{"id":4690,"date":"2015-12-01T09:40:35","date_gmt":"2015-12-01T09:40:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.london-artcollege.co.uk\/news\/?p=4690"},"modified":"2021-10-20T07:02:36","modified_gmt":"2021-10-20T07:02:36","slug":"heathers-book-illustration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.london-artcollege.co.uk\/news\/2015\/12\/heathers-book-illustration\/","title":{"rendered":"Heather’s Book Illustration"},"content":{"rendered":"
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My name is Heather Roberton and I am studying on the Illustrating Children’s Book Diploma Course. Earlier this year I visited a local art exhibition and got talking to one of the artists about the studies we were both doing. I mentioned that i was studying children\u2019s book illustration with the London Art college and she asked me for my contact details as her mum was about to self publish a book and was looking for an illustrator. I have learned from previous experience to always carry business cards with me (even when going to an evening function. You never know who you might meet), so I handed her my card and within a week had a meeting with the author, Brenda.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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After many discussions I was asked to produce about 30 illustrations. I gave it some thought and very nearly turned down the commission, as I still had my final two assignments to complete and I had to develop a style that would suit her stories. It was very hard work, and very scary at times as I didn\u2019t think I could complete such a large project with my limited experience, but she was in the same boat and together we worked through our ideas and decided on the final list of illustrations. I was very fortunate with this project, as Brenda let me play around with my own ideas, and offer alternative illustrations if i didn\u2019t think another would work. It took many months, but we finally did it. At the end I was also tasked with editing the book and getting all the final files ready for print, so had to liaise with the printers too.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I\u2019m very excited to say that the book is finally with the printers and the first print run of Nanny B\u2019s Magic Hat should be ready before Christmas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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We decided not to register an ISBN for the first print run as we wanted to see what the response to the book would be, but within the first few days of taking pre-orders we had sold over forty copies with more orders coming in, and we have a stand booked at a conference in January.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Our next step is to contact the ISBN agency to obtain an ISBN for the book, so that we can sell the book through online book stores.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I couldn\u2019t have done all this without the knowledge I gained through this course, and I can\u2019t wait to enrol in the next one.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Nanny B\u2019s Magic Hat \u2013 Written by Brenda Arkley and Illustrated by Heather Robertson.<\/u><\/div>\n
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The reading age For Nanny B\u2019s Magic Hat is seven and upwards but a five year old would enjoy having the stories read to them too. The book has over 100 pages and six lovely illustrated stories depicting animals who talk, mermaids, dolphins, a mysterious grandfather who changes back and f<\/span>orth into an eagle, and other magical characters. Oh and of course a Magic hat!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The back cover reads:-<\/div>\n
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\u201cWith the aid of Nanny B\u2019s Magic hat, travel across time in the blink of an eye to a wondrous world.\u00a0Celebrate a \u2018stomping\u2019, feel the very real anxieties of hunted animals, share the delights of swimming with mermaids, glimpse the problems of man\u2019s disregard for our precious environment and enjoy an unexpected encounter in the snow.\u00a0Join Freya, Riggs the dog and Nanny B as they experience \u2018another world and another adventure\u2019 in the company of the mysterious and kindly Grandfather.\u00a0Prepare to be enchanted!\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

And this part of the first story-<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe huge eagle gave out a high pitched screech and beat his wings as if to take off again but instead, a strange mist began to envelop it until it could no longer be seen. It changed colour, blue, green,purple and grew taller until a shape appeared at its centre. In an instant the mist disappeared and there stood a strange and fantastic figure of a man!!!!!……\u201d<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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And this is an excerpt from the book about Brenda:<\/div>\n
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Brenda Arkley is a wife, mother and grandmother living in Hampshire, England.<\/div>\n
The idea for these stories was conceived on the flight back to England after leaving behind her daughter and six week old granddaughter in Canada. Separated from and missing physical contact with her daughter and this latest edition to the family, she wondered how she could continue to be part of their lives when she was so far away. Time travel seemed to be the only option and Nanny B\u2019s Magic Hat was born!<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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If you\u2019d like to order a copy of Nanny B\u2019s Magic Hat, sales are direct through me and the author, as the book is self published.\u00a0The book costs \u00a310 + P&P and the first print run should be with us by the week of 15 December.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

We can be contacted via our Facebook pages<\/div>\n
https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HeatherRobertsonArtistandIllustrator<\/a><\/div>\n
and<\/div>\n
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https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NannyBsMagicHat<\/a><\/p>\n

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Earlier this year I never would\u2019ve believed it if someone had told me I\u2019d be selling a book with my name on it by the end of the year.<\/div>\n
Some of the best advice i was ever given is this:<\/div>\n