Ella Bella Ballerina

A Christmassy few weeks

2012-01-01T03:58:00.000-08:00

Buried away in my studio, sustaining myself with mince pies and a heck of a lot of chocolate, I have been progressing with Ella Bella Ballerina and the Nutcracker. Here are couple of glimpses. When printed the colours will be much stronger than here, as the three layers of art will be properly combined during printing...

More soon... AND HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!

A Merry Ella Bella Christmas!

2011-12-21T06:09:00.000-08:00

New pictures for the Nutcracker will be posted over the festive season. So why not stop by to take a look and see how I'm getting on with the new book?

Have a lovely holiday meanwhile, and thanks for your friendship.

X

Going Nutty

2011-12-12T12:53:00.001-08:00

Here are a few preliminary sketches for Ella Bella Ballerina and the Nutcracker... to get you in a Christmassy mood!

Nutcrackers galore

2011-12-07T13:24:00.001-08:00

Snow fell from the sky as I stepped from Edinburgh Waverley station and out onto Princes street, where a winter wonderland of fairground rides, ice skating and music welcomed me to Edinburgh this weekend past. I was there to launch the fantastic Art In Schools competition for the National Galleries of Scotland and their sponsor Tesco Bank at the newly restored portrait gallery.

But as I strolled along towards my hotel, what should I see? literally thousands of nutcrackers, and other toys, on stalls at a German market. If that doesn't inspire me to, er... "crack on" (sorry!) with Ella Bella, I don't know what will!

Remembering Scheherazade

2011-11-09T21:49:00.000-08:00

At last the big day arrived! Sinbad and Scheherazade with Robin Browning and the de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra at the Weston Auditorium in Hatfield... and it whizzed by in a whirl of music and colour and hundreds of children jumping around to Rimsky-Korsakov!

Other music was from Nielsen's Aladdin suite; and my astonishing costume was specially created, in silk, by Trina Bharwaney, and was worthy of anything by Leon Bakst!

Here are a few pictures of the day...

Ella Bella and Swan Lake... in Saffron Walden

2011-11-02T22:52:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of the magical afternoon in Saffron Walden last month with the Uttlesforde orchestra. The programme included Peter and the Wolf, Bizet's "Children's Games" and ended with Swan Lake. As I was painting on a huge scale, I didn't do separate pictures for Swan Lake as done in Hatfield and Cheltenham. This time I did one big picture combining story elements.

Swan Lake in paperback!

2011-10-05T03:10:00.000-07:00

Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake has been out of stock since last Christmas when the hardback sold out. But from today, the paperback edition is available, so now there is no excuse to not introduce your children to Tchaikovsky's masterpiece!

And don't forget: I'll be illustrating the story, live on stage, with the Uttlesforde Orchestra in Saffron Walden on October 16th. The concert will also include Peter & The Wolf. Click HERE for more information!

2011-09-30T22:52:00.000-07:00

I had expected - as October arrives - to be wrapped up in blankets in a freezing studio... Yet, an extraordinary heat wave has embraced the British Isles, an "Indian Summer", predictably coinciding with the end of the (so called) Summer Holidays, and less predictably with the new Ella Bella book.

And so I find myself sitting in my studio, sweltering in the heat, watching the garden dry to a frazzle (and combined with autumn, the colours are terrific). Yet my mind is keeping cool in the heat. For I am drawing wintry forests and dancing snow flakes and Christmas trees as I plan the pages of Ella Bella Ballerina and the Nutcracker. Here is an example of the first drawings...

A real life Ella Bella!

2011-09-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

I love coincedences. I suppose a little girl called Ella, being nick-named Ella Bella isn't all that big a coincedence. Nor that she likes Princesses and Ballet. But when she goes to Ballet Classes held by a teacher called Miss Rosa... well, that really is extraordinary.

Her mother emailed me with the story, and to say how much she loves the books. I was so pleased to hear that, it makes all the hard work worthwhile!

So... roll up! And meet Ella Bella Ballerina, from the USA. She'll soon be celebrating her 4th birthday, and is celebrating with an Ella Bella Ballerina party at her dance school! How great is that? Wish I could go. I bet there'll be cake...

I'll be thinking of her (and the cake) as I begin the first drawings for the new Nutcracker book!

Sultanas for breakfast

2011-08-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

I'm starting every day with a very healthy diet... of reading matter. Now that the Scheherazade concert is confirmed I am researching in earnest which stories by the Sultana Scheherazade I should tell around Rimsky-Korsakov's music. I've chosen my story to match the third movement "The young prince and young princess". It's a fabulous tale, I can't wait to be telling it.
Here's a Youtube link of this gorgeous music...

Booking opens on Tuesday August 30th, and there will be two performances, both on November 6th, one at 2pm and another at 4.30pm. Tickets cost just £5 for children and £12 for adults. Some of the stories are a tiny bit scary, so perhaps not suitable for tiny children. Otherwise, it should be perfect for girls AND boys of all ages!

Box office number: 01707 281127

Hope to see you there!

Wolves in Walden

2011-07-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

Barely is the paint dry in Cheltenham than I get invited to perform with another orchestra. This time in lovely Saffron Walden with the Uttlesforde Orchestra. Joining Swan Lake on the programme will be Curzon's Robin Hood, Prokofiev favourite Peter & The Wolf, and an oddity: Patterson's version of Belloc's Rebecca Who Slammed Doors for Fun and Persished Miserably.

As usual I will be narrating and drawing all at once, so it should be a really fun afternoon. The concert is at the Friends' School Hall in Saffron Walden, Essex, at 3pm. To book call 01799 523456.

Ella Bella at the Cheltenham Music Festival

2011-07-09T21:44:00.001-07:00

I confess I was nervous about the Ella Bella event in Cheltenham, at the prestigious Music Festival. Because of the distance, it wasn't possible to have the usual run of rehearsals I have in Hatfield, nor be familiar with (and reassured by) technical arrangements, or get to know my colleagues and their needs. Furthermore, the music had to specially arranged from orchestra score to string quartet - would it be playable?

I arrived the afternoon before the Saturday morning concert, and more or less straightaway went to meet the quartet (at that stage only a trio). This was the first time they had seen the music. And it is a fitting testament to their skill and talent that they were able to grasp it all so rapidly. The musicians were all members of the Gloucester Youth Orchestra, and they were admirably accomodating. Some bits just didn't work; they were cut. Later that evening I zipped over to the Parabola arts Centre - a wonderful new theatre opened last year, part of Cheltenham Girls' College - for a technical check. All that was fine, so I returned to my hotel to practise the drawing and storytelling. Because of the musical cuts, and with some pieces taken faster, not all the drawings I had planned were a good match for the music - or the timing - I had prepared.

I finally went to bed around 1am, got up at 5am, and started practising again, too nervous for breakfast!

The time soon came for my 9am arrival at the theatre. The string players (now a full quartet) went over their music while I set all my paints and my easel, practising which brush for which colour for which music and which moment. And in the twinkling of an eye it was 11am, the theatre was filled with girls in tutus and princess outfits (and a boy dressed as Spiderman!). And it had begun.

As always the time on stage whizzed by. I had decided not to use a script, and to tell the stories of Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake from memory instead. I think it's more communicative, although a lot for my little brain to remember! There were one or two instances when I had to pause and think... "where am I up to again?". But the "Dolce Quartet" did a sterling job, I dashed off 11 paintings (well, sketches really), Ella Bella herself appeared for the encore (a dance from The Nutcracker, whetting the appetite for the next book). And so I think with everyone working together, we pulled it off!

I was given sterling support as always by Sarah from Hachette, supplying the necessary chocolate (and moral suppport) to get me through the event. And everyone in Cheltenham was so warm and friendly and appreciative, including the lovely audience, who kept me chatting and signing books for a full hour after the show. All in all it was a really worthwhile event. I'll be back in Cheltenham in October for the Literary Festival, this time with Katie!

Cheer for me in Cheltenham!

2011-07-04T03:41:00.000-07:00

With the concert in Cheltenham just days away, I am full on practising for the event at the Parabola Arts Centre. It feels quite different being on stage compared to the safety of my studio.

