anticipated picturebooks of this year. One of our favourite authors, Tracey Corderoy, has joined talents with fantastic illustrator Steven Lenton and here's the result!
We wanted to find out more about Shifty and Sam & their illustrator, so we were really happy when Steven agreed to sit in the Waterstones Cirencester hotseat and answer our questions!
Steve, we're very excited about seeing your new book on our shelves.
Tell us about Shifty and Sam!
Thank you! I am thrilled that our little robber dogs are finally hitting the shelves. Shifty & Sam are two rather naughty dogs who have a bit of a dilemma in that all they can do is rob – and yet they are hopeless at it! The story tells of how their final burglary goes very wrong and what they do to turn around their careers from crime to……..?
We know you love dogs, so we're curious to know how you developed the robber dogs' look. How did you decide which breeds Shifty and Sam would be. And how does Holly feel about the two new dogs in your life?!
Yes I adore dogs – especially my own little rescue russell, Holly who is totally deaf and knows a bit of sign language – she is very clever! She was a bit puzzled at first, but she has settled in with Shifty and Sam quite nicely now.
As soon as I read Tracey's wonderful story, one of my favourite films sprang to mind 'Home Alone' which features two hopeless burglars and so I took the (dog) lead from their appearance initially. For a good, easily recognisable silhouette I knew one had to be tall, the other short so I just started scribbling a few ideas. They needed look slightly rough around the edges and aren't really a recognisable breed, as opposed to their neighbouring pugs, poodles and dalmatians!
Yes I adore dogs – especially my own little rescue russell, Holly who is totally deaf and knows a bit of sign language – she is very clever! She was a bit puzzled at first, but she has settled in with Shifty and Sam quite nicely now.
As soon as I read Tracey's wonderful story, one of my favourite films sprang to mind 'Home Alone' which features two hopeless burglars and so I took the (dog) lead from their appearance initially. For a good, easily recognisable silhouette I knew one had to be tall, the other short so I just started scribbling a few ideas. They needed look slightly rough around the edges and aren't really a recognisable breed, as opposed to their neighbouring pugs, poodles and dalmatians!
How did you start building a world of pictures around Tracey's words?
I started with LOTS of doggy drawings, observing their anatomy and facial expressions and we decided it best if they stand on their hind legs to give them a more human feel. I sketched the houses, trees and lamp posts alongside the cast of dogs and the world started to come together quite quickly. There is a lot of humour in the text and so it was very important to make the most of that by designing lots of silly expressions, poses and compositions on each page. Having a spider appear on the second spread gave me the idea to have him hidden throughout the book – can you spot him on each double spread..?
We've heard there are various parts of London featured in the book - tell us about the favourite bits you've included.
Yes I love to add some recognisable bits and pieces in my artwork. The first thing that some London folk may spot is on the very first spread – the turquoise coloured, folly-shaped house (it's actually the clever sausage dogs home) with the telescope peeping out the top. This is based on the Kings Cross folly in central London. This is a monument that I have seen nearly every day for the last 12 years on my way in and out of London and it has always fascinated me. It is currently being renovated and I hope it looks as charming as ever once they have completed its makeover! I'm hoping they aren't turning it into a KFC!
We know you do all sorts of illustration and animation. What brought you to illustrating children's books?
I was brought up on lavishly illustrated fairytales and classic children's stories – The Faraway Tree series and The Wizard of Oz were my favourites, thanks to my dad reading them to me from a very young age. I think from then on I quietly knew that I wanted to draw and design characters. After school, college and university I worked (and still work!) in the animation industry for ten years on lots of other people's ideas and programmes, I decided I would have a go at creating my own characters and stories.
I was brought up on lavishly illustrated fairytales and classic children's stories – The Faraway Tree series and The Wizard of Oz were my favourites, thanks to my dad reading them to me from a very young age. I think from then on I quietly knew that I wanted to draw and design characters. After school, college and university I worked (and still work!) in the animation industry for ten years on lots of other people's ideas and programmes, I decided I would have a go at creating my own characters and stories.
I
decided to try entering the realm of picture books as I have always
loved the classic physicality of a children's book – a solid tome
containing a story right before your eyes, with each page turn a
beautiful new image to help and encourage your imagination grow.
Fortunately
I was snapped up by my wonderful agent and Nosy Crow who paired me up
with Tracey, with Shifty and Sam being my picture book project, it
really is a dream come true – I feel very lucky.
Steve, you first came to our attention when you were a finalist in a Waterstones picturebook illustration competition. How has your life changed since then?
I really enjoyed entering that competition – designing Beauty and the Beast was great fun and really important for my career, as it gave my work a lot of exposure to the industry. Because of that competition I gathered more interest from publishers and met some fantastic and encouraging people. This in turn has enabled me to keep working on further picture book projects which I didn't think would happen – I took a bit of a gamble concentrating on illustration, putting animation to one side, but fortunately it seems to be paying off at the moment which I'm over the moon about. I love being part of the picture book world – there are a lot of amazingly talented and lovely artists, illustrators, editors and designers.
Steve, you first came to our attention when you were a finalist in a Waterstones picturebook illustration competition. How has your life changed since then?
I really enjoyed entering that competition – designing Beauty and the Beast was great fun and really important for my career, as it gave my work a lot of exposure to the industry. Because of that competition I gathered more interest from publishers and met some fantastic and encouraging people. This in turn has enabled me to keep working on further picture book projects which I didn't think would happen – I took a bit of a gamble concentrating on illustration, putting animation to one side, but fortunately it seems to be paying off at the moment which I'm over the moon about. I love being part of the picture book world – there are a lot of amazingly talented and lovely artists, illustrators, editors and designers.
And finally... Can you give us any hints about forthcoming books? Will there be more adventures for Shifty and Sam?
Well it's all very exciting! I can tell you that I have now started designing my first author/illustrator title with Nosy Crow. It is a really funny tale that features lots of knights doing silly things…and there might be some further adventures for Shifty and Sam – you'll have to ask Tracey…!
Well it's all very exciting! I can tell you that I have now started designing my first author/illustrator title with Nosy Crow. It is a really funny tale that features lots of knights doing silly things…and there might be some further adventures for Shifty and Sam – you'll have to ask Tracey…!
Thank you so much for answering our questions, Steve!
Do follow Steven on twitter @2dscrumptious.
You can also visit his blog http://2dscrumptious.blogspot.co.uk/
Don't forget! You can meet Tracey Corderoy, the author of Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam here at Waterstones Cirencester on Saturday 25th May, from 11.00am-3.00pm!
Shifty and Sam now have their very own blog! http://therobberdogblog.blogspot.co.uk/
They also have their very own trailer! Click on this picture to watch it:
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