Books

Unfettered

If you haven’t read about Unfettered through Twitter then you have been missing out. Tiny Owl Workshop is releasing a series of illustrations that have inspired writers from around the world.

I was asked to create a number of illustrations that were then uploaded to the internet. A call out to all writers was then blasted across the web via a website to ask for submissions.

Tiny Owl Workshop was bombarded by submissions. Both myself and 2 other judges were asked to select our favourites to accompany the illustrations.

The book will be available soon.

If you would like to know more about Unfettered or any other project Tiny Owl Workshop is working on, go here tinyowlworkshop.com.

You can also look around my site and find some behind the scenes from the project. Just hit the ‘Unfettered’ button up the top.

Word Hunter Update! Nov 2013

I keep hearing rumours that another golden peg has been found. A school child at one of the visits I did with Nick Earls, actually mentioned to me he had seen one but couldn’t recall where.

If any one does find it, could you please email me a pic and also say where you found it.

WH_A2Poster

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ord Hunters are all now available in book stores and libraries. Al and Lexi are involved in a massive battle in book 3. Check it out and don’t forget to go to the website and learn more about names. You also have the opportunity to upload the meaning of your name.

http://www.wordhunters.com.au

Word Hunters book 3 cover has been released on the Penguin website.

Check it out.

The Lock blog

I’ve started a new blog about the process I have taken with The Lock Graphic Novel.

You can find it here.

The Lock

A graphic Novel

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hilst working on the trilogy of Word Hunters with Nick Earls, I’m chipping away at a dark graphic novel.

It’s been a long project. Due to work and other projects starting to fly I had to push it back, but now I’m back on it and starting to think about it again. It’s nice to come back to something that has been waiting for so long.

It’s a love story (well that’s my take on it) dipped into a vat of Edwardian horror.

This is a fun project as I’m mixing up a lot of media. Hand drawn illustrations, models and lots of textures will create a look that is very distinctive.

More on this soon.

Word Hunters Trilogy

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his book started a couple of years ago. A friend, Nick Earls approached me to ask if I would like to join him on a book project. He ran through the idea to which I got very excited about.

Over time we developed a pitch document containing a draft and some sample illustrations. Then off it went to publishers.

It was like letting your child go to school for the very first time and that feeling of who will take care of it, will it be ok. Will it be accepted.

Thankfully it did. UQP came up trumps. I have to say, it has got a lot bigger in scope.

 

 

Word Hunter review from Maxwell Freedman

A review has just come through from 11 year old Max Freedman. It’s a great review and he formatted it all himself. He gave me permission to put it up on my site for everyone to read.

 

Available for purchase from 27/08/2012

Click here to read more

Some images from Word Hunters

Because of the style of the book being history, time travel and gadgets, I wanted to adopt a slight Jules Verne look without being too over the top. I grew up with films like Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Chitty Bang Bang which have that mad inventor/Victorian style, this is also known as Steampunk.

I did some research into the golden age of children’s books.

Word Hunters has adopted a few styles mixed with a modern twist. Rackham style silhouettes can be found in the book along with a style shading that is very Beardsley. Below is a Beardsley image called ‘The Baron’s Prayer’ 1895.

This is an image from the Word Hunters – The Curious Dictionary.

Leon Benett was another artists I looked at (image below). His high detailed cross hatching was amazing. He also played with breaking outside the borders of his illustrations which I liked a lot.

An image from Word Hunters.

It was great to incorporate the style of the Victorian illustrators which added the nostalgic feel to the whole book.

 

 

 

 


YIK YOK

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his project is in collaboration with Jon Groom at Cutter & Savage. It’s a beautiful world of discovery and where we fit in. The trailer was done in 3D but the book will have traditional line illustrations with spot colour. It will be available soon along with some toys.

 

 Music courtesy of BLEMUSIC and Helen Jane Long.

 

 

 

Carnival Capers

For Kindle on Amazon.

When a mad (or at least slightly dotty) professor tries to cook a super tasty supper for his wife, he accidentally invents magic slime, a talking fish, and a whole host of fantastic carnival folk.

So, whether you’re a fan of “whoosh bubble bang!”, or in love with crazy illustrations, this story might be just the thing for your own little mad professors to experiment with.

Sample spread from the 32 page book.

 

 

You can purchase the book through Amazon. Here is the link:  Carnival Capers

It’s only for Kindle at the moment but you can grab Kindle readers for PCs and Apple Macs.