Laura Carlin is an award-winning illustrator (ADC Young Guns and Bologna Ragazzi Award). She has illustrated over fifteen children’s books for both fiction and non-fiction titles. Her most recent author-illustrated ‘London a History’ was published in 2024 to critical acclaim. She has worked closely on campaigns with institutions such as the Tate Gallery and the Quentin Blake Centre of Illustration and her mural of the History of London, comprising 678 individual ceramic tiles is in the collection of the London Museum.
Her clients include British Airways, The Dorchester, The Commission Nationale du Débat Public, Condé Nast Traveller, Enchanted Lion, The Folio Society, Gail’s Bakery, Groupama, Natural Resources Defense Council, Penguin Random House, Royal Mail, VICE, Walker Books, World of Interiors.
‘London a History’ written and illustrated by Laura Carlin, published by Walker Studios.
The book is a celebration of the thousands of years of London’s history from prehistory to the present day. Covering both well-known events and everyday happenings in the lives of Londoners. A typeface has been created for the first time from Laura’s handwriting, which differentiates between Laura’s introduction to new events in the story of London, and the historical and contemporary quotes that are intermingled to provide a perspective from the time. Quotes, poems and historical accounts range from Geoffrey Chaucer and William Blake, to Benjamin Zephaniah and Simon Armitage.
The artworks have been created in a range of materials including watercolour, acrylic, ink, oil pastel and colouring pencil. A limited colour palette mostly ties to a palette of blacks and greys, red and burnt orange with a more limited interjection of blue and green. Each spread exists as a physical artwork, ranging in size from A4 to A3.
“"Laura has a unique vision and style, and a subtlety and lightness of touch to her work that I have admired from the day I first saw her pictures hanging in her MA graduation show. Walker Books are pleased to publish Laura for many reasons, but not least because it's a joy (and perhaps even an obligation) to be able to share art of this calibre with the world. London: A History is a book that has taken years to come together and assemble; truly a labour of love, it contains some of Laura's finest work, and represents her delight and fascination with the extraordinary city she lives in. Walker Books is proud to be the publisher of this wonderful book and equally proud to be the publisher of so many of Laura's books."”
Ben Norland, Executive Art Director at Walker Studio
‘A World of Your Own’ written and illustrated by Laura, published by Phaidon
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