Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
Drawalong with Nick Sharratt
Nick Sharratt is the artist behind hundreds of beloved children’s book characters created by authors including Jacqueline Wilson, Julia Donaldson, Jeremy Strong, as well as timeless fairy-tale characters and characters of his own creation – his personal favourites being Timothy Pope and his dad in ‘Shark in the Park’. As an advocate of creative expression, Nick has always had a passion for drawing.
1. You’re a big advocate for pictures and imagery playing a large part in children’s literature, what important functions do you believe they perform to enhance books for young minds?
Think of the very first books that made an impression on you when you were little and I bet it’s the pictures the come to mind before anything else. Children read pictures before they read words and they respond to images in a very powerful way, so much so that certain book illustrations you absorbed and enjoyed as an infant can stay with you your entire life. It’s the magical combination for a pre-reader to have pictures to engage with directly whilst being read to, and pictures are what will entice a small child to make that vital step and pick up a book to explore for themselves at the outset of their reading journey.
2. What’s your top priority in what you hope to achieve during your time as BookTrust’s Writer-Illustrator in Residence?
I really want to celebrate book illustration for its vital role in helping children become readers. Illustrations don’t always get the appreciation they deserve and the illustrator’s job can get overlooked. Things are getting better, but there’s still quite often the assumption that a picture book is just the creation of the author, or that the pictures somehow got there by magic! Looking at great picture books together is something even families who aren’t readers themselves can enjoy. I’ll be offering suggestions on how to get the best out of illustrated books, examining the actual craft of creating pictures and encouraging everyone to have a go at drawing too. I’m hoping to make more people aware of how essential pictures in books are in leading towards literacy and all the wider benefits of reading that BookTrust champion.
3. Your illustrations are instantly recognisable, in part for their vibrant colours! What’s your process when deciding how to bring your drawings to life in colour?
Quite simply, I think about the colours that appealed to me as a child. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the 60s and 70s, but I really wasn’t into quiet, subdued shades. The brighter, the better as far as I was concerned. That’s still the case today – you should see my collection of shirts!
4. What advice would you give to families who want to build a greater interest in books for reluctant readers?
I’d say books with great pictures are the way in. There are lots of brilliant books out there with wonderful, absorbing imagery and not too many words to put off those who struggle with text. I’ve been looking at some amazing picture books recently, that contain hardly any words, but are effective, engaging ‘reads’ because of the amazing visuals. They cover a wide age range too, some dealing with sophisticated ideas and themes aimed at older children and even adults.
I’d also say that sharing picture books together is a terrific thing to do on all sorts of levels. Aside from reading the (probably not too lengthy) text, studying the pictures will inevitably lead to discussion. Very often there are extra things to notice and enjoy that are not mentioned in the actual words, and it’s incredibly rewarding to discover them for yourselves.
5. You’ve created illustrations for over two hundred and fifty books during your career, do you have any particularly favourite characters that you’ve drawn?
I have a soft spot for Timothy Pope and his dad in my Shark in the Park books. When I created the first book, I had no idea it would turn into a series, and it’s always lovely to return to drawing these two. I like how, although they hardly say a word to each other in the stories, they clearly make a great team. And being follically challenged, I’m in awe of Mr Pope’s magnificent quiff.
6. Do you think there’s a potential illustrator in all of us? How can we unleash them!?
I absolutely do think everyone has the potential to draw. More than anything it’s a matter of confidence and it’s a real shame that most of us get inhibited about drawing very early on. A bit of gentle practical guidance is a great thing. (Although I adored art at primary school, I was perplexed that my people always turned out a bit like lollipops, with big round heads and very narrow bodies. I wish someone had suggested to me that I gave them shoulders!) I try to encourage drawing as much as I can. Look out for an online Christmas Drawalong with BookTrust. Plus I’ll be touring all over the country with my live Drawalong show in the Spring.
To find out more about Nick’s residency with BookTrust and how you can take part in his drawalongs visit www.booktrust.org.uk/writer-in-residence