Let’s skip the school bit and start with art college. It was great fun. Four happy years of designing and doodling. I recommend it!
After college I had lots of different creative jobs before the illustrating took off. I started work in an advertising agency but that wasn’t for me so I moved from London to a job in the Cotswolds where I spent four happy years in graphics and book design. Sadly, the studio went bust so I took the plunge and became self-employed. Alongside the freelance design work I also spent a few years as a part-time art college lecturer. Twenty years later I’m still self-employed but I’ve ended up with perhaps the best job of all – illustrating and writing children’s books.
I live in Cheltenham with my wife Janet, two children, two dogs (one fat, one skinny), a bad-tempered cat and an ancient chicken. I’ve built a studio in the loft where I work at a huge window looking out over the Cotswolds. It’s great! When I’m not working I love playing squash, walking up mountains, cooking, cycling and having adventures in my VW camper van.
For the past twelve years I’ve spent most of my time illustrating the award-winning
Horrible Science series. There are over fifty titles in the collection (each one more gruesome than the next!) and we’ve sold millions of books all around the world – exciting stuff!
I love working with children and hold Horrible Science Cartoon Drawing Workshops at schools, libraries and book festivals around the country. I’ve even done some in China. Life is strange. When I was at school I got into trouble for filling my books with doodles... these days I get paid for it!
You might also like to see Tony’s fabulous Horrible Science website http://www.horrible-science.co.uk