Shoo Rayner writes fun, character-driven series books for beginners and newly-confident readers.
Shoo has written over 200 books for major publishers, runs an award-winning YouTube channel, and is a favourite visitor in schools, libraries and festivals, storytelling and promoting reading for pleasure.
Another request, this time from Grace Liu, asking to draw an Aqueduct. This is never going to be the easiest drawing, but I’ve made it as easy as I can with step by sep instructions.
I had an email from Galya, an art student from Wales, wanting to ask me questions for her dissertation. I made a video for her, which I thought might be interesting for others to watch too.
Here are her questions:
1. Do you think that the different areas of illustration(picturebooks, editorial, etc.) differ a lot in terms of the methods you use to visually communicate the idea or message that you want to convey and how?
2. Focusing specifically on your children’s books illustration, do you have to adapt your methods of illustration individually for each book? If so, in what way?
3. How do you select the colours that you use and is there a specific meaning or message in the colours you choose?
If this suggests questions you would like me to talk about on a video, please feel free to ask.
Here are the links to other videos mentioned in the video:
Have a look inside my current sketchbook books. I’ve got a few on the go. Some I prefer using some days and sometimes I just want something small to slip in my pocket and be discreet with.
I’ve been very busy recently, out and about, here and there, so it’s all a bit messy but shows what is filling my mind at the moment.
You can find out more about James Mayhew here: and here:
You can buy the Gaspard the Fox book book here in the uk https://amzn.to/2PhTbfC
and here in the USA https://amzn.to/2JQ68Y4
and here in Canada https://amzn.to/2RJjvfr