Wonder: Chalk Book Cover (examples and progress)

 Here are some examples of existing chalk-style covers. These are cleaner than my intended chalkboard design, aiming to appeal to children in their own style of doodle and mess.
Below are some rough draft cover ideas using chalk on black paper. I am currently working on composition to bring the cover together, so that it remains chalk and childish, but it needs to stay readbale and clear to the viewer on the book shelf.
Much of the feedback i recieve focuses on the text, how it gets lost among the doodles.
Some have questioned the messiness, much of it is thumbnail and mock-up related, but also because it is intended. In short, they asked [where's the skill in the scribbles?]. The answer is in the composition, and actually in the execution - its surprisingly challenging to emulate a child's doodle when i am stuck in adult form!
Children use basic shapes, draw straight out of thin air, proportion goes out the window and they use every means possible to get something out of their head and onto paper.

 The astronaut gained some likes in this one

Wonder Research: Children's Drawings

Comic Narrative: Dude.... i just pressed that button

Miranda Keeling's Illustrated Tweets

Miranda Keeling is an author, actress and film-maker. She posts regular tweets of observations she makes along they way. It's become a trend for inspired artists and illustrators to illustrate these observations.
Here are some of my contributions:

A old rocking horse rests abandoned on the pavement, its glass eyes glinting and its dark orange mane full of December rain. Tweet Post here

Man on his phone on the bus: She said to me I want the dog I said to her you cheated on me and he knows it so he's not talking to you anymore. Tweet post here

A dad in the park tries to interest his little boy in a big new plastic toy car that the boy could sit in but the child is only interested in playing with a stick. tweet post here

My New Mantra

So, to save yourselves the pain, bloodshed and tears, and potentially a trip to A&E, .... take a good look and heed my words!
linocut etching tools are molevalent devil's spears in disguise. one unlucky placed hand and one misfortunate slip off the lino and you'll be mopping blood off the kitchen floor for days (unless you manage to stitch or superglue the thing).
Top tip, if you don't feel like being bothered with amulences or hospital trip... SUPERGLUE :)

Fluffy the Fish: The Final Masterpiece, collaboration with Paige Spurdle

Collaboration for her tattoo handiwork and design of background!

.Wow, Ow .. This has got to be the most painful birthday present of a lifetime! And a beautiful momento for my dearest fish, Fluffy, who is swimming through the stars as we speak <3
Paige Spurdle - Custom Tattoos changed the riginal background somewhat, being the expert and skilled artist herself to adapt it to something do-able ... and quite frankly something truly stunning !
Its got to be the longest tattoo yet, and after 2 hours i had to pause for water nearly fainting from dehydration
My word, i hope Paige is as proud of her ink as i am speachless <3
Attica Tattoo Studio
https://www.instagram.com/paigespurdle_tattoos/?hl=en — with Attica Tattoo Studio.

I'd never be a surfer

Once upon a time there was a little person called Joey. Joey loves walks out come rain or shine. One day she stepped out in the drizzle for some fresh air. It was damp but not too wet. As she walked she got damp too, but not too wet. She was quite happy.
Some time later, not far up the road behind her, a white-van-man was speeding along merrily in his big white van. Suddenly the happy white-van-man noticed a huge puddle in the road and though 'What fun would it be to make a great splash!' So he charged his big white van through the big wide puddle, and he was so pleased with the wave that it made!

At the same time, Joey was strolling by the big wide puddle daydreaming to herself, thinking 'I do hate water, I'd never ever be a surfer!' SUddenly, she snapped out of her musings and gauped up where the sky had been, to see a great big tidal wave looking over her head. She stared in amazement, thinking she must be daydreaming.
Then she realised she wasn't dreaming when the great wave came crashing over her, drenching her head to toe!
'... that was a very cold, wet daydream', she thought, 'I hope i don't have that again.'
... poor joey could not have been wetter if she'd fallen off her surfboard! So now she was very soggy, and not quite so happy...