Born in Brighton, England, David Antram grew up in Moulsecoomb, a council estate in Brighton and attended Westlain Grammar School. From a young age, he had a passion for drawing and a keen interest in art. David's father worked as a bricklayer, and his mother was a dinner lady, providing a supportive backdrop to his budding talents. Leaving school at sixteen, David embarked on a general foundation year at Eastbourne College of Art. This foundation course in the 1970s spanned printmaking, ceramics, and graphic design. It was here that David began to shape his artistic identity and set the stage for a prolific career in illustration.
Ferociously Clever Twist to Historical Narratives
David Antram is the celebrated illustrator who works in an astonishing variety of styles, yet he is perhaps best known for his caricatured artwork work on the 'You Wouldn't Want to Be...!' series, the blackly comic collection of non-fiction books I created and designed twenty-five years ago in 1999 owes its great success to David's glorious artwork. His illustrations bring a fresh, funny, and ferociously clever twist to historical narratives, transforming potentially dry facts into engaging, laugh-out-loud experiences.
The Mundane and the Macabre
David's ability to inject humour into the mundane and the macabre alike is unparalleled. His acutely observed drawings capture everyday awkwardness with precision, striking a delicate balance between cynicism and sentimentality. This unique style has made the 'You Wouldn't Want To Be...!' series both cringe-inducing and infectiously funny, finding humour in the horrors of history and making them accessible to younger readers.
Technical Brilliance
The strength of David's artwork lies not only in its technical brilliance but also in its capacity to evoke a range of emotions. If one sketch on a page doesn’t make you laugh out loud, the next is likely to do the job. This consistent ability to amuse and entertain and probably shock has cemented David Antram's reputation as a maverick talent in the world of children's publishing.
Comic Alchemy
Through his work, David has demonstrated that non-fiction books can be just as engaging and entertaining as their fictional counterparts. His illustrations have transformed educational content into comic alchemy, making learning a delight for children and adults alike. The "You Wouldn't Want To Be..." series stands as a testament to his exceptional talent, showcasing his knack for finding humour in the most unexpected places and leaving a lasting impact on readers around the world.
Quickfire 20 Questions
DS OK Dave I’m going to ask you 20 questions quickfire!
1. Favourite colour, Aquamarine. 2. Do you listen to anything when working? Yes, the radio, BBC Radio 4 and Talk Sport. 3. Artist who had the most influence, Victor Ambrose.
4. Who is your favourite artist? Rubens. 5. if you weren't an artist what would you be doing? I would be a brick layer as this is what my father did. 6. How do you do your research? Hours spent in libraries pre Tim Berners-Lee. 7. When did you start drawing? When I was very young! 8 Favourite film all-time? Toy Story 2. 9. What do you do in your free time? DIY, at the wife's request. 10. What do you do when you are stuck for inspiration? I draw inspiration from other peoples work. 11. Favourite holiday destination? Malaga. 12. Who or what makes you laugh? Father Ted and Peep Show. 13. Favourite guilty pleasure? Cheese (As my cholesterol level will confirm) 14. Favourite book you illustrated? You Wouldn’t Want To Be in the Great Fire of London! 15. What time of day are you must productive? Early morning. 16. How long does it take to illustrate a book? Too long, two months! 17 Last book you read? Just finished Antony Beevor’s Arnhem (I have an unhealthy interest in war throughout history).
18. Words to live by? Feck off! Father Jack’s catchphrase from Father Ted. 19. Do you ever visit schools? No! 20. Where did you work? At Home - but now retired means paint brushes hung up!
David Antram's, Career and Backstory
Today, I have the pleasure of talking with David Antram about his career, his backstory, and his choice of the top ten books (from over a hundred) he has illustrated, uncovering the reasons behind his choices and what they reveal about the time in his life and his developing career and techniques as an artist.
David's early training in graphic design and magazine work played a crucial role in preparing him for the complex briefs and multiple references used in illustrating children's non-fiction. His career shows the versatility and adaptability required to succeed as a freelance illustrator.
DS Tell me about your Years at art school.
DA I didn't go to art school in Brighton - I went to Eastbourne College of Art when I was 16 - it was a four year course.
Book 1. Man From Atlantis
Eastbourne College of Art
Mark Peppe*(1), my lecturer at Eastbourne College of Art, asked students to work on this book Man From Atlantis', an annual based on the TV series; Man from Atlantis an American science fiction/fantasy television series that ran on the NBC network from 1977–78. It initially began as four TV films that were shown in America in the Spring of 1977. The films achieved high ratings which led to the commissioning of a weekly series for the 1977–78 season, but that was cancelled after 13 episodes due to a declining audience and high production costs, the annual was published in the UK in 1979.
