ILLUSTRATOR #2 - CHRIS RIDDELL OBE

Chris Riddell Illustrator - Image source 

https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/chris-riddell/4733

Chris Riddell OBE is an acclaimed illustrator and a political cartoonist for the Observer. Riddell's illustrated books for children have been award winning; he was the UK Children's Laureate 2015-2017.

Born in Cape Town - South Africa; Riddell's parents made a return to England when he was very young. One of five children, Riddell was always interested in drawing and sketching when growing up. He attended Grammar School, and, later, enrolled at Brighton Polytechnic to study illustration. One of Riddell's tutors was the much admired and much loved illustrator, Raymond Briggs (The Snowman). Prizes awarded include CILIP Kate Greenaway Medals and the Costa Children's Book Award in 2013.

Some of Riddell's work for Macmillan includes:

GOTH GIRL AND THE GHOST OF A MOUSE (2017)
OTTOLINE SERIES
THE CLOUD HORSE CHRONICLES (SERIES)
ONCE UPON A WILD WOOD (2018)
THE EMPEROR OF ABSURDIA 
MUDDLE EARTH BOOKS (with Paul Stewart)
THE SCAVENGER SERIES
THE BLOBHEADS SERIES

from Poems to Save the World With (Macmillan September 2020)

Chris Riddell contributes daily political cartoons in black and white sketching format, with lots of lines, shading and blocking as infills. In his illustrated children's books he draws his characters with big eyes and expressive faces. As the list above demonstrates Riddell sometimes writes too. However, readers will see his illustrations accompanying new editions of classic poetry antholgies, and his full colour illustrations are beautiful, visual interpretations of well known stories.

 

One of Riddell's influences was the work of another political cartoonist and English illustrator Sir John Tenniel. Tenniel illustrated Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (London: Macmillan, 1865). This month (October 2020) saw the publication of a new gift edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland this time illustrated by Chris Riddell (see below). It is rather special!

Chris Riddell's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Written by Lewis Carroll

pages from Chris Riddell's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Macmillan October 2020)
Written by Lewis Carroll

Visit https://cyclingfish.bigcartel.com/ to buy Chris Riddell's original art and signed prints.

Lewis Carroll

Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. Born in 1832, Dodgson was a mathematics tutor at Christ Church college, Oxford. In addition to his famous children's stories, his published work included poetry, puzzles, and various essays on wide ranging subjects.