Hazel Mitchell a.k.a The Wacky Brit says:
I”ve always drawn. I doodled in all my books at school and I still doodle on everything. It makes for fun grocery lists and conference notes! I love to draw and create books for children; illustration and writing are my passions.
I hopped over the pond from Scarborough in Yorkshire, England in 2000 to marry my husband, who is from America. Now I live and work in Maine, USA.
After I attended art college in York and Sunderland in England, I joined the Royal Navy to earn a living ( working in military Graphics Studios). After I ‘shipped out’ I was CEO of a lithographic printing business which gave me a solid foundation in print and design.
But my love has always been illustration and painting. I have clients from publishing companies to manufacturing and I’ve also been lucky enough to have had my art presented to the British Royal Family.
As well as children’s illustration I create commercial and licensed artwork and my fine art paintings and photographs have been exhibited in group and solo exhibitions. I’ve got a whole menagerie of animals. My cat is my best art director. I love the snow, the sea (and sailing), fish and chips and mushy peas, and a good pint of Guiness!Â
Right now I am working on a book for Charlesbridge called ‘Hidden New Jersey’ which is a ‘Search and Seek. book for younger children. I am also working on illustrations for a series of chapter books for Kane and Miller, which is hush hush! Last year I illustrated a book about Autism which is on pre-order and you can find it on Amazon – ‘How to Talk to an Autistic Kid.’ It was written by an autistic boy, Daniel Stefanski who is just 14! It is published by Free Spirit Publishing.Â
My goal this year is to sell a book I have written and Illustrated.  I really think the illustrator today has a great resource with all the online resources and social networking. I avoided that for a long time … but now I utilize Facebook (find me at Hazel-Mitchell), Twitter, as well as writing a couple of blogs – hazelmitchell.blogspot.com (which I blog on weekly, and have a free page for kids) and also a new venture a GLOG – www.pixelshavings.blogspot.com, which is 5 illustrators group blogging and is turning into a real space to watch!Â
It is only a year since I seriously began pursuing my goal of being a published children’s author/illustrator, and I am very happy to have work in the industry. But I couldn’t have done it with out the great conferences and support from SCBWI. So if you aren’t selling your work yet … get around those folks at SCBWI and you will be on the right track.
Process of doing the Dog Sled painting:
The painting was sparked by a photo I saw of a young girl in a dog sled race here in Maine. I wanted to make it more Inuit based and incorporate the Northern Lights. On researching a little I found that certain tribes believe the aurora borealis to be evil warriors. So – I thought the girl might be chased by them. There is a story in here, I just haven’t written it yet!!
Dog sled Thumbnail – This is my initial idea, it’s very rough!
Sledding B&W – I made a study in pencil incorporating dogs from different sleds and turned the girl in the original photo into an Inuit girl.
Dog Sled Thumbnail 2 – I scanned the drawing and roughed in the trees behind.
Dog Sled Thumbnail 3 – Then I drew the background in pencil.
Dog Sled Finished Drawing – This is the finished drawings married together in Photoshop.
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And here is the finished piece. It is totally coloured in photoshop. I do not use many layers and my preferred tools are the multiply and dodge and burn. I drew the warriors freehand on a separate layer and used the smudge tool and dodge and burn to get the glowing effect of the Northern Lights.
Hope you enjoyed meeting Hazel Mitchell (aka The Wacky Brit). You can see more of her work at www.hazelmitchell.com . I love the last little sketch. It makes me smile and want to go out and pick up polka-dot stockings. I wish all of you a week as happy as the lady and her cat kicking up their heels look.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
These illustrations are simply amazing!
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By: chapter11studios on February 19, 2011
at 7:51 am
Thanks Josh! Appreciate it! hazel 🙂
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 19, 2011
at 6:26 pm
Chapter 11,
I’m glad you enoyed seeing Hazel’s work.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on February 23, 2011
at 2:06 am
Great work Hazel….The Wacky Brit/Maine’s Wacky Brit…..Your talent continues to amaze me. ……………Glad you choose the ‘warm” state of Maine as your new home!
From the woods of Hindsite,
Mark
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By: Mark Luce on February 19, 2011
at 7:56 am
Glad to be here in Maine Mark! Hazel 🙂
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 19, 2011
at 6:27 pm
Your work continues to aamze me…Awesome talent!
Glad you choose the “warm” State of Maine as your new home 🙂
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By: Mark Luce on February 19, 2011
at 8:05 am
Mark,
I’m not from Maine, but I am sure this winter must have been one to remember. But then again maybe the snow petered out by the time it worked its way up the coast.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on February 23, 2011
at 2:03 am
These drawings are wonderful Hazel. It’s fun to get more background on your life. You are a very impressive woman! Much luck on the author/illustrator project!
