Radio Times // Natural Histories Live: The Big Story

Radio Times magazine recently asked me to create another spot illustration for their radio listings. This time it was for BBC Radio 4's "Natural Histories Live: The Big Story".

"Lions, sharks, whales and apes are four well-known A-list groups of animals that have got under our skin, enthralled us with their wildness and inspired literature, film, myth and legend. But so have cockroaches and fleas and the much lesser-known burbot and mandrakes. Radio 4’s Natural Histories series has brought 25 groups of animals and plants together across 25 episodes to tell the stories of nature’s influences on human culture from across the globe.  The Big Story, a special live event presented by satirical comedian Rory Bremner and Natural Histories presenter Brett Westwood tells a story of the earth from dinosaurs to people.  With comedy, music, readings and discussion all recorded live in the spectacular Hinze Hall of the Natural History Museum, this programme tells a uniquely Big Story of 100 million years’ worth of natural history."

Being a huge lover of nature and natural history in general, as well as being a big fan of the Natural History Museum in London, I was obviously very pleased to work on this one. I was full of ideas but also had the challenge of fitting it all into small, narrow dimensions, (and a tight deadline)! After narrowing the ideas down, here is the finished piece.

The following are some of my rough sketches where I was working out the composition!

The Radio Times Christmas Issue is now on sale around the UK.

"Natural Histories Live: The Big Story" will air on December 23rd, 8.00 pm on Radio 4.
You can also listen to all 25 episodes of the "Natural Histories" radio show on the BBC iPlayer Radio website.

Artwork and Photography (C) Amy Holliday 2015

Radio Times // BBC Proms 2015: The First Night of the Proms

I was very excited to be asked by Radio Times magazine to illustrate "the first night of the Proms" which was due to air on BBC Radio 3 on Friday. I came up with a number of various designs, compositions and colour schemes before a favourite was selected. I drew inspiration from the page's purple colour scheme and incorporated this into the illustration. Drawing the Royal Albert Hall and classical instruments provided an interesting change to the norm. :)  This work was commissioned via my agent, Lemonade, who very kindly sent me a copy of the issue featuring my work.