3.2.1, go!

Above are a couple of books that came through the post in the last few weeks. They're from a phonics series I worked with my agents on for Tick Tock Books back in June last year. It's always a nice to see your illustration's in print!

Things are hotting up for Bologna Book Fair at the moment so been busy getting things sewn up for publishers. As well as producing some fun spots for Hatchette and Wayland I've been colouring in spreads for an exciting new project with Little Tiger. The book's part of a series of fairytale based books and the layouts are looking brilliant so can't wait to see the end result.

When I'm not working on the above I'm sketching layouts for a new super cute book for Scholastic, which I'm really enjoying working on, so it really is all go, go, go!

 

I realised my last post was back in the Autumn so thought it was about time to wish every one a Happy New Year! 2013 has got off to a good start and I've been busily colouring in spreads from one of the books in the new series I'm illustrating for Egmont Books. It's really bright and bold with loads of textures and colour so right up my street. I've also been working on a new dummy book with my Agents and their new Lab team which has been great fun. The book's called 'I hate Chocolate' and the main characters a little chick that (as you can guess from the title) isn't too keen on Chocolate, much to the amusement of his friends. Hopefully a publisher will snap it up. I've also been adding new samples to the portfolio such as the pooch having a bath above!

Barr that, I've submitted samples for a few projects so it's just a matter of keeping my fingers crossed, although I start the next book for Egmont next week so there's still plenty to keep me busy. We've had a sprinkling of snow here in Devon and below are a few pics from our walk on Exmoor at the weekend. Taz, our dog wasn't really that impressed as he's only got little legs so spent most of his time belly deep in snow. Poor chap!

Autumn's Here!

 

I love autumn. The crunch under foot as you wade through brightly coloured leaves, blackberry and apple pie, digging out last years slippers from under the bed and better weather! We've already had more sunny days in October than we had in the whole of August and September put together. So to celebrate I illustrated these guys and their friend Hector, whose getting ready for hibernation.

Say hello to 'Smug Pug'

Good news! There's another title of the Pooch Parlour series (published by Pan Macmillan) on it's way and this one's about a very smug pug. I've loved working on these covers and this cover was particularly fun to illustrate. Trying to get a pug to look smug proved to be a little tricky but with a bit of help from 'Ronnie Corbett'  for reference, I think I just about managed it! The author of the series is Anna Wilson and you can read all about Anna and her books here: www.annawilson.co.uk/

Map!

This map was designed and illustrated by me for Freerangers Forest School. The above picture is of the map in situ. I'm really pleased with the map and think the pen and ink line work works really well with the green block colour tints. Hopefully it's an area of my portfolio that I can develop and build on.

Business as usual!

So, it's business as usual here at Kate Daubney Illustration HQ. Things are ticking over nicely and I'm being kept nice and busy by both my agents, Advocate Art and a few other private jobs. Over the last few weeks I've finished a great book with Ladybird Books about a Cheeky Monkey that keeps causing all kinds of trouble in the jungle, two books with Octopus Publishing for their phonics series titled 'Max's Trip' and 'What Wally Wants' and a really exciting new monster book with Caterpillar which has been a hoot to work on and can't wait to show it off sometime next year. I also recently finished a cute little book for a company quite local to me called Sleepytot which helps babies give up their dummies and hopefully is going to be a huge success!

Currently things are still nice and busy and I'm loving working on two lovely little books with Templar Publishing. The schedules been quite tight so I've been working hard to meet each deadline but am really pleased with how it's looking and can't wait to see the finished books in print! Other than work our summers been a bit hit and miss up to yet and I've been exchanging flip flops for wellies on a day to day basis. Taz the dog is still working on his snoring and seagull catching skills and on the odd day when the sun does come out loves nothing more than lying on his back in the sun and topping up his belly tan. It really is a dogs life!

An interview with..... Me!

To celebrate the launch of The Monster Alphabet Book (out now so get your copy folks!)  Caterpillar Books published an interview with me on their brand new blog! You can take a look here http://caterpillarbooks.tumblr.com/

The Monster Doodle Book is (almost) here!

This is the fourth book in the Monster series with Caterpillar Books and is being unveiled for the first time this week at Bologna Book fair! Wish I was there too!

A Christmas Munch!

Not the most seasonally correct post I know, but I had to post these pics from the Christmas Munch book I worked on for Ladybird books last year. It's not available till October this year, but is up on the Penguin books website http://www.penguin.co.uk/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781409312963,00.html so I can finally show some snippets!

Ghostly goings on!

I just spotted these guys on Amazon. I worked on this book in the autumn with Campbell Books and although it's not out till next October I'm chuffed to see that it's already up for pre order on Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Big-Book-Ghosts-Kate-Daubney/dp/0230757359/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1329386163&sr=8-4