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By: Patricia Lazarus on February 19, 2011
at 9:09 am
Thanks Patricia … glad you enjoyed the blog post. I feel very fortunate to do what I do. Hazel 🙂
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 19, 2011
at 6:28 pm
Patricia,
It is interesting to hear the journey.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on February 23, 2011
at 2:01 am
Enjoyed meeting Hazel Mitchell. Amazing visuals.
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By: henya on February 19, 2011
at 9:31 am
Hi Henya, nice to meet you too, and thanks for the comment. Hazel 🙂
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 19, 2011
at 6:28 pm
Henya,
Thanks for letting Hazel know your enoyed her artwork. And thanks for visiting, again.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on February 23, 2011
at 2:00 am
Hazel, I just want to say, I love your work. I would love to see some of your ocean painting I know you do on here too. I think the work you are doing is wonderful. Keep up the great work. And I will be looking for new paintings. Christina
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By: Christina Fitts-Desjardins on February 19, 2011
at 10:02 am
Thanks Christina … I appreciate it, and yes, I must do some more ocean paintings. Hug, Hazel
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 19, 2011
at 6:29 pm
Christina,
Ocean paintings? I’d like to see them, too.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on February 23, 2011
at 1:59 am
Beautiful! I loved the picture of the little girl looking in the mirror.
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By: Sarah on February 19, 2011
at 11:16 am
Thanks Sarah! Drinks in VC!
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 19, 2011
at 6:29 pm
Sarah,
That’s one of my favorites, too.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on February 23, 2011
at 1:58 am
Kudos to Hazel Mitchell! Inspiring story, so much talent… a fun “look-through” on a Saturday morning.
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By: Leane on February 19, 2011
at 12:09 pm
Thanks Leane … it means a lot. Hazel 🙂
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 19, 2011
at 6:30 pm
Leane,
Thanks for visiting and leaving Hazel a comment about her work.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on February 23, 2011
at 1:57 am
stunning work!, so lively and captivating and well drawn, and beautifully coloured!!!
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By: tracey k. berglund on February 19, 2011
at 12:24 pm
Hi Tracey … many thanks for your lovely words 🙂 Hazel
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 19, 2011
at 6:25 pm
OOH! Thanks Tracey …. what lovely comments!
Hazel
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 19, 2011
at 6:30 pm
Tracey,
You going to come to the une conference and show off your illustrations?
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on February 23, 2011
at 1:56 am
What an amazing talent, I LOVE these illustrations!
Such variety. Wow.
I have to show my son, he’ll love the train and the funky car with the clown inside.
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By: Mimi Cross on February 20, 2011
at 2:31 am
Thanks Mini! If you would like a print of either of the illustrations you like for your son, send me an email and I will see what I can do. Hazel
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 20, 2011
at 9:05 pm
Hazel,
That is so nice of you. Mimi is one of our nicest members. Thanks, Kathy
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By: kathytemean on February 23, 2011
at 1:48 am
Mimi,
How is the book coming?
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on February 23, 2011
at 1:54 am
Her photogrophy and fine art paintings are awesome too. A geniune all round talent!!!!!!
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By: trish on February 20, 2011
at 7:43 am
Thanks Trish!
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 20, 2011
at 9:05 pm
Trish,
Hazel has a lot to like. Thanks for commenting.
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on February 23, 2011
at 1:50 am
Wonderful post, and wonderful illustrations!
Debbie
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By: Debbie Ridpath Ohi on February 20, 2011
at 8:54 am
Hug Debbie … great compliment from you …
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 20, 2011
at 9:06 pm
Debbie,
It’s so nice to have you leave a comment. Maybe we’ll see something of yours one of these days?
Kathy
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By: kathytemean on February 23, 2011
at 1:49 am
I enjoyed seeing the process, esp. your loose gestural sketches. You should do a story in just that style!
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By: Nathan Clement on February 21, 2011
at 11:13 am
Hi Nathan … thanks, that’s a great thought about the loose sketches … I may just do that! I love your truck pictures BTW! 🙂
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By: Hazel Mitchell on February 21, 2011
at 9:48 pm
Beautiful Artwork! Love your loose sketches! your illustration are as lively and lovely as you are!Thanks for sharing!
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By: joyee on December 23, 2012
at 10:25 am
Thanks Joyee! Oh my! That hat!!!!
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By: Hazel Mitchell on December 23, 2012
at 12:37 pm
Thanks for finally talking about >Illustrator Saturday – Hazel Mitchell
« Writing and Illustrating <Loved it! I TERRENCE From Jackso n
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By: storage on December 31, 2012
at 4:59 pm
Thanks very much and happy New year!
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By: Hazel Mitchell on January 1, 2013
at 7:25 am