SAM McCULLEN

HAIRY BEAR - PICTURE BOOK TRAILER

2012-01-19T14:29:00.004Z

Here's a trailer for my new picture book. I hope you like it!

You can find it on Vimeo and YouTube.

IMAGES 36

2012-01-03T16:13:00.002Z

I'm thrilled to have had one of my illustrations selected for The Association of Illustrators' Images 36 competition!

Here's my selected illustration and some close-up crops:

(The guy rocking out with his walking stick is supposed to look like my old uni tutor, the lovely John Lawrence)

In other news, I've just heard that the Julia Donaldson illustrators exhibition should be on the road until 2013. More info and tour dates to come...

FRIMLEY GREEN, 1914

2011-10-22T16:40:00.009+01:00

Part illustration, part photograph - this is the village of Frimley Green in Surrey, where I grew up.

The place hasn't really changed much in the almost hundred years since this photo was taken. Add a roundabout, a few street signs and a police van instead of the horse and cart and you're pretty much there. I love old photos!

I thought I'd submit this for Illustration Friday's current word of the week: 'fuel'. This is a bit of a stretch I know - but the picture does include a car, so I think I can just about get away with it.

The writing on the bottom left is a typeface I made using my Great Grandad's handwriting on postcards he sent home during the First World War.

I haven't decided who the chap with the impressive handlebar tash is yet.

NEW WEBSITE AND TOURING EXHIBITIONS

2011-09-03T18:04:00.002+01:00

I'm pleased to announce *after a celebratory toot of the trumpet* that my brand new website is up and running! Big thanks to my clever brother, Jonny for doing all the fiddly stuff and for helping me create the website I wanted. I'll... ahem... never call you a geek again!

www.sammccullen.com

In other news, I have illustrations in two touring exhibitions at the mo...

The first is 'The Illustrators', an exhibition of contemporary children's book illustration, curated by Julia Donaldson and organised by The Park Gallery, Falkirk and Artlink Central. The first venue of the UK tour is Shetland Arts' Bonhoga Gallery, and the exhibition will run until 25th September, coinciding with Shetland Arts' book festival, 'Wordplay'.

Find out more at www.childrenslaureate.org.uk

I also have work in the Association of Illustrators 'Images 35' awards annual and touring exhibition. Images, now in its 35th year, is the UK's leading illustration competition, annual, awards show, and touring exhibition, dedicated to showcasing the best in British illustration. It is unique in that it is Britain's only jury-selected illustration competition, judged by a panel of industry experts. The Images 35 exhibition includes illustrations by Jonny Hannah, Ian Pollock, Simon Spilsbury, and David Hughes.

Here's the tour dates and venues...

* Bankside Gallery, London: 26th Aug - 3rd Sept 2011
* Darlington Civic Theatre & Arts Centre: 26th Sept - 30th Nov 2011
* University of Derby: 5th Dec 2011 - 5th Feb 2012
* Viewpoint Gallery, Plymouth: 13th Feb - 14th April 2012
* Aberystwyth Arts Centre: 30th April - 10th June 2012
* Prescot Museum: 3rd Aug - 16th Oct 2012

Find out more at www.aoiimages.com

THE CRAMPED DAMP CAVE

2011-05-27T15:01:00.005+01:00

Another illustration from my next picture book.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

2011-04-15T18:21:00.003+01:00

Here's the final version of the development piece from my ON THE ROAD post. I hope you like it!

THE LISTENING DOG

2011-04-05T16:23:00.029+01:00

This is Danny.

Danny is a Reading Education Assistance Dog (READ) who visits schools and libraries, curls up beside the children and listens to them read. This novel idea is intended to help children build their confidence and overcome their fears of reading out loud. Kids who lack confidence in their reading are said to find it easier to read to 'listening dogs', because they are a friendly audience, who don't criticise, laugh, or correct their pronunciation. The dogs help to create a relaxed atmosphere, where anxiety is replaced with enthusiasm and an enjoyment of reading aloud.
The scheme is in its early days here in the UK, but has proved a huge hit in America, where there are about 1,800 listening dogs. After hearing about the success of the scheme across the pond, Tony Nevett, who has a degree in Animal Assisted Therapy, trained Danny as a READ dog and has been visiting schools and libraries across the UK.

