Scoop

I've been scribbling for a new author this month, the lovely Lucy Coats, and it's been ACE! We've been asked to work together to create a graphic story for a brand new magazine called SCOOP (check out the website here). Lucy came up with a brilliant plot and wrote the words and I'm doing the pics. I totally LOVE the main character, Lily (see below and yes, I gave her blue hair!), but I'm rather enjoying drawing all the villains and scary creatures that Lily encounters too. There's even a surprise 'cameo' appearance by somebody REALLY famous right at the end! I couldn't ask for a nicer job than bringing Lucy Coat's amazing imagination to life. Here's a teeny tiny taster...

Lily's adventure will be told over two issues of SCOOP magazine (part 1 in November and part 2 in December) so, if you can get your hands on a copy, then look out for our fabulous, fast-paced graphic fantasy/detective story with lots of thrills and magic and saving the world stuff (if you're already a fan of Lucy's brilliant books you'll know exactly what to expect). I do hope I get a chance to scribble for a Lucy Coats story again. More adventures for Lily, please!

New Portraits

I've started a new portrait this week.

This one isn't a private commission but a personal project so I'm trying some new techniques, particularly with transparent acrylic colour washes. So far I've been doing too much drawing and probably need to block in the composition before I fuss with the features but I'm loving the sporty pose and think I may have captured the subject perfectly.

This will be a work in progress on my easel for the rest of the summer, no doubt.

Surrey Artists' Open Studios

What a glorious weekend!

The spectacular weather has really shown off my new studio. The light has been wonderful, the perfect gallery space. The garden looks pretty great too. I've been asked for contact details of my landscaper, Jeff Roots, by LOADS of people and then yesterday he turned up with his family to see the fruits of all his hard work (and my planting, obvs!)

I had lots of visitors over the first two days and can't wait 'till next Saturday. I'll be open 11am - 5pm on the 11th, 12th, 18th & 19th June, so come along if you can.

www.surreyopenstudios.org.uk Click HERE for details of all the other studios, maps and trails.

Preparing for Open Studio

Since I finished illustrating Electrigirl 2 (yay!) and handed-in my last MA assignments (phew!) I've been super-busy preparing to take part in SAOS 2016 (Surrey Artists' Open Studio) I've made prints...

...and hand-made cards...

...and I've framed a whole load of my archive of original artwork...

Best of all, it's given me the incentive to actually FINISH some of the many paintings I've been working on over the last 2 years (while selling my cottage and building the new studio).

If you are in or near Surrey between 4th and 19th June, please feel free to visit me (and the 300+ other Surrey artists involved in this year's event). I'll be selling artwork, prints, cards and gifts while giving painting and illustration demonstrations throughout the day (weekends only - no appointment necessary). Details below, on SAOS site or click on NEWS above.

Print Studio

I've begun making work for my exhibition in June - part of the month-long Surrey Artists' Open Studios event. I want to show a variety of work (paintings, drawings, 3D work and, of course, prints) and although I still have a long list of gardening jobs and interior building work to complete (not to mention ELECTRIGIRL artwork!), I managed to clear enough space and time to set up my work bench for a week of lino printing.

Electrigirling Again

If you are reading this because you have read and enjoyed  ELECTRIGIRL (by Jo Cotterill and me!)  - yay! - then you might know that there will be another. ELECTRIGIRL and the DEADLY SWARM is published in August. Hurrah!
You may also imagine that it is sitting there, printed in large quantities, wrapped in another eye-popping cover, in boxes, in some gigantic book warehouse, waiting to be delivered to all you lovely booksellers and readers as soon as the peeps at Oxford University Press hit the 'publish' button. Well, erm, actually, it's still on my drawing board. Eek! I am just about to ink up and finish the final artwork, which I'm rather looking forward to as Jo Cotterill has written a brilliant, fast-paced story that gets my heart racing every time I think about it! Here's a sneaky peak of a key scene...

I can't show you WHAT are awesome. That would give the story away! But I can tell you that not only are they awesome but they are extra blooming' scary too. Yikes!
You've probably noticed that there is a new character, the chap with the striped T. He's great, very funny and gets up to all sorts of mischief. All your favourite familiar characters are there as well, of course - Holly, her brother Joe and her best friend Imogen. I've loved drawing them again. In fact, I'd better stop doing this and get back to my drawing board if I'm going to get this book to you by August!

Lots to Celebrate!

Hello, I'm back!
This post is part apology, part catch-up, part celebration and (later) an exclusive reveal! First the apology: sorry that Cathy Brett the Writer/Illustrator has been away so long while I was Cathy Brett the Self-builder. It's been all plumbers and roof tiles when you probably came here looking for cool books and funny illustrations. Well, fear not. My studio is finished, I've moved in, unpacked my pencil case and you'll find nothing but words and pics here from now on! Hurrah!
The catch-up bit: I've had two really big projects on my desk during the last 12 months. One was the studio and 'the other one' has just been published! Woohoo!

Two years ago, Jo Cotterill approached me with a project she'd been thinking about - a middle-grade-girl-superhero-comic-novel-hybrid. It's not quite a novel and it's not quite a comic but it's sort of both, she said. Would I be interested, she asked, in developing the idea with her? I said yes and last week the result, ELECTRIGIRL, hit the bookshops.
Jo and I have been blogging and Tweeting and getting interviewed about the process all over the place. Click below for a selection:
Jo on Oxford TV
MiddleGradeStrikesBack
Library Mice
Alphabet Soup
The Book Bag
Sue & Pakka
Serendipity Reviews
Hive
I can't tell tell you how thrilled I am that ELECTRIGIRL is off to such a storming start. Those two years of hard work were entirely worth it.
I'd also like to share something a bit exciting and totally exclusive with you. There is a sequel! It's called ELECTRIGIRL and the DEADLY SWARM and it's out in August. Jo has finished writing it and I am in the middle of creating the comic sections, so I thought I'd invite you in to my new studio to take a look at my desk...

Very rough 'thumb nail' sketches of the page layouts   

New adventure, new location...

... ooooh, so exciting!! Can't wait 'til August!!

ELECTRIGIRL - Not Just For Boys!!