Mark Peppe as a lecturer and a freelance illustrator based the college briefs on 'live briefs' that he was working on for students. 'The Man from Atlantis' double page spread was my first published work. Nick and Pam Hewetson also worked on this book who worked of many of the Salariya books too.
Starting Out
Woolworths
During the final term show in Eastbourne, I was commissioned to illustrate plane profiles as a freelance job. I also found a job working in the storeroom at Woolworths for a year and at the same time I was showing my portfolio to London publishers, as it was still possible to meet the Art Director in person back then. David Larkin, the head of Pan Books,
showed me pencil roughs for the books he was commissioning: Fairies and Giants as examples of the standard of work required, very different unfortunately to my portfolio at the time.
The Advertising Years 1980 - 1994
In 1980 I answered an advert for a 'Studio Assistant' placed by Ian Harwood & Associates, Kemptown, for the job as a 'junior designer' which was a bit of illustration, bit of design - a full-time job with a six month contract, the work was mundane, visuals with 'magic-markers' and paste-up. Then slowly as I started getting more freelance work I changed to paying a deskspace fee in the studio. The studio was doing well with work from the Post-Office and SeeBoard, then getting work and then getting paid during the 1980's became precarious...and during this period I'd married Linda and the children were born in 84 and 88. I was juggling working on jobs coming in from between fifteen and rwenty studios with extremely tight deadlines with convoluted payment systems.
DS I sometimes felt as a freelancer that it was harder trying to get paid than doing the work, For bad debts, I did take to just sitting in publishers offices and wait...for a cheque to be written - which was embarrassing for everyone! My worst debt was for a whole book that took over a year to receive payment - the book had been long published. The agent had been paid - but was not passing on the payment.
DA Yes, Linda did that too - sitting in offices - chasing payments!
The East Course, East Sussex
1990, Bob Cupp, the American golf course designer. who designed many golf courses worldwide and was the president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects designed The East Course, East Sussex, using bent grass from green to tee. In 1990, after two years in the making, it opened for play. The East Course is a 7,081 yard stadium layout, designed for tournament play. It has been the setting for many important UK & international tournaments, notably the European Open Championship on two occasions.
For all your Creature Comforts
The 1992 Creature Comforts Tortoise advert, illustrated by David Antram, was based on a series of TV adverts, local advertising agencies created unique ads inspired by the original style to connect with regional audiences. This localised approach added a personal touch and made the campaign engaging on both national and regional levels. The Tortoise advert illustrated by David shows this strategy by blending Nick Park's plasticine modelling charm with regional appeal.
For all your Creature comforts 'Heat Electric'
The Creature Comforts short films were stop-motion clay animations, presented as "mockumentary". They began with a 1989 with short film, blending humour and animation. In this original short, zoo animals appear to discuss their living situations, using real-life recordings of people talking about their homes, giving the impression that the animals were being interviewed about their habitats. Created by Nick Park and produced by Aardman Animations, this concept later inspired a series of TV ads for UK electricity boards. In 2003, the idea was expanded into a television series in the same distinctive style, with an American adaptation following.
Royal Mail South East
The Royal Mail South East advertisement, created by David Antram, adapted a national campaign concept for a specific regional audience. This localised approach integrated national branding with region-specific themes, characters, and messaging for the South East UK. By using local artists like David Antram to create regionally relevant ads, the Royal Mail connected more personally with the South East audience, fostering familiarity. The work l included local landmarks, resonating with local audience and evoking regional pride and nostalgia. These localised campaigns reinforced customer loyalty and bridged the gap between national branding and regional relevance, enhancing the overall impact and memorability of the advertising efforts.
DS In 1994 You came to see me in my office in Marlborough Place, Brighton and showed your portfolio, I was still commissioning artwork for a series I'd created and designed in 1989 called Timelines and you worked on a spread for 'Houses'. You then went on to work on a book with John James from the series 'Inside Story' A Samurai Castle that Fiona Macdonald had written. I re-designed, re-named and re-published this series a couple of times - currently titled Spectacular Visual Guides.
Book 2.
