Illustrating a classic
Against type Steve Simpson on how he used hand-drawn text with his art for a new edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Once Steve had produced the art, the whole book was put together in Serif’s Affinity Publisher, the company’s desktop publishing software.
Steve Simpson used Affinity Designer on the iPad to create the illustrations for this collector’s edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Illustrating a book with a strong cultural presence is a challenge for any artist. The work must walk a fine line between being original, but also recognisable. English illustrator Steve Simpson is known for his whimsical characters, which he put to good use in creating his own unique take on Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
“I’m a huge fan of the book,” says Steve. “I was introduced to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at an early age, growing up just a few miles down the road from Lewis Carroll’s birthplace, and over the years I’ve collected several vintage illustrated copies.”