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Jake in the Middle (Otter-Barry Books) is a Guardian Book of the Month. It's the first book in the Maple Street series, recently launched with an event at the Children's Bookshop, Muswell Hill. Written by Michael Catchpool and illustrated by Shanarama, Jake in the Middle combines read-aloud and read-alone appeal.

"Jake lives with his bossy older sister and shoe-stealing baby brother at No 3 Maple Street, enjoying gentle, child-friendly adventures such as a trip to the city farm with his grandpa or setting up a school museum. This engaging 5+ chapter book will delight newly independent readers."― Imogen Russell Williams in The Guardian, Books of the Month: Children's and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels

"Brilliant new chapter book for early readers, with a collection of four interlinked stories set around home and school life. Delightfully illustrated by Shanarama, the antics of middle-sibling Jake and his extended Black British family are written with warmth and humour." ― The Bookseller

#michael catchpool #shanarama #otter-barry books #maple street #jake in the middle #children's bookshop muswell hill #the guardian #the bookseller #fiction #illustrated fiction #chapter books #clare pearson literary agent

Keeping Momentum through the Seas of Woes and Nos!

My last couple of posts have been about diversifying.

This has indeed been so important in terms of my creative development, as it is for so many of us. It’s one of those key activities that keeps me going against the current of rejections and self doubt.

As I write as well as illustrate I spend a lot of time with material in my head before it goes down onto paper, though I guess that’s just how I work.

I often feel that I literally have a traffic jam of my characters and stories just waiting to get out, but that I can’t get them into my sketchbooks fast enough (or maybe I’m just too much of a perfectionist! ;).

Recently though, having joined Instagram, has been a great way to prompt me into drawing characters or posting sketches more fluidly, like the ones below:

Instagram can also be a daunting and overwhelming environment, when you’re confronted with a constant stream of beautiful and inspiring work by others, so I find that I can only visit it every so often, like twitter and facebook.

But these platforms can also be such a heartening environment, when you’re able to hear about other creatives’ experiences who are battling the tides as well.

For instance, I read a great blog post today by the lovely Kathryn Evans, who shared it via Facebook, which has heartened and fuelled me with positive thoughts for the day, so thanks Kathryn and indeed all who share both the ups and downs.

And in exploring a different avenue during the last few months, that experience has in turn led me to an exciting new picture book story, linked to the image below, so I’m thankful for these times and am looking forward to swimming on!

#shanarama #shananiebergsuschitzky #kidlit #andlynlit #kathrynevans

Flamingos breeding Flamingos!

So, keeping with the theme of Flamingos and producing artwork for products, I have been a busy bee.

I have now put up several designs on Art Rookie, one as such I have pictured above, as well as succeeding in putting up my first design of the Flying Flamingos on søciety6.

They are both great platforms and I am loving the product range in both (though it is a lot of hard work to get the artwork right for each product, for which the dimensions vary enormously!).

However, I must say that I have particularly enjoyed creating a backpack, which søciety6 now offer. I have included it pictured below (which my daughter would love to have in time for school!)

I have purchased a lovely Mumma & Baby Flamingo pillow from Art Rookie for a gift and I am eagerly awaiting my notebooks and beach-towel to arrive from society6 before a trip to the beach for some sun and sketching!

I know only too well that this is not a solely sustainable revenue in itself, as pointed out by Laura C George, in her wise article on this subject, that I found through my research.

However, not only does it please me to know that I have artwork out there now, doing something else apart from trying to find its way into the pages of beloved children’s books, but I have also found that in creating this work, it has freed my mind from what I was currently working on bookwise, and has given me a brand new, shiny story about…can you guess, Flamingos! (What can I say, they make me very happy :).

As a very wise Maths teacher once said to me, “if you’re stuck on a question, move onto another and you may find the solution when you come back to it with fresh eyes!”

This motto has always stayed with me and I have found that, as a creative it has been an essential way of keeping myself inspired and motivated.

Through this process I also joined Instagram, so you’re welcome to follow me on @shanaramadesigns

#shananiebergsuschitzky #shanarama #shanaramadesigns #artrookie #society6 #flamingoartprints #funkyflamingoproducts #@artrookie_#@society6

Flamingos breeding Flamingos!

So, keeping with the theme of Flamingos and producing artwork for products, I have been a busy bee.