1996, Exploring North America, written by Jacqueline Morley, illustrated by David Antram, editor April McCroskie. Designed and produced by The Salariya Book Company, published by MacDonald Young Books
DS The first book you illustrated completely was Exploring North America written by Jacqueline Morley. this was unusually a series I had not created. The series had been created and designed by a studio in Florence and the first two titles had been published by Simon & Schuster Young Books in the UK and by Peter Bedrick Books in the USA. The Florentine studio did not want to work on any more titles but both Simon & Schuster and Peter Bedrick wanted at least two more titles so they could call it a series. I wasn't very keen on picking up on a job as we had other deadlines but April McCrosky persudaed me that it would be a good project and Jacqueline was an ideal author as one of her great interests was American history.
DA Yes, this was the first complete book I worked on and the first book working with Jacqueline when I was soon to find out she could supply fifteen photocopies for reference for a shoe! I very much enjoyed the historical side of reconstructing a specific time and place and went on to work with Jacqueline on many titles.
Book 3. How to Draw Cartoon Animals - 2001
DS The How To Draw's were a really long series, Mark Bergin illustrated most of the titles with occasionally you and Carolyn Scrace adding to this series. I tended to commission these books when artists were short of work...that is wht their are so many! I had been asked by an editor at Scholastic U.S. for a drawing series that would have drawing techniques in step-by-step format and some facts about what was being drawn, I had made presentation material for the first book in the series which was on Big Cats but the U.S. editor had been moved on in the way that Americans suddenly disappear from their jobs. The icoming editor had no interest in drawing books as they felt Scholastic had never done particularly well with drawing series. I had taken the project so far that I decided to publish it myself in the UK under our own imprint Book House. The series was eventually published by Rosen in the U.S. and then when the rights reverted I published the books through our U.S. distributors Sterling - now renamed Union Square.
I never spent very long designing covers as I had a feel for what I was wanting to convey and could as I designed change the text to suit what would look better or more impactful. I wasalso designing more for how a book would look as a tiny image on a screen - and simple design which could be created quickly as a strong branding image. I did want the covers to apeal to a wide range of ages.
DA I really enjoy drawing animals, especially cartoon animals where you can exaggerate characteristics. Animals can be used to convey a wide range of emotions. They can mimic humans without seeming unusual, allowing you to experiment with emotions and behaviors. A cartoon cat, fox, or elephant may pull off a weird expression that would look odd on a person.
You can use animals as symbols to communicate personalities or topics. For example, foxes symbolise cunning, lions power, and owls wisdom. This shorthand helps you quickly and effectively exaggerate character features.
Animals appeal to all ages. They work well for stories aimed at a large, diverse audience since they cut across language and cultural barriers.
In humorous situations, animals are more flexible. They can handle crazy events, dramatic emotions, and funny physical features better than humans. Pigs' sophisticated appreciation of high culture and mice's terror of huge cheeses may create interesting, surprising contrasts.
Drawing animals in a cartoon style allows you to play with form and styles without needing to make people look “right.” You can freely elongate, shrink, and stylise animal traits.
Animals can be used to tell stories of devotion, courage, loneliness, and grief in a way that is heartwarming but often less dramatic than when drawing people.
How To Draw
DS The How To Draw series was a step-by-step drawing series I created and designed in 2001, I had written the first book How To Draw Big Cats and it's sister title How to Draw Cars writing as David Stewart, as the books essentially gave the same instructions, the text was reused throughout the series and it was a great project to give to internees or to juniors to learn page-make-up. You did other How To Draw titles too and Steampunk and Manga drawing books.
DA Yes, How To Draw: Fantasy Castles, Manga, Fairies, Manga Action Figures, Cartoons and Caricatures.
Book 4. - 2002
Metropolis, Egyptian Town, Written by Scott Steedman, Illustrated by David Antram, Created & Designed By David Salariya, Editor Penny Clarke, Consultant: Jacqueline Morley, Publisher Franklin Watts
Book 5. You Wouldn't Want To Be A Victorian Schoolchild
2001 You wouldn't Want To Be A Victorian Schoolchild, Written by John Mallam, illustrated by David Antram, Series created and designed by David Salariya, Editor: Karen Barker Smith, Publisher: Wayland (2002) UK
Book 6.
2006 Avoid Working on the Great Wall of China, Written by Jacqueline Morley, illustrated by David Antram, Series created and designed by David Salariya, Editor Sophie Izod, Publisher: The Salariya Book Co, Imprint, Book House
DS You've chosen Avoid Working on the Great Wall of China as book number six, the title and the series title perhaps needs some explaining - as The Danger Zone series.
