Michael A Hill Illustration

The Green Wiccan Herbal

2009-07-02T01:18:00.000-07:00

I finally got to see the illustrated book cover of a recent book I illustrated. 'The Green Wiccan Herbal' published by Cico books is now available at Amazon to order. Having designed the book jacket cover digitally it is always great to pick up the actual version to feel it and best of all smell that fresh ink. I wonder what will be next in the series???

The French Paper illustration 2

2009-06-30T01:42:00.000-07:00

So the football season is just about to start the U21's have just finished there season and Wimbledon is just getting going (c'mon Mr Murray) I have again been asked to illustrate an article for The French Paper this time its about the difference between English and French football fans. The French fans are happy to poke fun at another regions wine while the English fans are more likely to question your parental status or your sexual orientation. I think i prefer to find out what Lyon's wine taste like than a Reds sexual orientation.

Design Directory

2009-06-16T00:15:00.000-07:00

I am now in the design directory check it out!

The French Paper

2009-06-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

Holidaying in France at the end of May I picked up a new newspaper in a French Tabac in Malestroit, Brittany. It was the first edition of a English paper aimed at English people living, working or travelling to France. I found it a great read and informative on a mix of English and French news. ( http://www.thefrenchpaper.com ). So when I got home I made some enquiries about the french paper and found that i was doing an illustration for the back page of the 2nd edition. The article about lunch and eating in France and England was illustrated by this image.

Hopefully I will be doing some more for them soon.

This week i've mainly been illustrating -Afghans

2009-05-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

Afghans - as in blankets and not dogs. Although as I mention dogs I have a different Tail(sic) to tell. I was approached by an author this week to produce a series of children's illustrated books about the life of a dog (of which Dylan Thomas jumps to mind) and when ever I think about Dylan Thomas I can see his boots lying under his desk, in his cottage in Laugharne, pushed under slightly apart and the toes pointing out and into those boots step my Grandad, Jim Ince a big, bold, rounded man. Red in the face from drinking more than his fair share of Indian Pale Ale and working on too many building sites before the advent of power tools. Which makes me think of how much craft and workmanship we have lost with the use of all power tools. Before the craftsman worked the materials with art and feeling, crafting, sculpting and manipulating the materials just as hand knitters do still - which brings me back to knitted Afghans which I have been painting this week. These are for a book by my again favourite publisher CICO Books.

Gardening zone map

2009-04-28T11:09:00.000-07:00

Its amazing what you can find when you are not looking . Searching some plants for a project I am working on and come across a Gardening Zone Map I had produced for Cottage Living magazine a few years ago. So if you live in the US and want to know which Gardening Zone you are in take a look at the map.

http://www.myhomeideas.com/myhome/info/0,30854,1817366,00.html

Michael Hill photographer

2009-04-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

Do I hand a camera as well as pencil?

http://www.creativematch.co.uk/?action=viewflair&fi=3920

Haagen Daz illustrations for Martha Stewart Living

2009-04-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

This week I have been working on a garden plan illustration commission by Eon Kim Art Director at Martha Stewart Living. The garden has been designed to attract bees with a mixture of flowers. The ideas is to encourage bees into gardens which I believe are in short supply( not in my garden when I sit down for a relaxing glass of wine). The bee garden is promoted by Haagen Daz ice cream. You can see the plan and follow it to have a garden full of bees!If that is what you really want!

Three illustrated book jackets

2009-04-21T02:03:00.000-07:00

Book jackets are one of the first things people think about when you mention that you are an illustrator which usually follow the question "Children"s Books?" but my stock answer is generally that i do adult illustration followed up by 'of course not 'adult' illustration but illustration for grown up people'. So i am going to post three book jackets in different stages of completion that i have been working on recently.
Firstly, a book for Penguin Books that I posted about earlier and I am showing the final draft of the cover with some sample type. Secondly, two books for my favourite publisher CICO Books on the theme of Green Wiccan, the first book 'The Green Wiccan Year Book' published in September 2008 , here I show the final cover design and the last cover is for a new book called 'The Green Wiccan Herbal' by Stilja. The design is without the type. This cover follows the design of the first book in the series.
Hopefully my one follower will enjoy these as well as all book worms out there.

Illustrated Penguin Book Jacket

2009-03-19T02:48:00.000-07:00

Illustration students are nearly always set the projects to design and illustrate a Penguin book jacket, this is always difficult as you not only have to do the illuststions but decide which book you would like to illustrate. A difficult decision for anyone!
Orange covered Penguin books have always taken pride of place on my book shelves supported by the green crime thrillers (and maybe some white Picadors). So after many years of waiting and illustrating for different parts of the Penguin group I will finally have a Penguin (image) on the illustrated book jacket I am working on at the moment for Penguin in New York( thanks to Penguin Art Director, Roseanne Serra). The book called ‘If the Buddha had kids’ and is by the author Charlotte Kasl and is part of a series of books but this is the first to be published by Penguin.

