Featured in Mother & Baby Magazine April's 2011 Edition

Thanks to Mother & Baby Magazine for the interview and feature in April's 2011 edition. To celebrate International Children's Book Day (2nd April), there is a special write-up on authors and illustrators of children's books. It is a privilege to be in the spotlight amongst many other literary luminaries including Emily Gravett, my very favourite, award-winning, picturebook creator.

School visit

I had the privilege to give a talk to the children and teachers of Good Shepherd Kindergarten. I shared with them my process of making a picture book from scratch (sketches) to finish (printed book). I also showed them some drawings for my new book which I am currently working on and, of course, reading Guai Wu The Chinese Elf.

Here are some photos from the visit.

Asian Festival of Children's Content

Just a quick update here. I will be attending the Asian Festival of Children's Content (AFCC) organised by The Arts House and the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS, also know as The Book Council) this week, from 6th to 9th May 2010.

AFCC aims to foster excellence in the creation, production and publication of children materials with Asian content in all formats and facilitate their distribution and access to parents, teachers, librarians and children in Asia as well as the world. For the past 10 years, NBDCS has been organising the Asian Children Writers & Illustrators Conference (ACWIC) to develop new materials for children. With the launch of AFCC, both organisations now aim to expand ACWIC's reach by including new initiatives. The Festival, with a series of innovative programmes, seeks to fill the direct need for quality Asian children content worldwide, particularly in Asia.

I am very excited about it. And so really looking forward to learn new stuff as well as making new friends and catching up with some old ones.

On the 9th May, which is Sunday, there will be a special forum for parents. You can check it out on the website.

Two of my illustrations from Guai Wu The Chinese Elf had been selected for the Book Illustrators’ Gallery (BIG) exhibition, which will be held during AFCC. BIG aims to showcase illustrations from artists from around the region, and is a platform for the promotion of local and regional artists. Their works go beyond genres and borders and contribute towards creating awareness of traditions and heritage. It also helps to publicise the great business potential in creating and distributing Asian content throughout Asia and the rest of the world.

BIG will run from 6 May to 14 May at the Film and Print Galleries, and Box Office Foyer of the festival venue, The Arts House.

Have a great week ahead everyone! Maybe see you at the conference.

Chinese Embroidery Patterns for Illustration Friday

It has been a very very long time since I participated in Illustration Friday, where I first discovered the possible opportunity to illustrate for children's book. This week's topic is PATTERN and I happened to have some illustrations that fit in rather nicely.

These illustrations are from my new picture book Guai Wu The Chinese Elf, a story set during the Qing Dynasty. The book tells a story about a boy in China who looked different from other children and a seamstress who took him into her house and gave him shelter and food. In those days, the Han Chinese wore elaborately embroidered silk costumes and handmade shoes with beautiful patterns inspired by nature, folk culture and folk tales.

More article on the book can be found here, here and here.

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Book information
Author: Adeline Foo
Illustrator: Christine Lim Simpson
Publisher: Ethos Books
Format: Soft Cover Trade
ISBN: 9789810828981
Medium: watercolour

Hot off the press!

Labour of love
25 September 2009, Friday - I have been waiting for the moment to write this post for nearly 365 days. My parents had taught me well the virtue of patience.

This morning before I dashed off to meet my bookseller, Wai Han my publisher at Ethos Books, was so sweet to send over some copies of my newly printed books Guai Wu The Chinese Elf. For the first time, I feel relieved. I flipped through the book but didn’t scrutinise my paintings and the printing like I normally will do. Today, I told myself it’s time to walk tall. My work is done, or at least I am down with only the marketing aspect for my book. That’s right, illustrating and getting published is only part of the book business.

Almost an entire year of hard work is in this picture book. Is it worth it? YES, and I will do it again and again and again. I have learned so much from my author-partner Adeline Foo, my incredibly patient publishing team (Wai Han, Hoe Fang, Adeleena, Alvin and Merlin), Thomas and Hao You at PICA Scans, Steven and Ah Man at Utopia Press and everyone else whom had shared with me their wisdom in creating picture books. Thank you all for all your efforts.

Special thanks to Professor Ma Wenhai at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who had shared with me his personal pictures of China. His constant notes of encouragement are like cushions. My gratitude to Ken Spillman for all his inspirational and uplifting words.

Also, thanks in advance to the team at MarketAsia for distributing my books, all the staff of Borders Books for their support for the upcoming event on next Sunday, 4 October, 2pm at Borders Parkway, other book sellers, as well as each and everyone who will come and support me.

Last but not least, thanks to a few very important people in my life - Hannah and Heather (for everything that no adults can give and teach me), Jon (for providing for us), mum and dad (who has never once force me to become a doctor or a lawyer) and my sister Dawn (for looking after my mum and never once ask me to go get a properly paid job), my trustworthy neighbours Mariko, KiSeung and little Yuri (for your friendship, support, kind acts and for saving me time after time), my generous friends including Selena and Boo Kian (who never fail to bring out a smile on my kids’ face), Miko (who regularly buy me coffee to keep me awake on Sunday), May (who sends me love regularly from Toronto) and ALL my little friends (who loves peeping over my shoulder when I draw and paint) - each one of you is an inspiration behind my work.)

So, with further ado, I would like to invite you and your child to celebrate with me and Adeline for the launch of Gu Wu The Chinese Elf on the following dates:

4th October 2009. Sunday. 2pm. BORDERS BOOKS (Parkway Parade) There will be storytelling, guided shoe making session*, exhibition of original artwork and book signing.

