Notes from the Drawing Board: Starting stories with a picture
Published on: 09 July 2014 Author: Chris Riddell
The incomparable illustrator & author, former Children's Laureate and all round national treasure Chris Riddell, who's work includes the Ottaline and Goth Girl series of books, became our tenth Writer in Residence back in 2014. In this blog Chris spoke about how he creates characters and one of his favourites, Ottaline herself.
As an illustrator who enjoys writing, I always start my stories with a picture. Ottoline began with a doodle in one of my sketchbooks of an intense looking girl in an ornate picture frame. When she was joined by a strange hairy creature who I named 'Mr Monroe', I knew I had to tell their story, whatever it was. Now I'm planning a fourth Ottoline adventure and have been doodling purple foxes.
Topics: Writer in Residence, Features
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