Yesterday I sent off almost the last illustrations for “My Sister Has a Big Black Beard” by Duncan Ball. I’m waiting for one Jake the Snake poem and a rough cover to turn into a final cover then I’ll be done...the last poem in the book is a DOOZIE!!!!

A few days ago one of the poems mentioned a tortoise shell plate that somebody was eating from. I immediately thought of the tortoise, of course, and drew him, understandably cranky having had his shell snatched for a plate, but no matter where I put him or how I drew him, unless I drew lots of arrows and signs and explanations there’s no way anybody would have the foggiest idea that he’s a tortoise* let alone the particular tortoise whose shell is on the table.

(*see today’s blog re taking a class to learn how to paint things which are unrecognisable...clearly I was already there)

He ended up being left out of the book which has made him even more cranky so I thought it was only fair to let him onto this page.






This week I also met a little person with nothing to say.