# thelightmachine bookillustration dublinarts pucini tosca opera operaireland operaposter theatre gaietytheatre asbjørnsenogmoe fairytales bookart troll trollprincess lexiconlibrary jonathanswift thebeatles johnlennon halloween thehauntedlake ghosts scary underwaterghosts portraiture watercolour collegework petesuart illustrationprocess ghost underwater lilith lineandwashdrawing whenjessiecameacrossthesea amyhest womenreading worldbookday worldbookday2021 bigpicturebooks polarbearday asbjornsenogmoe worldpolarbearday eastofthesunandwestofthemoon kathleenhersom dunlaoghaire charcoalandchalk laputa gulliverstravels fortyfootdublin nativity christmas castle fantasy oscarwilde watercolourtechnique selfishgiant childrenoflir marieheaney irishmyths irishmythsandlegends bookcoverart faberandfaber hug unicef lincoln rosemarywells cruinniúnanÓg illustratorsireland

Illustrators Ireland’s ‘Bookworm’ group show continues at the United Arts Club in Dublin till the 5th of Feb.
Here is a detail of ‘The Light Machine’ one of my 3 paintings in the show.
Come along if you’re in Dublin.

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2023-01-21

Another of those once-off posters I did a while back.
This one was for Opera Ireland’s production of ‘Tosca’ by Pucini.

1 27
2022-06-21

This was the very first illustration I did for ‘East o’ the Sun and West o’ the Moon’.
The scene where the lassie is abandoned in the wood. This one set the mood for the rest of the book.


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2022-04-21

So nice to visit my drawing of the floating island of Laputa from Swift’s ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ in Dun Laoghaire’s LexIcon library where I drew it over a weekend in 2018.
It’s in need of a touch up. I’ll bring my chalks next time.

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2022-03-12

For the anniversary of the murder of John Lennon, here’s my portrait of the Beatles from ‘The Story of Britain’ by Patrick Dillon.

5 19
2021-12-08

“The Haunted Lake” for some underwater spookiness this Halloween.

4 51
2021-10-30

A portrait in watercolour over blue and white wax crayon of my college friend, Pete Suart.

4 19
2021-07-13

Here is another illustration from ‘The Haunted lake’ shown halfway through the painting process…and then the finished piece.

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2021-06-01

An unused line and wash ink drawing of traditional musicians from years back. I must get those inks out again!

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2021-04-12

Jesse learning to read at her new school in New York.
An unused tryout on the left and the finished art on the right.




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2021-03-05

Another for World Polar Bear Day from “East of the Sun and West of the Moon.”


1 42
2021-02-28

This is going way back to when I had just left college. It’s the cover artwork of a book of folk tales by Kathleen Hersom that I illustrated and which I haven’t seen for a very long time.
The book is called ‘Johnny Reed’s Cat.’

2 27
2021-02-26

This was the first illustration I did for ‘East o’ the Sun and West o’ the Moon’.
I remember being struck by the lassie’s predicament, abandoned in the gloomy wood, and this pic set the mood and for the rest of the illustrations in the book.

7 44
2021-02-21

This is the big charcoal and chalk drawing of the floating island of Laputa that I did in the wonderful Lexicon library in Dun Laoghaire a couple of years ago.

7 51
2021-02-09

Just came across this little painting which I think was an unused try-out for some Nativity stamps I did for An Post long ago.

3 124
2020-12-29

Two versions of the Selfish Giant from "Oscar Wilde: Stories for Children".
I abandoned the first version on the left because the watercolour paper wasn't working properly.

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2020-09-24

The climactic moment in ‘East of the Sun and West of the Moon’ by Asbjørnsen and Moe involves a washing contest between the Lassie and the troll princess...jokingly referred to as the Persil spread by me and my editors at Walker Books.

6 51
2020-08-29

This is my contribution to the IGI “Exquisite Portraits” expo.
We are creating a series of giant portraits & we need your help! 🖌️✂️✏️
The work will be revealed on 13/6/20 fo Ireland Creative Youth Day!
https://t.co/4ZpfyCjXKJ

5 28
2020-06-08