Frances McKay Illustration

Jack and Jill

 
Having completed my first book while pregnant, eight weeks after Alfie was born it was time to tackle book number two, 'Jack and Jill'. I'm not sure how I managed to do this. My candle was thoroughly burnt at both ends, but somehow a little waxy blob of sanity survived to pull everything together; nappies were changed and spreads were painted. I connect the imagery in this book with my late (and lovely) mother in law, Pat, who must have spent hundreds of hours walking her dog on Clapham Common; she had recently died and was often in my thoughts as I worked. It's dedicated to her memory; hope she'd have liked it.

 

Kate Willis-Crowley

 

Jack and Jill is published by Hodder Children's Books. 

Mary had a Little Lamb

 
 
I was working as a teaching assistant in a reception class when the idea struck me to make this book. The kids I worked with were a real racial mix, so when we started looking at nursery rhymes the traditional characters didn't feel particularly representative. I started sketching the kids while they ran around like loons at playtime, and eventually came up with my Mary character.

With a Knick-Knack Paddy-Whack…

 

I have sometimes been asked if having children changed the way I thought about illustrating children’s books. Beyond seeing the world from their level, (you spend a lot of time on your knees as a parent of young children), and realising that they can be visually very acute, I don’t think it has had a big impact on my work. I suppose we draw for the child within ourselves. But one of my favourite projects came directly from having young children.

 

Great Expectations

 
Published late Spring 2011 – I’m very excited to have contributed to Puffin’s Classics series with a cover illustration.

It’s different having to illustrate a scene (namely the opening graveyard scene in which the convict Magwitch confronts the terrified Pip) which is so well known in people’s minds. But the trick, I soon found, is to forget all that and just draw what they ask, as usual.

Bohemian Bristol

'Little Red Riding Hood' illustration by Valentina Cavallini.

Montpelier Art Trail 2010 is taking the living rooms, cafes, pubs, streets and other spaces of the Montpelier area and turning them into galleries, exhibition spaces and theatres for one weekend on the 24th and 25th April. The weekend will feature a diverse range of arts, crafts, performances and workshops, set within one walkable area.

Bristol Art Fringe aims to build on the success of last year’s event to establish this Trail as a must-see Bristol event. It is completely grass-roots, having grown out of a desire to provide local artists with a platform to exhibit unconstrained by elitism.

The 2009 event attracted over a thousand visitors into Montpelier, giving several local businesses their best weekend’s trading on record, and opening up Bristol’s own bohemian quarter to the general public.

BAF Chair, Ani Stafford-Townsend, said, “it was fantastic to have this event in an area renowned for it’s creativity. We’re looking forward to even more local artists and creatives joining in with us this year”

Local resident Sarah said, ”I think it was a fantastic way not only to get to know the more secret and intriguing artwork going on in my area, but also to bump into old friends and meet locals in a relaxed and social context. There was a real village fair atmosphere. I was particularly pleased that there seemed to be all ages, sorts and conditions of participants”

Our very own bohemian quater illustrator Valentina Cavallini is one of the exhibiting artists.

Follow Frances McKay Illustration on Facebook

Alice in Wonderland

This is something for the portfolio. Alice in Wonderland; always a good'n for a bit of inspiration! I've used 0.5mm and 0.005mm thick graphics pens on heavy duty water colour paper for this illustration to vary the feel of the line... when did I become so pernickety?

Somehow this image feels a little more decorative and serious than I'm used to. Anyhow, I'm hoping that a few decent black and white images will help me to find a bit of work illustrating young fiction; fingers crossed! 

Kate Willis-Crowley

Follow us on FaceBook

James and the Giant Peach

As I had a look at James's great new book cover I remembered a fictional book cover I did last year. One I haven`t added to my website yet. This cover feels like a hopeful preview to what is coming up for all of us in 2010.

After last years meeting in November we (mostly John & Elena-thank you so much!) have brought this blog on it`s way and I am looking forward to the development of the other projects which will follow if we work together continuously. I am sure we, as a group of illustrators, will have a surprising and successful year coming up!

Christina Bretschneider