I have now put up several designs on Art Rookie, one as such I have pictured above, as well as succeeding in putting up my first design of the Flying Flamingos on søciety6.

They are both great platforms and I am loving the product range in both (though it is a lot of hard work to get the artwork right for each product, for which the dimensions vary enormously!).

However, I must say that I have particularly enjoyed creating a backpack, which søciety6 now offer. I have included it pictured below (which my daughter would love to have in time for school!)

I know only too well that this is not a solely sustainable revenue in itself, as pointed out by Laura C George, in her wise article on this subject, that I found through my research.

As a very wise Maths teacher once said to me, “if you’re stuck on a question, move onto another and you may find the solution when you come back to it with fresh eyes!”

This motto has always stayed with me and I have found that, as a creative it has been an essential way of keeping myself inspired and motivated.

Through this process I also joined Instagram, so you’re welcome to follow me on @shanaramadesigns

#Shana Nieberg-Suschitzky #shanarama #shanaramadesigns #artrookie #society6 #flamingoartprints #funkyflamingoproducts #artproducts #@artrookie_#@society6

Self-Improvement Post 2: Finding Inspiration in the Wilds with Julia!

Okay, so my birthday is in May and I think that in May of this year, for the first time ever, I was struck with a sadness about not yet having achieved my goal, namely getting at least one of my books published by now. Tenacious as I am, I felt like the hope lining the drawers of my mind was slightly fading and that it was in desperate need of re-ignition… Cue a fairy g-dmother style experience: the fated discovery of Julia Patton’s website (Pic of the Lovely lady included above), where I stumbled across these fortuitous and timely words…

“I have recently launched personalised "Pictures & Words' creative workshops from my rural studio for one-on-one tutorials.” (it was literally like Julia’s hand, complete with wand, extended out of my computer screen and started swishing magic fairy dust everywhere!).

Well two months later, after navigating round glamorous trips to far flung places (on Julia’s side) and less glamorous family trials, including Dr’s appointments and heaps of music exams (on my side of course!), I found myself on an early o’clock train heading North from King’s Cross, absolutely brimming with heady excitement at the thought of my adventure that I was finally embarking on, a “Creative Kitchen Workshop” with Juls!

Upon my arrival I was met by an equally enthusiastic and bubbly Julia at the station. She welcomed me with open arms and whisked me through the wonderful vistas of Berwick-upon-Tweed to her magical abode in the wilds. With a much longed-for brew in hand, Julia gave me a fabulous tour of her wondrous workspaces and sneak previews of the stunning artwork that she is presently preparing for her book endeavours. Below I have included a couple of photos showing Julia’s excellent “Style Bible”, (I’ve attached a url of the brilliant blog by Elizabeth Dulemba, where she mentions Julia’s book). This is now one of the chief items on my list of things to create!

Julia then seamlessly began our workshop, which was exactly as she advertised: incredibly informative about the industry and full of the options that would be available to me.

I had come prepared with a suitcase full of sketchbooks, dummy books, artwork and books that inspire me, as per our discussions pre-workshop which was to enable Julia to help me make the best choice.

So as the day progressed and Julia became familiar with my style, the type of work that I produce and my aspirations, she guided me to the choices most suitable to my skillset and talents.

We stopped only for the delicious gastro-style lunch (see photo below) that Julia made so stealth-like whilst we were talking that suddenly, Bing!, there were these amazing looking plates of food, just appearing out of nowhere!

Our session ended as gloriously as it had began. Julia had timed it all perfectly so that I had a clear plan of action by the finish, without feeling harried or that we’d been rushing, and she got me back to the train station in good time.

My mini-break was made more splendiferous by my arranging to meet my husband and stay overnight with our dear friends in Darlington!

And the cherry on the top was, by the next morning I had already received a huge email from Julia, filled with my plan of action clearly laid out, useful tips and website links.

This was a truly amazing, unique and unforgettable event, to have had such a long and concentrated amount of exclusive help was a joy. Julia is an inspired soul, who’s not only a huge talent herself, but is able to give such motivated support and encouragement that caters to each individual’s needs in a way that I’ve never experienced from any of the tutors/mentors that I’ve ever had before.

In short, I could not recommend Julia’s workshop highly enough and my main goal now is to do it justice!

