Richard Johnson Cover Art for Total TV Magazine

With a festive feeling in the air we can reveal the hard work of Richard Johnson with the release of the fabulous Christmas cover design for Total TV magazine! The much coveted spot has been a secret until now, and we think he has done a terrific job bringing a real flavour of the holiday season with his typically gorgeous style. You can get a copy now to plan all your movie watching, and of course, to admire this handsome piece of artwork!

Seasonal Pins to make you Smile!

Fabulously festive brand new pins from Livia Coloji and Richard Johnson added to our Pinterest this week! For some sensational seasonal inspiration check them out here! 

Another lucky winner of our Alison Jay book comp with her fabulous prize! Thank you for the fab pic! To get your own copy of 'A Lady has the Floor' about the corageous Belva Lockwood, click here!

Spotlight on....Sophie Rohrbach!

This month we take a peep at the wonderful work of French artist Sophie Rohrbach Illustratrice! Sophie is passionate about the colours and patterns that she uses in her illustrations and enjoys commissions for children's books, products, stationery and anything that involves creative surface pattern design! Check out her gorgeous technicolour portfolio here! 

Chantelle and Burgen on Tour!

Following the successful publication of The Singing Stone, Chantelle & Burgen Thorne were asked by Jacana Media and Books and Books to take part in a book tour covering a total of over 600km travelling between schools across South Africa and their home in the hills!

With Burgen manning the fort to look after their their menagerie of pets, Chantelle got the lucky task to visit the schools and read the story to the pupils, followed by a short Q&A after. Chantelle was thrilled at the enthusiasm of the children for the story and their inquisitive nature as she described life as an illustrator, teaching them that you really can do this for a job! They hope to do another round of visits in the New Year, possibly including schools in Johannesburg and Pretoria as well! Phew - what a busy pair!

Katie's Fabulous new Prehistoric title for Xist!

When a boy loses his best toy car under his bed, he discovers a magic trap door that will take him to the past! In this first adventure, the trap door opens into the time of the dinosaurs! Lovingly illustrated by the fabulous Katie Mazeika Illustration for Xist Publishing, why not take a look into the trapdoor yourselves and see what you might find! Get your copy here!

David Sensational Centennial Cover!

With the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1 in our minds, this month sees the launch of another brilliant book cover from our king of cover design, David Dean who has put his stunning signature style to work on 'The Button War'! The striking composition and bold colour scheme compliments award winning author Avi's stark, unflinching tale of ordinary boys living during WW1 as tensions - and desperations - mount among them. Out now from Walker Books!

Livia's Creative Calendar Countdown!

As Christmas gets ever closer, it seems the perfect time to tell you about the wonderful new advent calendar from Livia Coloji and Arcturus publishing...  we think YULE love it! (Sorry!).

Not just your typical festive calendar, this one has a unique twist. Each day, find the numbered panel, and remove it to discover a beautifully illustrated picture underneath. Then slot together the simple model to make a decoration for your Christmas tree. The countdown to Christmas has never been so much fun! Every tree needs a stunning piece of artwork from Livia hanging from it!

Get prepared for your Christmas decorating by grabbing a copy here!

Richard Johnson's Beautiful Blizzard Book!

We are thrilled to announce the release of Richard Johnson's brand new picture book with Faber & Faber children's books. When a snowstorm separates a boy from his father, who will come to his rescue and bring him safely back home?  Filled with sumptuous, atmospheric artwork this is sure to be a hit this winter with its glorious snowy scenes and heartwarming story, all told in this stunning wordless picture book. Richard gives insight into the project: "My initial ideas for the story developed around my own relationship with my father and an exploration of the relationship between nature and man. The narrative is designed to be wordless, as there are certain themes I wanted the viewer to explore themselves so I didn't want words to influence the pictures too much. I was also inspired by the cinematography of Iñárritu’s The Revenant and Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, which I think I might of subconsciously combined with inspiration from Murakami and Briggs' The Snowman." The perfect Christmas present this year, get your copy of Once Upon and Snowstorm here!

Raving Review for Chantelle and Burgen!

