Bristol-based author and illustrator James Davies breaks down complicated situations into bite-sized scenes that are both whimsical and comical. Inspired by old cartoons and retro picture books, his work has a nostalgic appeal to it that speaks to both children and their parents.
Known for the best-selling book series, “Meet the…,” Davies has also written and authored the children’s book Long Dog. A busy bee, he’s also worked for Penguin’s social media campaigns collaborated with other brands. His illustrated work also includes reinterpretations of popular characters like Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
But like with other jobs, work doesn’t always come easy, and Davies makes sure to take some time off. “It’s kind of easy when you’re an illustrator to only do work FOR work,” he remarked once in an interview with The Association of Illustrators, “but drawing should never be a chore – it’s one of the most fun things ever!”
“Sometimes, when I’m in the middle of a crazy deadline, I’ll just draw and draw anything I can think of as a stress-buster,” he adds. “Sometimes I just want to draw characters from whatever book I’m reading (I’m catching up on Harry Potter now, very late) or just try a weird color scheme I’ve seen somewhere.”
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