Raining cats and dogs at The Ned…

At The Ned Hotel, the Little Neds showed me how to draw cats, and we listened to someone barking like a dog (it was very realistic). Mostly, we talked about cats, and how to make a cat character for an illustrated book. Everyone showed me their cover designs which were shortlist material. Maddie drew her cat Twinkle, and Zinny showed me some impressive line drawings of space and space cats. Noa made some very sensitive drawings of cats in graphite and red pencil. We all closed our eyes and drew a cat from memory and mine was better than everyone else. By far.

And afterwards, I had a fine lunch on the roof of the hotel and watched the sun trying to come out.

Thanks to everyone who came along before lunch: Maddie, Noa, Zina, Juno, Zinny, and Steven, to name a few. And thanks to all the parents who also added to the drawings. Big thanks to Victor and Naomi at The Ned for their five star help, and especially to Phil who keeps the toy train on the track.

If my memory serves me correctly. A good time was had by all.

Zinny’s spaceship drawing.

Postscript: Naomi wore a cat-themed cat suit by pure coincidence. What are the chances of that?

Goodbye Tom…

Calling All Cats at The Ned Hotel…

Are you a dog person, or a cat person? It doesn’t really matter, but we’ll all be cat people for this drawing event at The Ned Hotel (London) on February 8th at 10.30am. We’ll talk about and draw cats. What makes them so interesting? Where can you find inspiration for your character? How can you convey feelings and personality in your drawing of a cat? You don’t even need to be able to draw – or know anything about cats: just bring your brain. We’ll even find time to hear a story. This is a Little Neds Members only event: no pets allowed. Books available to be signed and drawn upon.

Watch a short video about this event.

A good time had by all at The Ned…

Thanks to The Ned Hotel for hosting another drawing and reading event with The Little Neds on the weekend. A good time was had by all.

This time, we were at the other end of the Lutyens building ie. in the basement next to the enormous vault. We talked about dinosaurs and where to find them, and we drew dinosaurs and mice and discussed the difficulties of composing a picture with things of such differing size. But the children didn’t have many problems. And they were happy to show their drawings and tell me about their pets.

Thank you to everyone at The Ned, especially Naomi, Victor, and Rebecca. And to Phil of course. And to The Little Neds whose names I have remembered: Isaiah, Francesca, Jasper, Jessica, Charlotte, and the two girls who were always smiling, and the other girl who was a fine drawer and showed me her terrific drawings in her notebook.

This is what I remember.

Someone carelessly left this ajar. Photos © Philippa Perry.

Drawing and reading at The Ned Hotel, London, this January…

I’m at The Ned Hotel in London on Sunday January 11th 2026, reading and drawing and talking about reading and drawing.

I will read from the three picture books I’ve done with the Natural History Museum, and you may learn something about dinosaurs or even life in space. We’ll do a lot of drawing and talking and I will sign books, if that’s your kind of thing. See you in January.

nb: This is a Little Neds Members Only Event and not open to the public.

The view is incredible.

Video and music © profuselyillustrated.com. 2025.

The Ned: Little Neds Book Event: making drawings and shooting the breeze…

Thanks to The Ned (London) for inviting me to present a Little Ned’s book event on the weekend.

We read The Frank Show, talked about how buildings are just made up of lines and other shapes, and warmed up our drawing arms by making squiggles on a piece of paper for a full minute. Then we had just enough time to make a drawing of the person we’d most like to speak about for a school talk: a cat, a dog called Muggles, an uncle, a mother, and a best friend (among others). Jemimah went so far as to write and illustrate a little book about flying a rocket to the moon and back. And it’s not even fantastic thinking because she’s going to be an astronaut when she grows up.

A good time was had by all.

Then I had a fine breakfast overlooking London.

Special mention: Thank you Naomi, Victor, Rebecca, Pietro and Philippa for everything on the day.

The world’s most stable easel.

Lily added cheerful green shadows to ground all the figures on the paper.

A fine example of the high drawing standard of one of the attendees.

Marshall Armstrong is new to the Ned.

The Ned Members' Event limited edition The Frank Show Giclée…

I have a limited edition of ten Giclée prints especially for the members event at The Ned hotel this Sunday.

Similar to a page in The Frank Show, it shows Frank in his leisure wear against a yellow wallpaper.

The print is a Giclée on Hahnemühle German Etching Paper (300 x 255mm). I will sign and edition it if that’s your bag. They’re suitable for framing and you can have one for £25.00.

Giclée print on Hahnemühle German Etching Paper (300 x 255mm).

Book reading and drawing event at The Ned hotel, London…

I’ll be at The Ned Hotel in London doing a book reading and drawing event on the second of November.

I’ll be reading one of my picture books, and then drawing some pictures and listening to what you think about your drawings and there will be paper and pencils and you can ask me whatever you like.

I will have a selection of my books available to purchase and will happily sign copies if that’s what you want.

Nb: This is a members only Family Event for members of The Ned.

Gold, frankincense or silver?…

Lauren Child’s new Charlie and Lola Christmas book coincides with the 25th anniversary of the first Charlie and Lola book.

The cover uses a gold foil.We tried silver foil to compare and contrast.

PLUS: there’s a spot UV inside (thanks to Soren Lorenson).

The book’s cover, and the silver foil option shown below.

The author visits the studio to talk about the text design.

LC cutting and assembling the collage for an illustration in the new book.

Collage in progress. No glue in sight yet.

Twenty-five years and a million moonsquirters later…

Is it that decade already? Only twenty-five years ago, the first Charlie and Lola picture book I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato was published. I was far too young then, but i’m pleased to have worked on the brand new Christmas book I Am Wishing Every Minute for Christmas. After all this time, the artwork is still drawn, painted and painstakingly cut out of paper and glued together. I don’t know how she does that. Go Lauren – Happy Anniversary.

The tomato offers its gift of fiery color and cool completeness. – Pablo Neruda

Limited Edition HB of the first picture book. Orchard Books, 2010.

Limited Edition HB of the first picture book. Orchard Books, 2010. Butterfly plague with branded name.

The author visiting the studio working on the Christmas Book. September 2024.

Lauren in her studio with incomplete Charlie and Lola artwork in foreground.

An early draft of the new cover.