Week 27 - Jason Ruddy

It's illustrator 27, only 3 more to go and the book will be complete! This week we are at the home of writer/illustrator Jason Ruddy.

Jason graduated in 2006 with a degree in Animation. Since then he has worked in the digital industry and done the odd bit of illustrating, animating and designing for a number of things. In 2010 he started up a collaborative project called Monster Riot with his wife Catherine McDaid. Through Monster Riot he has painted a 5ft Gromit for Gromit Unleashed, illustrated greetings card ranges and his designs have adorned everything from t-shirts to biscuit tins. He works from his home studio in Buckinghamshire and is currently working on his first authored books. Check out Jason's week with the book below...

If you want to see more of Jason's work you can do by visiting his website and if you want to follow his tweets you can follow him @jasonruddy. Time for the book to make a move again, this time its off to Sheffield to see the lovely Lydia Monks. See you soon!

Week 26 - Mark A Chambers

We're back! Apologies for the radio silence, we have had to make a few changes to the project and now we're back to cover the journey of the final 5. So it's illustrator number 26, the ace Mark A Chambers!

Mark was born in Aberdeen on a cold and windy day in 1980 and shortly afterwards moved to warmer climates down south in rural Lincolnshire. Although he wanted to be a golfer, chef, fighter pilot and master Lego builder (not all at the same time) he found that his skills were much more suited to becoming a professional doodler.

Mark graduated with a 2:1 in Illustration from Lincoln University in 2003 and the Bright Agency started to represent him a few months later. He now works from a studio which is a short walk from his house and shares it with a lobster, a Mogwai and a giant prawn!

Since joining Bright, Mark has managed to secure picture book deals with publishers such as Templar, Little Tiger Press, Simon & Schuster, Usborne and Random House. He was also selected to illustrate ‘Animal Adventure’ at ZSL London Zoo, the new children's zoo area. This has lead to further work securing major London Zoo book commissions with Bloomsbury. He won the NASEN picture book award in 2008 for his book, ‘Best Friends’. ‘Pandamonium’ illustrated by Mark and written by Dan Crisp made the final of The People’s Book Award and 'Pirate house Swap', written by Abie Longstaff, has been shortlisted for the 2012 Stockport Schools Picture Book Award. He is also the illustrator of the popular 'Stinky & Jinks'  titles published by Templar.

Mark’s first self-authored picture book, ‘Brian the Smelly Bear’, was published in October 2012. And from one bear to another, here's Mark's studio and peeks of his spread...

Thanks, Mark for a brilliant spread (and showing the book the sights in Lincolnshire). To see more of Mark's work check out his blog, Facebook fan page, instagram and follow him on twitter. Now the book is on it's way down south to Buckinghamshire to see author/illustrator, Jason Ruddy. Until next time...