Output details

Brown Rabbit in the City

During this project Russell continued to investigate the creative process integral to picture books and question her role as an artist and storyteller - determined to establish a more mature voice with which to appeal to a dual readership.

Unlike Russell’s previous titles (Bloomsbury) that staged child friendly themes selected early in development, Brown Rabbit in the City presented a more complex theme that was not established until the closing stages of the project. Starting with rough sketches and an instinctive feeling or notion, the composition process became a creative ‘labyrinth’ of characters, settings, plots and themes where endless possibilities for creative expression were possible. Topics such as love, friendship, regret and compromise were explored in an ever-changing storyboard as Russell mapped the events of the story and established a true meaning.

Ornate flora designs taken from the prequel were combined with contrasting metropolitan motifs to create a juxtaposed setting suitable for both characters. Pencil drawings of building, cafes, shops, signage etc. were transformed into full colour illustrations employing the silkscreen process. This allowed the effective articulation of intricate detail that provided a visual playground for the young and mature readers to explore.

Since it’s release, Brown Rabbit in the City has sold approx. 2,000 copies within the UK and 20,900 books have been distributed worldwide, with foreign language rights being sold to: USA, Japan, Korea and China. The book was selected for ‘2010 Original Art: Celebrating the Fine Art of Children’s Book Illustration’ exhibition at the Museum of American Illustration, New York.

In 2013 the book was included in ‘Reading Rainbows’ Edinburgh City Council’s first book gifting initiative, 1000 gift bags containing two picture books and stationary will be distributed to 4 year olds. And the title has accumulated 11,624 Public Lending Right (PLR) loans through UK district libraries.