• I did some fabulous drawing sessions with the children at Hobletts Infant School on Monday. As I walked in one of the year two classes, I saw they were doing crocodiles and instantly decided to read them the Just So story of how the elephant got it’s trunk – The Elephant’s Child. Then I remembered that it’s really difficult showing how to draw the elephant and that it never comes out as I would hope. But I was committed to the story.

    Then, because they were focussing on the crocodile, I decided to do a different drawing – of the scene where the crocodile grabs the elephant’s trunk. It’s probably a much harder drawing, but far easier to explain, step by step. And it’s far more satisfying – all that violence!

    Here are some of their drawings. Guess which one is mine? (the least enthusiastic one!)

  • I had a great time at Hobletts Infant School this Monday. It was a bit chaotic, as they were having a new library installed, so books were piles up around the Staff Room, being sorted and thinned out. One of the thinning was a club book from the Tufty Club, which must have been lurking untouched on the old library shelves for years!

    I was very impressed by a painting of penguins and puffins on the wall of the dining hall. The school is probably 1950’s, made in a cheap, throw’em up, pre-fab style. It still has it’s original metal, crittal windows, because the whole place would collapse if they were replaced! But there is this fabulous mural – I couldn’t see a signature, because part of it was hidden behind cupboards and things. ( I should be more nosey!) It must have been done very soon after the school was built. It has that wonderful Festival of Britain style about it. I hope it is logged somewhere . It should probably have a preservation order on it. It could do with a bit of restoration!

    Any way, Thanks for a great day everyone. Fabulous drawing – all of you – teachers too!

  • It seems that people like my little advice videos, and I’ve been meaning to do one for teenagers for a while, so hear it is. Hope you like it.

    More problems? Let me know and I’ll see if I can help. This is about Not worrying about failure – Not worrying about tomorrow – what people think about you and Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll!