Lions and Lords...

Sorry I've been silent for longer than usual. No good excuses, just busy with things, plus trying hard to focus more on getting studio work done and spending less time on the computer. I'm guessing you all know what I mean.

Anyway, I wanted to share with you an interesting day I had earlier this week, where, amongst other amazing things, I got to look at some embroidery from the 18th century, which hadn't been seen for 40 odd years!

On Sunday, John and I drove down south - I was doing a talk on Monday morning to illustration and publishing undergraduates at Kingston University. I still mostly get booked to work with children, so I really enjoy the occasional events with adults. Here I am, strutting my stuff:

It went really well. Everyone was very interested and hung around for ages afterwards, asking questions - always a good sign. Then, when I was done, John and I took a train into London for two very unusual activities.

The first was at the Palace of Westminster. The husband of the Course Leader who booked me for the talk at Kingston, was Yeoman Usher at the Houses of Parliament. He met us at a side door, Black Rod's Gate, where we had to go through airport-style security, then he took us on a personal tour - a real honour. This is him, on the left, with the ceremonial mace, which we watched him carry later that afternoon, as they processed into the House of Lords to open business for the day:

It was fascinating to be guided through the maze of corridors deep in the building, to be shown all the important rooms and have the history and ceremonies explained. Every wall was lined with paintings like an art gallery, every ceiling was exquisitely decorated, in fact pretty much every surface was either intricate gilding, mosaics or carving. Unfortunately you can't take photos.

We were taken for lunch in the House of Lords restaurant (an opportunity for spotting several famous faces), then shown into a private viewing area in The House, to listen to the Lords questions and debates. It was so interesting, we stayed for about an hour and a half. I asked if I could sketch - unfortunately not, so nothing I can show you.

But that was not all! At 6pm we had an even more extraordinary honour - an appointment with Garter Principle Kings of Arms, at the Royal College of Arms. This is where new Peers of the Realm have their family's coat of arms researched, designed and archived. Each lord's heraldry is also hand embroidered onto ceremonial tabards, which was my connection and particular interest.

The College of Arms is not open to the public, but a group of 8 of us were offered this special opportunity. We were mainly Royal College of Art embroidery graduates, including course leader at Hampton Court's Royal School of Needlework, so I was honoured to be invited.

The Garter and his assistant had gone to great trouble. They had burrowed into the archives and chosen tabards for us to look at which ranged over 100s of years. Some were embroidered onto velvet, some on silk, some damask, depending on the person's importance. The newer ones gleamed with lions, horses and harps densely sewn in golden thread, but I liked the really old ones, where the colours were faded and the wear and tear added another set of textures:

I was struck by how contemporary the illustrated element of the heraldry was: the stylisation of the faces, the almost comical lions, the funkiness of the stitching. I took photos of many these wonderful characters from lots of the different tabards. It was really inspiring.

We spent about 90 minutes asking Garter questions and poring over all the tabards, which were laid out on every available surface in two wonderful old rooms, stuffed with huge, crumbly tomes, full of heraldry and genealogy. When we were done, Garter even gave us a glass of champagne, to thank us for our interest. How nice.

What an unusual and memorable day! Thank you so much to Alison Bavistock, for setting things up.

People-Sketching Workshops for Undergraduates

Singing, Dancing, Drawing, Biscuits!

Last Sunday afternoon, I took the train to Cambridge. Actually, 3 trains - bit of a long haul. I nearly got stranded part way there too: overhead cables were down in Retford, all trains going south were suspended and, when I did get going, we spent so long sitting in the middle of nowhere that I had time to do this painting of the view:

It was worth the pain though, for several reasons:

1: I arrived to a home-cooked, Thai, veggie meal and a glass (actually 2 glasses) of wine with my hosts Mr and Mrs Clarke.

2: I was soon to sign squillions of books - hurrah!

3: Best of all, was the fantastic time I had in store next day, with the kids at St John's College School...

Yes, it's the Spring school-visits season and, as well as dancing the cancan with Y1, singing about dragons with Reception, rapping, burping and creating monsters with Y2 (plus of course, reading stories galore and drawing loads on the flip chart)...

... I was also called upon to judge 2 competitions. 

The first was the 'Extreme Reading' photo prize. It's something lots of schools do for book week: kids have to bring in pictures of themselves reading in weird and wonderful places. There were so many really imaginative ones, we gave a prize to each year group. My favourites were a girl and her book inserted into the shell of a giant tortoise (how?), a small boy atop a princess-and-the-pea style tower of cushions, pretty much to the ceiling, and a brilliant action-shot of someone reading while turning a cartwheel!

I was also the judge of a Class Two at the Zoo illustration competition. All the children took part. This was the display of some of the hot favourites. Mrs Clarke did a great job - notice how the letters of my name are cut out of sections of Class Two at the Zoo illustrations:

I couldn't possibly choose one winner, so again, we awarded a separate prize for each year. All the winners got a signed copy of the book (with a drawing of the anaconda inside, of course).

Throughout the day, every Rec - KS1 child in the school bought a book, so I worked my socks off, signing in every spare minute. 

I didn't mind at all though: it's great to sell so many, as it really helps to keep them in print. Plus, I was fed plenty of biscuits to keep my strength up. Posh ones too. I am a sucker for shortbread:

We finished the day with a PowerPoint talk to Y3 and Y4. 

Everyone was so appreciative, I felt very loved. Mrs Clarke, who booked me, said it was the best author visit they had ever had, and they have had a few big names,  so I came away glowing like the kid in the Readybrek commercial (remember that?). Here is Mrs Clarke in the library:

Fortunately my train journey home was a lot easier than the trip down. Plus, this time I had a stash of shortbread to keep me going!

A huge thank you to Mr and Mrs Clarke for their hospitality and to everyone at school, for making it such a fun day. 

Don't forget kids: keep practising your drawing, because it's like magic - the more you do it, the better you get, until eventually you get so brilliant that you explode (that last bit is a fib, but the rest is true).

Masterclass in Lincoln

"Are you Lynne Chapman?" 

I was spied on the platform at Sheffield Station, sharpening my pencils as I waited for the train. I didn't know Beryl, but she recognised me, because she was on her way to my masterclass for SCBWI in Lincoln! Which was lovely: I didn't get to use my newly sharpened pencils, because we chatted all the way there.

I was met at the other end (thanks Alan) and Beryl and I were driven to The Museum of Lincolnshire Life, which looked really interesting. Unfortunately there was not a spare moment to look round, as I had a very full day.

I did a lecture first, about how I became an illustrator and the various other kinds of work I have done before picture books. Everyone laughed in the right places and asked lots of questions afterwards, so I think they enjoyed it.

The rest of the day was more informal. I had rooted out lots of roughs from Baby Can Bounce!, Bears on the Stairs and Swap!, including my very first sketch sheets, where I write my books in a kind of 'half words, half images' kind of way, trying to capture the ideas that pass through my head, before they escape. We laid these out on a big table and I talked people through them. 

I had even found my editor's feedback from Baby Can Bounce!, so we could look at my first roughs, the publisher's comments and my re-roughs together. I thought it was useful for showing the kind of feedback you get. I showed artwork too. Again, lots of discussion and good questions.

After lunch, I talked about my Urban Sketchers work. Again, we gathered around the big table and I took everyone through my sketching kit, demonstrating various tools for them. People were very interested in how I use the watercolour pencils and, as ever, people were fascinated by my Sailor pen.

I took a pile of sketchbooks too, and let people have a good old rummage.

I had a smashing day and met so many lovely people. It makes a real change to talk to grown-ups rather than children. Thanks so much to Addy Farmer at SCBWI for inviting me and to everyone who came, for making it such fun.

'Picture This!': Meet Me for a Day of Talks in Lincoln...

I am doing a rare event for adults on Saturday June 14th. If you are free and want to find out more about any aspect of my work, there are still places available.

My talks for adults are thin and far between, and then generally one-off lectures as part of literary festivals, but Picture This! is a very unusual opportunity to hear me talk for much longer and in a broader way, about both my sketching work and my book illustration. 

The event has been set up by the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, but is open to everyone. 

The plan is to begin by talking through how I got to where I am now, the different kinds of illustration I tried before I found children’s books, as well as how I got my foot in the door with children's publishing. 

I will then be going through the processes involved in creating my picture books, both from the point of view of an author and an illustrator. I will bring plenty of real-life examples of books-in-progress for you to look at, as well as at least a couple of pieces of my pastel artwork. It's so different to see things 'in the flesh'.

After lunch, I'll be sharing my sketchbooks and discussing my work as an Urban Sketchers correspondent.

I'll be talking a little about my educational work with children too and giving advice and practical ideas for any illustrators or authors who want to try doing school visits.

There will be a Q&A after each section, with plenty of opportunities to chat, as the set-up will be intimate and informal, rather than my usual lecture-theatre type of talk.

It is all happening in the Museum of Lincolnshire Life, from 11am - 2.45pm. It costs just £15 (£12 if you are a SCBWI or SoA member). So, given that numbers are limited, you need to get your skates on and get yourself booked in. Email Addy Farmer now, to reserve a place.

Stealing Time on the Beach in Norfolk

It's not often that work takes me to the seaside. 

As you know, I had a couple of events just outside Norwich last week. I knew the work would be fun, but it's still a 4 hour drive. Which was why we decided to book an extra night's B&B on the nearby coast at Cromer, to make better use of all the travelling.

It's not a part of the country I know, but a librarian I worked with in Leeds recently was born nearby, so she recommended a great guesthouse with a perfect sea view. Not only could we watch the crashing waves, but I had this view down over the pier:

We got up at 5am on Monday morning (ugh) so we could get to Cromer for 10.00 and have a full day to play. We took pot luck with the weather, but it turned out sunny and dry all day. We pottered and ambled along the sand, ate a picnic lunch on the cliff and wandered back across the top, chilling out with the sun on our faces and the wind in our hair (jealous yet?). By 3pm though, John was flagging from the early start and all his driving so, while he went to recuperate, I sat on the pier and sketched.

By then the wind was up. I had to cling onto my book for dear life, to stop it being snatched out of my hands and into the sea. I was also very aware of the pencil-sized gaps between the wooden boards at my feet!

All along the coast they are hard at work, repairing the storm damage. I did a really quick sketch of one of the many diggers on the beach. I was sketching to a soundtrack of sawing and banging. All the pier boarding was being replaced - the sea rose up underneath and simply lifted them all off. It lifted the buildings at the pier gateway too, so they all need rebuilding. So much work, but they are really getting on with it.

The next day was cooler but still nice and we didn't need to get to my event until late afternoon, so we headed the other way down the beach. I did some more sketching, wrapped up in my big coat: 

Unfortunately, the rain eventually caught up with us. I was half way through trying to capture all the patterns in the eroded sandy cliff when it started to spit. I held out as it got heavier and heavier, until my sketchbook was starting to get quite wet (as well as me, of course). You can see the rain marks in the paint:

We headed inland to dry off at our next B&B, which turned out to be even lovelier. When I booked White House Farm in Hindolvston, I had no idea it was such an old and beautiful house.  A lovely garden too, with lots of different kinds of chickens and a pond full of big frogs. Inside, there was a big soppy dog to greet us, plus lots of cake.

The Book Group talk went really well and it was nice to show everyone the drawings I'd done that very day. People were all really friendly and interested. I stopped and chatted to them afterwards and signed lots of books. 

Next morning, my chauffeur dropped me at Reepham School, where I had a brilliant day with the children and got them all drawing too. The time shot by and, before I knew it, John was back to pick me up. We drove back via the coast and grabbed one more brief walk on the marshes with the sea birds, before starting the long drive back. 

Good fun, good company, good weather and good sketching in a beautiful part of the world - I think we can call that a great success!

Chauffeur Driven to Norfolk...

This week I have been back in Norwich. Remember I spoke at the Reading for Pleasure conference there in November? 

Well, I visited a couple of local schools while I was there and one of them, Reepham Primary, has invited me back, which is a lovely vote of confidence (thank you Reepham!). 

It's a long way to go for one day though. I was originally spending a couple of days in another Norwich school too, but they cancelled on me at the last minute. Not ideal, despite the cancellation fee. But I couldn't let Reepham down, so I'm still going. 

Luckily another event has come up: Marilyn Brocklehurst at the much-admired Norfolk Children's Book Centre was supplying books for signing at Reepham School but, as it happens, she also coordinates the Norfolk branch of the Federation of Children's Book Groups. The Federation do all sorts of amazing things to promote reading, not least run the highly acclaimed Red House Book Award.

Marilyn arranged for me to do an author event for the Norfolk group on the evening before my day at Reepham Primary, which has definitely helped to get more value from all that travel time.

I was originally going to take the train but, with the changes to the plan, John volunteered to be my chauffeur instead (an ever-expanding job-description!). We got home last night and I'm declaring today a day of rest, so we'll be putting our feet up, probably with a book and a coffee, quite possibly in a nice local coffee shop. There might even be cake involved...

Lynne Chapman: Illustrator in Residence!

