Mike Spoor has been a professional Children’s Book illustrator for eighteen years, and has worked on more than 300 books internationally. Previously he taught and lectured in ceramics and now also occasionally teaches 3D Computer modeling in Higher Education.

His illustrations are energetic and spontaneous, ranging in style from the humorous to serious dramatic depictions of adventure, history and many other subjects. Whatever the topic, however, his interest in illustration is to depict ‘character’, energy, play with ideas and humour, which give extra meaning to a picture. He uses media to express these qualities and particularly loves dipping pen & ink, soft pencil and liquid watercolour in his illustrations, or compressed charcoal and soft colour pastels in demonstrations.

He is currently illustrating a highly successful series of 28 books, ’Dinosaur Cove’ published by Oxford University, a title choice for the World Book Day on March 4th 2010 and in 2011 it is a ‘Richard & Judy’s Book Club’ choice. Since 2009 he has been a speaker-presenter at the Edinburgh, Oxford, Cambridge and Hay Book Festivals.

In August 2009 he was invited to tour and demonstrate in Victoria, Australia, and was artist in residence at Dromkeen, the National Centre for Picture Book Art. He worked in Libraries, schools, the Children’s Book Council of Australia event in Melbourne and Swinburne University with Mark Carthew (author) delivering a presentation to PhD students on author–illustrator collaboration. A similar presentation was given at PH University, Berne, Switzerland in 2010 and in March 2011 is working in Bulgaria. In April 2011 he is presenting at the Lit Fest, All Saints College in Western Australia, then to Queensland. Naturally he also travels throughout the UK , deadlines permitting.

He is a highly knowledgeable speaker and demonstrator but delivers in a friendly and down–to earth style, drawing upon his craft, his years of teaching and his sense of humour.

A brief biography:

Mike was born in Northumberland, lived in Wiltshire for his secondary years of schooling, attended Art College in Cheltenham and trained as a teacher in Canterbury. He taught ceramics in a secondary school in Kent for 10 years, was a tutor for in-service courses for teachers, and moderated GCSE examinations in Art. He gained an M.A. in Art Education then lectured at the Kent institute of Art & Design until he and his family went to Queensland and there began illustrating professionally. He worked for a year delivering workshops in ceramics with the ’Australian Flying Art School’ and was simultaneously funded by Government agencies to run illustration workshops for schools. After some years the family returned to the UK where he has continued to illustrate for a living, also occasionally teaching ceramics and 3D computer modeling with animation. He lives in Kent, has three daughters, the youngest still at school, the older girls graduated in Biomedical Science and Fine Art respectively, both now working in Sheffield.

School Visits

Talks & Demonstrations:

His experience gained as a teacher/demonstrator in schools, colleges, adult groups and even prisons enable Mike to provide a professional but easy–going and humorous delivery of talks and workshops enjoyed by pupils and teachers at all levels.

Talks are informative and entertaining, mixing information with showing how to draw animal and human characters with facial expressions and various postures imparting a sense of movement and form. For impact, Mike uses compressed charcoal with colour pastels which are highly visible to large groups. Other media such as Chinese brushwork, airbrush, masking & resists, may also be included. He works very quickly in order to show as much variety as possible in the time and he donates all his of work to the school. Questions and requests are welcomed so that children or teachers satisfy their particular needs. Mike brings along many examples of his books, original artwork, designer’s layouts and other items that show the process involved in book production.

Three sessions in a day delivered to any number of children satisfies most school requirements for a visit but this is flexible and any requests can be made.

Topics covered in talks may include, for example:

• The fun and ease of creating ideas
• Why mistakes are a good thing
• How to become an Illustrator
• How to draw
• Cartoons & humorous subjects
• Landscapes fantasy or real
• Skies, buildings, machines.

Workshops

Practical sessions for children to produce their own work. Mike ensures by demonstration and explanation of ideas and techniques that children have the means to produce their own unique art. The children’s work is always successful.

Workshops need to be an hour or more depending upon age. Older children need about two hours.

Mike will contact the school in advance to arrange details. During workshops various topics are covered to help children think about their work, such as:

• Responding to text
• Gathering and creating ideas
• Artistic principles e.g. composition
• Mood & action
• Colour
• Techniques for handling the media

"Mike came, he was great. The children had a fantastic day watching
an expert at work then having a go themselves. He kept everyone enthralled
from reception to us oldies. Would recomend him to anyone. Thank you."
Teacher, St Francis Catholic Primary School, Surrey

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