On Monday, though I was within a gnat's whisker of finishing my Baby Can Bounce! artwork, I had to break off, as Sheffield Hallam University had invited me to give a PowerPoint lecture to their brand-new, 1st year Illustration students, all about the location sketching I do. They are starting with a major, out-on-location, drawing project. The hope is that my talk will inspire them to get stuck into it and challenge them to try some new things.
It was almost a disaster though...
At the front of the huge hall, with about 200 faces looking up at me expectantly, I had to confess that the memory-stick containing my entire lecture was corrupted and wouldn't open!!! Thank goodness we had internet access. I flew by the seat of my pants for the entire hour, using images from my website and blog to talk around. I seemed to get away with it, as nobody actually threw anything, and at the end they were all eager to chat and look at the sketchbooks I'd brought with me. Phew.
This is always such a busy time of year. Partly because book projects have to be done in time for publishers to present them at the Frankfurt Book Fair. That's one reason why I've been going like mad, trying to get Baby Can Bounce! finished...
...and why other children's book illustrators all over the world have doubtless been doing the same!
But October is also one of the main seasons for school visits and festivals. My season started with the Greenaway prize event in Nottingham:
...but while I was there, I squeezed in a flying visit to the lovely Westdale Infants School and spent the morning with their Y2 classes. They're looking at dinosaurs this term, which was perfect, given I have my 2 dinosaur books:
It was almost a disaster though...
At the front of the huge hall, with about 200 faces looking up at me expectantly, I had to confess that the memory-stick containing my entire lecture was corrupted and wouldn't open!!! Thank goodness we had internet access. I flew by the seat of my pants for the entire hour, using images from my website and blog to talk around. I seemed to get away with it, as nobody actually threw anything, and at the end they were all eager to chat and look at the sketchbooks I'd brought with me. Phew.
This is always such a busy time of year. Partly because book projects have to be done in time for publishers to present them at the Frankfurt Book Fair. That's one reason why I've been going like mad, trying to get Baby Can Bounce! finished...
...and why other children's book illustrators all over the world have doubtless been doing the same!
But October is also one of the main seasons for school visits and festivals. My season started with the Greenaway prize event in Nottingham:
...but while I was there, I squeezed in a flying visit to the lovely Westdale Infants School and spent the morning with their Y2 classes. They're looking at dinosaurs this term, which was perfect, given I have my 2 dinosaur books:
I showed them how to draw an angry T.Rex stomping through a volcanic landscape. They added in lots of terrified victims (there was more than one gored teacher!) and there were some very promising little illustrators.
This week things start in earnest and I am visiting Wales for several days, doing children's events in various libraries in Denbighshire. Should be good fun!
4 comments:
Phew Lynne, sounds terrifying! Well done you for pulling it round, experience shining through there! Have a good time in Wales, sounds very nice! Like the Dinosaur books too.:D
Oh heck, that must have been quite a difficult moment - but they probably didn't notice as you worked your magic! I love the donkey illustration.
Ouch - well done! Trust me (because I've seen this happen to someone else) - they will admire you all the more, and remember the talk much better than if it had all gone to plan! Fab dinosaurs. Funny how kids love horror and gore (as long as it's not too realistic, I guess).
Well, sounds scary but all the more admireable that you could just go from off the top like that. I could never do something like that...let alone speak in public. ^_^
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