My usual approach is to first spend some time thinking about the brief I've been given, developing characters and coming up with ideas. I spend a lot of time just thinking. The earliest pencil sketches are very simple, just enough to give me a hint of what the final illustration could look like. What might work, what won't. When I'm happy with a sketch and how it relates to the other illustrations in the project, I move on to more finished work. Very occasionally I'll jump straight into painting (having lost patience with the sketches) if an idea seems strong enough. An illustration can take anything from a few days to weeks to complete, depending on the technique and level of detail.

I enjoy both simple line work and colourful, painterly techniques. I draw using pen and ink, pencil and charcoal. I mostly paint with acrylic, ink and watercolour and, more recently, gouache. I love capturing the facial expressions and moods of my characters; their quirky body language.

If you are interested in hiring me for illustration or have other questions or comments, please feel free to email me.