IF Tribute

Tribute to Thor...

IF urban

Eglantine...

...following on from my IF 'egg' post here,
I present this little character...

Witch, Whale and Winter Parcel...

Here are some recent poem illustrations produced

for The Educational Company of Ireland
for their Primary English books.

(Click on images for larger versions)

IF egg

Spent an hour doodling 'egg'...
(Click on image for larger version)

mmmm.....

IF Eye Glasses

IF storm

Chinese Dragons

As it is almost Chinese New Year, I was reminded of some illustrations

I worked on last year for The Educational Company of Ireland.
I had to illustrate the Chinese Folk Tale 'Four Rivers', which

meant I got to draw lots of Chinese Dragons!!

 

 It's the story of how China got its four great rivers -
from the Yellow Dragon, the Black Dragon, the Pearl Dragon
and the Long Dragon!!

 I'd never drawn Chinese dragons before, but really
loved drawing them...and I intend to draw some more soon!

Here are some more images from the story...

(click on images for larger versions)

 

Olivia the Otter Sister

Olivia the Otter Sister, the seventh book in the Spell Sisters series, 

was published by Simon & Schuster last month.

Here's my cover illustration...

...and some of the interior illustrations...

(click on images for larger versions) 

 Gwen and Flora...

 Avalon coming to life...

...and Louis the dog, who plays an important role in the story.

 

 

And finally, a few of the colour sticker illustrations 

(all the books include free stickers!)

Here's Olivia...

and Louis...

...and an otter!!

 

Highlights Hello Magazine

 I just received copies of the January issue of Highlights Hello Magazine,

for which I illustrated the cover. 

(click image for larger version)

This is a new magazine for babies and toddlers - it's baby-friendly, 

with rounded corners and no staples, and is less than A5 in size...

and it arrives in a sweet matching envelope (see pic below).

Evie the Swan Sister

 Evie the Swan Sister, the sixth book in the Spell Sisters series 

has just been published by Simon & Schuster.

Here's the cover and a few of the interior illustrations...

(click on images for larger versions)

Bewitched horses...

 

Magic and spells...

Avalon...

IF carry

Janice decided to carry it there as fast as she could...

(click pic to see larger version)

Grace The Sea Sister

The fifth book in the Spell Sisters series has just been published.

Here are a few of the inside illustrations...

IF suspend

(Apologies to arachnophobic browsers...)

IF - Space

It was their favourite space...

(First IF in a very very long time!)

My Dad

 

Today it is six months since my Dad died.

It has been a difficult time as our family have begun to adjust to not

 having his big (loyal, kind, funny, stubborn) personality around.

I still keep going to pick up the phone to call and

tell him all my news...

So anyway, here's a very early Mary Hall illustration of my Dad!

I'd done it at school, and remember feeling so proud when the teacher

told my parents how much she thought the picture looked like him!

(Thank you kind teacher - I know it didn't really - but I reckon 

I captured his pipe and tash with panache!!)

Miss you Dad.

Some illustrations from Sophia the Flame Sister

Here are a few of my favourite images from 'Sophia the Flame Sister'.

First, Flora about to be rescued by her cousin Gwen (Guinevere)...

Here's Gwen!

And here's an action scene with the two of them about to rescue a Spell Sister!

(click on image for larger version)

Spell Sisters End Papers

I'm still busy working on the Spell Sisters Books for Simon & Schuster.

This illustration of Avalon and the surrounding kingdom 

appears on the end papers of all the books...

(click on image to see more detail)

Spell Sisters Books

At last, some new work to post on my neglected blog!

I've been working on the covers and b&w illustrations for the first four books in the Spell Sisters series for Simon & Schuster, written by Amber Castle.

They're due to be published on 1st March 2012.

(They can be found on Amazon here)

. 

The stories are set in and around the magical world of Avalon - 

so lots of lovely images to illustrate!

I'll post more artwork after they've been published, but in the meantime I'm working on the illustrations for the next four books!

Highlights High Five

I've illustrated a spread in the September 2011

issue of Highlights High Five...Lots of detail to illustrate in this Yard Sale!
(click on images to enlarge)

hmmm...apple or brownie?? Tough choice...