The Ned: Little Neds Book Event: making drawings and shooting the breeze…

Thanks to The Ned (London) for inviting me to present a Little Ned’s book event on the weekend.

We read The Frank Show, talked about how buildings are just made up of lines and other shapes, and warmed up our drawing arms by making squiggles on a piece of paper for a full minute. Then we had just enough time to make a drawing of the person we’d most like to speak about for a school talk: a cat, a dog called Muggles, an uncle, a mother, and a best friend (among others). Jemimah went so far as to write and illustrate a little book about flying a rocket to the moon and back. And it’s not even fantastic thinking because she’s going to be an astronaut when she grows up.

A good time was had by all.

Then I had a fine breakfast overlooking London.

Special mention: Thank you Naomi, Victor, Rebecca, Pietro and Philippa for everything on the day.

Book event at The Ned by David Mackintosh

The world’s most stable easel.

Book event at The Ned by David Mackintosh

Lily added cheerful green shadows to ground all the figures on the paper.

Book event at The Ned by David Mackintosh

A fine example of the high drawing standard of one of the attendees.

Book event at The Ned by David Mackintosh

Marshall Armstrong is new to the Ned.

The Ned Members' Event limited edition The Frank Show Giclée…

I have a limited edition of ten Giclée prints especially for the members event at The Ned hotel this Sunday.

Similar to a page in The Frank Show, it shows Frank in his leisure wear against a yellow wallpaper.

The print is a Giclée on Hahnemühle German Etching Paper (300 x 255mm). I will sign and edition it if that’s your bag. They’re suitable for framing and you can have one for £25.00.

Giclée print on Hahnemühle German Etching Paper (300 x 255mm).

Book reading and drawing event at The Ned hotel, London…

I’ll be at The Ned Hotel in London doing a book reading and drawing event on the second of November.

I’ll be reading one of my picture books, and then drawing some pictures and listening to what you think about your drawings and there will be paper and pencils and you can ask me whatever you like.

I will have a selection of my books available to purchase and will happily sign copies if that’s what you want.

Nb: This is a members only Family Event for members of The Ned.

Gold, frankincense or silver?…

Lauren Child’s new Charlie and Lola Christmas book coincides with the 25th anniversary of the first Charlie and Lola book.

The cover uses a gold foil.We tried silver foil to compare and contrast.

PLUS: there’s a spot UV inside (thanks to Soren Lorenson).

I Am Wishing Every Minute for Christmas cover sparkle

The book’s cover, and the silver foil option shown below.

The author visits the studio to talk about the text design.

Lauren Child in studio photo by mackintosh

LC cutting and assembling the collage for an illustration in the new book.

Lauren Child in studio photo by mackintosh

Collage in progress. No glue in sight yet.

Twenty-five years and a million moonsquirters later…

Is it that decade already? Only twenty-five years ago, the first Charlie and Lola picture book I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato was published. I was far too young then, but i’m pleased to have worked on the brand new Christmas book I Am Wishing Every Minute for Christmas. After all this time, the artwork is still drawn, painted and painstakingly cut out of paper and glued together. I don’t know how she does that. Go Lauren – Happy Anniversary.

The tomato offers its gift of fiery color and cool completeness.Pablo Neruda

Limited Edition HB of the first picture book. Orchard Books, 2010.

Limited Edition HB of the first picture book. Orchard Books, 2010. Butterfly plague with branded name.

Lauren Child in studio photo © David Mackintosh

The author visiting the studio working on the Christmas Book. September 2024.

Lauren in her studio with incomplete Charlie and Lola artwork in foreground.

An early draft of the new cover.

Introducing, from the bakelite period: my Grandfather Frank…

The Frank Show is a picture book by David Mackintosh, published by HarperCollins Children's Books. Now over ten years old, the book has matured like a fine non-alcoholic wine – but grandfather Frank is as old as he ever was. Are Frank's grandson's fears justified? Would you take your grandad to school to talk about how interesting he is when you know he's not? Maybe you would if he was Frank.

Click for a film about The Frank Show by David Mackintosh. Written and illustrated by David Mackintosh. Film by profuselyillustrated.com. Music by The Adorable Plush (David Mackintosh and David Crane). www.profuselyillustrated.com