Scheherazade

2011-06-27T21:39:00.000-07:00

The name Scheherazade immediately conjurs an Arabian Nights fantasy of flying carpets and magic lamps, geniis and princesses and beautiful palaces. These are the things that inspired Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov to write his extraordinary symphonic suite of the same name in 1888. It was a great success and remains his most popular work for orchestra. Rimsky-Korsakov was a genii himself when it came to creating orchestral sound pictures with a narrative. He considered himself really an operatic composer, and many of his operas (alas, rarely performed in the West) are based on folk tales and legends. Fantastic tales and magical beings appealed to his imagination, and nowhere is that more obvious than in Scheherazade.

There was another influence too: the sea. For Rimsky-Korsakov had spent many years at sea in the Russian navy, and the music he created for Sinbad is full of the surge and sweep and energy of the ocean.

Although he gave the four sections titles (the first is "The Sea and Sinbad's ship"), these he later withdrew, preferring the listener to be imaginative and to be swept away by an Oriental kaleidoscope of storytelling. The solo violin represents Scheherazade herself, spinning out tales for a thousand and one nights to win the love of the Sultan and so save her own life. At the end he renounces the vow he had made whereby he put to death each of his wives after just one night of marriage, a punishment upon womankind after his first wife betrayed him.

But after Rimsky-Korsakov died in 1908, the ballet impresario Diaghilev had other ideas. In 1910 he took the music out of the concert hall and into the theatre when used the suite (heavily cut) for a new ballet. Although titled Scheherazade, he used the prologue to the Arabian Nights, in which we witness the infidelity of that first Sultana (here called Zobedia), with the "Golden Slave", a role created for the legendary dancer Nijinsky. Ida Rubinstein danced the part of the Sultana, and with designs by Bakst that challanged colour theory and theatrical design to it's limits, the adult nature of the erotic storyline created a sensation. Gone in one stroke was the elegant, refined and feminine world of ballet. Here was something aggresive, masculine, sexual and violent. At the end, the sultan captures the lovers. The Golden Slave is slain. Zobedia kills herself. Scheherazade herself does not appear...

The designs are now an iconic view of Oriental splendour. Indeed Paris - where the ballet premiered - was swept up in a new fashion for hareem style drawing rooms, turbans and hareem pants, such was the influence. And the designs are superb.

But Rimsky-Korsakov's family were furious. The ballet imprinted a specific (and they felt inappropriate) story upon his suite. This was not what Rimsky-Korsakov intended at all ("Heaven forbid they would dance to my Scheherazade" he wrote just before his death). The ballet and the concert suite have both remained popular... although the ballet now seems quaint rather than shocking. I adore the music and personally find many more interesting stories hidden in it than did Diaghilev.

This autumn, on November 6th, I'm really hoping that I'll have the chance to restore the original stories (as far as possible) to Scheherazade at the annual children's concert in Hatfield. So expect to hear all about Scheherazade. See pictures of Sinbad. Discover the Kalander Prince. And most of all, introduce a child to the wonderful music of Rimsky-Korsakov... as long as we get the go ahead!

Petrushka pictures.

2011-06-21T22:47:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are a few more illustrations from the lovely vintage "Stories from the Ballet" book, taken from lithographs by Sylvia Green. Also a section of the lovely endpapers, showing various characters. I suspect a whole series was planned - such a pity it never materialised!

I've always had a love-hate relationship with Stravinsky's ballet Petrushka. The music is dazzling, often disturbing, and the story is especially dark. It's a wonderfully conceived piece, and yet... it's a tough story to tell to young children. I don't think it would suit Ella Bella at all, alas. The macabre ending, the violent antics and the frankly rather racist cast-list would just make it impossible to explain away.

These retro images are divine though, and my thanks, again, to Emma for finding and giving me this gorgeous book.

Next up: The ballet of Scheherazade!

Ella Bella and the Crystal glass!

2011-06-09T01:28:00.000-07:00

No, not a new book, but a beautiful and unexpected gift from the lovely Davidson family, who came all the way from Glasgow to last year's Ella Bella concert. Scott Davidson works for GENCAIRN CRYSTAL and sent this engraved glass, together with one featuring "Katie". Wasn't that kind? What lovely people they must be and what a beautiful thing to have!

Vintage Tales from the Ballet!

2011-06-03T23:58:00.000-07:00

Dearest Emma O'Donovan (formally at Hachette now at Templar Books) spotted this absolute gem and kindly bought it for me. What a beautiful book! Thank you Emma, such a thoughtful thing to do. I will reciprocate with trips to the ballet and cake!

Published in 1946 by Sylvan Press in London, it retells just two stories, Swan Lake and Petrushka. The writer is Deryck Lynham, who was a bit of a ballet expert in the first half of the 20th century it seems and wrote other "serious" books on the subject. Although sadly, this seems to be the only volume of "tales" that he produced, which is such a shame.

Of course, what makes the book so cherishable is the illustrations, which are in fact stunning lithographs by Sylvia Green, a little known printmaker and artist who I shall have to find out more about. Redolent of Eric Ravilious (and latterly Angie Lewin and co. of "St Judes" in Aylsham, Norfolk, where my parents live), they are exactly the touchstone of reference I am always searching for when working on Ella Bella Ballerina. This has to be one of my absolute favourite vintage ballet books ever. Here are some pictures from Swan Lake. Petrushka will follow another day...

NEW BOOK PUBLISHED !

2011-05-05T00:45:00.000-07:00

The latest KATIE book is now published... "Katie in Scotland"!
And don't forget you can watch me talking about Katie and Ella Bella live on the internet with the BBC in Glasgow. For more information, just follow the links!

KATIE'S PICTURE SHOW

SCOTTISH BOOK TRUST

BBC GLASGOW

Ella Bella in Cheltenham

2011-04-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to be able to formally announce a wonderful Ella Bella event at the 2011 Cheltenham Music Festival. Together with a string quartet I'll be telling the stories of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, and illustrating them live on stage as the music plays. The illustrations, as at the Hatfield concert in November, will be projected onto a screen for all to see. This will be a wonderful opportunity to share my love of combining music and art and stories with a new audience!

The performance takes place at the newly opened and rather spectacular Parabola Arts Centre, on Saturday July 9th at 9 am.

For full details and booking information, click on the link below.

http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/find-events/music/m60-ella-bella-ballerina-live

Ella Bella's month

2011-03-20T01:26:00.000-07:00

March has been busy with visits to many schools, in celebration of World Book Day. Although I will not be starting the next Ella Bella book (the Nutcracker) until the autumn, Ella is always in my mind.

In a few weeks I am taking my editor to a performance of The Firebird, which I hope might make a good theme for Ella to explore. Meanwhile, a visit to Glendower school, near the Natural History Museum, in London, resulted in this little sketch. One of the staff operates a charity called Inspire Malawi. For a charity aution, various people were asked to sketch something onto a postcard. As this was a girl's school (where Ella seems especially popular) I decided a picture of my favourite little ballerina was just the thing. The auction took place last week. I hope it went well for this good cause.

Meanwhile, a CHILDREN'S CLASSICAL CONCERT is being planned as part of the Cheltenham Music Festival in July. With a string quartet and pianist, I will be narrating and illustrating stories from the ballet, live on stage, rather like a "chamber" version of the concert in Hatfield last November. It should be a really magical event and I'm thrilled to have been invited to take part!

Farewell Fairy Godmother

2011-03-04T00:17:00.000-08:00

It seems all good things really DO come to an end, as lovely Emma O’Donovan leaves Hachette (Orchard Books) for pastures new. What a fabulous trouper she has been, imaginatively and enthusiastically leaving no marketing stone unturned in her quest for excellance. Katie, Ella Bella and I will all miss her hugely.

When I completed the Katie trail, a simple “thank you” wasn’t enough. Instead a large and rather thrilling parcel arrived brimming with Moominabilia from Finland and boasting a positive divertissement of sugar mice. We have pledged to send each other a sugar mouse every Christmas and meet regularly for cake and trips to the ballet so all is not lost. But Emma: you are the best and I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me. A true Sugar Plum Fairy Godmother. Orchard asked me to create a picture as a farewell gift - and it had to show Emma Bella with Ella Bella. As far as I'm concerned Emma is a Prima Ballerina Assoluta!

