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Children’s Illustrated Book

‘Painting Rainbows’ is a new children’s book written by Triona Harris and illustrated by myself. Available to buy at Amazon for £6.63

Book cover with a young girl painting rainbows across the top.

‘Painting Rainbows’

‘Dream in colour. Live your dreams. Reach up high and far. Paint your rainbow. Leave your mark. You’re loved the way you are.’
Kitty Faye may be little, but her dreams are big – and bright! She spots rainbows everywhere she looks, from her night-time dreams to the train station bridge, and even the hooks where she hangs her (rainbow-coloured) clothes.
One day, the world outside her window turns grey. Who took the colours away?
Join Kitty as she reaches for the sky to put the brightest of rainbows back into the gloomiest of days.
The ‘Painting Rainbows’ book is a multicoloured hug filled with hope, just when we all might need one.

Illustration of a young girl, with rainbow stockings, standing.

Kitty

This was a large job. 48 pages with a large illustration covering each page.

I started by drawing up roughs of how Kitty (the heroine) might look. Triona and I talked these through before coming up with a finished drawing of Kitty.

A cartoon drawing of a young girl, with artist notes for the proportions of the figure.

Over this drawing, I drew a stick person. From this, I could use the proportions. To keep the drawings of Kitty consistent, throughout the book.

Working Rough Drawings

For each spread in the book, a rough pencil drawing was produced. Before drawing up finished pencil artwork. This was then approved by Triona, before going to the finished artwork stage.

A rough pencil drawing of a street.

The coloured artwork was painted in watercolour (Winsor & Newton, watercolour paint) on stretched paper. I wanted to keep a lively, pencil drawing feel to the illustrations. So the final stage was to add a pencil line over the painted watercolour, (I used a 6B pencil.)

Children's picture book illustration, of a young girl walking down a brightly coloured street of houses.

With this spread, I had in my mind to pay homage to ‘Mr Benn’s Festive Road’.

Here’s some more of the colourful spreads

A young girl, in rainbow stockings, playing on a swing.

Kitty playing in her garden.

A illustration of a young girl in her colourful bedroom.

Kitty’s bedroom with her inspiring message written across the wall.

A illustration looking down on a childs drawing.

Kitty’s plan to brighten up the grey day.

Illustration of young girl getting a ladder from the shed and making a mess.

Kitty’s plan is not working, at the moment.

Illustration of a young girl thinking , with thought bubbles around her head.

More ideas.

Finally

Illustration of a young girl painting rainbows all over her house.

Kitty painting rainbows!

© Copyright Nick Watton.
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