Tony asked me to produce an illustration of Danny for a 'pawtograph' card, which will be given to kids taking part in the READ sessions. My illustration will be on the front of the card and Tony will put a stamp of Danny's pawprint on the back. I loved the idea!

Here's my illustration...

Tony hopes that the scheme will continue to grow over here. He said that although pupils with special needs, such as autism, can particularly benefit from working with Danny, any child can get a great deal out of the sessions.

When Danny goes to sleep, Tony tells the children that he's dreaming about their story - and some of the kids even show Danny the pictures in the books they read to him. Aww!

You can watch a news report about Danny here.

And here's a short film about READ dogs in the U.S.

BOD & BEAR

2011-03-25T13:20:00.009Z

'Bod' is one of my first childhood memories. I love the little guy so much, I've included him in both my picture books.

He also has the best theme tune in the world!

THE ILLUSTRATORS

2011-03-14T19:44:00.009Z

I flew up to bonnie (and snowy) Scotland at the weekend for the opening of The Illustrators. Despite a close encounter with a nunchucks wielding gang in Falkirk (really not as dramatic as it sounds) and an unexpected paddle in a slush puddle, I had a really great weekend.

The exhibition was fantastic and I had the pleasure of meeting Julia Donaldson and her husband Malcolm: guitar whiz and jolly nice bloke. I also got my Gruffalo book signed... though I did feel like a big meanie, as Malcolm pushed my book to the front of the queue, in front of all the excited kiddies! Boo hiss, Sam!

If you live in Scotland or fancy a trip up there, I urge you to visit the exhibition. You'll see gorgeous illustrations by Axel Scheffler, Emily Gravett, Joel Stewart and David Roberts (amongst others), along with illustrators' roughs, sketchbooks and artwork from forthcoming books.

The highlight for me (along with being included in the exhibition) would have to be Axel Scheffler's illustrated envelopes. Whenever Axel writes to Julia, he illustrates the envelope - often incorporating the stamp into the illustration... like turning Prince William into a giant or putting the Queen on a horse. Well worth a look.

You can download a flyer for the exhibition here.

Completely unrelated, but I thought I'd post this photo for its sheer creepiness. It's from the Museum of Childhood in Edinburgh and it freaked me out!

EXCITING EXHIBITION

2011-02-22T00:11:00.009Z

I'm thrilled to be taking part in 'The Illustrators', an exhibition of contemporary children's book illustration, curated by Julia Donaldson. It runs from 12th March - 2nd May 2011 at The Park Gallery, Callendar House, Callendar Park, Falkirk, FK1 1YR.

Should be fantastic!

Find out more here: http://www.gruffalo.com/php/diary_display.php?who=Julia

and more about it on artlinkcentral.org

NEW WORK

2011-02-13T02:30:00.014Z

If any of you out there in internet land are still kind enough to visit my poor, neglected old blog, you can fight your way through the cobwebs and take a look at a few illustrations from my next picture book.

SPIDER COOKIES

2010-10-17T15:34:00.007+01:00

Halloween is approaching, so I thought I'd post this Spider Cookies recipe I illustrated yonks ago. Mmmm, calorie-tastic!

ON THE ROAD

2010-06-04T22:29:00.007+01:00

Some development work from my next picture book.

BADGER AND MOLE

2010-05-28T21:38:00.007+01:00

Here's an illustration for an advertising pitch with the shortest deadline ever... the agency got in touch yesterday afters and I had to deliver it lunchtime today.

They went with another illustrator for the campaign. Bah!

MEOW

2010-03-31T09:11:00.009+01:00

My outrageous cat and I were asked to feature on the charming blog, We Say Meow, so how could we refuse?

We Say Meow is a blog of cat art and artists' cats by Mary Kilvert and Anke Weckmann. They like drawing, cats, and drawing cats. (They like dogs, too.)

