What a heartwarming book, Helen! I was encouraged to hear that you have a list of things you dislike drawing haha The thing I can’t stand to draw is a classroom- SO many desks and tables and flat things! Maybe I grew up in very boring classrooms, but I just can’t deal with all the fiddly tables, chairs and LEGS. Thanks for the lovely newsletter :)
Great newsletter, Helen! Yes, there are things I don't want to draw too - and I wonder if there's a bit of snobbery involved too (possibly as a cover for having The Fear!) Monsters...I just don't want to draw monsters. I hadn't thought about pirates but after seeing your way in to tackling them, I think they'd be fun to draw! And I LOVE drawing tables in pictures - all because of what I get to put on them - little collections and clusters of things that I love drawing, such as mugs and plates of biscuits and clutter. Anyway, it was a very interesting newsletter and the book looks beautiful - thank you :-)
Ah thanks Jill. I have to reconsider tables 😆 maybe it’s all about what you put on them! Yes maybe there is some snobbery there, and also the difficulty of being who an artist who likes drawing from life but can’t meet an actual mermaid or dragon in person. ENTIRELY making things up is terrifying to me!
What a lovely story for a family suffering loss. Here in the western US “western art” is all the thing. Very dramatic, realistic landscapes with wild animals etc. it’s like Thomas Kincaid but rugged. I will not draw or paint these, it’s not my style,
Horses playing football! It was one of the first jobs I firmly turned down - until then I thought I had to draw what I was told. Turns out I did have firm boundaries!
It looks and sounds like a very special book Helen. Thank you for sharing little gems from it!
This is so encouraging! What a great process to share, thank you so much for taking us through how you got over this hurdle. Anything mythical is basically on my list of things to avoid… probably because I don’t know how to draw them in a way that feels “me”! I heard an interview with John Vernon Lord once who said if you never learn to draw “x” then you are essentially shutting yourself off from any project in the future that has that thing in. Also I think when the popular/current way of drawing mythical creatures that you often see in children’s books is so far removed from your way of illustrating it can feel like a barrier somehow.. but really it should be an opportunity to redraw them in your own way! I love your pirates, they are stunning and so your ‘way’! I can’t wait to see the book in full 😍
Yes I think JVL is right. It can be a barrier that stops you taking on exciting projects, but also maybe sometimes that barrier is useful, helps you stay true to who you are... I have turned down lots of stories because they had things on my list, and don’t regret it. The stories didn’t have enough going for them to make me break my rule.
Fantastic Helen. I also have no desire to draw pirates. But you’ve changed my mind. Also Horses maybe? Their faces are so ridiculous, I don’t think I could tackle them. I guess as people who draw from life the idea of drawing something you’ve never been in close quarters with feels remote? It’s so helpful to read how you approach illustrating other people’s stories, I’ve never done it and it looks hard but I’d love to try. Great newsletter, thank you!
Do you know about Hive.co.uk They are an online bookstore that allows you to pick a local bookstore to support - they send them a bit of their profits every time you order. They are really efficient too. A very good alternative to the looming giant of Amazon. Much more like a good pirate!
I am desperately wanting to draw lots of mythical things but I am over awed by the task of finding ‘my own way’. I was dead against drawing people when I started out, as I was doing business illustrations and could get a way with characters without features – every time I tried to put a face on a person it was hideous!! I’m over it now though!! And I just wanted to say that I adored super gran when I was little and I’m hopping over to pre-order my copy so I can get some supergran pirate vibes.
Yes, drawing people, especially from your head is a tricky business, it takes a bit of practice. Glad you got there! Thanks for pre ordering your copy, I really appreciate that 😗
Brilliant! Well tackled I love how you used celebrities Jarvis talked about that to find characters voices but I’d never thought to use them for actual drawings! Yes gnomes and elves high on my list also very flat straight buildings with zillions of symmetrical windows and no twiddly bits!
What a heartwarming book, Helen! I was encouraged to hear that you have a list of things you dislike drawing haha The thing I can’t stand to draw is a classroom- SO many desks and tables and flat things! Maybe I grew up in very boring classrooms, but I just can’t deal with all the fiddly tables, chairs and LEGS. Thanks for the lovely newsletter :)
Flat things, yes flat things are a nightmare, nothing to get your teeth into to describe them visually. Oh and yes, all those classroom chair legs!
