Chris Riddell
Chris Riddell
Chris Riddellis a British illustrator and occasional writer of children's books and a political cartoonist for The Observer. He has won two Kate Greenaway Medals, the British librarians' annual award for the best-illustrated children's book, and two of his works were commended runners-up, a distinction dropped after 2002. Books that he wrote or illustrated have won three Nestlé Smarties Book Prizes and have been silver or bronze runners-up four times. On 9 June 2015 he was appointed the UK Children's...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionIllustrator
Date of Birth13 April 1962
animated austere diaries digital future paper permitted space texts
In the digital future, texts will be annotated visually, animated and illustrated like never before. The austere 'prayer book' paper that permitted the space for Shepard's illustrations to Pepys' diaries is now being recreated in the digital era.
add begin element lines painter stretch texture
I'm not a painter by any stretch of the imagination; I'm a dyed-in-the-wool traditional illustrator, and I begin with black and white. If I need colour, I add it over the top. There's a calligraphic element to it... it's about the texture of lines on the page.
children people performance prints
I'm interested in illustration in all its forms. Not only in books for children but in posters, prints and performance as a way of drawing people into books and stories.
Anyone can look through my sketchbooks as long as they don't have a background in psychiatric medicine.
alchemy bringing children enormous librarians role school
School librarians play such an enormous role in bringing children to books they are going to enjoy. It's a magic alchemy when that works.
adventures arm copied panic rabbit suppressed tucked umbrella watch white
As a child, I copied Tenniel's illustrations from 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' obsessively, particularly his drawing of the white rabbit in waistcoat and frockcoat, umbrella tucked under one arm and a fob watch in paw, a look of suppressed panic in his eye.
achieve addressing care drawing fun heart issues joy pencil people sure surprised term whilst
I want to put the joy of creativity, of drawing every day, of having a go and being surprised at what one can achieve with just a pencil and an idea at the heart of my term as laureate. I want to make sure people have fun whilst addressing fundamental issues I care about passionately.
afford bring notion pleasure remove telling
I want to bring drawing back to the basics, make it about the pleasure that it can afford and remove the notion that it's some kind of precious or difficult activity. It's another way of telling a story.
love
The writing process isn't something I'm in love with. I'm an illustrator who writes.
actively blogs days dusty fans gone good hidden seeking via writers
Fans write to us via our publisher and more than ever via the Internet, blogs and fan sites, and good writers should be actively seeking out that interaction. Gone are the days when writers are dead or hidden away in dusty attics; nowadays, you've got to get out there.
begin both children creative drop great libraries passionate places role schools unique visiting wider younger
A drop in younger children visiting libraries is of great concern. As children's laureate, I am passionate about the role of libraries, both in schools and in the wider community. They are unique places where children can begin their journey as readers, as well as being creative hubs.
good great hold open
Do you have hands? Excellent. That's a good start. Can you hold a pencil? Great. If you have a sketchbook, open it and start by making a line, a mark, wherever. Doodle.
books copy edward gothic great master shrinking written
Go out and find a copy of 'The Shrinking Of Treehorn' and its sequel, 'Treehorn's Treasure.' Written by Florence Parry Heide and illustrated by the great Edward Gorey, master of the gothic and the macabre, these books are small masterpieces.
allowing computer images manipulate pencil
The computer is a tool, just like pencil or charcoal, allowing illustrators to manipulate images from their sketchbooks.