Emma has even set up a marvellous book blog with the help of a canine pall. Click here to meet: THE BOOK SNIFFER!

Retro Records

2011-02-28T22:25:00.000-08:00

I'm always trawling second hand shops for inspiring books and records and was really pleased to find these two gems. I haven't played these 10 inch discs yet, but I just love the vintage covers. Casse-Noisette is The Nutcracker of course, the story of the next Ella Bella book, which I'll be working on in the autumn, in the run up to Christmas!

The other is a cover for the Firebird, a tale I have retold often and for many years, indeed a version was included in my own book, Koshka's Tales, in 1993. It is one of my favourite stories, although I prefer the original tale to the ballet scenario, which is shortened considerably. Nevertheless, I fevervently hope - indeed will insist - that Ella should one day meet the fabulous flaming Firebird in a book!

Ballet Books

2011-01-12T21:39:00.000-08:00

While Ella Bella takes a rest from activity (I start the next book in the summer), I have been looking in bookshops for more inspiration and reference material. I found this very unusual book, very cheaply, "The New Ballet". It's about the work of a choreographer, Kurt Jooss, and is filled with dazzling drawings by Richard Ziegler, mostly drawn in the dark during rehearsals. I know how hard that can be!

I don't know if any of Jooss' works have remained in the repertory. This book was published in the 1940s, and none of the ballets described within are familiar to me. It seems rather sad that the work of both men has fallen into neglect. How easy it is to become forgotten...

As for Ella Bella Ballerina and The Nutcracker, although I begin in depth this summer, the first draft of the story is already written and submitted. I wrote it over Christmas (of course!), while visions of sugar plums danced in my head! Now I must wait and see what my editor thinks. And meanwhile there is the small matter of Katie and her new adventure to attend to!

A New Nutcracker

2010-12-17T02:20:00.000-08:00

As the snow tumbles out of the sky I am feeling thoroughly Christmassy. Last week I accompanied my fabulous editor Liz Johnson and the magnificent Emma O'Donovan from publicity at Hachette Children's Books, to the opening night of the new English National Ballet production of The Nutcracker.

We had a lovely evening, and thoroughly enjoyed the show. But it was a rather unusual performance and one that has reawakened my dreams of designing sets and costumes.

This production was often very beautiful to look at but it took large liberties with the usual scenario (always open to inperpretation) and certainly departed substantially from Hoffmann's original tale.

The most lovely moment for me was a scene outside Clara's house, with a frozen lake in front. On it, people came and went on skates (really cunningly disguised roller blades), and it was very well done. However, elsewhere things seemed incongruous. The land of snow was slightly underwhelming (although the dancing snowflakes were lovely) and the Kingdom of Sweets was no such thing: it was a travelling theatre in a very green summery forest and the national dances no longer represented sweets or treats on any kind. They were attractive on their own terms, but the whole concept of Clara being rewarded in (and indeed becoming queen of) such a land was missing.

As ever, Tchaikovsky's score won the day - even though the final coda was, inexplicably, replaced with music from the first act.

And so, in my spare time, I might just "have a go" and doodle what MY Nutcracker would look like. It will be good preparation for the next Ella Bella book. And I can promise you there will be sweets-a-plenty in the book!

Rosita Lollipop

2010-11-27T05:05:00.000-08:00

Recent pursuits have led me a wonderful and magical shop in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, called Rosita Lollipop. It's an Aladdin's cave of Vintage fun and Retro glamour; a secret den full of Ella Bella's very favourite things. If Madame Rosa wasn't a ballet teacher, this is where she would have ended up!

Recently a runner up for an award for the Best Small Shop in Britain in the Telegraph Magazine, the world needs wonderful independent shops like this, and it's time small businesses fought back against the big bullies!

The beautiful one-time operatic diva Jess Princeton is the embullient proprietess, and I am so thrilled and honoured that she has agreed to stock a selection of my books: ALL OF WHICH HAVE BEEN SIGNED.

Personally I'm delighted to have my own retro-styled books stocked alongside the Little Golden Books that Jess has on display. I couldn't resist them, and with illustrators like Alice and Martin Provensen, you will fall in love with their classic charm too.

This is the ONLY shop I have this arrangement with in the whole of Hertfordshire, so if you want a signed book... or a unique gift, dash along to the shop and fall in love with... everything!

To visit the website, click HERE...

And if you are in North Hertfordshire, pop along to the store. You will be guaranteed a really warm and special welcome: this is shopkeeping as it used to be!

Rosita Lollipop
2 Paynes Park
Hitchin
Hertfordshire
07944094503

Open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 10-5pm

If ROSITA LOLLIPOP was a ballet it would definitely be "La Boutique Fantasque"!!!

Concert Review

2010-11-10T00:35:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, I am a visiting lecturer on the MA in Children's Book Illustration at Cambridge Art School (Anglia Ruskin University), and I was delighted that five students, who I don't yet teach but hope to teach next Academic year, attended the first of the two concerts in Hatfield.

One student, Rosemary, has written a review on their student blog which I wanted to share. It's such a lovely review and I feel really overwhelmed by such kind words. It's also lovely to get a thorough response on how the whole thing "works", because of course I never see a performance and they are not filmed. So I'm working in the dark a little bit. But this write-up has made me think - I want to do more! I really do believe SO PASSIONATELY in getting children excited about art and stories and music. It's pretty hard to get off the ground from a financial point of view. But my fingers are firmly crossed for the future!

CLICK HERE to read the review

Stories from the ballet: The concert!

2010-11-08T01:25:00.000-08:00

Here I am on a rainy Monday morning trying to find words for a day of sunshine and autumn light, filled with music and stories and pictures and so many lovely people.

Yesterday the two "Ella Bella" concerts took place after months and months of preparation and hard work from many, many people. I was extremely nervous before. Would the paintings work out on stage, live on the big screen? Would I remember my words? Could we sell 1000 tickets? In the end there was a huge surge in sales on the day itself and, astonishingly, (apart from a handful of single tickets - impossible to sell with children's events) the concerts were both sell-outs.

As I said to the orchestra manager, Gabby, I feel incredibly lucky to be able to indulge myself with a 65 piece classical orchestra. But of course it isn't about me or Ella Bella at all, it truly is about the orchestra - and they were magnificent yesterday - and the music: Tchaikovsky. I have fallen in love with his music all over again - being on stage and hearing just how cleverly put together it is, is incredible.

As for the storytelling and art, you would have to ask the audience, although I was swamped with people after both shows, saying how much they enjoyed it and how children from 3 to 16 sat rapt throughtout.

Again, I must impress that this isn't me. It's the music. Those who think Classical music too long or complex for children would have been entirely proved wrong.

Afterwards I signed books for hundreds of people: Ella Bella and Swan Lake sold out after the first concert. The books I had with me as gifts for people had to purloined and sold after the second!

Of course I was incredibly grateful to everyone who came - without an audience there would be no concert. Lots of friends were there, along with some of my students from
Cambridge. One woman travelled all the way from Brighton, while an utterly delightful family came all the way from (wait for it) Glasgow, specifically for the concert; their daughters are huge Ella Bella fans! (Hello Madison and Charlotte). I can honestly say that hearing that was the biggest honour of the day (possibly the whole year). There were dozens of girls dressed in Ella Bella pink tutus. They were rewarded with the encore when I painted Ella Bella along to a dance from Swan Lake!

But as ever I have to tell you about all the brilliant people who don't get flowers and Champagne at the end, but who make it all possible: So thanks to Maureen Irving and all at the St Albans Children's book group, who have supported the events tirelessly for the last four years. Thanks to Robin Browning, the brilliant and passionate conductor, whose shading and pacing of the music made it sound dazzlingly fresh and vivid. The few hairs I have left were on end for almost the entire concert. The Rose Adagio from Sleeping Beauty; the colossal finale to Swan Lake (tears in the eyes for the final bars of that)... it was unforgettable. Robin's a lovely man and a wonderful and generous colleague. My thanks also to Gabby, the orchestra manager and Kathy the treasurer, who have kept the concert on the tracks despite dangers of derailment. And to Richard the leader (a brilliant solo vioin piece for him in Swan Lake). And all the members of the orchestra for their warm comradeship and good humour. Backstage James and Lucy the technicians, and the theatre team who sold tickets and organised raffles (all the art produced was raffled). And my dear friend Nadine who (as always) provided spectacular cake! Orchard Books of course (thanks for coming Fritha and Liz!) Thank you all. We make a great team!

