getting wet has its consequences. It must have been a struggle getting the little one in.
But all is well that ends well. Got to love the bed time story!