Colin Thompson (born 18 October 1942) is an English-Australian writer and illustrator of children's books. He has had over 70 works published and also draws pictures for jigsaw puzzles. In 2004, Thompson was awarded the Aurealis Award in the children's long fiction category for his novel How to Live Forever.
How long have you been illustrating and what made you start?
I am 77 so probably about 72 years (I have a photo of me painting a picture on my mother’s pastry board out in the garden at 34 Audley Road, Ealing, London W5 when I was about 4) no one ‘made’ me start. I just did.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I buy it in 1kg bars from Woolworths. I think it’s called chocolate.
Where is your favourite place to illustrate?
My office in my garden at my home in Australia in a valley called 'The Promised Land’. This is true, the valley really is called that.
What are your illustrating/colouring material essentials?
Photoshop and a big graphics tablet with an electronic stylus and an Apple Mac.
What’s the piece of work that you’re most proud of or enjoyed doing the most?
My bookshelf picture which is also an illustration in my picture book called ‘How to Live Forever’ - I am an author too. And a picture of a big green armchair which I drew for a Leeds Building Society calendar many years ago.
I am left-handed and colourblind. They both seem to work quite well. Just get on with it.