Today I feel a warm glow: partly relief (well, it was a colossal undertaking) but mainly absolute joy in the moment. All those children longing to listen to Tchaikovsky, jumping up and down in their seats in time to the music. That's what it's all about. In all honestly, with everyone pulling together, it felt like an absolute triumph and it's a day I am proud beyond words to have been part of!

Thank you everyone who helped, participated and came: you are fabulous and I am so lucky to have worked with you.

As for next year? Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Puss in Boots

2010-11-05T11:40:00.001-07:00

After a fabulous rehearsal last night, I now have just a day left before the BIG DAY of the concert. Almost 700 tickets have been sold, so the pressure is on!

One of the shortest pieces is the "Puss in Boots" piece from Sleeping Beauty. In the ballet all sorts of fairy tales come to Sleeping Beauty's wedding. I decided to make him rather elegant and balletic... it seemed appropriate!

I'll have another run through at home tonight then a few goes tomorrow. Oh... and I must learn the words...

"Far away, and long ago, there lived a king and queen..."

Concert Countdown

2010-11-03T23:03:00.000-07:00

With just a few days before the concert, I am frantically painting... painting... painting... to find the best and most practical way of creating the illustrations live on stage in time to the music.

Tchaikovsky's scores are so passionate, I really want to try to do some kind of justice to them; but it's not easy with some pieces as they are so short! (Piotr... why didn't you linger a bit longer?).

Last year there were just five paintings, created in emulsion paint on black boards. Very dramatic, and just right for "Spooky Tunes" (the theme last year). But this year there will be eleven paintings (yes! I know! it's mad!), and I want something more graceful and balletic. After trying everything I can think of: Pastels (too noisy; easily smudged), emulsion again (too crude; slow to dry), marker pens (too squeaky), I have settled on inks and brush: fast and silent (but with a danger of drips!). And every colour paper imaginable has been sampled...

Whatever I end up using, there will be no stone left unturned by Sunday. It's a massive undertaking, but I am enjoying the process. And I am finally letting go of the idea that I should be creating "great art" for my ego, and welcoming the idea that actually I'm entertaining children. I need to produce images that have clear characters and compositions that truly illustrate the story and help them follow the narrative.

And so... last rehearsal tonight, then a final run-through Sunday morning before the two shows. Here are some of the various stages so far... and a chance to see just how messy an artists studio can be!

Magnificent Moon Lane

2010-10-25T21:49:00.000-07:00

You can't begin to imagine how exciting it is to arrive outside a bookshop for an event and to see such a spectacular window display in honour of your character. Ella Bella was duly honoured yesterday at the Tales on Moon Lane bookshop, in Herne Hill, by around 3o ballet-mad girls. It was a lovely afternoon, in the most magical of shops.

I took Madame Rosa's musical box with me to start things off, and showed a few sketches , to explain how I created Ella Bella. But what they really wanted was stories and pictures. So I told them the story of Swan Lake and then the story of The Firebird, which was slightly intimidating as the marvellous, brilliant and lovely Saviour Pirotta, storyteller extraordinaire, was there: His latest book is a magnificent retelling of the Firebird story. But I told my own version... and he didn't throw rotten fruit at me or anything...

It subsequently occured to me I should have told a story including Ella Bella herself. It's funny, but I'm the same with Katie. I tend to leave her out of things a bit. That's something I shall have to think about in the future...

But all went well and I'm enormously grateful to Lucy, the lovely rep, who has patiently been driving me to all these events, to Emma at Orchard for sending out spectacular window displays. And of course to all the shops for hosting events. All of them have been memorable and Katie, Ella Bella and I all feel very lucky.

It doesn't end yet though. Today I begin four solid jam-packed days at the National Gallery and a week after that: The Concert!

STORIES FROM THE BALLET - TWO WEEKS TO GO

2010-10-24T03:26:00.000-07:00

Two weeks from today I'll be in the middle of the final rehearsal; and at 2pm and 4.30 the same day, the final performances of the Stories from the Ballet concert.

Tickets are going well, with the first concert approaching capacity and the second at around 50% full. So don't delay: book your tickets now!

01707 281127

Lions, Unicorns and missing Swans!

2010-10-22T00:34:00.000-07:00

After being struck down with an autumn bout of Tonsillitis (Which, regrettably, resulted in my withdrawing from the Cheltenham Festival amongst other things) I managed to stagger to The Lion and Unicorn bookshop in Richmond, a jewel of a shop, filled with friendly staff and a huge selection of books. It was also filled with celebrities (get your brush and dustpan ready - name dropping alert!). Alex Scheffler was browing the shelves with his children at one end of the shop. At the other end I spotted someone who - as I told her when she came to look at my books - bore an uncanny resemblance to Helen Baxendale (of Cold feet/Friends/Cordelia Grey fame). She smiled and complimented me on my perceptiveness, for it was indeed one and the same. I also met her daughter Nelly Marmalade, and her son Eric, and chatted about how I begin the books while showing a (not very good!) sketchbook. Modest, friendly, witty and kind, Helen Baxendale is a thoroughly lovely person. We swapped autographs!

Now with just over two weeks before the BIG CONCERT, rehearsals have begun in earnest. There was a slight pullaver when the final scene of the Swan Lake suite couldn't be found. Because Swan Lake wasn't a great success at it's premiere 140 years ago, many different publishers and arrangers compiled suites and these vary enormously.

Happily, conductor Robin Browning agreed that the music of the finale was glorious and that we had to have it. Frankie, the brilliant music librarian for the de Havilland Philharmonic got on the case... and it's almost resolved (a flute part or two aside). I'm sure all will be well, although I feel a bit sorry for the orchestra as it's a tough piece to play. But necessary in terms of the story and so very VERY beautiful. Oh it's going to be a fabulous experience!

I'm so excited now about the concert... more excited than nervous. I'm practising like mad, and I may post some sketches soon, to whet the appetite.

Ticket sales are healthy, the first concert is approaching a capacity audience; the second it almost halfway full.

I took some pictures of instruments after the rehearsal last night. They are such beautiful objects... and a bit of the score for Sleeping Beauty. Musical notes are like magic waiting to happen!

Ella Bella on Wimbledon Common!

2010-10-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I was thrilled to return to Wimbledon and to support the most wonderful independent bookshop, Wimbledon Books and Music. Ros and Rathan Sippy are the loveliest, warmest people you could ever hope to find and they have been a huge support, especially of Ella Bella Ballerina.

Ros was, for many years, a costumier with the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden, and together with her husband have done wonders to get Ella established amongst their customers. Last year they sold almost 100 copies of Ella Bella and Cinderella (in hardback). So the stakes are high this year!

Usually I visit the shop and sign but this year it was a bit more spectacular. The Wimbledon BookFest had a huge tent on the common (complete with a Womble: Uncle Bulgaria was there in all his glory!). So I was able to have a larger audience and tell stories, share Madame Rosa’s music box, and do a few quick illustrations. Afterwards I met the lovely families who came and was rewarded with a slice of Womble cake.

The event was particularly special as the book is dedicated to Ros, who has done so much for me and for Ella Bella. Poignantly, it is also dedicated to her late-colleague in the industry, Lesley Agnew.

I’ve known Lesley for years, from when her daughter Kate was my wife’s boss at Heffers Children’s Bookshop in Cambridge. Lesley was a rare and remarkable advocate for books and reading for children, and worked tirelessly from her shop in Muswell Hill, to get the right good books to the right children. Ros and I agreed that she will be greatly missed and always remembered for her extraordinary achievements. One book, celebrating two great ladies.

A thought-provoking and memorable day.

My thanks to everyone at Wimbledon Books and Music and also to lovely Lucy, the Hachette rep, who chauffered me from Kings Cross to Wimbledon and back!