Fabulous little review from Artslink.co.za of The Singing Stone illustrated by Chantelle & Burgen Thorne for Jacana Media! And I quote "the illustrations are awesome", can't say fairer than that!!

Gareth's Art Raising Money for Willow!

Our best selling artist Gareth Lucas is joining famous faces from the world of entertainment, art, sports and popular culture to take part in this year's #StarsonCanvas charity auction with his lovely toucan painting. Proceeds benefit Willow Foundation , the only national charity working with seriously ill 16 to 40 year olds to fulfil uplifting and unforgettable Special Days. Each day is a life-affirming experience that can lift spirits, reunify families and be a source of strength when it is needed most. 

Sponsored by The Crown Estate, the online auction is now live and will finish on Sunday 25th November. All canvases will start at 99p so happy bidding! The collection will also be shown at a public exhibition on 22 & 23rd November at 194 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EX.

BID HERE

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our lovely followers in the USA! Here is a bold and bountiful cornucopia from the fabulous Emily Emerson to feast your eyes on! To see more of Emily's adorable work, click here!

Bernice's Bowling Beauties!

Our very own fabulous Bernice Lum talks bowling, ice cream and Bruce Lee in this great interview with ArtStars*! Catch her epic pins at PULSE Contemporary Art Fair this December with Galerie Youn. You'll be bowled over by her talent!

Merce's Best Bedtime!

Classic tales abound in Merce Canal’s latest luminous collaboration with Spanish Publisher Cruilla! Goldilocks, The Three Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood - all of our favourites burst into technicolour life from this bumper edition that beautifully showcases Merce’s wonderfully graphic style and particular talent for innovative composition. She says of the commission: “It was a great book to work on and I felt valued and grateful. I hugely enjoyed the two months of hard work sketching the main characters and doing the research for the clothing and the scenery. The Ugly Duckling is definitely my favourite one!” Get your copy here!

Bear Hugs from all at The Org!

Happy Hug a Bear Day everyone! Did you know that the ancient Egyptians are credited with making the first soft toys? To help you celebrate, here are some of our artists' most adorable couplings! Thank you Ella Okstad, Chantelle and Burgen Thorne, Aga Kowalska, Amberin Huq and Merce Canals for these gorgeous grizzlies!

Spotlight on.... Nuno Alexandre Vieira!

This month our artist spotlight falls on the fabulously versatile Nuno Alexandre Vieira - Illustrations! Nuno’s most recent work boasts a new dimension as he explores a broad range of texture and detail to bring a fresh new look to his portfolio! If you think Nuno’s fun and relaxed new style might be just the ticket for your next children’s book project then drop us a line - we’d love to hear from you!

To see more of Nuno’s vibrant work visit his portfolio page here!

Flying High with Alison Jay!

“When night falls my bed is an air balloon. I sail through the slipsiverse, close by the moon….”

This beauteous bedtime book with a whimsical twist gives the reader not one, but two chances to appreciate the comfortingly nostalgic work of Alison Jay through its innovative design featuring two front covers and two stories that converge and become one! My Bed is an Air Balloon has wonderfully daring perspectives and meets in the middle with a stunning centrepiece image of the dreaming twins who finally meet amongst the fluffy clouds, one in an air balloon and one on a sailing boat!

Float down and grab your copy today from Faber & Faber!

Inktober Highlights!

As we bid a fond farewell to October, we thought you might like to reminisce with us over the fabulous work some of our artists produced for Inktober 2018!

Oliver's October Opportunity!

We are thrilled here at The Org that the fabulous Oliver Averill has been selected as Childrensillustrators.com Illustrator of the Week with a highly coveted spot on their homepage, social media sites and monthly newsletter! Well done Ollie!

Incredible Inktober Images!

Apart from being hugely talented, our artists are a diverse lot! Stunned by the range of beautiful styles we represent - here is a taste of what they have been coming up with for Inktober so far!

Laure's Fabulous Fresco!

