Tuesday 17 March 2009

Looked After Children: Illustrator Event




At first, I wasn't sure about doing last Sunday's gig, squeezed as it was between two very busy weeks of touring schools up and down the country. My long-suffering Hubby is always telling me off for taking on too much. I'm not very good at turning things down.

I'm so pleased though that I threw caution to the wind! I took a train across to Stockport's Dialstone Library, where I was fed a yummy buffet lunch, before spending the afternoon with a group of local 'looked-after' children and their carers. I chatted to them about my books, read them Mr Strongmouse and the Baby and showed them the fairground artwork:
The librarians gave everyone juice and biccies, and some children had their faces painted, then a few joined me for some drawing. It was a lovely afternoon, really well organised by the wonderful Stockport Library Service (no, they really are). They even gave every child a goody bag, including a £10 book token - how generous is that?

Borders were supposed to be supplying my books for the event, but something went wrong somewhere along the line, so I took my trusty suitcase full, and I'm happy to say that it was a lot lighter on the way home (ya, boo, sucks, Borders!).


I drew this man and these two Oriental women on the way home. The train was packed and I felt a bit guilty turfing someone out of my reserved seat, but hey - how else could I draw?

The sketch at the top of this post was a real challenge by the way - I spent the whole journey, all the way to Stockport, drawing it. Those Tesco's bags were something else!! One would have been a test enough, but two together... Yikes!

You can see more train sketches here.

4 comments:

SeƱor R said...

wonderfull this last serie of drawing! :)

Jess said...

You were rewarded with a lovely drawing after all the patience you must have had iin drawing those bags! I'm very lazy when it comes to creases and crinkles so I'm in awe.x

cassia said...

the carrier bags were worth the effort though. lovely, lovely stuff! cxxx

Unknown said...

Take this as a meta comment on all the train portraits.....great