Celia Hyland Illustration Challenge

  (My personal Illustration Challenge for 2017 is to complete one 'page spread' from a popular, modern or classic children's story each week, picked randomly from a hat. Using lines from the original text, I am re-creating the 'imagery' in my own way, just for fun!) And they went rumpeta, rumpeta, rumpeta, all down the road... The Elephant and the Bad Baby written by Elfrida Vipont, illustrated by Raymond Briggs, published 1969 One of my ALL TIME favourites this week, and I was terrified of not doing it justice, so I drew the initial pencil sketch days ago and it has sat in my sketchbook glaring at me. I really didn't want to proceed and ruin it, and thus ruin one of my favourites. How do you even follow Raymond Briggs with those amazing illustrations full of energy and movement and colour? I had forgotten that he does actually use both full colour and black and white images in this book. I decided I can draw elephants - no challenge there - and I really w...

  (My personal Illustration Challenge for 2017 is to complete one 'page spread' from a popular, modern or classic children's story each week, picked randomly from a hat. Using lines from the original text, I am re-creating the 'imagery' in my own way, just for fun!) An old classic tale... Jack and the Beanstalk Half way up the mighty stalk, Jack felt it suddenly sway. Terrified, he clung on tighter. Looking up to judge his next move, he caught sight of something - or some one - moving far above him. The most challenging part of this illustration was getting the perspective right. I really wanted to make him look high above the ground. I think it's worked. Again, I've used pencil and digital colour.

  (My personal Illustration Challenge for 2017 is to complete one 'page spread' from a popular, modern or classic children's story each week, picked randomly from a hat. Using lines from the original text, I am re-creating the 'imagery' in my own way, just for fun!) If you think Robin Hood or George and the Dragon are great stories, then you should visit Iceland and hear their folklore. I was totally smitten by the tales they tell when we visited last year. Belief in 'the hidden people', fairies and house elves runs deep in Iceland - not surprisingly since the landscape there is magical and entrancing. I quite happily sat for hours listening to the coach tour guide tell these stories as we drove through craggy mountains and volcanic lava valleys. Wow, they can really tell stories the way stories should be told! My favourite characters are the trolls. Trolls sleep all day and only come out at night, because daylight makes them turn to stone. I'm pret...

  (My personal Illustration Challenge for 2017 is to complete one 'page spread' from a popular, modern or classic children's story each week, picked randomly from a hat. Using lines from the original text, I am re-creating the 'imagery' in my own way, just for fun!) A simple image, with a modern twist this week. Little Red Riding Hood , the classic fairytale. Mother warned Red not to take the path through the forest. "There are wolves behind every tree," she said. "They are ready to eat little girls just like you." I'm really happy with this one. I think I produce my best work - and most enjoy working - using minimal colour. Lots of soft pencil and ink outlining. I wanted to keep the focus on Red, but other compositions I tried featuring the wolf didn't really work. I also wanted to show her as a modern girl, with her hoodie and backpack. I hope she remembers not to talk to any strangers! Spot the five wolves waiting...

  (My personal Illustration Challenge for 2017 is to complete one 'page spread' from a popular, modern or classic children's story each week, picked randomly from a hat. Using lines from the original text, I am re-creating the 'imagery' in my own way, just for fun!) Apologies for the lateness of this post. I accidentally took two weeks off - woops! - partly due to the enormous fear of doing this book any justice at all, partly due to illness and end-of-term-birthday shenanigans getting in the way, and partly due to not really feeling brave enough to continue with this one, but I did any way. Bear with me on this one. Please. It is me being a little odd again. I have my original copy of this book from when I was a kid and love it dearly. Each Peach Pear Plum , by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, published in 1978. The original text runs two lines to each page, and Janet's illustrations are what make this book so enticing to small children (and won her lots of awar...