Season's Greetings!

imaginary field, oil 20 x 15cm

Green field in Italy, oil 20 x 13cm

A little portrait of one of my favourite illustrators, Raymond Briggs (The Snowman, When The Wind Blows, Ethel and Ernest, much more). I was asked to draw this by a British film crew a couple of years ago, as they were doing a short documentary about Raymond; and as with much film material it was never used. Just as well probably, I always imagined Raymond would be slightly irritated by that idea. But here it is anyway! I think he would at least enjoy the tone, which also reflects a little my own attitude toward such things.

Black cypress, oil 15 x 20cm

Behind the Studio Door

A short profile of recent work as part of the Behind The Studio Door series, profiling Australian creators, put together by Books Illustrated in Melbourne;

http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=b50cd45d267d1bada4b383715&id=8445b475e8&e=1c60969dca

Grimm-related sculptures in various states of completion under my studio window.

Munich, oil 20 x 15cm

Swimming pool, oil 20x15cm

Corridor, oil 20 x 15cm

Highline, oil 20 x 15cm

The key to the kingdom, pencil and ink, 2010

A version of a recurring figure in my sketchbooks, originally inspired by armor worn by a tribesman in Papua New Guinea (I think, from an old National Geographic). A similar character appears in Rules of Summer, and the endpapers of Tales from Outer Suburbia. There's always a great sense of urgency when a character is running with an object: this picture didn't seem very interesting until I added the key.

New York 1, oil 15 x 20cm

Night football, oil 15 x 20cm

Night in Milan, oil 20 x 15cm

Railway embankment, Brunswick, oil 20 x 15cm

Luminous, pencil A4, 2008

An old rough sketch for a book week poster, which didn't end up being used. The concept here is that reading is like shining a light inside your head, even though it's invisible (unless you are one of these other beings of course).

Entrevista en español

For Spanish-speaking readers, here is a recent interview for Revistababar, mostly on the subject of illustration influences: http://revistababar.com/wp/entrevista-a-shaun-tan/

Rail lines, oil 20 x 15cm