Book illustrations
Bryony Halsted has recently illustrated the Tatty Shawl Witch book series, including 3 cover designs and upwards of fifty spot illustrations. Author Lynn Straw asked to have the real Tattersall Castle depicted, and all manner of creatures and characters were drawn for the inside pages, all drawn in detailed pen line. These include a gnome, three witches, a rat hero called ‘Humph’ and a ghost who lives on the castle battlements.
Working on the Tatty Shawl books
Bryony was asked to illustrate not only the book covers for the Tatty Shawl series, by Lynn Straw, but also the many spot illustrations within the book, to support the story. Rich with funny and endearing characters, it was enjoyable to research the imagery, and create the characters for Norman the gnome, Humph the unlikely super-protector rat, and the quirky three witch sisters who are trapped in the attic. (Tatty Shawl Cottage, by Lynn Straw, pictured)
As the books developed there were more characters, more imagery of the witches and their antics, and lots of drawings of broomsticks, flying witches, cauldrons and potion bottles (especially in ‘Return to Tatty Shawl Cottage’). Bryony most enjoyed producing the fine line-drawn illustrations which accompany each chapter heading inside each of the three books. In the final book (‘Tatty the Witch’), the real location of Tattershawl Castle featured heavily. (As well as a fictional ghost!) Take a look below at some of the animals and characters from the chapter headings.
