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I found that I was much more interested in writing and that I didn't like the illustrating at all. I had always been the hardest on myself when I drew and painted. I am not hard on myself when I write. I like what I write, so it is a much happier process.

I love illustrating for other writers because I am given stories I never would have thought of, and my work as an illustrator is always in support of the story.

Well, everything surprises me about the writing process because illustrating comes much more naturally to me than writing does.

I had never really thought of myself as a writer; any writing I had done was just to give myself something to draw.

I continue to write essays about art. The visual is always part of my work, and it gives me immense pleasure to make up the words of art and create them verbally rather than build them.

Once I have the story in my head, I write it down. The illustrations usually come last.

I was very into making the Big Artistic Statement - it had to be innovative; it had to be cutting edge. I was desperately keen on being original.

I have been illustrating Tolkien's books ever since I first read them, long before illustration became my profession.

I loved the process of writing.

I deliberately, in a way, went for something that was a huge challenge and was a big period film. I was excited about the canvas on which I could tell the story as much as the story itself.