Two More Covers from the Chronicles of Prydain

I have found another couple of those covers I did for  the Chronicles of Prydain  by Lloyd Alexander.

I'd love to find the images I did for the boxed set.

The Chronicles of Prydain

While I'm sharing a few illustrations from my early days as an illustrator I thought I would show these covers I did for a set called the Chronicles of Prydain  by Lloyd Alexander.
They are a very enjoyable series of books written about fifty years ago in a fairly Tolkienesque style.
There were five in all and I also designed a box for the set. I'll see if I can find some more of those images next time I am down in the vaults.
I don't have all the titles to hand, but the first of these is The Black Cauldron which was turned into a movie by Disney.

"Fables and Fairy Tales in Irish Art" at the National Gallery of Ireland

The Study Morning on "Fables and Fairy Tales in Irish Art" at the National Gallery went really well.
It was a treat to spend a few hours discussing artists and writers who have fascinated me for so many years in the company of such experts as Dr Nicola Gordon Bowe, Dr. Jarlath Killeen, Dr. Roisin Kennedy, and Professor Kevin Whelan.
Many thanks to Dr Marie Bourke of the NGI for arranging such a great event and for inviting me to be part of the programme.


I used this picture "The Castle" in my presentation to show how a youngster can get totally lost in the fantasy world he might discover in a book.

My Home Library

A good few years ago, I was asked by Anne Fine to draw a bookplate for My Home Library.
I thought it was a great scheme and said I would do one, but when I tried to make the drawing, I just couldn't do it.
I don't know what the problem was but I just couldn't complete this tiny job.
I felt really awful about it every time I thought of it over the years, so finally set to and produced something.
And here it is.
I think it's quite fun for someone who might have a library full of fantasy books.

I hope My Home Library will be able to use it.
Feel free to click on the picture for a larger image to download for non-commercial use as a bookplate.

Enter the DAA Children's Short Story Competition

Here is a chance for one of you younger budding writers out there to match your storytelling talents to my illustration work.
The Dublin Airport Authority, who sponsor the Irish Book Awards, asked me to do a picture which contains all sorts of fantasy elements for their Children's Short Story Competition
.
I had a lot of fun with this one, using digital and traditional techniques and bringing in various bizarre characters that I hope might tickle your imaginations.
All you have to do is write a short story, in not more than 250 words, based on the themes suggested by my painting.
Come on! Download an entry form here, and let your imaginative juices flow.

The two winning entrants will receive all eight titles shortlisted for the Award and will be invited to join a panel of expert judges who will decide the winners of the Dublin Airport Authority Children’s Books of the Year Award for 2009. A donation will also be made to the school libraries of the winning entrants.

The Nutcracker, the Gingerbread Village

I'm working on a very unusual project at the moment. W5 in Belfast have asked me to design a fantasy walk through experience for Christmas. The theme is taken from the ballet of the Nutcracker.
This rough shows the Gingerbread Village with Clara and the Nutcracker Prince in the foreground.
There will be various free-standing "pop-up" elements so it will be very interesting to see how it actually works when my illustrations are blown up and all put together.
W5 has a great team so I'm hopeful that it will all come together nicely.