Who is holding the pencil at Pencil Pals?
It’s me, Helen Stephens. I have been writing and illustrating picture books for a loooong time, my first picture book was published in 1998. My books have won fancy prizes and been spoken about in high places. But I don't like to harp on about that.
Maybe you know my How to Hide a Lion books?
“My favourite book is How to Hide a Lion because you make books less boring. You put exclamation marks in and by the way you are the best author in the world. I’m six, I forgot to say that. Oh well.”
MAYA, AGE 6
Smelly Peggy is out now!
I will be sharing lots of the behind-the-scenes process stuff on Pencil Pals.
I started the hashtag #walktosee over on Instagram to celebrate drawings made from life in a sketchbook. It has nearly 110k contributions so far, but I don't like to harp on about that either.
I like to try new ways of working: some of my books are made by hand on paper, like ye olden days, some are a hybrid of handmade and digital, and my most recent book was made entirely on Procreate. I love sharing my process here on Substack.
I am also 1/3 of The Good Ship Illustration, where we offer no-nonsense advice for illustrators and image makers navigating a creative career.
Listen to The Good Ship Podcast
Thank you so much if you decide to become a paid subscriber. You are obviously a wise and upstanding human being
All subscribers get regular posts straight to your inbox about making picture books and anything illustrationy. Plus I made you some Picture-Book-Freebies: sketchbook tips, a picture book layout, a virtual school visit for teachers and homeschoolers, and other goodies (they arrive in your welcome email).
Paid subscribers get all of the above, plus extra goodies like live workshops starting with Procreate for Paper Lovers, access to the Pencil Pals Problem Page where I’ll answer your picture book/ illustration problems and live co-working sessions where we will get loads of stuff done. Plus, you can dig into the entire archive and you get additional private community access to behind the scenes chats, discussion posts and loads more.
Subscriptions are £6/month or £60 a year. There is a 7 day free trial too.
There’s also a Founding Member option for those of you who love Pencil Pals and have spare cash to fling about. Don't do it!
The suggested fee for that is £150. Do it!
All subscriptions can be gifted as well.
love Helenx
