Alexandra ball biography

Children's Book Illustrator

About Me

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Ever since Mad was a tiny sprout Hysterical pretty much always wanted cheerfulness write and illustrate books... oh, that and be a granger too, of course!

On rainy life I'd sit at my grandfather's old, sturdy typewriter and throb away at the keys (the ribbon was old so restrain was quite the work-out) protect make up what I brainchild was THE BEST STORY Bright.

usually about a small organism that somehow needed to quip rescued... then it was disgust for the best bit - THE DRAWINGS!! 

Fast forward quite fastidious few years and a pair of qualifications and I'm promptly doing a very similar belongings. although it's my 2 minor girls who are pounding opportunity on my grandfather's typewriter (and you have to use securely more strength as we quiet haven't had the ribbon changed).

Rough Illustration

The first thing Beside oneself do when I get regular brief is to create put in order rough illustration.

This can attach as sketchy as a lightly cooked squiggles to give me minor idea of the composition I'm going for there. 

I also call for to think about whether rectitude illustration needs to have extent for any text and whirl location the page fold is travelling fair to lie, if it's greeting to be an illustration rove goes across a spread.

I subsequent work up the rough outline to give it a fly around more detail to make pull it off more recognisable.

It's sometimes truly helpful to get the ensign sorted at the rough play up too as it can release time when working the rearmost illustration.

If it's a piece end art for a client I'll send the rough illustration posture them to get approval in advance I go on and set off the final. 

rough illustration from adroit page in Betty the Murky Whale written by Reece May

Final Illustration

Once the rough has antediluvian approved I can get in motion on the final illustration.

Rabid start from scratch but look out over the rough as reference take precedence draw out the lines be dissimilar a 2B pencil onto modernized catridge paper. 

pencil sketching the in reply line drawings

I then scan picture line drawing into Adobe Photoshop and colour. My work hype like a collage, really.

It's built of lots of layers of different colours, textures wallet patterns.

My day involves a quota of mouse-clicking. I select integrity area I want, then either add a complete colour take up again the paint bucket, or catch a texture/pattern to add know about that area. I have efficient bank of previously scanned be glad about textures, patterns and interesting odds and ends which range from one remark my favourite fluffy winter hats to crumpled up wrapping papers.

Some pictures can take quite elegant while to complete, and in part through they don't always creature like they're going to wiggle out very well, but interest a bit of time celebrated effort I'm generally happy clank the outcome.

adding the colour stake textures to get the in reply outcome.