Soft Brown Ears - A day in the life of Daisy the dachshund

 

Lynn Matchett, the author of 'Soft Brown Ears' first contacted me in August 2022 via a website called 'Reedsy' (Reedsy is a site where authors can connect with professionals to work with them on their books). 

After an initial chat about availability, one of the first things I usually do when an author gets in touch for a potential project is to read the manuscript.  I was delighted with Lynn's story and felt it was a really good match for my illustration style. 

'Soft Brown Ears' is essentially a simple tale about a day in the life of Daisy, a little dachshund. The prose are short and simple enough for young children to read by themselves, and yet the story still manages to convey such beautiful emotion - a rare skill which I immediately appreciated. 

Daisy goes about her day and finds joy and appreciation in all the little things she does. She finds reassurance in her sweet owner when she needs more confidence, and she is surrounded by love all the time - even when she makes mistakes. 

The book makes you feel comforted and safe when you read it, which is just perfect for bedtime reading with little ones.

'Soft Brown Ears' is also a beautiful way to remember the 'real life' Daisy, Lynn's own dog who was very much loved and cherished. 

Lynn and Daisy

Having been through a similar experience, of loving and (as is sadly inevitable) saying goodbye to a really special dog, I was able to channel that emotion into the illustrations as we worked through the book. I have found personally that once time heals the initial pain of loss, what remains is a collection of cherished memories, which make me smile and feel grateful every time I recall them. That is exactly the energy I wanted to convey in these illustrations for Lynn and her story. 

I think it's important to mention too, that although the book features Daisy and is a sweet memorial to her - the book itself isn't about the loss of a pet. So, there is no need for any worry that it might be too sad, or lead to difficult conversations with young children. The story simply features Daisy as she goes about her day, enjoying and appreciating all the lovely little things she gets to do. 

It was fun to design Daisy's character. Lynn sent me a selection of photos, and described  Daisy's unique features, one of which was her 'mask' colouring on her face. We decided to make this a feature of the character, and accentuate it. Daisy's ears are also very important, being the title of the book of course! We wanted to convey movement, and softness, in those ears. Characterful eyes were also very crucial, because during the story daisy feels various emotions, and it's important that the reader can see these through her expressions. The colour pallet is gentle, almost pastel, which is fitting with the comforting feel of the story.

A picture book project usually takes about three months to complete. It's quite a marathon! But a lot of the time it doesn't feel that way, particularly when you feel a connection to the story. This is certainly the case for 'Soft Brown Ears', and I feel that both Lynn's vision for the book and my own, matched up particularly well. 

The finished book looks wonderful and I am very proud to have illustrated it. The illustrations are heart warming and Daisy's character is simply adorable. The book also features a selection of detailed colouring pages at the end for little ones to enjoy. 

This project was a perfect way to start another year of illustrating, and I hope this beautiful little book finds its way into many households, and many little hands, in the years to come. 

'Soft Brown Ears' by Lynn Matchett is available now on Amazon.     

 Purchase the book here

Oh and P.S. - Don't forget to leave a review if you purchase! 

Reviews are so important for authors and very much appreciated.