news

Diprotodons alive!

November 15, 2023

A new book and a new publisher! My latest illustration job is Diprotodon, written by Bronwyn Saunders, and published by CSIRO Publishing. I’m very excited to be doing my first book with them, and they’ve done a beautiful job of it. They’ve put together a great blog for the launch here: https://blog.publish.csiro.au/bringing-diprotodon-to-life/ It was wonderful to head back into prehistoric illustration after many years – palaeoart has always been a passion of mine since childhood, when I tried to copy the extraordinary art of Zdenek Burian and Rudolph Zallinger. Their reconstructions are hopelessly outdated by today’s standards, with tail-dragging dinosaurs, lake-living sauropods and hadrosaurs, and not a feather in sight (except for Archaeopteryx, of course.) But they were cutting-edge for their time, and Burian’s work in particular still inspires for its artistic and technical brilliance. Hugely inspiring, both of them. Anyway, although my paintings aren’t at their standard, grab a copy or four for Christmas and any kids who love big prehistoric beasts (and who doesn’t?)

Pippa flies again

October 31, 2023

It's been a few months (yes, my normal lag) but there's a new Pippa book out there - Pippa and the Troublesome Twins. Dimity Powell and I have teamed up again for the next installment of plucky pigeon Pippa's adventures, this time navigating the trials of new siblings in the nest. With mum and dad distracted, and chick-sitting responsibilities, will Pippa ever get to spread her wings? Dimity has written another heart-warming story, and I've had the chance to perch with my paints in the trees to illustrate it. If you've already got Pippa, grab a copy of the Troublesome Twins to follow Pippa's story further. If you missed Pippa the first time, buy a copy of both!

DEFINITELY CRAZY

June 10, 2023

Yep, I'm officially demented. I yet again omitted to mention a brand new book release. Apologies to Michelle Guzel, author of Two Puggles, our little babies! According to CBCA Reading Time, "Michelle Guzel presents a remarkable story that follows Spike and Ducky, two charming puggles that grow up in a loving and caring family ... This beautiful book is set in a chromatically stunning Australian scenery that presents themes of family, individuality, tolerance, acceptance and belonging ... Andrew Plant’s illustrations have captured Guzel’s words beautifully and are a feast for the eyes. Each double spread is exquisitely colourful and engages the reader to point and interact." That's rather nice! But don't take their word for it, grab a copy for yourself (if you can find one. It's nearly sold out!) Thanks Michelle, for entrusting your first picture book to me to illustrate - it was such a joy!

Oops, I did it again!

October 30, 2022

Yep, forgot again. I've got a new book out, and I didn't post anything about it! Stardiving has been released (some months ago) and has been getting wonderful reviews. "A daring and sublime exploration of a world visited by but a few, all rendered in a rigorously limited yet serenely darkened colour palette . . . all this occurs in a dense sea of acute perspectives and dark acrylics and watercolours; 50 shades of beautiful black as it were. Pure magnificence." - Dimity Powell – Kids Book Review. "This heart-felt picture book . . . gently guides its primary school readers to a sense of self, and a scientific and environmental awareness. Plant’s lyrical text and beautiful illustrations shine in this magical journey to the depths of the underwater galaxy of stars." - Romi Sharp – Books+Publishing. "Plant’s stunning illustrations take the reader into an unknown world . . . this story has as many layers as the ocean itself." - Barbara Braxton – The Bottom Shelf. People have been very kind to little Fluke and his adventure, and I really appreciate the thought that has gone into their reviews. But don't just believe them - decide for yourself, and that means buying your own copy! Bookshops can still order it in, or you can contact me and I'll post a copy/copies to you, signed of course. I've got another book that has just been launched, but I'll give it a few days so that Stardiving can have the limelight for a moment!

A prize for Stumpy

February 15, 2022

A very nice surprise popped up last night, with Jump! winning the Little Pink Dog Books Authorstrator Prize for 2021. Kathy and Peter Creamer of Little Pink Dog Books created the prize to recognise authorstrators - those of us who can't decide if we are authors or illustrators. We're certainly a small mob, with some extraordinary members - Shaun Tan and Freya Blackwood come to mind, of course, but Australia punches far above its weight when it comes to great authorstrators. The very generous cash prize is most welcome (especially with book sales so impacted over the last two years - poor little Jump! never got properly launched), but it's the recognition that our scribbling and pondering and worrying and planning and rewriting and repainting is appreciated that really makes this special. So check out Little Pink Dog Books, and don't forget Ford Street, where my books can be found, and watch out for my latest authorstrator effort, coming out in April. It's called Stardiving, and I've finally got my paint-spattered little hands on the finished product. After all these years, it's still a thrill holding the book for the first time.

I've been busy, and forgetful

August 12, 2021

It’s odd how forgetful I am sometimes. I work on a book’s illustrations for months, pore over the proofs for colour-matching, and sigh with relief once it’s all sent off to the printers. Job done! Then I get all excited about the next job and get lost in that world. It’s great getting the actual book some months later – love opening those boxes! – but I’ve done the work, part of my brain says. Throw in lockdowns and a stint in quarantine (which I fully support, but can’t say I like, even as a hermit!) and I sometimes let things slip my mind. Like two new books with Ford Street Publishing! So, abject apologies to authors Kylie Covark and Ben Long for not featuring either of them yet! Firstly, Kylie’s Float or Sink? A rollicking rhyme with a marvellous menagerie of impetuous invertebrates. (Alarming alliteration!) Kylie’s fun-filled story was a hoot to illustrate (see some of the pics in Children’s Books) and is an irresistible read-out-loud and read-along book for kids. Just wait for the shouted response to “What do you think?” I’ve tried it out, and it works every time! Grab a copy, and have a chuckle. Ben’s Good Night, Ivy Bright is also a poem, but couldn’t be more different. Dreamy, magical, it takes you away on an incredible flight of imagination. It was quite a challenge to illustrate (see again, in Children’s Books). When the options are endless, the trick is creating images that present a coherent story to match the text, whilst at the same time trying to find completely original and unexpected dreamscapes. Ivy’s search for colours links the narrative. I needed to find little objects or characters that would likewise link the story visually. Otherwise it just becomes a chaotic mass of unrelated ideas. I hope I got it right. At least the real Ivy liked it. Buy a copy or ten and decide for yourself! There’s more stuff happening, but I’ll save that for the next news item, which won’t take months this time. Stay safe!