Windermere Reflections illustrations

Cartoons are very popular with kids so it is not surprising I get asked to do a lot of illustrations and workshops for children. Sometimes these have a serious purpose, despite the fun approach.

One such project was with Windermere Reflections, the environmental charity based in Cumbria. They wanted to develop a series of characters to help explain how to protect the lake and environs around Windermere, England's biggest lake. Using an innovative approach, they had a competition to design the characters. I helped picked the winning entries from schools all over South Lakeland. I then went into the schools to run workshops in which we developed the characters further.

These characters have now appeared in booklets, slide shows and as Scratch animations which the children can animate for themselves.

This week I finished the most recent part of the project, illustrating a set of stories which will be shown in schools as slide presentations. Here are a few examples.

Lauren and Einstein, her teddy bear. Note the umbrella - it enables time travel, thereby trumping both Gene Kelly and Doctor Who.

 Lauren encounters Dermot the Destroyer - environmentally horrible dishwasher tablets.

Muddy Merv is a fantastic hit with the kids, possibly due to his resemblance to something unsavoury.

This is what th Windermere Reflections campaign is trying to prevent

And here's the result after all their hard work!

P.S. Windermere Reflections are responsible for this infuriatingly catchy song and video. Watch out for some of the cartoon characters in the video.

Gardener's Question Time

An exciting media week in the Lakes. The combined might of Cumbria PR and environment campaigners Windermere Reflections succeeded in getting BBC R4’s Gardner’s Question Time broadcast from Brathay Hall in Ambleside.

This was a fun event which is (shhh) pre-recorded. Anyone attending was allowed to pitch a question to the panel. These were then answered in turn by Toby Buckland, Anne Swithinbank and Bunny Guinness. The event was introduced and chaired by son-of-Cumbria Eric Robson.

BBC recordings are always interesting and I’d urge you to go along to one, if you get the chance.

They’re also a good opportunity for sketching, as you can see below.

Eric Robson introducing the recording in Madonna mode

Toby Buckland

Bunny Guinness

Ann Swithinbank

At the end of the recording, Windermere Reflections’ Amanda Holden presented the chairman and panel with personalised bottles of the exclusive Mere Gold beer, brewed by Bowness Bay Brewing Company. Fortunately, ace illustrator and photographer Pam Grant was on hand to get the pack shot.

(Click on the photo to see a larger version)

Gardener’s Question Time goes out on BBC Radio 4 at 3pm Friday and again at 2pm on Sunday.

* Since you asked, my question was: “I have built a massive extension on the side of my house. What fast-growing plant would the panel recommend to hide it from the National Park planners?”

P.S. More media: On Sunday 14 July, at 9.40 a.m., I will be on BBC Radio Cumbria during Val Armstrong's show, describing my favourite place. (I restricted it to the Lakes as the budget wouldn’t stretch for Belinda Artingstoll to interview me in the Swiss Alps.)