Now in its 45th year, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair is the preeminent international fair devoted exclusively to children's works. A must attend exhibition complemented by a series of events that make it a unique cultural experience.

AP's Director, Christine Isteed, attends every year and commented on how enthusiastic everyone was this year. Many of the publishers had stands showing the books they were promoting - 'Airman' - Penguin (Puffin Books) cover by Steve Stone (AP), "Knights and Castles" published by what was Kingfisher and is now Macmillan - another cover image by Steve Stone.

Other work on show were books illustrated by the following AP illustrators - David Roberts, Angelo Rinaldi, Gary Blythe, David Frankland and Larry Rostant to name a few. Sophie Tilley, the new star, with many publishers interested in working with her on projects.

Bologna Children’s Book Fair web site

Below three photos from Bologna. The first shows AP's Director Christine Isteed with Tamlyn Francis from the agency Arena (London) taking a breather from a hectic schedule.

Martyn has been working as the Animation Director for Spanner Film's 'Crude'. Director Franny Armstrong, Producer Lizzie Gillet.

Crude is an epic oil & climate change cinema documentary. A co-production with Oscar-winning John Battsek (Executive Producer) at Passion Pictures, it's been a long three years in the making, but they are on the very final stages, heading for international cinema release in February 2008.

This enormously ambitious drama-documentary-animation hybrid stars Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite as The Archivist, who's been living alone for 20 years in an enormous storage facility housing all of humanity's achievements.

The year is 2055 and runaway climate change has devastated huge parts of the world and killed hundreds of millions of people. It can no longer be stopped. The Archivist is now pulling together bits of "old" footage from 2007, trying to work out why we didn't stop climate change while we still had the chance.

Read all about Crude on its own site: crudemovie.net

Passion Pictures

Spanner Films

Martyn's other film & animation work

Martyn's Portfolio

Martyn's Web Site

Gary

One reader at Amazon wrote:

"Quite simply the most beautiful children's illustrated book I have seen in years. The story is moving (both for adults and children) and addresses what should really matter in all our lives. Gary Blythe's illustrations (more like individual works of art on each page) reach standards that, perhaps, only he can deliver. An exceptional book."

View Gary's portfolio

Chris Burke Joins AP

AP are delighted to announce that Chris Burke - Cartoonist of the Year 2000 - has joined us.

As well as his well-known Town Murals for Ottakar's Bookshops, Chris has produced work for:

to name a few!

Chris' work is also in the permanent collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Chris' AP Portfolio

Chris' web site 'Site for Sore Eyes'

Everyone knows that tyrannosauruses are big and scary, so when a placid duckbill dinosaur's egg ends up in the wrong nest confusion is sure to ensue! When the baby dinosaur hatches out, he's so out of place that his grisly big sisters call him Tyrannosaurus Drip. Poor little Drip: all he wants is a quiet life munching on water weed . . .

Book Details:

Title: Tyrannosaurus Drip

Author: Julia Donaldson       Illustrator: David Roberts

Published: 6 July 2007          ISBN: 9781405090001

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books       Pages: 32

Interactive David!

Video of David talking about the project

David's portfolio here at AP

'Chelsea Dagger'
Released 28 August 2006

Sam Hadley has produced the artwork for 'The Fratellis' campaign on the Fallout/Island records label. Art Director - Mark James.The Fratellis are an award winning indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland.

The Fratellis played their first ever gig on March 4, 2005 in the O'Henry's bar in Glasgow, and have since made their breakthrough year in 2006. They were discovered by their manager Tony Fratelli in McChuills Bar, Glasgow soon after this. The Fratellis EP was released April 3, 2006, featuring the tracks "Creepin' Up The Backstairs", "Stacie Anne" and "The Gutterati?". Due to its limited availability, copies can now be found reaching more than £30 on eBay.

The word "fratelli" in Italian means "brothers". According to Top of the Pops, the band met after placing ads in the same record shop. NME ran a two page feature on The Fratellis in the August 10, 2006 issue proclaiming them "the best new bum band in Britain".

They have also claimed to have met while they were working on a fairground. "That sounds a lot more romantic than it actually is," admits Jon. "It was a travelling fairground that didn't travel very far because it was always breaking down. It was a bit like touring - you'd go to one place, set it up, pack it all away at the end of the week and go elsewhere. It was good for a while, then we all fancied being rock stars instead."

On 14th February 2007 they won the Best British Breakthrough Act, voted for by BBC Radio One listeners, at the 2007 Brit Awards.

You can view larger images in Sam's portfolio.

Sam Hadley's portfolio

The Fratellis Official web site

Island Records

After some fifty years in Soho, central London - starting in Lower Street, Soho, with a brief sojourn in Mayfair and then back to Soho (Ham Yard) - Artist Partners are on the move to the South Bank, London and the start of a new chapter in APs illustrious fifty-six year history.


The South Bank is part of Artist Partners history, as many of our artists, designers and illustrators were involved in the 1951 Festival of Britain exhibition. The Festival of Britain saw millions flock to the new Royal Festival Hall on London's South Bank, the principal exhibition site when the event opened in May 1951.

Our new address from Thursday 18th January 2007 is:

2E The Chandlery
50 Westminster Bridge Road
London
SE1 7QY