Next week: The Lion and the Unicorn!

SWAN LAKE published!

2010-10-06T22:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I returned from Paris... where I was lucky enough to be celebrating Katie's 21st anniversary. And today I'm celebrating again, because Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake is published today! I'll be raising a glass of Ribena and listening to my vintage record with Moira Shearer (and eating cake of course!). Then I'll be preparing for the launch party at the Wimbledon BookFest on Saturday! Hurrah!

Ella Bella in Japan

2010-10-01T05:29:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I received, through my publisher, a request from a ballet school in Tokyo called Studio Ailes. they asked if I would give permission for Ella Bella Ballerina and Cinderella to be used for their 20th anniversary performances next year. Naturally I said yes! It sounds very exciting. there will be 60 students from 3 - 18 year olds taking part. I hope I get some pictures eventually. If I do will share them, of course.

The Japanese publisher - Shogakukan - have been great supporters of Ella Bella; it was they who bought the first title - Sleeping Beauty - on condition there would be two more. And that first book came with a lovely ensdorsement from
Miyako Yoshida, who I once saw as the Sugar Plum Fairy at Covent Garden. So really I am very grateful to Japan for helping Ella Bella become a successful series. I hope they will continue to ask for more!

Swan Lake flies in

2010-08-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to Orchard books' offices in London to sign some Katie books (prizes for the Nessie competition) and deliver Katie in Scotland, my latest book. You can read all about that at KATIE'S PICTURE SHOW.

While I was there I was unexpectedly handed a copy of the new Ella Bella book - "Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake", hot off the press. This isn't published until October 7th, so it was lovely to see it so far in advance. It looks very sumptuous with the moonlight-silver-foil!

Now Katie in Scotland is finished, I have time to begin thinking about the special book launch in Hatfield on November 7th, with the "Stories from the Ballet" concert. I have a LOT of rehearsing to do so I'd better start right away!

A touch of Klass

2010-08-05T10:53:00.000-07:00

Hot on the heels of Doreen Wells comes another, unexpected, endorsement of Ella Bella. According to Myleene Klass in Mother & Baby magazine, her daughter Ava's favourite book is Ella Bella Ballerina and Cinderella. Myleene says: "It's so girly. She leaves it on her bedside table at night to read again in the morning".
Isn't that sweet? When it was published I thought it was a bit TOO pink, but if it brings pleasure, who cares. I'm always really touched to hear of children enjoying the books!

A few words from Doreen Wells

2010-08-02T01:10:00.000-07:00

The great English prima ballerina (and the Marchioness of Londonderry), Doreen Wells has done me a great honour in providing a forward for the Ella Bella books. I am enormously grateful to her for her generous words. I have often seen her portrait in books about ballet and knew a little about her spectacular career and it's wonderful that she remains involved, through the London Children's Ballet. But I never expected that our paths would cross in such a way - I feel very honoured!

Here's a lovely picture of her, on stage with Rudolph Nureyev, no less, accepting a large and well earned bouquet! And now here's what she has to say about Ella Bella:

“Swan Lake is hundreds of years old and Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty go back to ancient times – to the magic of China and the very oldest Greek stories. This is the magic that I was part of, with The Royal Ballet.
Night after night I was transformed in my dressing room from an ordinary person into a princess who would experience good and evil.
My world on stage inside the magic of these wonderful stories was not too different from the world of Ella Bella ballerina you can read about here.
James Mayhew, through the eyes of a child, reveals the exciting sense of possibility that children see and understand - and sadly grown-ups lose.
Using Madame Rosa, the head of the ballet school he creates a new fantasy world using these classic tales.
I had my own version of Madame Rosa. She was called Miss Marjorie Davies.
When I was 15 I performed in the corps de ballet in the pantomime, Cinderella, and the following year I became principal dancer. At the end of the run I was offered a contract for a summer show. I immediately called Miss Davies for advice – shall I sign? A resounding “No!” was the answer. She said I was going to be a ballerina and travel the world. She was absolutely right!
I have three grand children who call me ‘Dancing Lala’ and they were enchanted with the books. I had to read them to them over and over again. – sometimes at the crack of dawn.
These books can inspire all those children who dream of entering this world. This book certainly takes them into a magical realm. And who knows, like me, they might stay in there for years.”

Doreen Wells

Ella Bella Concert !

2010-07-23T06:11:00.000-07:00

I have very exciting news! After the de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra had their budget cut, it looked as though the annual children's concert would be impossible as the concessions on tickets (we want to make it affordable!) mean the concerts run at a loss. However, because they have been so oversubscribed in the past it has been decided that, while we are at it, we should give TWO PERFORMANCES (and double the takings). This should just about make it viable.

And what a spectacular way to launch a book!

The programme will include suites from The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake, conducted by Robin Browning, while I narrate the stories and illustrate them live on stage. It's a big undertaking to do it once - but twice? well it will be quite a day.

Tickets are JUST £5 FOR CHILDREN, a huge bargain for an orchestra of this calibre. Adult tickets are only £12. This is the PERFECT way to introduce children to LIVE CLASSICAL MUSIC. But tickets will sell fast, so book early. After November 7th, the concert will NOT be repeated.

For full information, visit the theatre's website HERE.

Or you can call the box office on 01707 281127

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Ella dancing over the pond

2010-06-30T02:55:00.001-07:00

In the post today came two handsome copies of the American edition of Ella Bella Ballerina and Cinderella, published by Barrons. It never ceases to thrill me to think of people in other countries reading my books and (I hope ) enjoying the pictures. Anyone who works in children's books will tell you how vital it is to have a few "co-editions" if a book is to be considered successful. Trouble is, over the last few economically challanged years that has become harder and harder to achieve. It used to be the case that an American edition was essential. It is still highly desirable of course, as production values are high, adjustments to text are minor (as opposed to being translated into another language), and there is something undeniably glamorous and aspirational about being sold in such a huge country whose iconic imagery has influenced all of our lives.

But recently other markets have become useful too. The Far East in particular has a growing Children's book industry, and Scandinavia seems positive and optimistic.

One thing I love about American editions is that they nearly always have dust-jackets, which always makes a book feel rather more special. And a special place will be found on my (heaving) bookshelves for this grand incarnation of Ella Bella!

Ups and downs

2010-06-16T00:11:00.000-07:00

The best laid plans of mice and men eh? No sooner have the de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra agreed to a ballet themed concert than the University of Hatfield, who host the concerts, have their budget slashed by a whopping 25%. Because of the big concessions to ticket prices, the children's concert always makes a loss: orchestras don't come cheap! This has been absorbed by the university in previous years but now the orchestra will have bear the loss. Everyone is trying to find a solution to this emergency, but there is a danger, alas, that future concerts for children will simply be unsustainable. Whether my Ella Bella concert can proceed hangs in the balance...

On a more positive note, Orchard have approached the Marchioness of Londonderry, who is the great Prima Ballerina Doreen Wells, for an endorsement for Ella Bella, and she has agreed. Doreen Wells became hugely famous when she danced opposite Rudolf Nureyev, replacing an indisposed Margot Fonteyn, in the 1960s. Quite what the endorsement will be I'm not sure, but I'm very grateful to this wonderful and distinguished dancer for her kind enthusiasm for dear Ella Bella!

Ella Bella Extravaganza!

2010-05-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

I realise things have been quiet for a while with Ella Bella; only because I have been so busy with Katie, who is celebrating her 21st anniversary this year(see Katie's Picture Show). But Ella isn't being overlooked and I can now reveal some of the thrilling things that are forthcoming.

The really big news is that this year's concert with the de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra will be a celebration of Ella Bella, titled: "Stories from the Ballet". The orchestra will perform Tchaikovsky's beloved suites from The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake, while I narrate the original stories that inspired the composer and illustrate them live on stage. Here are a couple of photos from the rehearsal for the concert "Pictures at an exhibition" in 2008.

This will be the fourth concert I've done with this particular orchestra, under their conductor Robin Browning, and I'm thrilled they've agreed to give the new book, "Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake" such a spectacular launch.