Hachette had bought MacDonald Young Books and Wayland who had published the first eight of the You Wouldn't Want To be...titles and were only wanting to publish titles in the UK which tied into the curruculum. So I created a version to publsh in the UK of the You Qouldn't Want To be...'The Danger Zone'. Scholastic US were publishing the You Wouldn't Want To Be's and were wanting a huge quantity of titles - so we had to create a production line and figure out how to meet demand.
Book 7.
2010 Avoid Working on a Medieval Cathedral, Written by Fiona Macdonald, illustrated by David Antram, Created and designed by David Salariya, Editor Stephen Haynes, Published by The Salariya Book Co. Imprint: Book House
Book 8. How Would You Survive as a Killer Whale! Written by David Stewart, illustrated by David Antram, Created and designed by David Salariya, Editor Nick Pierce, Published by The Salariya Book Co. Imprint: Book House
Book 9. You Wouldn't Want To Sail on the Mary Rose! How Written by Fiona MacDonald, illustrated by David Antram, Created and designed by David Salariya, Editor Nick Pierce, Published by The Salariya Book Co. Imprint: Book House
Book 10. You Wouldn't Want To Be a Prisoner in the Tower of London! Written by Fiona MacDonald, illustrated by David Antram, Created and designed by David Salariya, Editor Nick Pierce, Published by The Salariya Book Co.
David Antram - Centre
Left to Right: Rob Walker, Nick Pierce, Mark Williams, April Sankey, Jacqueline Ford, Fiona Turner, David Brine, Mark Bergin, Shirley Salariya, Lizzie Kelly, David Salariya, Isobel Lundie, Jonathan Salariya.
Mark Peppé
*(1) Mark Peppé Born in 1934, Mark Peppé spent his early years on family estates in India, near the Nepalese border. At age eight, in 1942, he returned to England with his mother and twin brother, Rodney, navigating U-boat threats to reach St Edward’s School in Oxford.
In 1951, both brothers attended Eastbourne Art School, leading Mark to The Slade, where he focused on painting and etching. During his National Service at Eaton Hall, he trained in the same platoon as John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan (Lord Lucan was the world's most infamous missing person in the 1960's - wanted for murdering Sandra Rivett, his children's nanny). In 1957, his first year at The Slade, Mark submitted a painting to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.
Mark married Tereska Lieiwicz in 1958. Like him, Tereska had endured a wartime journey in 1942, escaping a Russian labour camp to travel to the UK.
After leaving The Slade in 1960, Mark worked for Cosmopolitan Artists on King’s Road, Chelsea, creating visuals for photo stories and collaborating with sculptor Enzo Plazzotta. In 1961, he started a freelance illustration career, working steadily until his retirement in November 1999 after completing 1,208 projects.
Mark Peppé contributed illustrations to many of The Salariya Book Co, books I created, designed and commissioned: Timelines, the Inside Story Renaissance Town which became A Spectacular Visual Guide.
*(2) Scott Steedman
Scott Steedman has held various roles in the publishing industry, including Project Editor at Dorling Kindersley, London (1989–95), Senior Editor at Larousse, Paris (1995–2001), Editorial Director, Non-Fiction at Raincoast Books, Vancouver (2001–04), and Associate Publisher at Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver (2004–08). A proficient French speaker, he currently serves as a professor in the Publishing department at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver.
In addition to his editorial work, Scott Steedman is an author of over a dozen books for both children and adults, as well as a writer of journalism and marketing content. The books he has edited have achieved significant success, with many of them receiving awards: Art for War and Peace, a co-authored work, was honored with the 2015 Ben Franklin Award; Something Fierce by Carmen Aguirre, a book he commissioned, won CBC Canada Reads in 2012 and became a bestseller; and Visions of British Columbia, a project he conceived and edited, received the 2010 City of Vancouver Book Award.
Scott is one of the Co-founders and serves as the Editorial Director of Locarno Press, an independent publishing house.
I am deeply concerned for all writers, artists, and creatives by the direction that Kieran Hood, Helen Wicks, CEO Perminder Mann, and Jonathan Perdoni at Bonnier UK have taken with the many titles I created and designed over decades and originally published by The Salariya Book Co under it's imprints: Book House, Scribo & Scribblers being republished now by the Bonnier UK's imprint 'Hatch'. By removing original credits, biographies, and expert contributions, Bonnier UK is erasing the rich history and foundation of knowledge that shaped these works. Each book created in-house and published by The Salariya Book Co. was conceived created and designed by creatives with passion and expertise to engage and educate readers worldwide. Honouring the creators and their contributions is essential to preserving the integrity and legacy of these individual books and series.
David Salariya
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