 John Huddy and Oliver Jeffers The Illustration Cupboard provided a perfect venue for the paperback launch of The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers. For admirers of Jeffers’ work, it was a great opportunity to view some of the original art with which we’ve become so familiar since his first book, How to Catch a Star. An initial response to Jeffers’ work would very likely be that his evocative illustrations were composited digitally. This is especially the case with The Incredible Book Eating Boy. Instead, collaged backgrounds and paper ephemera are glued down, painted on and drawn over to create original, intricate images devoid of digital manipulation. These qualities have, unsurprisingly, led to Jeffers being named one of the UK’s Best New Illustrators, and his selection as a finalist in this year’s prestigious BP Portrait Awards.
Mario Santos, Managing Director of HarperCollins Children’s Books, took a few moments to honour the author-illustrator, whose four books - produced in as many years - comprise 3% of picture book sales in the UK. He also thanked John Huddy for the venue which showcased art from the forthcoming book, The Great Paper Caper. Santos believes this book to be the best yet, an opinion evidently shared by Jeffers himself, who added a few words of thanks.  Sue Buswell, Mario Santos |
