Monday 29 February 2016

Ella Okstad for OUP

Another brilliant book Ella Okstad has been working on recently is this little corker from Oxford University Press: 'Nelly and the Quest for Captain Peabody!'
One girl. One turtle. One epic voyage! If you like Pippi Longstocking, you'll love Nelly Peabody. 
When Nelly says she's going to do a thing, she does it, whatever it is. 
Learn to juggle china cups? Of course! 
Live on lemons for a month? Why not? 
Set out in a boat with knitted sails to find her long-lost father, with only her turtle Columbus for company? Absolutely! 
And she won't let anything get in her way.

Ella Okstad: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

We are proud to present the fabulous new work from Ella Okstad, who has recently completed work on the Alma books publication of the classic 'Wonderful Wizard of Oz'. She was commissioned to do the stunning cover art and black and white interior illustrations. Her unique, contemporary style works perfectly for the story, giving it a fresh update, making it a firm favourite for a new generation of children!


Tuesday 23 February 2016

New Artist: Mercè Canals Ferrer!

We give a warm welcome to our new artist Mercè Canals Ferrer! Her work is mainly focused in children's literature and has worked extensively in Spanish publishing and beyond. We just love her bold, retro styling.

In her 24 years of professional dedication, she has also worked across editorial illustration, packaging and set design and has been a member of the teaching team at Escola de la Dona in Barcelona, in the children books speciality. 


We look forward to working with her!








Thursday 11 February 2016

New Artists, Chantelle and Burgen Thorne!

We are thrilled to announce our brand new signing to The Organisation - the super duo, Chantelle and Burgen Thorne!

Living and working in South Africa, the Thorne couple have been working successfully together for many years and have a wealth of experience in the illustration field. We were impressed by their diverse portfolio and many artistic styles, with strong depictions of different cultures and creeds. They can work with traditional media, but also have a contemporary feel to much of their work. The perfect combination!

We can't wait to share their work with you all!







Tuesday 9 February 2016

Bee and Me, the new picture book from Alison Jay!

We are gearing up for the BIG publishing story of the year so far.... the first picture book both written and illustrated by our superstar artist, Alison Jay

Bee and Me is a beautiful addition to her huge list of publications, but is just that little bit special as Old Barn books have agreed to take on her own story - and what a triumph it is!

We hear much about the plight of the bumble bee population and its implications for our planet's future. This beautiful picture book makes the story personal and brings a message of hope. A little girl befriends a bee, which takes her on a journey of discovery. Alison Jay's gorgeous, original artwork points out what a sad world it would be without bees.

This book hits the shelves on the 7th April this year, so get it in your diary... this is a must have, from a truly renowned artist... and now author! Congratulations on such a beautiful piece of work Alison!




Thursday 4 February 2016

Richard Merritt illustrates for Cosmopolitan NY

Following the huge success of his adult colouring books, Richard Merritt has just completed a lovely editorial piece for the renowned fashion and lifestyle magazine, Cosmopolitan, for their US edition. The article taps into the current obsession with relaxation and mindfulness, and he has produced some wonderfully detailed imagery, which has become his trademark for his popular colouring books. Add in a little bit of colouring from the art director and hey presto, you have a fabulous artwork... and of course, if you wanted to, why not fill the rest in at your leisure!