ILLUSTRATOR / AUTHOR

Geoff has worked in both the advertising and publishing industries for over 25 years. He has written a number of books for children and illustrated even more. He now also enjoys visiting schools and libraries talking to kids about illustration.

Amongst his many titles, he has now also written a book called How to draw krappy kartoons really well. Illustrated in the same style he uses when drawing on the white board in a classroom, it's a tongue in cheek parody of a 'How to draw' book. Drawn from ideas that have come from school visits, this book teaches drawing strategies and makes fun of art and the idea that you have to be a great drawer to be a great artist.

We hear a lot about reluctant readers these days, but what about the reluctant artist? Those kids who used to love to paint and create but at some stage decided that they can't draw so what's the point? Well, the point is drawing is fun and creative, and it is also one of the best ways for a person to uniquely express themselves...and did we mention that dawing is fun? So using the universal language of silliness, Geoff arms kids with some quick-fix-drawing-tricks to give them the confidence to have a go!

So, if you have a few reluctant artists who need inspiration (perhaps you're one yourself), Geoff is your man! He will be happy to tailor the talk to suit the needs of the group and can cover the following areas:

• Writing/Illustrating Books
• Commercial Art
• Storyboarding
• Concept Creation
• ...and much more
  
  

Geoff can conduct presentations or workshops. Although he now produces all his artwork by computer he always brings along lots of original paintings, dummy books, sketches, even some sculptures (his latest passion) that can be viewed and passed around.

Follow this link to view an example of Geoff's work. And this link for another.

With every booking made, we'll send your school a copy of How to draw krappy kartoons really well. Bonus!

"We were thrilled with the way he was able to adapt to the needs of the students and engage them without overwhelming them with language they couldn't understand. We had a great reponse from the kids, who produced cartoons, class talks, journal entries etc. We highly recommend him for similar settings."
-Mal Heath, Western English Language School.

"Geoff provided a wonderful experience for all the children. He brought many illustrations of his work, kept the children from Prep to Grade 6 enthralled. A wonderful day."
- Jackie Henry, Galilee Catholic Primary School.

"Children from prep to grade 6 were enthralled. Geoff was just fantastic, well prepared with a wealth of ideas and topics to relate to. His style of delivery was friendly, confident and humorous."
- Marjie Tkatchenko, Fairfield Primary School.