Ed Vere has some other great books too and you can read an interview with him here.

 

This year is The Big Draws 10th birthday.

 

The Big Draw is a month-long season of drawing events for people of all ages and abilities. Big Draw events encourage everyone to experiment with pencils, paint, charcoal, sand, clay, digital imagery, choreographed movement, vapour trails and much more.

 

Big Draw Day is Saturday 10 October, but more than 1000 events will take place throughout October in gallaries, museums, art clubs, heritage and environmental sites, libraries, archives, science, community and shopping centres, colleges and schools across the UK and internationally. There's something for everyone - have fun!

 

Why not join in with the events being held in the Idea Stores and libraries:

 

Idea Store Canary Wharf
Big Draw Sundays
Let your artistic powers run wild at our fun art sessions.
Fun for ages 4 to 14 years
Every Sunday in October 2 - 4pm

 

'Big Draw' Manga Workshop 
Create your own cartoon characters and storyboards. Limited tickets available at the Library from 12pm on the day.
Fun for ages 5 - 16 years
Saturday 10 October 2 - 4pm

Look here for events in London.

 

Why not try the shape game which is Anthony Browne's favourite game and demonstrates that everyone can draw.

 

The first person draws a shape - any shape, it's not supposed to be anything, just a shape. The next person has to change it into something. It's a fantastic game that you can play anywhere when you are bored and it also shows you that everyone can draw.

 

Anthony Browne is the Children's Laureate and a great illustrator. Gorillas feature in many of Anthony's books; he says, "I am fascinated by them and the contrast they represent - their huge strength and gentleness. They're thought of as being very fierce creatures and they're not." Anthony's illustrations also reveal his love of the Surrealist painters whose pictures often depict strange, dreamlike scenes (look out for all the disguised bananas hidden in Anthony's books!). When Anthony first has an idea for a picture book, he says: "It's a strange combination of story and images. Deciding what will be illustrated on the pages of a book is like deciding on the scenes of a film." So take a colder look at some of Anthony's books and see what you can find.

 

Why not hand in your shape game drawing to a member of staff at the Idea Store or library and we will put them on the website for everyone to see.

 

Upcoming movie "Where the Wild Things Are" is based on one of the most famous picture books of all time, by author and illustrator Maurice Sendak.

 

One of the most recognised children's illustrators is Quentin Blake who has illustrated over 250(!) children's books during his career.

 

In Japan, manga (comics) are so popular that they are estimated to account for 40% of the books produced there each year.

 

Illustration is considered so important in children's books that there are plenty of awards just for illustrators, such as; the Kate Greenaway medal, the V&A Illustration Awards and the Caldecott medal.