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**NEW YORK 7- 25 Nov // REYKJAVIK 26 - 3 Dec** Finally doing a bit of exploring! If anyone has any exhibition/coffee shop/general recommendations for either of these places or fancies being a tour guide/coffee shop sketch buddy, please get in touch! #illustration #childrensbookillustration #icelandichorses #travel #newyork #reykjavik https://www.instagram.com/p/BqDHY52hMcm/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1m25yv8ice1ub

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A few of many tiny figure skater doodles. I'm sure I'll end up posting the rest of them at some point #figureskating #figuredrawing #tinysketches #iceskating #sketches

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There used to be a coffee shop on Brick Lane with loads of deerhounds and wolfhounds just chilling inside - usually between two to five at any given time. The coffee shop has closed down since I moved back, and man I miss patting those pups :( #illustration #visualdevelopment #characterdesign #childrensbookillustration #bricklane #scottishdeerhound

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Guys! I have an Instagram now!  https://www.instagram.com/cranesketch/

I'll still be posting here, but will probably be throwing more in the way of sketches, roughs and day-to-day stuff on my Instagram. :) 

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You are my new favorite illustrator! ❤ Love all your drawings!!! Do you have Instagram?

Oh wow, thanks dude, that’s really nice of you to say! I’m blushing! :) I’m actually going to set one up for sketches and stuff in the next couple of days so watch this space! 

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Nervous pup in an ugly sweater is BACK with his BFFS <3 

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Watching youtube vids of people who can dance much better than I can (I’ve always wanted to be able to dance but alas, it’s an unachievable goal. I’m completely useless at it.) 

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Oh gosh you have beautiful arts

Ahhh, thanks friend! 

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Have some cowboys 

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I don't know where I was going with this, I just really wanted to draw a sphynx cat and a small nervous pup in an ugly sweater

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I'm trying to write/illustrate a children's book for a project at my school. I have practically zero experience. I was blown away by your illustrations, and was wondering, do you have any tips to having quality illustrations? Do you use watercolor? I love your artwork!

This is such a late response, sorry! Took an unexpectedly large break from tumblr as I was busy with other things so I assume you’ve finished your project now but I hope your children’s book went well, and thanks so much for the kind words! Here are some general things I find really helpful (I was going to reply in private but thought others might like to read this too): 1. Thumbnail sketches. LOTS OF THUMBNAIL SKETCHES. I draw so many of them that if I go to a coffee shop in the morning I can easily come back with one or two full pages of absolutely tiny but relatively detailed doodles so I can see which compositions I like, how a character moves, what’s working, what isn’t etc. This is the part of the process I enjoy the most. The more you draw, the more the ideas keep flowing. 2. Look at shapes, light and shadow. Won’t go into detail about this as there are loads of animation books and blogs out there that cover this in better detail than I could, however I WILL say that greyscale copic markers are a great way to quickly work out value/light and shadow on loose sketches and small compositions. 3. Have a nice workspace. Surround yourself with things that inspire you. Listen to good music. Drink hot chocolate. Whatever works - the nicer your workspace is, the less drawing seems like work and the more it seems like fun, and I find the more fun I’m having, the more I like the end result!  4. I always have some ‘rainy day’ sketches lying around in sight - small doodles or ideas I sketched or wrote down but had no time to draw properly. If I’m struggling with art block or feeling particularly uninspired, I look at these sketches to jog my memory, and pick one at random to develop further. Sticky notes work well for this. My desk is absolutely covered with them...That’s all I can think of for the moment, hopefully this ridiculously late response was at least a little bit helpful haha! Have a great day! <3 PS my work is usually mostly digital, although I used to paint a lot with watercolours. 

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HEY I drew lots of creatures with wiggly ears and snuffly noses for Flying Eye Books last year, and the snazzy hardcover book is officially out this month in the UK! It hits shelves later in the year (June/July) in Australia and America, but available now for preorder. Huge thanks to Pippa Goodhart and Flying Eye!!

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Family photo? 

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I can’t even tell you how many farm animals there are in my sketchbooks at the moment, I don’t know why  

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Your art is wonderful!! I have often seen it online and only now just come to your tumblr! Thank you for such beautiful creations and unique style :) I look forward to get your book. I was wondering also if you could share where you get your photoshop brushes or if you make them yourself?

Ahh thanks so much, that's lovely to read!! :) I don't tend to make my brushes - I often use Kyle T. Webster's brushes as a base, then the rest of it is built up by textures I've created to layer over the top. It varies from piece to piece, but generally for character pages there can be between 40 - 60 layers of textures and detail etc. (usually because I'm lazy about naming my layers so I'll just keep creating new ones!)  

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The most cunning and terrifying fisherbears in all the land

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My internet has been down for some time now but mysteriously started working again, so took the golden opportunity to draw mice and sing along to the La La Land soundtrack and I can confirm it has been a great day, 10/10