* Parent/guardian's assistance for younger children is required.

You can find more info on my Facebook Page.

31st October 2009. Saturday. 6.30pm EARSHOT at THE ARTS HOUSE
Singapore Writers Festival event Joint book launch with Lee Kowling, illustrator for Adeline’s Peranakan series, for Georgette’s Mooncakes and The Beaded Slippers, also authored by Adeline Foo.

Kowling will also be launching her new book Georgette's Mooncake and The Beaded Slippers at Borders Books (Wheelock) on 3rd October 2009, Saturday from 2pm to 3pm.

Please see the image for details.

We look forwards to seeing all of you.

If you are a bookseller, a school teacher, a parent looking for have us over to do a talk, workshop, storytelling, please drop me an email.
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Almost there!
22 September 2009. Tuesday - I am glad that my book is finally printed. Last Friday, I went all the way to Tuas with my publisher to do the press check. Ah Man, the press operator at Utopia Press, patiently took me through the process and taught me how colours can be adjusted to make the final appearance more pleasing to the eyes. Binding should done on today. The books should be delivered to the publisher by Wednesday ... I can’t wait to see my labour of love in print. Stay tuned for updates regarding book signing and activities!

…
Book information
Format: Soft Cover Trade
ISBN: 9789810828981

Good Books, Good Food, Good Company

The first week of the school holiday has gone so very quickly. This week is all about books, food and company of friends.

Last weekend, Adeline, Kowling and I hosted two little workshops at the National Museum of Singapore. Hannah and Heather had a great time playing with Kowling's daughter Ashley on Saturday. After the workshop, we lunched at a cafe restaurant at Dhoby Exchange. I think it's called Just Acia. We enjoyed our afternoon there as there is a little play corner for kids while the adults get free flow of coffee tea and ice cream. But having said that, we all had only one each. After a nice meal, we dropped by the World Book Fair to meet our distributor.

(L to R: Adeline, Me, Stephanie and Kowling at MarketAsia booth)

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Behind a Picture Book - From Ideas to Words and Art
Kid's workshop at The National Museum of Singapore
Adeline, Kowling and I would like to thank everyone who came and join us at the National Museum last weekend. We had fun and look forward to seeing everyone again.

We are in the Sunday Times!

Author Adeline Foo and illustrators Lee Kowling, Christopher Martin, Joshua Chiang and myself were interviewed by Singapore press on Wednesday. The interview was featured on Sunday Times today.

To read, click on the image.

Meet the monster gang

I have been keeping silence for a few months now. I am so thrilled that I can finally let the cat out of the bag!

Last year late October, Adeline Foo, winner of the inaugural First Time Writers and Illustrators Initiative award, author of Ben's Rainforest series and Peranakan Heritage series, invited me to illustrate one of her newest children's titles. It didn't take me long to say yes after reading the initial manuscript.

Since then, I have been working tirelessly. My book which should be available in major bookstores sometime in May. Currently, production is in full swing. After nearly two months of pretty intensive research, hundreds of sketches and thumbnails, I finally started doing the final paintings a month ago. I must admit I underestimated the amount of time I need to work on the book. I also did not expect myself to be so meticulous over the details on the painting. Anyway, thankfully both Adeline and my publisher (Ethos Books) have been really patient. That really allow me to produce my best illustrations for the book.

Today, the first three books of Adeline's latest series (titled Monsters in the Mind) were launched at the Mint Toy Museum. Me, Hannah and Heather, together with Mariko and her daughter Yuri (our Japanese neighbour) rushed to the book event after Hannah's ballet class. We were fashionably late for a good reason. Wai Han called me when I was half way on the road. Apparently everyone was waiting for me to start the event. My jaw dropped! I was certain that I did inform them that I will get there 45 mins later. Before I could settle down, I was given a very warm welcome and a microphone. I don't remember exactly what I said other than thanking everyone for their support and patience. Truthfully, I am so lucky to be in the team of such wonderful people.

After the launch, the girls and I joined Adeline, Kowling and their family for dinner. We also pop by to see Christopher Martin, illustrator for "The Thing Under My Bed". He is also an artist and the creative director of Splatter. Together with his wife Angela Mather, they are selling their original art pieces Creative Australia 2009 event being held at Raffles City, Level 3 Atrium, from 13 to 22 March 2009.

Do drop by if you have time during the school holiday.

Also don't forget to bring for kids to meet the "monster gang" at Kinokuniya Takashimaya on the 21 March 2009, 3.30 to 4.30pm.

So check out MUTB for other events in Singapore .

Who is asleep?

Who is asleep?
Written by Anne Smith
Illustrated by Christine Lim Simpson
Medium - Watercolour
Publisher - Publishwrite

Top: Illustration process

Below: 12 illustrations for a big format children's book for pre-schoolers.

Quick peek

A glimpse of what I am working on now. Here is a small section of a sketch for one of the twelve illustrations. I am hoping to get them finished in watercolour.

New illos

Illustration for First Time Writers and Illustrators Publishing Initiative 2008, a yearly event organised by the National Book Development Council of Singapore. I collaborated with Lynn, a mother who is aspired to be a children's book writer, on this project. I had less than a week to come out with the illos for her book. I managed to complete 1 full colour version with watercolour and 2 tight black and white sketches.

Illustrations for The Felt Elephant
These illustrations are for my regular publisher. All in watercolour.





Click on each picture to see enlarged version

A Day At The Zoo

Illustrations for A Day At The Zoo