Welcome to Pen Powell Posts!
I’m Claire Powell, a New York Times bestselling children’s book illustrator and soon-to-be author; my debut series MARTY MOOSE is out on February 6th 2025 🐭
📮 You can subscribe for free to receive a postcard every Friday with drawings I have made that week.
🗝️ Paid subscribers receive my weekly postcard but they also have access to videos and long letters, as well as special monthly perks, such as a lucky dip for a signed original illustration and an agony aunt column, where you can ask me questions about illustration, writing, making books and such like.
🏷️ Paid subscribers also receive a 10% discount in my online shop.
A paid subscription is reasonably priced at £4 a month.
What do I post about?
✏️ Illustration, mostly!
✒️ How I draw, what I draw with and what I draw in.
🐭 How I create my characters.
👀 Behind-the-scenes in my studio.
🧠 What I’ve learned in my illustration journey (I’m self-taught).
💭 My thoughts on the process of illustration and writing.
📚 Books – illustrating them, writing them, collecting them, reading them, my favourites and those that have inspired me.
😊 My life as an illustrator, author and general human being (they are all inextricably linked).
You’ll probably like my Substack if you:
📚 Are interested in children’s books, illustration or both…
✏️ Want to be an illustrator and want inspiration, tips and tricks from someone who is self-taught. I wrote about my journey into illustration here.
💪🏼 Are already an illustrator and want solidarity.
✒️ Want to be a children’s book writer.
👀 Enjoy watching someone create humorous joyful drawings.
📖 Enjoy reading about the process of making art and children’s books.
What to expect:
All my letters and postcards feature drawings I have made. My postcards are short and weekly. My letters are monthly and more in-depth, on topics ranging from my favourite materials to how to find your style and who inspires me. Book giveaways happen when I have a new book out.
Paid subscribers get extra perks such as process or live videos, and lucky dips to win a signed original illustration which happen monthly.
My agony aunt column - where paid subscribers can send me questions about illustration, making books, and such like — is coming in 2025.
About me
I lived in London for many years but now I live in the rolling hills of Derbyshire, surrounded by cows that chase me across fields, and pheasants that jump in front of my car sending me swerving into a ditch.
I’ve been illustrating children’s books since 2016 and I’m soon to be an author. The first book in my debut series — Marty Moose in First Class Mischief — will be published 6th February 2025 with Walker Books. Pre-order it here and read my announcement here.
I wrote about my journey into illustration here, but the short version is that I stopped drawing as a teen due to some crap advice I received, and became a graphic designer instead. I didn’t start drawing again until I was in my mid-thirties. Eventually, I left my high paid career aged 37 to start illustrating books with no formal training and everyone said I was mad. Maybe I was.
Since then, I’ve illustrated many books and learned a lot. It hasn’t always been easy but life isn’t meant to be, so I think that’s normal.
This Substack is written by me for you. I sincerely hope you enjoy it. No hard feelings if you don’t.