Great newsletter, Helen! Yes, there are things I don't want to draw too - and I wonder if there's a bit of snobbery involved too (possibly as a cover for having The Fear!) Monsters...I just don't want to draw monsters. I hadn't thought about pirates but after seeing your way in to tackling them, I think they'd be fun to draw! And I LOVE drawing tables in pictures - all because of what I get to put on them - little collections and clusters of things that I love drawing, such as mugs and plates of biscuits and clutter. Anyway, it was a very interesting newsletter and the book looks beautiful - thank you :-)
Ah thanks Jill. I have to reconsider tables 😆 maybe it’s all about what you put on them! Yes maybe there is some snobbery there, and also the difficulty of being who an artist who likes drawing from life but can’t meet an actual mermaid or dragon in person. ENTIRELY making things up is terrifying to me!
What a lovely story for a family suffering loss. Here in the western US “western art” is all the thing. Very dramatic, realistic landscapes with wild animals etc. it’s like Thomas Kincaid but rugged. I will not draw or paint these, it’s not my style,
Oh blimey! How funny! Yes stay true to yourself.
This gave me a laugh! For pirates being second on your list of no’s, they came out great.
On my list are anything technical, like a car engine or transformer, unless the publisher likes wires coming in and out of who knows where!
Oh yes, tech is awful! I never draw a car newer than about 1980!
Horses playing football! It was one of the first jobs I firmly turned down - until then I thought I had to draw what I was told. Turns out I did have firm boundaries!
It looks and sounds like a very special book Helen. Thank you for sharing little gems from it!
This is so encouraging! What a great process to share, thank you so much for taking us through how you got over this hurdle. Anything mythical is basically on my list of things to avoid… probably because I don’t know how to draw them in a way that feels “me”! I heard an interview with John Vernon Lord once who said if you never learn to draw “x” then you are essentially shutting yourself off from any project in the future that has that thing in. Also I think when the popular/current way of drawing mythical creatures that you often see in children’s books is so far removed from your way of illustrating it can feel like a barrier somehow.. but really it should be an opportunity to redraw them in your own way! I love your pirates, they are stunning and so your ‘way’! I can’t wait to see the book in full 😍
Yes I think JVL is right. It can be a barrier that stops you taking on exciting projects, but also maybe sometimes that barrier is useful, helps you stay true to who you are... I have turned down lots of stories because they had things on my list, and don’t regret it. The stories didn’t have enough going for them to make me break my rule.
I agree. Sometimes you’re just not into something!
Fantastic Helen. I also have no desire to draw pirates. But you’ve changed my mind. Also Horses maybe? Their faces are so ridiculous, I don’t think I could tackle them. I guess as people who draw from life the idea of drawing something you’ve never been in close quarters with feels remote? It’s so helpful to read how you approach illustrating other people’s stories, I’ve never done it and it looks hard but I’d love to try. Great newsletter, thank you!
Oh yes horses, every illustrators nightmare! Getting all those legs in the right places! And donkeys too.
I think you’re right, if you are are ‘drawing/sketchbooker illustrator’ drawing from imagination is tricky, especially drawing mythical things.
Do you know about Hive.co.uk They are an online bookstore that allows you to pick a local bookstore to support - they send them a bit of their profits every time you order. They are really efficient too. A very good alternative to the looming giant of Amazon. Much more like a good pirate!
Ah! No I donlt know Hive, thanks for that excellent tip!
Oh Helen this is so lovely 😊
I am desperately wanting to draw lots of mythical things but I am over awed by the task of finding ‘my own way’. I was dead against drawing people when I started out, as I was doing business illustrations and could get a way with characters without features – every time I tried to put a face on a person it was hideous!! I’m over it now though!! And I just wanted to say that I adored super gran when I was little and I’m hopping over to pre-order my copy so I can get some supergran pirate vibes.
Yes, drawing people, especially from your head is a tricky business, it takes a bit of practice. Glad you got there! Thanks for pre ordering your copy, I really appreciate that 😗
Brilliant! Well tackled I love how you used celebrities Jarvis talked about that to find characters voices but I’d never thought to use them for actual drawings! Yes gnomes and elves high on my list also very flat straight buildings with zillions of symmetrical windows and no twiddly bits!
Yes flat buildings, flat tables, this seems to be a theme! Flat things and imaginary things…