Frances McKay Illustration

Bear Can't Sleep

My latest picture has arrived - ‘Bear Can’t Sleep’ written by Marni McGee and published by Little Tiger Press is out on 10^th September 2015.

It’s a bit of a departure for me as the illustration style in which it is painted is not my usual one. Known predominantly for my opaque acrylic painterlyness, I was encouraged by the Little Tigers to apply the acrylic paint in a looser way to take advantage of the line work produced at the design stage. 

I had to learn a whole new set of skills, buy an A3 printer from Argos and spend several happy months illustrating by the seat of my pants.

The plot of the book involves a scooter, a grumpy bear, a thermos flask, some blueberry and onion sandwiches (there was some snails in the sandwiches too, but they were reprieved at the last minute), some needlecraft, lots of jam, underwear and an accident prone hare.

 

Sean Julian

 

The Mystery of the Haunted Farm

Today is the publication day for my new book The Mystery of the Haunted Farm. If you like ghost stories and agriculture then this is the book for you. Farmer Greg is having a few problems down on the farm with things that go ‘BAAAAA’ in the night. So who’s he gonna to call? These ghost hunters of course:

Once at the farm the Ghost Hunters run into all kinds of strange monsters, ghosts and ghouls but there’s something odd about them. Here’s a few of those creatures as seen through the Ghost Hunters field notes:

 

 

 

Can the Ghost Hunters figure out where all these spooky animals are coming from and solve the mystery of the Haunted Farm? Maybe, but not without a bit of a surprise along the way.

In the process of making a picture book sometimes bits get cut out, a bit like outtakes. As a FMI exclusive I will now reveal to you the most scandalous of all the Haunted Farm outtakes, Farmer Greg in a towel! 

Perhaps it was for the best that it got cut out.

 

The Mystery of the Haunted Farm by Elys Dolan is published by Nosy Crow and out now. You can find out more about Elys and her work at elysdolan.com and elysdolan.tumblr.com or follow her on twitter and Facebook at @ElysDolan and facebook.com/elysdolanillustration.