Roof!

A few more pics of the studio - there's a hatch in our ceiling and a flat roof on top, with great views of Soho roofs... And great Rear Window-style spying opportunities! Polishes glasses...

CHIM-CHIM-CHEROO, guys!

New Studio

I've moved studios! It felt a bit soon, having only been in Dalston for a year, but the west-east commute was just starting to feel a real waste of time. It's very exciting to be in the centre of town now, and to have halved my commute. But I'm dangerously near the fabric shops of Berwick Street... I popped out for lunch just now and came back with shirt fabric, a thimble and 10 buttons. I must get a grip! 

Down the alley, to the door, up the stairs... to my desk! 

Which needs some loving decoration on the wall there, and then it'll be COMPLETELY perfect! I feel very lucky to be in a such a special place, and I'm going to make the most of it, and work HARD!

Vinyl guys

I'm working on a book at the moment and I've got my head down! But I was inspired by one bit to draw some vinyl-buying keensters - I'd like to do a print of these guys, along the lines of the intellectual cats. Maybe saying I Heart Vinyl or somesuch... anyway here are some of them!

And I'm moving studios next week, which is exciting. I'm really going to miss the people and place where I am now - the darned commute has beaten me. But I'll be back to do some more screen printing, as I don't want to forget what I've only just learned!

Eyeing up the Rod Stewart...

This Bruce is in fiiiine condition!

Book Launch!

On Thursday last week, Marta and I had a joint book launch for our new books, My New Home and Digby Dog Delivers, at the really wonderful Book & Kitchen in Ladbroke Grove.

I had a great time, and we both sold out of our books, which felt like a good success! Sadly I didn't get many pics, and certainly none of me looking normal (sober), but there's one below, plus the super flyer Marta designed for us.

Digby meets Racoon - the start of a great friendship!

Emily, our friend and Macmillan editor, me and Marta

Ella's book launch buys!

It felt like a great evening - thank you so much to those who came along!

Olive and the Embarrassing Hat

My third book in the Olive series, Olive and the Embarrassing Hat, publishes this week! 

Joe gives Olive a present because he loves her so much, but unfortunately it's a rather unattractive hat (Olive naturally has a keen sense of style!) How can Olive ditch the hat and still be a good friend to Joe? 

It's based on an experience I bet many of us have had with a well-intentioned but unsuitable gift - mine involved a t-shirt from my cousin reading "Alexander Loves Tor" in large multicoloured felt letters - a painful (though loving!) situation to find myself in.

Olive and the Embarrassing Hat is in bookshops now! Very much not an embarrassing gift to give to a young friend in your life!

This book is published by Brubaker, Ford & Friends. 

My thanks to Katie, who was a lovely editor on this book, and to Amy and Amelia, and David and Brett - I will always feel grateful and lucky for the time I spent working with them.

Digby Dog Delivers Publication Day!

My new book, published by Macmillan Children's Books, is out today!

Digby Dog Delivers is a story with search-and-find activities inside. Every other spread is a big scene, with jokes and lots of jolly things to find. Digby goes to a greenhouse, a dinosaur museum, a scientists' laboratory and more!

It was a joy to draw, and thank goodness for Photoshop and being able to move things around - hiding objects in the pages was a lot harder than I thought it would be...

After the busier style I was getting more comfortable with on Showtime and The Toucan Brothers, it felt like it'd be good to try paring back the story, and focus on making the pictures as fun to look at as possible. So that was the aim, and I hope it's worked out and that Digby will be a really enjoyable book for children!

Below are some of my favourite small bits from inside... If I ever get to illustrate a dinosaur book, it looks like all my Jurassic characters will be a bit socially needy - the ones on the left are especially eager to please I think! They've turned up 15 minutes early to your dinner party, and you didn't even mean to invite them in the first place.

Digby is in bookshops from today, and hopefully not very well hidden at all! I hope you can find him...

With thanks again to the super duo at Macmillan, Emily and Emma! As always, it was a real joy to be working with them.

Risos from Hato Press

I just went to Hato Press to collect my and Marta's risos for our book launch! It's the first one I've done, and I definitely feel that I want to do more, and that much more is possible with the process than my print allowed for. It was good to look at some examples on their walls to see. 

We will be giving away limited edition signed risographs with our books on the night!

Hato walls above - imagine the possibilities!

Digby Dog, 4 colour risograph, signed edition of 100.

Delivering this August 31st!! In fact, in two days!

Liza Pigelli in the rain gif!

Cut it up one time!

I had a lovely time at the Pop Up Festival on Saturday. I'd not been to one of Pop Up's festivals before, but I will definitely go again - there was a great and creative mix of activities, shows and installations for children. I met fellow spinners Shirin Adl, Andy Stanton and Dave Cousins (sadly I wasn't there in time to meet Lynne Reid Banks, though I'd carried my very-loved copy of the L-Shaped Room with me in case). AND the sun came out. 

Here I am being DJ Tee Frizzle (apparently DJing for the Betty Ford Clinic).

TUUUNES

Fun stuff! I'm going to be DJing (playing my soon-to-be-made iPod playlist) at the Pop Up Festival of Stories this Saturday, July 12th in Swiss Cottage. The festival is free and has lots of great story-based activities, events and art for children. It's on all day from 11am till 6pm, on both the Saturday and the Sunday. My slot is from 3.30-4.30pm on Saturday - so if you want to come and GET DOWN to some brilliant, child-friendly, BANGING TUNES - please do come along!

Disclaimer - that cat below has NO taste - I will not, of course, be playing any Phil Collins... 

OR WILL I.