Tessa Cobb
I’m Tessa, an Illustrator Author making joyful picture books and non-fiction about going places, and doing fun things outside. I go on a personal exploration with each project, using it to find happiness for myself in new and beautiful ways.
Observational drawing is the starting point for each project, using it to identify areas of interest. I find characters from real life, and bring them to life in my sketchbook. My favourite thing to draw is wild swimmers, and my book ‘Why I Swim’ was selected for the DPictus Unpublished Picturebook Showcase 5.
Through the MA, I discovered a love of monoprint with its opportunities for mark making and layering colour in exciting and unexpected ways. I’m drawn to the printroom community and enjoy collaborating with others to produce great pictures.
Colour is central to my work, using contrasting hues to guide the narrative and express big and small emotions.
Website: www.thehappybookcompany.com
Instagram: @happybooklady
Email: tessa.f.cobb@gmail.com
The Bird That Wants To Boogie
This picturebook follows a school-trip to a tropical greenhouse. When a girl’s curiosity at a friendly bird overcomes her, she unleashes it from its cage, making way for the jungle dancefloor. The pair discover how sharing their unique moves is what brings us together for the greatest party of all.
Look Up! London
This narrative non-fiction book explores our capital’s alternative destinations (The Barbican, Borough Market, Ally Pally park, etc.) and inspires 4-7 year olds to ask questions about them. We discover the heights of big-city London through the eyes of a girl and her mum on a day trip from the countryside.
Why I Swim
Selected for DPictus Unpublished Picturebook Showcase 5 2024. Every day I go to the river. It's freezing cold. It's awkward getting dressed into my cossie. And I don't really want to go in. So why on earth do I go for a swim? Created with monoprint and mixed media collage.