#shanarama #shana nieberg-suschitzky #shanaramadesigns #children's books #juliapatton #Davinia andrew lynch #Andlynliteraryagency #children's illustration #one-to-one tutorials #Julia Patton's creative workshop

Self-Improvement Post 2: Finding Inspiration in the Wilds with Julia!

Julia then seamlessly began our workshop, which was exactly as she advertised: incredibly informative about the industry and full of the options that would be available to me.

I had come prepared with a suitcase full of sketchbooks, dummy books, artwork and books that inspire me, as per our discussions pre-workshop which was to enable Julia to help me make the best choice.

So as the day progressed and Julia became familiar with my style, the type of work that I produce and my aspirations, she guided me to the choices most suitable to my skillset and talents.

My mini-break was made more splendiferous by my arranging to meet my husband and stay overnight with our dear friends in Darlington!

And the cherry on the top was, by the next morning I had already received a huge email from Julia, filled with my plan of action clearly laid out, useful tips and website links.

It’s given me a huge boost in confidence. I could not recommend Julia’s workshop highly enough and my main goal now is to do it justice!

#shanarama #Shana Nieberg-Suschitzky #shanaramadesigns #Children's Books #Juliapatton #Davinia Andrew Lynch #children's illustration #One-to-one tutorials #Julia patton's creative workshop #Andlyn Literary Agency

Self-Improvement Post 1: Going Flamingos!

So this week I shall be doing two posts within my slot.

They are both about the same thing: self-improvement!

This first one is about my decision to create artwork to be printed on products that are sold online. Why? Because whilst I love writing and illustrating Children’s Books and I always will continue to do so, I need to make money in the meantime.

I joined Art Rookie in 2014, which struck me as a wonderful Enterprise and I immediately saw what a great opportunity it offered artists. But I only managed to put one illustration up, then got distracted with life. However it dawned on me recently that by doing this I can hopefully have more control over my destiny. For instance, I researched what was popular and commercially successful at the moment, getting some great advice from Liz at Art Rookie along the way. I have now got several designs completed and I succeeded in putting my first one up last week. This is called “Flying Flamingos” which is the illustration included above, together with the view of how it looks on each of the products below.

The next day after posting I discovered that Art Rookie had liked it so much that they put it on their Instagram page and I received 91 likes in just one day! It certainly was a delightful discovery…along with Instant gratification! (The wonders of the Internet!)

I shall be adding the rest of my collection online at Art Rookie soon, as well as putting them on other such websites as the beauty of this process is that the copyright is completely yours and there’s no binding exclusivity with any of these fantastic companies. My hope is that this endeavour will not only strengthen my status as an illustrator/designer, but also help me towards reaching my ultimate goals in the Children’s Book World.

The next post is about my journey to the North for an Ab-Fab, 1-to-1 workshop with the Extraordinary and truly Amazing Julia Patton! Stay tuned…;)

#Shanarama #Shanarama illustration #Shana Nieberg-Suschitzky #Flamingos #artrookie #@artrookie_#tropics #Flyingflamingos #pink #green #tropicaldesign #artprint #birds #flamingoart #juliapatton

Marble Moon Dreams

This is just a flash post as my week has been uber hectic and it has sadly kept me away from the computer.

But I just had to put something up as I’ve been busy creating illustrations whenever possible.

I decided to include this illustration which I created as a gift to my husband to inspire him on his quest for work.

#Shanarama #Shana Nieberg-Suschitzky #shanarama illustration

Self-Improvement Post 2: Finding Inspiration in the Wilds with Julia!

Julia then seamlessly began our workshop, which was exactly as she advertised: incredibly informative about the industry and full of the options that would be available to me.

I had come prepared with a suitcase full of sketchbooks, dummy books, artwork and books that inspire me, as per our discussions pre-workshop which was to enable Julia to help me make the best choice.

So as the day progressed and Julia became familiar with my style, the type of work that I produce and my aspirations, she guided me to the choices most suitable to my skillset and talents.

My mini-break was made more splendiferous by my arranging to meet my husband and stay overnight with our dear friends in Darlington!

And the cherry on the top was, by the next morning I had already received a huge email from Julia, filled with my plan of action clearly laid out, useful tips and website links.

In short, I could not recommend Julia’s workshop highly enough and my main goal now is to do it justice!

#shanarama

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