My good friend the writer and performer Billy Spakemon approached me early in 2018 about an idea he had for a children’s story about Black Country artist Charlie ‘Chas’ Grigg and asked if I would illustrate it.
I’d already been involved in a creative project about Chas called ‘Our Best Kept Secret’. A group of fellow Black Country artists, writers and musicians contributed work about Chas for a series of live shows to raise funds to get a blue plaque which was installed at Rood End School where Chas had attended as a boy. Read the article. Me, performing at one of the fundraising events for Charlie Grigg's blue plaque Dream to reality: Creating the bookBilly knew I also did graphic design and illustration and so asked if I would illustrate a new story he’d written which tells Chas’s story for a young audience, about 6 years old and up. The message is an important one, that young people CAN feel that if they have a dream (like being a professional artist) then they should follow their dream, put the effort and tenacity in. Of course I said yes and then began the task of bringing Billy’s handwritten script to life. I began by drawing outlines in pencil, then inked them and combined elements to make the required image. This example shows MY hand(!) drawing one of Chas's actual characters, Bloop (see above). I then scanned the drawings and coloured them on the computer using Adobe PhotoShop®. It took a lot longer than I originally imagined. I have empathy now for Chas, having to produce drawings for comics for strict deadlines, it’s a lot harder than it looks. I wanted to use a style that resonated with Chas’s own work – bright, colourful and full of wit and charm – and I hope I have done him justice and that people of all ages enjoy the story and images. The finished book is 48 pages, 210x210mm in size and printed on gloss art paper. Please Contact me if you’d like a copy @ £5.99 each. Early indications are that the book is selling well. Dementia and Dudley 'Me Myself & I' Support Group
BOOK LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 21st 2019
2 Comments
8/11/2022 12:58:56 pm
This is a great post, thanks for sharing it
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AuthorAlex Vann is a true all round creative. As well as owning Alex Vann Design he is the founder of the community arts group: Real Arts Workshops, a portrait artist and a gigging musician. Archives
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