Axel Scheffler

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Axel Scheffler
MJK62440 Axel Scheffler (Frankfurter Buchmesse 2018).jpg
Scheffler at the 2018 Frankfurt Book Fair
Born (1957-12-12) 12 December 1957 (age 66)
Hamburg, West Germany
Occupation Illustrator, animator
Education Bath Academy of Art
Notable works The Gruffalo
Room on the Broom
Stick Man
Zog
Children1
Website
axelscheffler.com

Axel Scheffler (born 12 December 1957) [1] is a German illustrator and animator based in London. He is best known for his cartoon-like pictures for children's books, in particular The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child , written by Julia Donaldson. He has also authored/illustrated the Pip and Posy series of books for children.

Contents

Early life

Scheffler was born on 12 December 1957 in Hamburg, West Germany. [2] He began studying the History of Art at the University of Hamburg but dropped out, deciding instead to work in alternative National Service, caring for the mentally ill. He moved to England in 1982, at the age of 25, to study visual communications at the Bath Academy of Art in Corsham, Wiltshire. The course also included being an international exchange student at Cooper Union in New York. During these years (1982–1984) that Scheffler decided to become an illustrator.[ citation needed ]

Career

Scheffler worked in advertising and publishing after graduating in 1985. During this time he lived at Streatham Hill in London and began illustrating for children's books. The first book he illustrated was The Piemakers by Helen Cresswell, in 1988. Since then he has contributed his distinctive illustrations for authors of children's books from Britain, Germany, and the Netherlands, including Julia Donaldson, Jon Blake, Paul Shipton, David Henry Wilson, Uwe Timm, Paul van Loon, and Toon Tellegen. [3]

Scheffler was commissioned by Faber and Faber to provide new illustrations for an edition of Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats which commemorated the 70th anniversary of the book and the 80th anniversary of the company. The original was published in October 2009. [4]

He illustrated Gordon Brown's 2006 Christmas cards and all seven Christmas 2012 stamps designed by Webb & Webb Design Limited for Royal Mail. [5]

Personal life

Scheffler lives in Richmond, London with his partner and daughter. [6]

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<i>The Gruffalo</i> (film) British TV series or program

The Gruffalo is a 2009 short computer-animated television film based on the 1999 picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

<i>The Gruffalos Child</i> (film) 2011 film

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<i>Room on the Broom</i> Childrens book by Julia Donaldson

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Room on the Broom is a 2012 short stop motion computer animated television film based on the picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. The film was nominated for the Best Animated Short Film at the 2014 Academy Awards. It also won the British Academy Children's Award for Animation in 2013.

<i>Stick Man</i> 2008 childrens book by Julia Donaldson

Stick Man, written by former Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, is a children's story about an anthropomorphic wooden stick who becomes separated from his family home and his Odyssey-like adventure to return there. He is eventually reunited with his family in the "family tree" as a result of his interaction with Father Christmas. It takes place in England.

<i>Zog</i> (childrens book) 2010 childrens book by Julia Donaldson

Zog is a 2010 children's picture book by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, about a young accident-prone dragon, named Zog, who wants to be the best student in dragon school.

<i>Pip and Posy</i> Book series by Axel Scheffler

Pip and Posy is a series of British children's picture books written by Camilla Reid and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, known for his work on the Gruffalo series with author Julia Donaldson. The series follows the adventures of two animal friends, Pip the rabbit and Posy the mouse, as they navigate the ups and downs of their everyday lives.

References

  1. Spreckelsen, Tilman; Kronthaler, Helmut (15 July 2013). "Axel Scheffler". nachschlage.net (in German). Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  2. "Axel Scheffler who is he?". Axel Scheffler's official website. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  3. Lacey, Hester (December 2017). "Q&A with Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler". Financial Times. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  4. "Axel Scheffler | Authors | Faber & Faber". www.faber.co.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  5. "The Gruffalo's Axel Scheffler and Christmas stamps". BBC News. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  6. "Illustrator Axel Scheffler on The Gruffalo, artistic inspiration and Richmond life" Archived 8 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine . Roy Sharp. The Observer . 25 November 2006. Retrieved 18 October 2014.