 HELLO! I am nothing short of delighted to welcome you into my very-own modest little corner of t'internet, and very much hope you can spare a few moments to casually fritter away in moseying around the place. Before you venture any further, though, I'd like to apologise for the rather patched-together 'decor' - alas, I am no CSS-Sorcerer, so this site is really only intended as a temporary measure to keep my ethereal space warm until I can draft in professional assistance (i.e. be very - almost uncomfortably - nice to my lovely web-designer friend. And perhaps ply her with cupcakes [no, I'm not above confectionery-based bribery]...) to conjure some coruscating site of wonder into being in its place. If you want to circumvent the greater part of the word-centric content (some might say space-squandering gumph...) and head straight to the pictures, just jump to here, or if you're simply in search of (an assortment of) means via which to get hold of me, so to speak, click this. Some stuff about me: * I have illustrated (all) things in an amateur capacity since I became dexterous enough to wield a pencil without sustaining unfortunate, graphite-infused injuries (or inflicting them on my younger sister). * I'm thrilled to be a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), British Isles Region. * I have a degree in English Literature - which has proved of disappointingly limited use, given the years of tortured essay-writing and faux-penury. * I am quite short. * I discovered that I wasn't terrified of watercolour paints about three years ago. In fact, I have found, I actually rather love them. * My wonderful father taught fine art and ceramics for many years. I'm not sure what he'd have made of my decision to willfully leave gainful employment as an Assistant Editor to pursue my illustrative aspirations (I think it's fair to say there have been doubters...!), but I like to think he'd have wholly approved. * My husband, Marvellous Dave, was so christened by my now-10-year-old niece and is entirely worthy of the moniker. (Despite its superlative alliterative qualities, the olive-branch of 'Amazing Amanda' offered in tandem never really caught on...) *I use far too many clauses, sub-clauses, sub-sub-clauses, and other linguistic means of convoluting a sentence, for any person to reasonably keep track of the original sense - and, after an A-level, a degree in the subject, and a couple of years of 'blogging' (which, incidentally, I always feel sounds a little scatalogical) the prognosis for recovery does not look good - so I can only offer apologies in earnest and hope you'll indulge me from time to time. * My very favourite illustrators are: Chris Riddell, Emily Gravett, Chris Wormell, Axel Scheffler, Michael Foreman, Oliver Jeffers, Renata Liwska (The Quiet Book), Chris Haughton (A Bit Lost). * I make a mean mince pie (the Christmassy variety) Exhausted yet? No? Then please, take a peek at one or two of the pages listed in teeny tiny type (further evidence, should you need any, that I really am quite at sea with the Google site builder - where is that button to alter 'sidebar gadget font size'?!) in the Navigation bar on the left. Thanks for dropping by! - Amanda |