GRUFFALO artist Axel Scheffler loved Weston-super-Mare so much he took photos of the famous beach and pier and then turned them into paintings, Peter Dyke reports.
The illustrator was a frequent visitor to the seaside town when he was studying visual communications at Bath Academy of Art in Corsham.
This was in the 1980s and years before he became globally famous for drawing characters such as The Gruffalo, Zog, The Highway Rat and Stickman.
He said: “I came to Weston several times and I remember coming on a drawing trip there.
“I took some photographs and then painted scenes of the beach. Obviously the pier is famous too.
“I really must look them out one day because I never throw anything away.”
Axel's original photos of Weston which he used for drawings will go on display as part of an exhibition at Weston Museum called A Life In Illustration.
Entry is free and the show will run from July 27 until November 9.
Children and adults alike will be able to see sketches from his famous back catalogue of work, recent drawings for Pip and Posy, The Baddies and Jim’s Spectacular Christmas and paintings from his days in Corsham.
Also featured will be some very early images of The Gruffalo which were rejected by the publishers.
Axel explained: “Word came back that he was too scary. To be honest I didn’t think about it at the time and just drew this creature on all fours with sharp claws and small eyes.
“But the publishers said he needed to be softened up. They said ‘Can you make him a little less scary and a bit more cuddly?’ And so I did.''
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