Xmas Wrapping Paper

The Christmas tree is a frequent illustration on Christmas wrapping paper and Christmas cards. Coppeplate script is also very popular at this festive time - it is an elegant script style which emulates handwriting and as such imparts a personal touch.

The use of tartan in these Reindeer illustrations is appropriate for wrapping a gift from Scotland. Note how one of the illustrations is used (reversed) in a gift tag. Red is a colour associated with Christmas - it features in holly berries, Santas costume and Rudolf's nose! Here red is used in the gift tag thread and in the reindeer illustrations.

Xmas Cards 2015

Magazine Illustrations

Wildlife Illustrations

Book Cover Designs for WAR HORSE

 This selection of book cover designs for various editions of War Horse by Michael Morpurgo shows a variety of different approaches to cover design. Some make use of photographic images such as from the characters in the motion picture and others contain illustrations.

Of these I think that the cover with the horse design decorated with poppies is the most original and eye catching. This edition was produced for the centenary of WW1. The last example, with the horse's head and reflection of soldiers in the eye, is also a very strong design. This was borrowed from a poster advertising the stage version of War Horse.

The editions making use of watercolour illustrations are perhaps the most 'child friendly' these would be more suited to the younger end of the 9 to 12 years target age group range.

Posters