IT'S BEEN A WHILE, HUH...

2010-03-12T14:24:00.015Z

I'll post some new work soonish, but for now I thought I'd let you know that I've given my website a complete overhaul... or should that be underhaul. I've stripped it right back to just the illustrations and done away with all the 'Flashy' bits, which were kinda getting in the way and making it tricky to do regular updates.

I'll probably do more with the site at some point, but for now, 'nice and simple' suits me just fine.

www.sammccullen.com

NEW BOOK CROPS

2009-08-13T21:39:00.010+01:00

I'm not reeally sure if I'm allowed to show work from my new book at this stage... so if this post suddenly disappears, it means I've been told off by Hodder (eek).

Aaanyway, here's a few crops from the first spread of my second picture book...

WRONG TURN

2009-06-14T16:19:00.006+01:00

Here's another 'unfriendly Alaskan animals in a Caldecott style frame' illustration! I've been just a weeeeny bit TERRIFIED of wolves, since watching The Box of Delights BBC series in the 80s (see opening here)... so if you find this picture a bit creepy, think how I feel when I look at it!

I CAN'T WAIT to see The Box of Delights film... due out next year (I think) and directed by Mike Newell.

A FREE LUNCH (for the Illustration Friday word of the week - 'adapt')

2009-05-30T17:49:00.013+01:00

For this week's Illustration Friday, I had a bit of a play around with an old(ish) illustration which never got used for anything... so now it has. Bonus! :-)

HAIRY BEAR

2009-05-22T18:46:00.013+01:00

It's been a tricky old book to work on, with about a million rewrites, a 10 foot pile of sketches and layouts and even the odd scary bear dream... but I'm THRILLED to be finally fully engrossed in the artwork for my second picture book with Hodder. I'm having a lot of fun with it and am getting myself nice and grubby with my pastels and pencils again. It's been tooooo long!

Here's Hairy Bear. This is quite a new hair rendering technique for me, so I'd welcome any feedback with open arms.

After today's hairy marathon, I'm gonna treat meself to a few pints of bitter and a curry now.... Mmmmmm! :-)

CONTAGIOUS!

2009-05-17T19:59:00.015+01:00

Haven't done Illustration Friday for a while now, so I thought I'd submit this. I produced it at college about seven years ago for a children's story (which I never finished) about Nellie the Elephant, who returns home from the circus to find that she's allergic to her best friends, The Three Blind Mice!

Hmmmm... I wonder why I never bothered finishing the story?!

JUST BECAUSE...

2009-05-15T12:52:00.003+01:00

BOUNCY BOUNCY

2009-03-10T10:08:00.003Z

No new illustrations to post right now, but I didn't want to break the blogging habit - so in the meantime I thought I'd let this shapely old roo of mine bounce across the page!

INSTINCT

2009-02-20T21:23:00.006Z

'Instinct' is the topic for this week's Illustration Friday and the first thing that popped into my head was 'salmon'.

The homing instinct of a salmon blows my tiny mind... after years spent in the ocean migrating for thousands of miles, they return to the very stream they were born in to spawn! This single-minded salmon is on his long and arduous journey home, and has just encountered a peckish grizzly... hence the alarmed expression! I do hope the little guy makes it!

SHAKE IT! (for the Illustration Friday word of the week - 'celebrate')

2009-02-13T17:56:00.009Z

I produced these funny looking folk for a phonics book by Julia Donaldson a few years back. They're called the Upside-down Browns and I'm not quite sure what they're celebrating here..... but who needs a reason when you're an Upside-down Brown?!

ELECTRO ROBOT VS NODDY TOY: CIRCA 1955 (my response to the word 'flawed' for Illustration Friday)

2009-02-04T15:23:00.010Z

I had a lot of fun with this! Working as a kid's book illustrator, it's not unusual that I'm asked to make some of my characters more appealing, less sinister etc, etc..... so I guess having a deranged toy robot decapitate one of Britain's most loved children's book characters is my reaction!

