Two of New Zealand’s most celebrated, funny and prolific author-illustrators let us eavesdrop on a chat they had recently. Here are Ruth Paul and Donovan Bixley, sharing their thoughts about making money, embarrassing art, hard work and hats. They have…
Our editor, Jane Arthur, looks into what goes into designing a picture book, and talks with the illustrator and designer of the new release from Huia Publishers, The Bomb|Te Pohū, written by Sacha Cotter. Usually, the cover of a picture…
Kimberly Andrews is the Wellington-based author and illustrator of the new, critically acclaimed picture book, Puffin the Architect (Penguin Random House). We are honoured to present this exclusive behind-the-scenes comic-strip look at how the book came to be.
We present an interview between Robyn Belton and Jenny Cooper, on the subject of illustrating war stories, technology, (or the lack of it) and the misbehaviour of watercolour. Based loosely on their recently published World War I books: The ANZAC…
Children’s book author and designer Vasanti Unka reckons that we could do better with our use of the colours from our multicultural surrounds. We have the world at our fingertips – so why aren’t we using it? Vasanti’s new book…
Kirsten Slade is the illustrator of the new kids’ novel by Eirlys Hunter, The Mapmakers’ Race (Gecko Press). Here she tells us – in words and pictures – about her daily creative routine, which includes something resembling a scene from…
As part of our finalist coverage of this year’s NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, we have some exclusive insights into the process of each of the five Russell Clark Award for Illustration Award finalists. They’ve given us…
Craig Phillips describes a typical day in the life of an internationally published, multi award-winning, homeschooling illustrator of children’s books and rock music posters… okay, maybe not such a typical day. He explains his process – thumbnails, roughs and finals…
Illustrator and live-drawer Tara Black had a Skype date with Chris Riddell in advance of his appearance in New Zealand for the Auckland Writers’ Festival. They discussed his time as the British children’s laureate, his political cartooning, his inspiration for…
Go Girl: A Storybook of Epic NZ Women by Barbara Else is a collection of inspiring true stories about New Zealand women who have done extraordinary things. There’s Dame Whina Cooper, Janet Frame, Farah Palmer, Lucy Lawless, Kate Sheppard, Nancy Wake, Sophie Pascoe, Margaret Mahy, Lydia Ko, Merata Mita, Rita Angus, Te Puea Herangi — and many more.