Much to the joy of local residents and visitors to the Cote D’Azure, Laure Fournier has just completed this gorgeous and evocative design on the side of a public building in the seaside town of Villeneuve-Loubet in the south of France. 4 talented artists worked tirelessly with mineral paint on the huge scale trompe-loeil project over a two week period and we think you’ll have to agree with us that the results are simply breathtaking! Now where did we put that passport….? 

Forest Foraging with Gareth Lucas!

Where else would you find a friendly pheasant with a frying pan or a superior looking squirrel on a swing but in the magical mind of Gareth Lucas?! Welcome to the latest in the Usborne ‘Look and Find’ series of intricately illustrated offerings -  ‘Look and Find in the Forest’. Boasting a rich and distinctly autumnal colour palette and some handsome home-grown beasties, Gareth is once again proving he is the master of eye-catching animal enigmas! So if you want to avoid being ‘boar-ed’ and fancy being truly ‘foxed’ then grab your very own copy HERE! 

Stellar Work from Richard Johnson!

“Have you ever gazed into the sky and wondered about all those twinkling lights?…” This simple yet informative little book features stunning celestial illustrations from the incomparable Richard Johnson, bringing our fascinating Solar System to life for curious preschoolers! Richard says: “The book was interesting to work on as it was a non-fiction title for the popular U.S Little Golden Book series. It was challenging to create illustrations that are both functional and have an element of playfulness. Scale and simplification were important aspects of the commission, the imagery had to be factual but also decorative, involving all aspects of our Solar System for a children up to 5 years old. Working on non-fiction titles is something I would love to do again!” Tots will enjoy poring over each dramatically detailed page as they learn about planets, constellations, satellites and spacecraft. Lively and up to date, this Little Golden Book is sure inspire little ones to reach for the stars! Get your copy HERE - it’s out of this world!

Richard Merritt's Flippin' Great Unicorns!

Can’t decide which you love more - mermaids or unicorns? Fear not - Richard Merritt is here to show you how you can have your cake and eat it as we delve into the often mad but always magical world of ‘Mermicorns’, a Flip Flap Friends book! In this, his 11th amazing collaboration with blooming publisher Pat-a-Cake books, beautiful bubble beards, radical rainbow tails, sensationally sparkly horns and fabulous flowery flippers all jumble up to create the most fantastical friends who burst into technicolour life from each split page! Richard says of this hilarious project: "Mermicorns is possibly the most fun thing I’ve taken on as an illustrator as I was given the freedom to create a whole host of crazy, bold and bright characters. With the help of the fantastic designer Kim at Pat A Cake, I think we’ve made a wonderfully fun and interactive book which has already got my friends' children excited. Look out of Fancy Dress flip flap friend coming soon too!" With over 72 possible combinations, hilarious names to mix and match, Richard’s crazy chromatic characters and adorably cheeky little details to spot, children will want to keep coming back for flip flap fun again and again! Get it HERE!

Welcome to The Org family Katie Mazeika!

Katie Mazeika is an illustrator with a focus in children's publishing. Originally from Cincinnati, she graduated from The Columbus College of and Design and eventually settled in Cleveland, Ohio with her husband, two kids and two dogs.

Katie loves creating illustrations with a strong narrative that are filled with colour and texture. Her illustrations are primarily done in Photoshop.

To see more of Katie's beautiful work visit her portfolio page here!

Welcome Amberin Huq!

We would like to give a big warm welcome to our brand new fabulous artist Amberin Huq! Amberin graduated from University College Falmouth with a degree in Illustration in 2008 and has since been living and working just outside of London creating and painting under an organised heap of chaos in her flat!

Amberin works entirely digitally but her work is layered with texture. She is hugely inspired by film and photography and loves to play with scale, perspective and colour to create dreamy, evocative and atmospheric illustrations with enticing diverse characters.

To see more of her gorgeous work visit her brand spanking new portfolio page!

Win Javier's Joaquin's latest stunning release!

As promised our fabulous Twitter comp to win Javier Joaquín's stunning NLT Children's Bible has now launched! So zip on over to our Twitter page follow us and retweet the pinned post to be in with a chance of getting your hands on it! 😍🍀📙👍 Good luck!