Super Sunday #7 ♥

So I know the Super Sunday posts haven't always worked out properly

it's gone from being a weekly thing to a fortnightly thing

anyway this week i'm doing a post all about one of my favourite illustrators...

and yes I know that the last Super Sunday post I did was dedicated to a picture book illustrator (it was about Lauren Child and you can read it here - Super Sunday #6 ♥) 

but this weeks dedication is particularly special, well, as far as i'm concerned it is anyway!

For todays Super Sunday post i'd like to honour an illustrator whose work I have quite literally grown up with, whose illustrations actually inspired me to want to be an illustrator in the first place!

This weeks dedication goes out to the truly super duper, Nick Sharratt

now many of the girls (and some of the boys) reading this will probably recognise his illustrations, especially if you grew up in the UK

there's a pretty strong chance you'll have seen his illustrations on dozens of book covers even if you didn't realise he was the illustrator behind them

he is most famous for having illustrated every single one of Jacqueline Wilson's books for the past 20 years. He has also illustrated children's books for several other authors as well as many of his own children's picture books.

He has been illustrating Jacqueline Wilson's books since 1991 when 'the Story of Tracy Beaker' was first published. 

I was born in 1991 so I really have quite literally 'grown up' with the illustrations as well as the stories.

In fact... i first discovered his illustrations when i read my very first Jacqueline Wilson book when I was 6 years old.

i remember it because it was one of  the first 'proper' modern books i'd just been given and left to read (up until then i'd just read lots of stuff by Enid Blyton)

it was a copy of 'Double Act' that my mum had bought me to take on holiday so that i'd have something to read.

now although I adored the story and despite the fact that that book will always be my favourite Jacqueline Wilson book, I remember that it was the little illustrations that popped up throughout the story that really caught my attention

I was on holiday in Mauritius and I remember that I finished reading the book sitting on a bench outside the museum, as soon as we went back to the hotel I sat with the complimentary hotel room notepad and pencil and tried to copy the pictures from the book.

I remember finishing it and flipping back through the book to look at all the illustrations again. I loved how simple they were so I tried to copy them and see if I could draw like that as well.

Despite the fact my versions of the characters were a little wonky and a bit messy I like to think it was in some way the beginning of my journey to becoming an illustrator.

I used to spend hours trying to copy his seemingly so simple style and try and come up with new scenes that could fit into the books. My versions never quite looked right but that didn't put me off me, I was determined to draw just like him!

by the time I finished primary school my career aspiration was to be an artist for Disney... or failing that, a book illustrator just like Nick Sharratt!

Although i'm a bit too old to be reading Jacqueline Wilson books as religiously as I used to, I still absolutely love to flick through my nieces copies just to look at all of the fabulous illustrations.

I'm fortunate that both Maddie and Daisy (my nieces) adore her books so it gives me an excuse to borrow them from time to time just so I can see the illustrations!

I realised that during my childhood, it was his illustrations that began my fascination with all things arty and creative. Even though I remember being read to + reading books by Enid Blyton and Roahl Dahl, which were always filled with amazing illustrations, it's really Nick Sharratt's style of drawing that has stuck with me all this time.

I think it's even affected my own style of drawing without me realising it!

I mean look at his style, he always uses a very clear simple black line as the basis of practically all of his work, and I do exactly the same thing!!!

i always have done as well, i think that without really meaning to, i've completely based MY style of illustrating around the basics of his style!

I think I first got interested in children's book illustration because of his work, I wanted to become an illustrator so I could draw pictures like him. And I think that in many ways, I still think that now.

You see, I really do owe him a lot!

I'd love to meet him one day just so I can say thank you for all the inspiration his drawings have given me over the years

oh i should also point out, that as well known as he is for illustrating Jacqueline Wilson's books, he's just as famous nowadays for his own children's picture books combining funny unique stories with his fabulous illustrative style that cleverly brings the stories to life.

i'm sad to say that i don't actually own any of his other picture books, i've read a few of them though (there's a picture book section in the library at college... i pretty much live there during the week)

 i particularly like the 'Daisy' books, they are so fun to read!

the illustrations are just so adorable! i've never NOT liked anything that he's worked on!

not that i'm biased or anything of course! but come on, you can all see how cute the drawings are can't you!

of course you can, they're super duper sweet and absolutely bloody marvellous!

ok ok, i guess i've gushed enough about how awesome i think his work is!

but long story short... he is without a doubt MY personal favourite book illustrator (get ready for this...) EVER

that's right

and you should know that i've seen hundreds (if not thousands) of illustrated books throughout my life

i guess it's mainly because his drawings inspired me to draw in the first place

whatever the reason, he's my fave illustrator, end of!

if you'd like to see even more of his fabby illustrations, then head over to the Nick Sharratt website 

there's also a great interview on this BBC page + lots of fun tips on drawing from the man himself - BBC interview

* * *

in other news,

that's it!

Happy Sunday

enjoy the rest of your day

oh and watch out for another post tomorrow

I know, I know... 3 posts in a row! Insane right!!!

farewell dudes and dudettes

that's all folks...

◕‿◕ ★

mulţumesc şi la revedere

(that's thank you and goodbye in Romanian on behalf of Romania, i've never been to Romania but it sounds like a gorgeous country, mulţumesc foarte mulţ x)