Children’s book dream for artist Ian
commemorative exhibition on the Peterloo 200th Anniversary, BBC History Magazine, and children’s magazine OKIDO - where the idea for ‘The Library Book’ began as a poem by Gabby with illustrations by Ian.
The book is due to be published in 2021 by the Thames & Hudson publishing house - which has also published books featuring the work of Roald Dahl illustrator Quentin Blake, one of Ian’s biggest idols. He says he has also been inspired by the ‘spontaneous’ style of illustrators and satirical cartoonists Ronald Searle and Ralph Steadman, as well as former Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell, who personally endorsed Ian’s work to publishers.
Using a mix of pencils, pastels, dip pens and watercolour and oil paints to create his work, Ian’s style has been praised as ‘fresh, lively and colourful’.
He said: “That’s quite unusual for a young emerging illustrator because a lot of the up and coming work is computer generated - it’s cheaper and easier to produce.
“But I’ve always drawn and enjoyed getting my hands dirty to produce something.”
Although Ian completes all his artwork at his space in AWOL Studios in Ancoats, Manchester, where he also collaborates with The Yard creative and music space, he still lives on Middleton’s Langley Lane with his parents David and Janet and brothers Callum and Matthew.
Ian is not the first person in his family with a passion for art, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Frank known as ‘Granddad Naughty’ to him and his brothers.
Ian took early inspiration from the Beano comics Frank would buy for him as a child, redrawing Dennis the Menace cartoons and creating his own characters.
Although Frank passed away when Ian was eight, he said fulfilling a dream once held by his granddad has made him ‘all the more chuffed to have reached this milestone’.
Ian is in talks with Thames & Hudson for a second book project to continue his path as an illustrator.