The early part of this week was spent carrying on with The Jungle Grumble (hope you like how those two spreads are looking now - still not quite finished, as you can see) but the end of the week has been a little unusual...

On Saturday night I got back from a really interesting, 2-day conference in Derby, for the Association of Senior and Children's Educational Librarians (no wonder it's ASCEL for short!). The theme was 'Communication', and I was invited to speak about how I communication through my illustrations. Since communication it central to almost every part of the process, it wasn't hard to do.

But the main reason I was there was because I had been employed as the 'illustrator in residence' for the conference. Great job eh? I had to attend the 2 days and record it in my sketchbook, the way I have done many times before when I've been a delegate, but I've never before been paid to make it official.

Unfortunately, apart from the preview below, I don't have time to show you my sketches yet, since I had to repack my suitcase and get back on another train the very next day, to travel to Norfolk (the sketches below are train ones, photographed in transit).

That's because this morning I am giving a short presentation at the Reading For Pleasure Conference in Norwich, about how author/illustrator visits are a great way to inspire children to learn. I am a little nervous to be honest, as I have to share the stage with the very witty Steve Cole. Later today, I will also be doing a couple of 1hr seminar sessions with primary teachers, sharing some of the ideas I use during my visits. 

I had to leave home again on Sunday lunchtime because Norfolk is such a very long way away. To get better value from all those hours of travelling time, I am also doing a couple of days in local schools, either side of the conference, before starting the long trek back tomorrow afternoon. Should be home ready to collapse in front of the TV by about 9pm.

I'll tell you all about my adventures soon.

Sketching on Location: Some Hot Tips

I am away from home again, abandoning John for a whole week from first thing tomorrow morning. I am presenting at a couple of conferences and also have some school visits way over in Norfolk. I will tell you more about all that when I get back but, in the meantime, here is something to keep you going, especially if you are into sketching...

A student emailed me a little while ago, for advice: she was doing a project, drawing out on location. She made me stop and think about what I know and what I can usefully pass on. It's tricky, because things become second nature over the years and it's also hard to shrink all my different thoughts down into something manageable. 

Despite that, here are some pointers I gave her, which I'm hoping might also give a few of you people out there the confidence to escape your comfort-zone and venture into the big world...

1) Try to travel light, rather than taking every bit of art gear you have. Conversely, a pencil is a bit limiting on its own: take the means to apply colour, even if it's just a couple of coloured pencils to help your drawing jump off the page:

2) Don't attempt photo-realism: it's impossible in the time you have, so be creative. You don't have to draw everything you see: you can focus in on details; you're also allowed to leave things out; or you can do a very minimal background to throw forwards what you are really interested in:

3) If your subject moves half way though, you can sometimes create a fun page by starting again and again. Different coloured lines can make the resulting confusion easier to see:

4) Be comfortable: take something to sit on, as there's seldom a chair when you need one. But you don't generally need to lug a stool - a little hiker's pad will fit into your bag, so you can sit on the ground anywhere.

5) Consider your sketchbook spread to be a piece of reportage, rather than just creating a drawing: play with different ways of filling the space: 

6) You can incorporate little notes in your sketch, or hand-drawn text, to record what you hear as well as what you see, or to note small activities which happen in the location while you are there. I sometimes incorporate snatches of conversation:

And finally...

7) It's easy to get anxious if people come up to you, but just chat to them. Consider them part of the overall 'I was there' experience (and try to remember - most onlookers are unlikely to be able to draw as well as you, no matter how disappointed you might be with your efforts).

Other stuff that might help:

I have written a post full of hot tips on drawing people in public, if that's something you fancy giving a try.

This post also gives you different techniques for drawing people: how to do speed-sketches for capturing poses. 

The same post also suggests an unusual approach to drawing buildings.

Sketches That Sing talks about different ways of looking, and  offers ideas to help you experiment.

Quick-on-the-Draw is a workshop I delivered last year, with techniques to help you to speed up your sketching.










Also, the short film, Lynne Chapman on Sketchbooks, explains how I got back into sketchbook keeping and talks a little about how I work.

You might get some inspiration by flicking through some of the sketches on my website. I scan them, partly because I am proud of them and want to show them off, but it's also because I remember how seeing other people's sketchbooks on the Urban Sketchers site re-lit my fire some years ago, and gave me lots of new ideas. If I can inspire others in turn, that would be great.

Finally, a bit of shameless self-promotion: I do have a PowerPoint lecture about location sketching, aimed at Art and Design students or fellow professionals. Let me know if this might be of interest.