Illustrated Flower Faces

2009-03-14T03:53:00.000-07:00

I was recently designing a repeat pattern for 'The Green Wiccan Herbal" and in the process layered the same image fliped on top of each other as you do. As I moved the images over each other the shapes created endless faces mainly of frogs and rabbits but Maddie Bee and I had a good 15 mins of fun playing with the two layers in photoshop. I am not sure how many different faces we found but if you have Photoshop or similar programme let me know and i will send you the image to play with. Have fun!

Book Illustrations

2009-03-02T14:39:00.000-08:00

I have just finished illustrating two books for the publisher Cico Books. The first book, was a series of step by step illustrations about how to make children's clothes for the fantastic author and creator Emma Hardy. I was really pleased with these 'how to illustrations' which I feel were made special by the colours and fabrics chosen by the author.
The second book was called The Green Wiccan Herbal by the author Silja this is a follow upto the 'The Green Wiccan Year' which was also publiished by Cico books in Autumn 2008.
The Herbal shows over a hundred illustrations by Michael A Hill mainly showing different herbs and food types used within the art of Green Witchcraft.
In addition to these two books I also did a few illustrations for a new book ' The art of Letter- writing' which is being edited by Liz Dean at Cico.

Peugeot

2009-02-22T01:13:00.000-08:00

Recently, I was asked to take part in a photo shoot for Peugeot cars, and talk about the differences between the French and the English. This was easy to talk about but less so the photo-shoot. On a very cold windy Friday i presented myself as a dapper Englishman dressed in Linen and Panama on westminster bridge, london to be photographed with Big Ben in the background and holding a blank canvas ( ????). for those interested enough look out for the Peugeot magazine produced by Specialist Magazines in Bristol. but in the meantime here is one of the pics. ( i have added one of my illustrations to the canvas.)

Michael Hill illustrates Qatar Inflight magazine-Oryx

2008-12-02T07:22:00.000-08:00

Having recently produced maps for British Airways In flight magazine High Life, Michael Hill has been approached by a Dubai based publisher to illustrate a travel feature on Rural France. A double page map (above) and a series of spots accompanied the article by Alexandria Gouveia in the Oryx magazine for Qatar Airways.

illustrations for German Fashion Company Hakro

2008-11-24T05:26:00.000-08:00

Last week I produced two maps for a very nice Fashion company based in a small town in southern Germany. The company called Hakro (www.hakro.com) produce a catalogue and wanted some lovely maps to fill the opening spreads to show the location of the shoots they had done in Berlin. The advertising agency and its director, Sven were also great to work for, very understanding and open to creative ideas from the illustrator. Hopefully we will all be able to work together again on another project?? but in the meantime Thanks Sven!

9 images by Michael Hill - Illustrator

2008-11-03T05:51:00.000-08:00

I am posting these few samples of work from the last few months so you can get a flavour of the illustration work that I have been doing. I have illustrated step-by-steps, maps, gardens, trees and many other things. The illustrated map of London was for Taschen books, The Pot Pourri, Glitter bird, and Pumpkins were for Cico Books. The Cottage was for Southern Living Magazine in the US, the Garden plan was for Martha Stewart Living magazine and finally the tree was for HR Management magazine. Oh yes, missed one- the cover of Texas architect was for you guessed Texas Architect. If you want to see more of my work then look at my website www.michaelahill.com Thank you.

Stevie Wonder

2008-10-01T01:29:00.001-07:00

Stevie Wonder what can i say, I saw him last night for the 4 and probably final time live on stage. As ever he sings hit after hit after hit then when you leave you think of all the hits that he didn't sing. For me the first la lalala la at the beginning of 'My Cherie amour' take me way back to maybe late 60's early 70's when i was just starting to listen to music on the radio and from then on it just becomes a sound track to your life, highs lows you name it Stevie Wonder has been singing in your head for all those years. For me and millions of others he has created the sound track to our lives the last 35 years have been filled with Stevie's songs. Who'd believe that a blind black kid from the wrong side of the tracks in Detroit could bring so much joy to people-does that at least give us all hope.
Thanks Stevie its been a great journey long may it continue for you.
The pic above was taken by myself at a concert in Belgium in summer 1981- never have i been so close to a musical genius.

Running for Charity

2008-09-26T01:17:00.000-07:00

I have in the past run Marathons to raise money for Charity which has been in the £ 1000's but now i am doing a more modest run and probably by the time you read this it will be completed but that does not stop you sponsoring me to the tune of a couple of pounds to help Cancer Research Go on press the button.

