STOP PRESS: HAPPYDESIGNER HAVE MOVED! As announced in our September blog, we are pleased (and VERY relieved) to announce that we are now settled into our new home, and the studio is back to full operation. The move proved to be far more problematic than we ever anticipated, but, in hindsight, we should have expected…
Autumn is here with a bang – and we love it!
Oh boy, do we love autumn – and here it is, in all its colourful glory. This year, more than ever, there seems to be a rich abundance of autumn colours and autumn produce. Wherever we walk, we are bombarded by conkers, acorns, and spectacular hues on the trees. We’re always looking for inspiration for…
Words without images – like bangers without mash?
We all have children’s book illustrators who we particularly admire. Some may be childhood classics, or we may be drawn (pardon the pun) to illustrators of more modern children’s literature. Many are both author and illustrator, and there’s no finer example than Beatrix Potter, whose series of stories based on animals are so loved by…
Our really colourful blog – all about colour
Have you ever thought about how important colour is? Colour is everywhere, we use colour in everything, and colours have different means. If you were hanging out the bunting for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations or dressing up for the occasion, you’ll no doubt have opted for red, white and blue, to match the Union…
And the winner is… Happydesigner!
It may not be the Oscars, the BAFTAs, or the Oliviers, but we are thrilled to bits here at Happydesigner to have won an award for our children’s book illustration business. We have been named Illustration Studio of the Year 2022 in the annual Prestige Awards. These awards were set up to recognise the hard…
Happydesigner and the Chelsea Flower Show
We are proud as punch to announce some very exciting news, here at Happydesigner. We have branched out (pardon the pun) and been commissioned to illustrate the design for a garden that will be on show at no less than the Chelsea Flower Show. Garden designer Jamie Butterworth, who runs Form Plants in Windsor, is creating a garden…
It’s spooky time! Get set for Hallowe’en
We love a good festival here at Happydesigner, and Hallowe’en is one GREAT festival. There is so much to enjoy about it – stuff for children to do, great food to eat, games to play, trick or treating (responsibly, of course). And, wow, there is so much orange around with all those pumpkins. If you…
Seasons of mist… autumn is on its way
It was just over 200 years ago, in 1820, that John Keats published possibly his most famous poem of all, Ode to Autumn. With the opening line ‘Seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness’, and then referencing everything from apples, to bees, to swallows, to hazels, it’s a beautiful poem, all about this bountiful season. Poignantly,…
Introducing… new children’s books from the pen of Happydesigner
As children’s book illustrators we like to think we know a thing or two about what makes a good book for youngsters. We’ve illustrated books for children of every age, from 0, to pre-school, to primary, to teens, and we have learnt a lot along the way, from working with many wonderful authors. So now…
