Geoff Kelly

Who is Geoff Kelly?

Geoff is a trained graphic designer who has worked as a freelance Illustrator for almost 30 years. But look, it's probably best not to mention that as he may become a bit depressed.

Awards

The only awards he's ever won are for those silly Advertising Shows
eg. Silver Award for the best drawn 'Cow in a Tutu' Unsalted Butter Section. He has a box of them under his house waiting for the day the recycle bin will accept perspex.

His Talks

With experience in most areas of illustration, from advertising and graphic design, through to newspaper and magazines, Geoff can touch on all facets of the craft, but will focus mainly on his children's books. He'll cover all the stages of producing a book, the mechanics of devising and executing a picture, and just how do you invent a new character? He always brings lots of pictures, working drawings, and original illustrations that can be passed around.

A large part of the talk involves drawing. Using a whiteboard he'll show the kids lots of tricks for drawing cartoons. This sometimes requires a bit of help from the audience, usually with suitably crazy results. He can also do a full colour illustration while talking about colour, tone and light, which can then remain with the school.

'How to Draw Krappy Kartoons, Really Well', is a book he wrote that came out of his talks to kids. A spoof on the classic 'How to Draw Books', its main message is that you don't necessarily have to be able to draw very well to be a great artist.

Geoff hopes that at the end of his talk, along with a few laughs, he'll have given all those kids who don't think they can draw pause to reconsider. Forget the ambition of becoming Prime Minister - why do that, when you could make funny faces all day for the rest of your life, just like Geoff does?

Books by Geoff Kelly

Written and illustrated

• Very, Very Odd – A picture puzzle adventure.
  Allen & Unwin
• Stuck with Baby
  Allen & Unwin
• How to Draw Krappy Kartoons, really well!
  Allen & Unwin

Illustrated

• Toocool (new 10 book series) Hooked, I Spy, Basketball Legend, Crocodile Catcher, Magic Boots, Rock Star, Show Time, Strike!, The Flying Snowboarder, Wrestle Mania
  Written by Phil Kettle - Rigby Harcourt
• Paul needs Specks
  Written by Bernard Cohen - Penguin/Viking
• Power and Glory
  Written by Emily Rodda - Allen & Unwin
• David, the best model maker in the world.
  Written by James Moloney - Puffin Books
• Crackle
  Written by Margaret Clark - Puffin Books
• Zip Zap
  Written by Kim Caraher - Random House
• The Sparrows and the Spies
  Written by Derek Bernardson - Allen & Unwin
• The Sparrows and the Circus
  Written by Derek Bernardson - Allen & Unwin
• SNIWT
  Written by Justin D'Ath - Allen & Unwin
• Why did the Chykkan cross the galaxy?
  Written by Justin D'Ath - Allen & Unwin
• Playtime
  Written by Denyse Worland – Nelson
• Traffic Jam
  Written by Bronwen scarffe - Nelson
• Presents
  Written by George Ciantar - Sunshine Books
• Jenny lives on Hunter Street
  Written by Ngaire Ravenswood- Nelson Price Milburn
• Who's he and who's out?
  Written by Cathy Hope - Nelson