Work until you drop...

...is literally my current frame of mind.

I am about 4 weeks away from having my second baby and trying my hardest to finish off artwork for my second book with Parragon. I've now finished all the stories for nick jr so that's a relief, but it's all hands on deck to get this book done!

eek.

Anyway, here are a few little pics i've taken of the work recently. This book is done all digitally, but as usual, it's using the textures i love to use in my work, so it's not too far removed from my more painterly style - just a little faster to achieve.

Shoes...

Deadline monday looms...

Don't you just hate a deadline monday? Monday is the worst day anyway, so slap a deadline on it and make it even more depressing!

It means working weekends which isn't fun really, but necessary. Being an illustrator is not glam, it is jolly hard work. And if you are thinking all we do is make pretty pictures well you're wrong i'm afraid.
There's a lot of careful planning, trial and error, tweaks and mistakes, re-do's and plenty of materials used.

Saying all that, I wouldn't change it for the world. I love my job and I never once forget how lucky I am to be doing what I do, and that some people like it, and want me to do work for them.
Like the lovely people at Nickelodeon - and this weekend I have (almost) finished the colour spreads for the first 'Bedtime story with Arnie and Barnie'. Hopefully they will like what i've done!! And once we're all approved, it's on to no.2 (of 6!)

As well as all this, I am embarking on the 'Adventures of the owl and the pussycat' book once again. So excited for this book, and after my meeting in london last week, I am raring to go with it... now to just find a spare second...

Tuesday.

So, yesterday wasn't a great start to the week with a toothy baby who wanted mummy.
I am at my parents this week as my hubberoo is away sailing on the Broads for a week, and they are very kindly (and not at all grudgingly) looking after the munchkin for me so I can get back into the work groove. Sadly they live 2 hours from us so after this week it's back to juggling with hands and feet!

Anyhow, I did manage to get a little bit done yesterday. Scary times, my first line work deadline for nickjr is the 9th... Here's a little sneak at one of the images waiting to be approved.

Happy Tuesday everyone x

Hansel and Gretel

It's been a really long time...

...since i posted anything on my blog!

PLEASE forgive my absence, but we have moved house, decorated the house, and I have been finishing off and starting projects left right and centre! And all these things are very important as I am an ever ticking time bomb, with now only 9 weeks to go until my D day (Due date!)... So it's all engines go to get it all done before baby arrives.

On the plus side though I can do a huge post here with some work I have been doing over the past few months (YAY!) and finally show you some of the things i've been colouring in :)

So to start off with we have some artwork from 'Lucille Gets Jealous' - a book i finished recently for Capstone Publishers (Little Boost Books) in the US of AAAAAAAAAA! Absolutely loved doing this book and LOVED working with them too. I have permission from them to put this work up so it's all good! Not sure when the book is out but i'll keep you posted.
The book is about Lucille who is jealous of her baby sister Margaret, and it finds Lucille getting into a sticky mess before finding out she is loved just as much as her sister. Cute story. Here are some images:








Next up we have some spreads from 'Starvin' Marvin's Big Day Out' - the third book I have illustrated for Karen Davies and her charity, Blazing Glory. You can see the previous two books i have illustrated HERE.









Very cute lions. Lions are actually quite hard to draw, well they were when i started to draw them. I always find reference is helpful when I don't know how to draw something. Always the best way to go!

So there is a little full colour update - will also do another post about a very EXCITING project I have started this week.

Bye for now!

...just so you know

Ballet dancing pandas...

TDAC

So my brownie recipe is up in the features on 'they draw and cook' 's website till the 15th! Pop over and have a lookie :)

www.theydrawandcook.com

Don't be shy...

...pop over to etsy and grab a limited edition print!!!

*YES PLEASE!*

Ooh it's in print!

(Original Artwork ^ )


A while back I did a job for Polka Theatre in Wimbledon. This afternoon i've got some of their publicity through the post with my little illo in it! Very happy with how it looks and looking forward to getting a couple of posters through for it too :)

Polka Theatre







Also on the next page is an awesome illo from Teresa Murfin, who has done one for Charlotte's Web. I used to love that book when i was ickle. Check her out HERE.

Sneaky peek...

Hello everyone!

I am mega busy at the moment what with moving house in 10 weeks time, growing a baby and meeting deadlines for 2/3 books!
And deadlines are getting closer by the day so the pressure is definitely hotting up!

So i'm taking a liberty and going to show you a couple of characters i am working on for one of my books - very exciting and wish i could show you more - but you know how it is! Once stuff gets published i can probably put more info up here for you to look at! But for now, i hope you enjoy these little fellas!

:)


C

They Draw and Cook

www.theydrawandcook.com

So here is a look at my first ever attempt to jump on board the 'They Draw and Cook' wagon, and what a wagon to be on! It encorporates two of my biggest loves in life! So here we are then, my brownie recipe (why is that such a hard work to get right?!) with some close up bits of it, as the dimentions are quite long. If you make it, let me know how it goes? Works for me every time...

Oooh, it's something new to look at!

Here's the cover for 'Where's Polo Neck', a story about a very naughty little lamb who goes astray from his flock, until his dad finds him and brings him home.
You can find out more about the charity 'Blazing Glory' HERE
(Which will take you to the page of the last book I illustrated for them BELOW)

grumbly tumbly

Screenprints and Giclee's FOR SALE!

Pop over to my etsy, i've just re-listed a load of giclees and screenprints for your purchasing pleasure!
A couple of the giclees now have frames included with them for a little extra pocket money.

CHARLOTTE COOKE on ETSY

These prints are beautiful and i hope someone/people find it in their hearts to give these lovely prints a loving home :)

I know they are mine, but the cupcake screenprint really is lovely, and so much love went into it, with something like 24 hand pulled colours!
It was truly a labour of LOVE! Have a closer look below...

Miss June...

Just call me Miss June...

Here i am in the Bright Agency's 2011 desktop calendar. In the beautiful month of june.
Already sharpie-d in my hubbaroo's 29th bday on there. What a lucky man. He even stars in this piccy, he's the one loitering directly behind me.
The boys are all my studio mates, and work for a company called The Design Collective. I have desk space here and it's a LOT of fun. And serious work, of course.

I'm honoured to be included in the calendar considering i'm still a newbie, and count myself in good company amongst the likes of Mark Chambers (@markAchambers), Rebecca Elliott (@BecElliott), Rachel Clowes and Ag Jatkowska, only to name a few. Check them all out! Some awesome talent here.

I wish I was feeling like these guys!

Upping Sticks...

So myself and the Hubbaroo are officially moving to Kent. We've taken the plunge, taken a step in the dark, a leap of faith, taking a risk, going out on a limb etc and are going to start a new life in the East. Completely the other side of the country.
Why are you going there? you may ask? Well, for one, it is an up and coming area (we're going to Ramsgate), i get to (hopefully) share a design studio with a lot of talented people, and my Hubby is going to find a job that makes him smile everyday, instead of smelling of coffee and having sore feet (he's currently a restaurant manager.)

So I wanted to check in, i'm still here, still working, but in slight suspension and transit for the next few weeks. You can get me still, but I might be like a tiny snail getting back to you.

LOVE!

Invitation Design

It is one of my very best friend's birthday next month and she asked me to design her a postcard invitation.

It was my absolute pleasure to do this, (I designed her business cards and blog a while ago) and it got me out of show mode, which was nice. Speaking of which, our final degree show is going up tomorrow, so it's off on the choo choo in the morning to the big smoke, and staying for a couple of days to meet with some publishers - ooooh exciting!!!

Happy Birthday Ruth!!!