Practice makes perfect.

I have been an intern now for three weeks and I have come home proudly baring my first book bound at Rooks Book (by me of course but with some very patient, kind and much appreciated help). The first of many I hope. Although I have done book-binding before as an A level I'm a little rusty at the moment and so I was re-learning all about sewing, glueing, end papers, rounding and backing, making board covers and covering with leather in the making of this book. Using leather is what I'm most unfamiliar with but the skill which is really the key to working at Rooks Books as that is their speciality. I'm praying that practice will make perfect! I'm going to be keeping this book all for myself but not so sure what I'll fill it with yet. There is nothing more promising then a blank book and I'm always filled with a sense of trepidation at the thought of covering those pristine pages. However, it is also good to remember that there is nothing quite so magical as a book filled from cover to cover. I'll let you know what becomes of it. For now though, here's what it looks like!

The Collective.

The collective After the Fairytale is going well. Why not have a look at what we did for March by clicking here or on the link above xx

Rooks Books Intern!

On Tuesday I will be starting a three month internship here: Rooks Books! Watch this space for updates on how I get on.

An Easter Offering

It's not long 'till Easter now and I've been getting into the spirit of things by painting an Easter hare for the Plawhatch Farm e-newsletter. (The original isn't quite as green as this upload has made it look!)

Illustrations for a Brave New World

I mentioned a couple of months back that I would be entering the House of Illustration and The Folio Society's competition to illustrate Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.....well, I got an e-mail from them the other day to say that my entry was unsuccessful. While there are possibly no words to describe how disappointed I am not to at least make it into the top 25 (and if there were it would be a little depressing to list them all anyway) over the last few days I have been trying to look at the positives: 1) They e-mailed me to let me know. There's nothing worse then having to assume it didn't go well through lack of any form of communication. 2) As clichéd as it sounds, I'm still proud of myself for entering because it wasn't the type of text I would usually have chosen to illustrate and although I struggled hugely I managed to complete it. 3) I am pleased with the work I produced. That is a big achievement for me! Even if they're not the best pieces of art ever done, I still like them and (I cringe slightly at the cheesiness but it is definitely needed in this case) that's what counts. So here, I am proud to present.....the illustrations that should have won ;)

 Cover.

 "And this," said the Director opening the door, "is the fertilizing room."

 "The on a low bed, the sheet flung back, dressed in a pair of pink one-piece zippy jamas, lay Lenina, fast asleep and so beautiful in the midst of her curls."

"I claim them all" said the Savage at last.

Mustapha Mond shrugged his shoulders. "You're welcome," he said.

And here, for those of you interested, is The House of Illustration's chosen top 25 

A little bit of summer to warm the last edges of winter

We've had a few hints that spring is on it's way here in the south-east of England and for a little while at least, I was vainly optimistic that we might see it early this year. False hope I know. Today the sky is an uncommitted shade of cool grey and even though I'm sitting inside with a jumper on and a cat curled on my lap, I can still feel a chill and a nip beneath my clothes and in my bones. As I have the house to myself and the whole day to do with as I please I thought I'd shake out a few of last summer's memories in the hope of spreading a little warmth, so desperately needed!

Some pages from my sketchbook.

In honour of my previous post I have scanned some of my own sketchbook pages (well, if Rossetti and Burne-Jones can do it then so can I!). These are the scribbles that have informed some of my own finished pieces; my magic behind the magic.

p.s The last two pages on here are preliminary works for After the Fairytale Collective's February challenge. If you would like to see the final thing, click on the link below or the "Collective" tab at the top.

After the Fairytale Collective