The Last Dispatch (of 2024)

Hello all,

Thanks for reading the Woodcock Dispatch and a big special welcome to new subscribers!

I really love the winter, I’m a fan of bare trees and big scarfs. I always know what to wear when it’s cold as opposed to when it’s hot. And I’m drawn to wintery imagery, especially snow! So I’ll start off with a quick retrospective of my Christmas card designs that I’ve sent out over recent(ish) years.

These pink buildings (above) started out as a development piece for The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone. I wrote a related post a while ago, devoted to why I love drawing snow, that you can see here - featuring another fave snowy book project A Dot in the Snow by Corrinne Averiss, that also made it onto a card (below).

The Make Merry and Neon Noel cards were screen-printed by me with a Japanese Print Gocco kit c2008 and the antler girl is even more ancient.

You can see the animated version of this here! It was my Xmas 2020 therapy!

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2024 highlights

The publication of Little Lion Girl written by Olivia Hope was a creative highlight of 2024. You can read all about my illustration process and inspiration and in a couple of previous posts here and here. This pic below shows Olivia and I having a right good natter about the book at the CBI conference in Dublin in September. And I can’t resist including a couple of fave spreads too! : )

American friends - Little Lion Girl will be published in the U.S in February 2025! (And it’s available for pre-order!)

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Brian Wildsmith Exhibition

I still can’t believe that on my way home from a wonderful school event in Cumbria in June, I managed to get to the exhibition in Barnsley of the children's books author and illustrator Brian Wildsmith! (via Sheffield - thanks to my pal Jo).

Artwork by Brian Wildsmith

The exhibition is on until 4th January 2025, so there’s a slim chance that some of you might also be able to get there to soak up the inspiration. Failing that there’s a wonderful online shop for prints and cards.

Here’s a few random snaps of his incredible work. All that colour and pattern was an absolute tonic.

Artwork by Brian Wildsmith

Detail of artwork by Brian Wildsmith

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Other stuff

• Posy Simmonds on the brilliant podcast In Writing with Hattie Crisell is a fascinating listen. I agree with her about a deadline concentrating your thoughts!

• London by Laura Carlin. I pored over every illustration in this epic book and learnt so much about the city I live in.

• There have been so many brilliant books published this year, but The History of Information by Chris Haughton is right up there as a book of 2024. I’ve not finished it yet, but I’m loving taking my time and expanding my brain as I make my way through it. Also, I was lucky to hear Chris talk about the book at the CBI conference in Dublin.

• I highly recommend the Jim Henson Documentary ‘Ideas Man’ directed by Ron Howard. An in-depth insight into the visionary creator behind The Muppets. (And there’s some lovely experimental animation in there too).

Trains by Saul Steinburg 1949

• I was doing some Saul Steinburg research earlier this year and discovered a feature on the Saul Steinburg Foundation website. You can search the archive using a series of drop down menus. Try choosing a decade, a medium and subject and see what gem you unearth!

• And lastly a unique little book ‘THINGS I MIGHT MAKE’ from the brain of my friend Nik Ramage. It’s a beautifully crafted collection of “drawings of ideas for sculptures, machines and other free-range thoughts”.

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Remembering Emma Calder

We sadly lost the wonderful creative Emma Calder this year. Emma gave me my first job, working on her animated film ‘The Queen’s Monastery’ and I learnt so much from her - you can read more about her life in this Guardian Obituary. Emma deserves an enormous in-depth post dedicated entirely to her inspirational work, and that will happen. But for now, might I recommend you honour my brilliant friend by taking six minutes over the festive season to watch her film ‘The Queen’s Monastery’ (below). Turn it up loud and watch it on as large a screen as you can. (Every frame is drawn and painted on paper).

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I’ll sign off with a little peek at a corner of a big book I worked on this year. It’s not at all indicative of the book as a whole, as there’s only one spread with snow in it, but of course I had to show you that one to wish you all a wonderful book-filled festive break!

Thank you for reading the Woodcock Dispatch!

Fiona