How time flies!!

2008-07-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been so long since i last posted anything on my blog. The time has gone so quickly, so what have i been doing? Working mainly and as i like lists i thought i might add one to my blog so here is a list of the work i have been working on over the last couple of months.
Motor Caravan-map of Welsh Walk
British Airways magazine-maps of Spain,Literary festivals,music festivals and Island holidays.
Organic Gardening - map of St louis( louis take to the fair)
I plan of the PR structure at BT
Map of Italy for Food and Travel
Regional foods for Asda Magazine
I finish off a book for Cico Publishing on Tree top decorations ( roll on christmas again)
And started and finished another book for Cico on Green wiccan ( roll on Halloween)
I did a map for the construction company Atkins off structures in Scotland
Organic Gardening came back for a map of Buffalo NY
While a Casino in Sant Ynez California ( location for film Sideways) wanted a map of the local Vineyards
Taschen the well known German published wanted me to complete a large map of Paris and now want one of London too
CN Traveller asked for black and white outline map of the sardinia coast
While English Heritage asked politely for some maps of Roman Britain
Country Homes and Interiors have asked to do a series of step=by steps for there website which i must look at and get the link on here.
Martha Stewart Magazine commissioned me to do a garden plan
and
Firmdale hotel group have asked for a map of there new hotel in NYC-Crosby Street Hotel
and that is it except one.
A really really nice project for a really nice client in Texas which i should tell you about separately next time.

so i hope you liked the list.!

Wembley Wembley

2008-04-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning at wembley and what have we got instore for us. Early on the crowd is subdued but as kick off nears the atmosphere grows and the baggies are making more noise.I like many are expecting a tight game and probably few clear chances. Portsmouth defense is strong and attack is weak but time will tell.
First half over we seemed to have most of the play and the better chances we need though to get a goal to make all that pressure count. I think it will be a different second half.
Well its all over and wembley is a sad place to be again. A Manu goal 10 mind in the second half was enough and in the end the extra strenght and experience was on evidence for Portsmouth but then they are 6th in the prem.for west brom the bright lights of Blackpool becon and a place in the premiership hopefully.

Chic Outlet Shopping® I have it mapped!

2008-03-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

Today I had a very nice meeting with Lolita Cortes and Julia Rush from Value Retail. The meeting went well but after I drew my attention to the companies website http://www.chicoutletshopping.com on this website my illustrated maps are show cased throughout the site from an animated map on the home page to a DVD and a flash presentation. Have a look how my work has been used then get down to one of the villages and shop shop shop!

Wiccan illustrations

2008-03-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

What is Wiccan I asked myself when I was asked to do some drawings for a new book. So if you want to know more about this little known religion have a look at this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca

So I am now working on the book and have some nice sketches i thought that i might share with you. So for all you christian-paganist followers of Gerald Gardener here are some pretty illustartions.

Bespoke Maps for Individuals

2008-02-20T01:46:00.000-08:00

I have discovered that at www.mapsillustrated.com you are able to commission bespooke maps for presents or gifts that are at a very reasonable price. These maps are not for use in publications but as pieces of artwork or prints to hang on your walls or give away as gifts. These start at about £ 100.00 for a black and white map and go upto about £ 500.00 if you want a full colour detailed map. They make a fantastic present or memory of a time/place, honeymoon or special place. Have a look and see what you think.

Dinner Time

2008-02-18T07:02:00.000-08:00

Last Friday I attended the Brighton and Hove Estate Agents Annual dinner with an invite from Barrie Alderton Estate Agents. It is always a strange place to find myself amongst Estate Agents and property people but with the guest speaker of Frank Carson the whole evening turned out to be great fun. So Thanks Barrie, Geraldine and Victoria for inviting me to the evening and farewell to Danielle Blakeley who has looked after my Brighton Letting Portfolio for the past three years, hope you have a good time in Manchester. For those who don't believe i can ever look smart here is a photo of most of our table at the pre-dinner drinks. Cheers!

Michael A Hill Illustration Wishes

2007-12-29T07:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2007 has now past and we are still waiting for 2008 to start but what will 2008 bring for me as an Illustrator? Maybe looking backwards into 2007 will give me a clue to what will happen in 2008. The main pieces of work that i did in 2007 included a book for Cico Books and The Chic Guide to Shopping for Value Retail plc. The first Illustration assignments that i start 2008 are the same so hopefully next year will continue as the last finished. It is difficult to imagine where the new work will be coming from but i know that new work will be coming from. I have a new client working for Martha Stewart Living magazine doing garden plans but never sure how long these commissions will last for.Hopefully 2008 will be filled with many new commissions and many new clients. So wishing you all a Wonderful New Year. mx