Cloud Babies: A blog by Chris Judge

Cloud Babies is a very special book for me and I am so thrilled I got to collaborate with the incredible Eoin Colfer in its creation.

The book came about during the Summer of 2020 when I started a project called A Daily Cloud.  Over the last two years I have taken a photo of a cloud and draw a few lines to turn it into an animal or object every day. I post them on twitter and instagram and have built up a lovely community of followers. Just by chance Eoin Colfer spotted the project and approached me with an idea for a book called The Cloud Factory that coincidentally he had been working on simultaneously.

We felt very lucky that we got to work with Walker books who took the project on in November 2020. They guided us both brilliantly with regard to the story and illustration style.

I had the cloud illustrations established which are essentially minimal pencil lines on photographic backgrounds. We struggled for several weeks to find the right balance of line work and colours overlayed on photographic elements and collage that would compliment the cloud drawings. 

Finally we had a breakthrough and suddenly the entire book fell into place. The style we arrived at was a very detailed coloured pencil style. It was a bit of a departure from my more graphic style that I use in my other picture books. I am thrilled with the results and learned a lot along the way. 

Discover Chris Judge's book Cloud Babies published by Walker Books...