Celebrate your Rights as an Artist!

Today is World Intellectual Property Day, an important day in our calendar as the work that we produce as illustrators falls under the category of Intellectual Property when it comes to copyright definition and legal protection.

The term 'Intellectual Property' began to be used in the mid 19th century in reference to early copyright statutes and patent law. However, it was not until the late 20th century that the concept was adapted in a broad sense. Intellectual property refers to 'creations of the mind'. Recognition and protection of creations of the mind is intended to stimulate creativity and all illustration, design and art fall into this wonderfully named category!

So come on, today let's celebrate the protection intellectual property laws afford us and the amazing creativity and innovation that grows from these rights! Visit the WIPO website here

Chantelle and Burgen's Big Launch!

We are thrilled to tell you about the fabulous illustrating duo Chantelle and Burgen Thorne's exciting new social media pages! Their work is lively and expressive, full of life and movement - just like them! So pop on over and say hello, they can be found on:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/chantelleandburgenthorne/
Twitter https://twitter.com/chantelleburgen
Pinterest https://za.pinterest.com/chantelleburgen/
and Instagram chantelle_burgen

So there is no excuse not to check out the vibrant and diverse work of this prolific husband and wife team!

Ella's Exciting Easter!

As promised, a little Easter update from Ella Okstad Illustrator's wild and wonderful artist in residence stint off the coast of Norway! 

These are the fabulous fruits of her labours over the sunny weekend and we will continue to post her fabulous work as it is created!

Adventurous Ella!

The wonderful Ella Okstad is currently completing an artist in residence stint on a beautiful and remote island just off the coast of the northern part of Norway! Situated just above the arctic circle, Ella will be staying with another illustrator whilst both work on various exciting projects! We will keep you updated with all of her fab creations and here is sneak peek of the fruits of her first day's labour!

What did Katy do next?

Quino Marin's striking cover portrait for the newest edition of this much-loved story beautifully conveys Katy's determined and adventurous streak and combines this with a wonderfully subtle nod to the first edition that featured a procession of Katydid - a species of cricket - against a plain saffron cover!

In this enchanting tale by Susan Coolidge of 1872, Katy speaks with a charm and directness that remains as fresh as when it was written. 12 Year old Katy Carr is a scruffy and gangly tomboy who is forever getting into trouble, but a terrible accident that leaves Katy immobile and her slow and painful recovery, teach her to make the best of bad situations and to be a more thoughtful and loving girl!

In Quino's second wonderful portrait for this series of new editions for Little, Brown we meet a more mature and thoughtful Katy. Her stubborn streak, however, is barely hidden beneath the surface in this fabulously subtle characterisation by the hugely talented Quino.

Second in the 'Katy' series, 'What Katy did at School' sees Katy and Clover attend the fictional Hillsover school which was based by author Susan Coolidge, on a real school in New Hampshire. In this sequel to the classic novel of American Childhood 'What Katy Did', the girls travel north, the landscape opens and alters; flat plains give way to high mountains and the air turns "cool and full of a brilliant zest, which the Western girls had never before tasted."