I think I'm going to hell!

ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY - 'CLIMBING'

2009-01-24T13:30:00.007Z

I've reworked my 'Hey Diddle Diddle' illo for my first ever bash at Illustration Friday. The topic for this week is 'climbing'. I've wanted to do Illustration Friday for aaaages and I hope it will inspire some fresh new work in the future. It also gives me a good excuse to experiment..... without the pressure of having to satisfy a scary client!

I DECLARE MY ETSY SHOP OPEN!

2009-01-22T00:42:00.007Z

There was no red tape or z-list celeb to cut it, but nonetheless, my Etsy shop is now well and truly open for business! ‘Ding!’ (that’s my imaginary shop door…ahem)

I’m selling high quality giclée reproductions printed on lovely Hahnemühle Photo Rag paper, so get yourself down there while stocks last! :-)

CHARLOTTE COW

2008-11-15T17:23:00.003Z

Four years on, my feisty Friesian, Charlotte Cow is proving to be as popular as ever as mascot for The School Milk Project. Check out the photos below....though she seems to be licking a girl's head in one of them! Oh Charlotte!

HEY DIDDLE DIDDLE

2008-10-29T10:18:00.011Z

I produced these illustrations (and the doggy lineups below) for a series of rhyme books by Darakwon Publishing, Korea. I think they're due out in Summer '09.

MORE DOGGIES

2008-10-01T15:26:00.017+01:00

DOGGIES

2008-09-23T16:41:00.011+01:00

FROM THE VAULTS...

2008-05-31T23:51:00.007+01:00

BROWN BATS

2008-05-08T20:28:00.007+01:00

I produced this illo for American kids magazine, 'Highlights'.

THE BIG PICTURE

2008-04-01T15:01:00.006+01:00

The results of ‘The Big Picture - Best New Illustrators Award’ were announced by Michael Rosen at the Bologna Book Fair yesterday. 10 winners were chosen from a longlist of 27 illustrators including Mini Grey, Alexis Deacon, Joel Stewart, Emily Gravett, Oliver Jeffers and........moi! I wasn’t one of the 10 winners, but I’m thrilled to say that my friend Lisa Evans was! Check out her amazing work here.

The Big Picture (an initiative set up by Booktrust) is a national campaign to promote picture books and illustrators. Visit the website here.

THE SANDFAMILY

2007-11-17T12:25:00.014Z

This is a poster I illustrated to advertise 'Gunwharf Quays' in Portsmouth. Look out for it if you find yourself in Poole, Bournemouth, Brighton, Hove, Worthing, Lewes, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, Horsham, Eastbourne, Chichester, Salisbury, Hastings, Winchester, Southampton, Wealden, Fareham, or of course, Portsmouth.

Also, my three scary animal posters were finalists in the 'London International Advertising Awards' last week. W'hooooo! :-D Check out the work here.

BILLY PAPERBACK

2007-10-13T11:24:00.004+01:00

Jeez, has it really been over 8 months since I posted here?! Sorry about that to those of you who haven't given up on me! My first picture book, 'Billy Back-To-Front' is out in paperback on 18th October (order from Amazon) and I'm currently working on my second picture book.

Here's a few characters...

SOME ILLUSTRATIONS TO GIVE YOU NIGHTMARES!

2007-02-11T20:36:00.002Z

These freaky illustrations were commissioned by ad agency, Leo Burnett for a poster campaign to promote the awareness of childhood blindness. The posters appeared all over the Hong Kong subway, undoubtedly scaring the crap out of any kiddies who ventured down there! The posters picked up a Silver, Bronze and Merit in the 'Kam Fan Awards' (HK4As Creative Awards) last year.

BILLY BACK-TO-FRONT

2007-02-06T16:33:00.000Z

THE MIDNIGHT FOLK

2007-02-05T23:28:00.000Z

To get things started, here's my latest illo, which I produced for The Radio Times. It was used to illustrate a feature on John Masefield's 'The Midnight Folk', which was dramatised for Radio 4 over Christmas.