As well as all this excitement, Orchard books have created a beautiful advert (see below) which was featured in the London Children's Ballet programme for recent performances of their "Ballet Shoes" production, and Ella Bella goody bags were given away. I'm sure Orchard will be supporting the concert in November as well.

I'll post more details on here when I get get them!

Ella Bella's new book is announced

2010-05-01T03:53:00.000-07:00

I am delighted to be able to tell you that the next Ella Bella Ballerina book is to be based on Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. I am so happy about this, it's the perfect ballet story for Ella Bella to join in with.

Many years ago I illustrated Hoffmann's original story, and some of those images are posted here. The book was part of Dorling Kindersley's "Eyewitness Classics" series, and so the illustrations had to twist and turn into all sorts of unusual shapes, and fit around photographs, text panels and annotations; all very different from the usual picture book. This work is around 12 years old now and I know I'll approach The Nutcracker quite differently in Ella Bella's book, with my retro techniques and vintage visions!

In any case, the ballet story is very different in detail and tone to Hoffmann's original. In the ballet, the heroine is Clara, but in the original story she is Marie. Hoffmann's story tells us a great deal about what happened before Clara/Marie got given her Nutcracker on Christmas Eve. This involves a Princess Pirlipat who is cursed to become as ugly as a nutcracker when her mother, the Queen, refuses the Queen of the mice the King's bacon fat (honestly!). The only cure is in a rare nut kernel, which Marie/Clara's Godfather Drosselmeyir (a royal inventor) searches for. It is his own nephew who cracks the nut and saves Pirlipat. But he accidently treads on the Mouse Queen and is thus cursed to become a Nutcracker himself.

It is some years later that drosselmeir gives Marie his bewitched nephew in the hope she can somehow break the curse. The subsequent story with the King of the Mice lasts many nights, throughout which Marie is ill with a strange fever. It is only at the very end, in an epilogue reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast, that the Nutcracker is transformed back into Drosselmeier junior by Marie's love. He then takes the Marie off to be his bride and together they become the King and Queen of the kingdom of sweets.

In the ballet we know nothing of Princess Pirlipat, and it is the Sugar Plum Fairy who dances with the prince (who is redeemed in Clara's living room, under the Christmas tree). At the end of the ballet, the whole story is usually interpreted as Clara's dream, and the epilogue in which she (as Marie) marries the prince is avoided, keeping the story firmly in childhood.

I don't yet know the schedule, but it is likely that this will publish in time for Christmas 2011.

Already visions of sugar plums are dancing in my head (to quote The Night Before Christmas) and I long to get started. But first I must get on with Katie In Scotland, about which you can read by clicking HERE.

Bella Beauty

2010-04-21T00:59:00.000-07:00

Last night I took my dear friend (and old student) ALICE WOOD to see The Sleeping Beauty ballet, performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet at the London Coliseum.(Alice is a fantastic illustrator and writer, a person of real depth and integrity with a superlative talent. Click on her name to find out all about her.)

It was a spectacular production, one I remember from many years ago, when performed in an enormous big top on Jesus green in Cambridge. When set up in a grand old theatre like The Coliseum, it seemed even more sumptuous.

Last summer I was bitterly disappointed by the Kirov's Swan Lake. I began to doubt my attachment to ballet as an art form. The Birmingham Royal Ballet have completely redeemed everything. I was bowled over by the superb designs, the dazzling and musical choreography, the majesty of Tchaikovsky's score. But what impressed me the most was the storytelling of the whole company. Nothing was wasted, no opportunities missed for gesture or setting to match the mood of the music in communicating a narrative. Throughout, minor charactors were given tasks, miming conversation, and developing their own relationships on stage. In the famous Act 1 waltz, Aurora's four suitors stride in one at a time full of nuance and personality. Everything came alive in a way I've only rarely experienced.

A few new details were present as well, in particular a new pas de deux for the Prince and Aurora sat the end of Act 2 (after the kiss). It was touching and sensual and added depth to their characters I felt.

The designs by Philip Prowse were handsome, rich but not fussy, enough left to the imagination to bring real magic. The lighting gave everything a late-summer sunshine feeling, with a hint of autumn: layers of gold and russet, verdigris and silver. Exquisite! The extraordinary costumes were frankly operatic in their sumptuousness, but in fact cleverly designed to not only enhance the mood and palette of the scene, but to be possibly to dance in as well. All was elegance, grace, beauty. Even Carabosse, the wicked fairy (danced by Marion Tait) was all haughty elegance and dark beauty.

Nao Sakuma from Japan received the loudest cheers as Aurora (poised and delicate in her "Rose adagio"), and not far behind was her very handsome prince - Iain Mackay from Glasgow (where I will be in just a few days - see Katie's Picture Show). But even the minor characters dazzled. Not all was perfect or in sync. But the sum of the parts showed a really vibrant, happy, smiling company in celebratory form.

Alice and I loved every minute, from the stylised christening, to the fairytale wedding (with Puss In Boots and Red Riding Hood) and on to the grand finale when the whole company was showered in gold confetti.

Ella Bella book three to be published this year!

2010-03-13T00:31:00.000-08:00

After a wait of a few weeks the "proof printing" of Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake has arrived. There are some minor things to adjust but overall it's looking great, thanks to the expert guidance of Tim and Liz, my wonderful colleagues at Orchard. Here are a couple of "details" from the book.

I was confused about the publication date, believing that the book was scheduled for 2011. In fact the book will be published in October THIS YEAR which is wonderful news. I have it in mind to try to twist the arm of an entire orchestra and turn this year's de Havilland Philharmonic Children's Concert into an Ella Bella Ballerina concert. I don't know if they'll agree... but nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Swan Lake: Allegro ma non troppo

2010-01-26T02:43:00.000-08:00

The last few days have been a fast - but not too frantic - whirl of checking and double checking and yesterday - DELIVERING - the final art for Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake. Yes! Book three is finished (subject to any small adjustments required - and I'm sure there will be some). It's a wonderful bittersweet feeling to finish a book. Wistfully I wondered as I drew the last figure of Ella Bella whether it would really be the final time I let my nib follow the curve of her little cheek.

But no; Orchard books are already considering her future. Happily Cinderella sold well, indeed the entire print run was sold by the beginning of December, so Orchard are happy to consider further adventures for Ella Bella. Top of the list is probably The Nutcracker, although I'm putting in a good word for The Firebird and La Boutique Fantasque, both of which I think Ella would enjoy. Time will tell. But for now it's time to muck out the studio (It looks like a giant Guinea Pig has been living in here) and relax a little after all those late nights. Posted here is a sneak preview of one the first completed illustrastions, with the layers assembled. I am really looking forward to seeing the rest!

Final task

2010-01-23T02:46:00.001-08:00

The final little details are all that's left to do on Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake (unless Orchard books make me re-do something!). Funnily enough, the decorative borders that will go around the edge of the cover are proving especially hard to crack... and there's some hand-lettering to do as well, which I always find hard. But I'm on the last lap and I am set to deliver the whole completed thing on monday (and I'm getting taken out to lunch to celebrate!). Goodness, I hope they like it... or they might refuse to buy me a desert!

Almost there...

2010-01-17T22:48:00.000-08:00

I should finish Ella Bella this week!!! Which is just as well as my studio is shockingly untidy. One of the good things about finishing is that I can "muck out" the whole room and get things cleaned up. I always find that very theraputic after completing something big like a complicated Ella Bella book.

BUT before I can enjoy the big clean up, I still have a few little illustrations to complete. And the cover and the end papers. And I also need to go over all the illustrations and double double check that everything is properly finished and that I am satisfied that I have done my very best. It's a sort of quality control I suppose, and it's because I always worry about keeping things consistant, which is actually very hard.

So I must survive in this mess for a few more days yet!

Early Ella

2010-01-11T02:55:00.000-08:00

Sorting through some papers I was shocked to come across these very early pictures of Ella Bella. How different she looks here! These are the very first drawings I ever did, before writing a story or doing any of the considerable research I undertook before developing Ella as she appears today.

