First draft artwork, making a mess and MONSTERS!!

After a morning of messing around with paint, I've decided that I like that first dabble at the artwork for a new book - I suppose it's a bit like a first draft of a book, but the picture bit instead of the words. The point being it's a time to let the imagination run wild, accept that I'm going to make a mess, and just dive in and make a start...

It did cross my mind as I was painting the main character, that the fact that she's a girl is going to put off some customers; though why parents think they can't buy a book for boys just because it has a girl on the cover is beyond me... Her teddy bear is a boy - if that's any help...

Anyway if I haven't already put half the readers (or at least their parents) off by writing a story about a girl, then I'm going to really tip the rest over the edge by writing a story with monsters in... Yes - Monsters - arghhhh!

I stand by the belief that kids love monsters, especially when the character overcomes them - and they usually do you know, especially in kids books - we're not out to terrify them you know...

Cats in book cases - it's a cat thing...

Captain, showing an early interest in books - he seems to have been in the middle of everything I've done ever since...

If he's not climbing all over me, he's usually asleep close by... here he is supervising the artwork for Basil and the Flappy Thing. I think he was getting ideas from Basil too - getting ideas for more cat flap capers...