While these are competent enough they are rather ordinary. I wanted Ella to be more special somehow, the character more charming and easily recognisable. Above all, I felt these drawings were just too close to the illustrations for Katie. Nevertheless, I emphatically did not want to develop a "style" that was at odds with who I am and the way I draw. But research into vintage printing processes and retro design inspired me to try using different techniques and approaches to composition. I learned to be less literal and conventional. The drawing remains MY drawing in both Katie and Ella Bella books. But the different techniques create a whole different atmosphere. It's been a wonderful journey of experimenting and learning.

Now, as I move towards completion with Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake, it feels like I've always illustrated like this. But when I see these early drawings, I'm so glad I pushed myself that little extra mile to see what I was capable of. One of my many mottos has always been to never say: "Oh, that'll do".

Swan Lake Snapshots.

2010-01-08T08:36:00.000-08:00

Here are some work in progress pictures of the art for Ella Bella Ballerina book three. Firstly, three layers for you to use your imagination with. What will they look like together? I don't know!!!

And meanwhile, in my darkened studio with only a lamp under my glass table, visions of castles and queens, and princesses from many lands begin to emerge, together with swans and lakes of course.

As usual, all art is created in strange layers which together take on a new life of their own. In some ways I enjoy the element of surprise and serendipity. I'm starting to get excited about it all, even though it is such hard work (especially on the eyes with the strange dim light. Only three weeks left before my final deadline... but I'm gaining ground and starting to feel reasonably confident that it will all work out. Fingers crossed!

A bit of a struggle...

2010-01-02T04:09:00.000-08:00

The light an artist uses is usally crucial, and I know of artists who only paint with natural light. When the snow fell there was much enhanced light, especially when the sun shone. But it was of little use to me. For Ella Bella I have to work in a darkened room, light shining from a lamp under my glass-topped table through the different layers of art. It's draining and tiring work. My eyes get very sore. But it's the only way I can make the technique work and make sure the three layers are correctly positioned.

With only four weeks left and still over half of the book to illustrate I am trying not to panic! The illustrations are going well (I think)... just a bit too slowly!!!

Here you can see work in progress - hard to decipher, but I hope when printed all will come into focus and make sense.

Creating Ella Bella - part five

2009-12-02T21:28:00.000-08:00

Central to the look of Ella Bella is the colour. In the scenes set in the "real" world, I wanted monochrome. Understandably, Orchard Books felt this wasn't very commercial. But a muted palette was deemed acceptable and so I began to experiment. It took a while to work out the exact technique but in the end I decided on using three layers of art which would be printed on top of each other (one at a time). This gives a suitably vintage quality to the illustrations as it is exactly the way artists like Ardizzone had worked in the past. Fortunately my designer, Tim Rose, had worked on reissues of those books and had seen the orginal artwork, so gaining a good knowledge of how the technique worked.

Using a light-box (actually an old window on table legs with an angle-poise underneath)I use a carefully constructed drawing as a guide and first produce a colour image. It looks kind of abstract at this stage...

The next layer, which is a grey tone layer, is also hard to "read" in isolation, but gives a crutial flat tone which is so typical of books from the 40s and 50s. This is produced on someting called Polydraw, which is sort of glorified tracing paper...

Then, lastly, and also on Polydraw (which is semi-transparent), I do the line drawing that pulls everything together.

Until it is printed I can't be sure of the effect I'm creating. I rather like that element of danger! The beauty of it is that, apart from the retro and classic feel it gives the pictures, it allows plenty of freedom with the drawing which can be redone many times if necessary without the need to redo the colour.

Finally, when assembled, the illustration looks like this:

Grand finale

2009-11-23T09:22:00.000-08:00

The final scene of Swan Lake is so magnificent (musically) that it needs some drama in the storytelling. But the ending is often rather obscure in terms of plot. Many versions exist, some happy and some tragic - although often it isn't actually very clear what actually happens. And children can tell if you fudge around important issues like love and death. I've been struggling to decide which is the best solution for Ella Bella.

Understandably, Orchard were unhappy about the suicidal versions, so I've chosen a happier outcome. Nevertheless, until today the ending wasn't working at all. But after an intense weekend I think I've finally cracked it! Here's a sneak preview...

Of course there is still the minor matter of creating colour versions, a highly complicated procedure, but at least the text and compositions are (almost) sorted out. Phew!

Bella Ella

2009-11-18T10:35:00.000-08:00

This little poem, by the splendid Saviour Pirotta, was included in a comment on an earlier post. But it's so charming I wanted to share it with one and all:

"Come bella,
quella Ella,
quando fa,
la tarantella."

Saviour Pirotta

For those unfamiliar with the Italian Tarantella, it's an eccentric dance made famous by Rossini in his song "La Danza" (incorporated by Respighi into his enchanting ballet "La Boutique Fantasque"). It means...the TARANTULA!

Hits and misses... Ella Bella and Swan Lake moves forward

2009-11-15T04:33:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the most recent drawings for Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake. Most are in monochrome for now, and the "real" scenes in the theatre (as opposed to the "fantasy" scenes in the Swan Lake story) have very muted colour in any case.

Generally the colours will be blues and purples, greens and golds I think. The lakeside scenes need the melancholy moonlight suggested in Tchaikovsky's score, so definitely blue will predominate.

The colour piece shown here is awful, but part of the process is to begin thinking not only of composition, but colour as well. Because of the "vintage" influence I am always very cautious of how the colour is put into the images. In other words, the illustrations have very carefully considered colour and a limited palette to replicate the limitations of vintage publishing. This is a first clumsy attempt at the scene near the end where the evil baron's spell is broken and the prince and Odette begin their happy ever after... and the sunrise is perhaps not typical of how I imagine the colour elsewhere. But I have to start somewhere!

If music be the food of love...

2009-11-11T00:06:00.000-08:00

If music be the food of love... what about lemon drizzle cake? As Ella Bella is all about the storytelling magic of music, I suppose it is entirely appropriate that my most recent distraction was the annual children's concert I do with the de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra. (You can read about that on my other site, Katie's Picture Show). I am always extremely nervous before an event on this scale. So imagine my delight when I went into my dressing room and discovered a beautiful vintage cake-tin (which looked like something out of an Ella Bella book). My joy increased when I discovered the Front-of-house manager (my old friend Nadine) had hand-baked a Lemon Drizzle Cake (to which, as she knows, I am very partial), with fresh eggs from her own hens. It is a large cake so it is now helping me get back into Ella Bella and Swan Lake after the heady excitements of Sibelius, Grieg, Mussorgsky and Saint-Saens on Sunday. I wish you could smell the cake from here... it is divine.

Meanwhile, today I will send off revised roughs to my (patient) designer at Orchard Books. And then I shall relax and eat another slice of cake. I reckon I need a layer of fat to keep me warm this winter anyway...

In my studio there is paper, paper everywhere... The Ella Bella roughs are coming together well (I think), and the few problems with composition are now pretty much resolved. What I next need to consider is the construction of the images which will, as usual, be made up out of three layers of art, not digitally but by hand. I'll post about that very soon, when I've finished the cake!

Here comes Ella Bella

2009-10-27T09:44:00.001-07:00

More preliminary sketchs for Ella Bella's new story. The ending wasn't working for me, so I have created new sketches and fiddles with the story. This is only a section of it, of course. I wanted a romantic sweeping gothic sort of feeling, with a sense of building drama. These have been sent to Orchard book and now I await their comments.

A beginning: Ella Bella and Swan Lake

2009-10-11T05:30:00.001-07:00

In some ways, the beginning of the illustrating process is the hardest part in the creation of a book. This is when crucial decisions need to be made. Nevertheless I'm always slightly reluctant to give everything away in the roughs. I like to save a bit of passion for the final illustrations. So these sketches are deliberately slight as I gradually find my way. These have been sent to the designer at Orchard Books, the rather wonderful Tim Rose. He has put the text in place and, unsurprisingly, there's too much of it. So to accomodate my vision I will have to adandon my prose... such is life!

Creating Ella Bella - part four

2009-09-27T01:20:00.000-07:00

Having surrounded myself in a rosy haze of retro chintz, I then had to knuckle down and find a visual language that allowed a resonance of vintage lithographic techniques to imbue my drawings. I didn't want the art to be a pastiche, but something honest. So I took the drawings I had done of theatres (see Part One) and tried to develop them with these influences in mind.

In the same way I began to draw characters. Ella Bella and the principal characters - Aurora and the Lilac Fairy - I drew over and over again until they felt comfortable and real, and as familiar as my own signature. I love this phase as the drawings are wholly unself-conscious. It doesn't matter if they fail, and they have a life and a freedom because they are of little consequence individually. Gradually, though, I found things of importance. The pastels captured the subtleties of lithography, the line work kept things fresh and added humour. More importantly, the line work is very "me". And so, Ella Bella began to live and breath on the paper before me. The next thing to tackle was... COLOUR!

More beautiful books

2009-09-15T02:53:00.000-07:00

And still they come: As more books, tucked away on my heaving bookshelves come to light, the wonderful Alice Wood, an exciting new star in the illustration world, and one of my most gifted students (and the loveliest person you could hope to meet), sent me a selection of little ballet books to add to my collection. They are gorgeous, thank you Alice.

The Rimsky-Korsakov book is slightly incongruous, but I love the cover and it is at least musical, if not balletic, in subject. He is my favourite composer and although he didn't write ballets, several have been created out of his exotic and illustrative music, most famously Scheherazade and Le Coq d'Or (featured on the cover of this autobiography). Now then...can someone please tell me how on earth the ebook can possibly compete?

More lovely pictures for reference

2009-09-14T07:19:00.000-07:00

More lovely pictures to inspire my version of Swan Lake. The text is almost complete and needs just a small tweak or two, according to my editor Liz. While I wait for the words to be set in the correct font by the designer Tim, I am surrounding myself with pictures to get my imagination racing.

I love the often jaunty colours, but of the three pictures I think the most interesting is the Ballet annual, in lime and tomato (?!), with no pink in sight at all. The fluid graceful lines redeem it I suppose! The Swan - a biography of Pavlova - is perhaps more appropriate for Swan Lake (although I can't stop thinking of meringue now...). The fabric is full of strong lines and dramatic shapes.

You don't see fabrics like that these days, not even with Cath Kidston or Rachel Riley. More's the pity!

Beautiful books

2009-09-08T10:11:00.001-07:00

These beautiful books are just a few of the many I've collected while working on Ella Bella Ballerina. Kay Ambrose's book is very severe and didactic (and unintentionally funny... like when advising dancers to cut their finger nails. "You don't want a partner with only one eye!" she warns us. And kicking a weighted theatre curtain might result in "A blackened toe as a souvenir!").

These books were produced in the 1940s/50s with limited colour and lovely ink line work, exactly the approach I had decided on for my books. I'm looking through these again as I begin to think about the illustrations for my new book about Swan Lake. I need to capture the dark gothic drama of Tchaikovsky's score...but still keep the light and decorative retro feel so far achieved. It will be a time of experimentation I think.

Above all I want the illustrations to dance!

Ella Bella Ballerina and Cinderella launched in Edinburgh

2009-09-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

Last weekend the new Ella Bella book was launched at the Edinburgh Book Festival. I love this city and it was wonderful to be back there again.

This was the first Ella Bella event I have done and it felt very special, particularly when the children arrived, dressed as fairy-ballerina-princesses, in 101 shades of pink! Orchard Books had arranged for The Lilac Fairy herself (from the Sleeping Beauty ballet) to appear, summoned by Madame Rosa's music box. She danced for the children and helped me retell the story of Sleeping Beauty, before introducing the new book. Appropriately enough, Cinderella turns up at Sleeping Beauty's wedding, which was a useful link. To finish, I retold the story of The Firebird, a favourite ballet of mine, and illustrated it.

The Lilac Fairy was lovely (her real name is Sara Wood and she runs a ballet school called Edinburgh Ballet), and the children were all enchanted by her...

Now, though, I must begin the new Ella Bella book: Swan Lake. And do you know what? I CAN'T WAIT!

Madame Rosa's Magic Music Box!

2009-08-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

Readers of Ella Bella Ballerina will know that the magic begins when Ella Bella's teacher, Madame Rosa, takes out her Magic Music Box. I was inspired by my antique gramophone (or one of them; I have several).

The idea is that music creates the magic and tells the story, things I truly believe are the case.

And now, for the Ella Bella event at the Edinburgh Book Festival this Sunday, I have been creating a musical box from various bits of broken boxes (some of them musical) and things found at Hitchin market in Hertfordshire.

I feel a little like Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, trying to turn a piece of junk into something beautiful and magical. It has taken me days... and it's still not quite finished... but here it is so far.

You can see the progress from tatty old wooden box to the rather lavish box which I hope will delight all the children (I imagine they'll all be girls) at the Festival. It suddenly feels like quite a responsibility!

I'm rather pleased with the result: it will play music from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping beauty, as the ballerina twirls... how? That's my secret!

Creating Ella Bella - part three

2009-08-18T06:31:00.000-07:00

My wife's obsession with all things vintage was a huge help with developing a way forward for Ella Bella Ballerina, and she threw herself into the retro world of printing with a passion.

She loves Retro fabrics, bless her, and all things Cath Kidston...

She would hate to have to admit it but she spends shocking amounts of time looking at pictures on all sorts of blogs on houses, fabrics, tea things, chintz and general clutter posted by vintage retro Kidstonites. I got lots of reference material and ideas from the images on such sites, and by looking at my wife's collection of vintage dresses. Roses feature prominantly in the story of Sleeping Beauty, which the publisher decided should be the first ballet to feature. All the strands were beginning to take shape. But the designing of a fabric is a bit different to a book. And I wasn't going to be using silk-screen. I studied these roses, made notes of how they were structured from separate layers... considered and lost sleep over the clever design... and learned to respect and admire something I kind of took for granted.

Creating Ella Bella - part two

2009-08-17T00:29:00.000-07:00

Sketching from life is one thing (and an extremely valuable thing!), but it doesn't necessarily provide the visual language, the mark-making you require as an artist, to communicate your vision. In any case, one has to FIND that vision!

For me, the starting point was vintage printing techniques and the superb design that went with them. Many books were printed using silk-screen or at least colour separation in the 1940's and 1950's. I love the care and attention given to design in that era (something sadly lacking today), typography and the clever use of limited colour. Then a friend gave me some vintage records. I collect 78's and L.Ps and many had gorgeous cover art. So I looked at those and discovered the vision of ballet I had dreamed of. These images are all taken from 10 inch long-players from the fifties and I adore them. But now how was I going to transfer this to my own illustration practise, which was a million miles from the retro techniques I knew so little about...however much I admired them?

Creating Ella Bella - part one

2009-08-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

The process of creating Ella Bella was particularly enjoyable. To begin with, my publisher, Orchard Books in London, requested a ballet themed book. They approached me because they knew I had a knowledge of ballet and classical music and a particular interest in theatrical set design, especially the Russian school of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

I went away and thought about ideas. My original name for a character was Bella Ballerina. But the name had been used already. So I stopped thinking about that. I went back to basics and drew...and drew and drew. I started with drawing at the ballet - not the performances for fear of distracting the audience. But I knew the story would take place in a beautiful dusty old theatre. So with help from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, where I teach and who offered a research grant, I began attending various performances in different theatres from London to Edinburgh. Here are two sketch-book drawings executed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, home of the Royal Ballet. I saw performances there of The Firebird...and Sleeping Beauty, who later provided the theme for the first story...

Swan Lake

2009-08-13T03:59:00.001-07:00

On monday I took my lovely editor, Liz Johnson, to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden to see a performance of Swan Lake, performed by the Mariinsky(Kirov) ballet from St. Petersburg. I confess I thought the sets could have been more sumptuous and the lighting more atmospheric. It was nothing like as theatrical as their publicity photographs! But it's always a joy to hear Tchaikovsky's magnificent music and there was some dazzling dancing. The next Ella Bella title will in fact be Ella Bella Ballerina and the Swan Princess, so it was perfect timing and we are brimming with ideas. I can't wait to illustrate this one!

Curtain up!

2009-08-12T10:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the magical world of Ella Bella Ballerina. This is a brand new blog and in it's early stages. Do come back and look again as I add more to the site, and check for news on the side panel.

See you soon!