July - a snugglefest of writing and illustrating

watercolour/paper-cutting experiments

Finally, finally winter is in full force here in Canberra, and I am enjoying every frosty beanie/boot/mitten-wearing moment! Endless cups of hot tea, toasty soups, faux fur blankets . . . my feels are quite Icelandic. And of course, other than a quick dash to the shops and a brisk walk in the glorious winter sun, it's lovely to have every excuse to shut myself away in my light-filled studio, and create create create.

Speaking of beanies, can you believe how gorgeous my gumnut beanie is, below? I found it on Etsy--the store is Fibre Delights--and how could I resist? I'm hoping to wear it to my launch for Mamie--my picture book on May Gibbs, out this December. And how good would this beanie be for Book Week dress-ups?

marvellous maps wrap-up and sorry day launch

It would easily be thirty years since I've set foot inside the State Library of New South Wales. Sydney was my stomping ground during the '80s, and I still have a deep affection for this city, especially its molten core of culture, the arts and humanities.

The SLNSW is a central hub in this delicious melting pot, and how I've waited this long to revisit, I do not know. The Library has been undergoing some impressive upgrades, and several new galleries (with more to come) have opened, along with a children's learning centre, opening early October.

The current line-up of programmes, events and brain-popping resources is, on its own, worth a Sydney visit (I hope to go later in the year), and I was fortunate to have a wee tour of the SLNSW's hallowed halls ahead of my Marvellous Maps event this past Sunday.

I left Canberra early on a Dash-8. It was a glorious day. I used to be a flight attendant, but taking off and landing still causes an earnest nose pressed-to-window, as though a birds' eye view is something completely new to my eyes. Each and every time.

Leaving Canberra and arriving in Sydney...

maps in May at the state library of new south wales

Magical, Marvellous, Magnificent Maps!
Sunday 27 May 2018
11am - 12pmState Library of New South Wales

Explore time through the marvelously magical and magnificent world of maps with children’s author/illustrator, Tania McCartney. Tania is positively, absolutely mad about maps, but then, who isn’t?

From the beginnings of time, when earth’s land was just one great big blob, to the way countries have formed and unformed and reformed again, little adventurers can make their own explorer hats, jump on a virtual ship, and come on this journey to uncover geological, floral and faunal treasure.

See how our Great Southern Land was once mapped—your eyes will boggle!—and which major part was completely missing. Learn who was first to complete an accurate cartographer’s map of our coastline, and how the land was once divided (there was once no Queensland!).

Through visual exploration, Tania will also show kids how her Australia: Illustrated Map was put together, from crafting the illustrations through to digital placement.

Children can then make their very own map, featuring plants, animals and markings of their own travels. Suitable for kids aged 4 – 12.  

Book a place

Australia illustrated map window at Dymocks Canberra Centre

Huge thanks to the beautiful Suzy, Meredith and the team at Dymocks Canberra Centre for this wonderful opportunity to squiggle and paste whales and birds and wombats all over their windows! This was a lot of fun and it's so cool to see the characters from my map swimming and flying free.

Check out the map here and head to the Canberra Centre sometime this month to take a peek! Thanks to my Ella Bella for her help, too.

Australia Map launch wrap-up

It was an absolute hoot to launch my Australia Map this morning at Harry Hartog in Woden (book launches are, like, sooooo passe). The kids huddled in to be taken on an Aus-wide tour, then it was under the pump to answer 20 questions about Australia (with lots of prompting). They actually did really well, and won some furry prizes and some prints of animals from the map.

Australia map launch!

Australia: Illustrated Map Launch
11am
Sunday 26 November 2017
Harry Hartog, Westfield Woden, Canberra

Have you ever been to a map launch? Me neither! Hope you'll join me on this epic adventure--it's going to be a hoot!

Explore Australia with this ginormous illustrated wall map, featuring the flora, [kooky] fauna, sites and sights of our beautiful land.

There'll be activities for the kids, goodies to gobble, a travel quiz with prizes and yes--a real life MAP SIGNING! (who'd have thunk it!?). Kids will also have the chance to draw and write on a map, showing where they have lived and travelled to.

RSVP to woden@harryhartog.com.au

Australia Map advance copy

So exciting to FINALLY see my map with Hardie Grant Travel as a final, real life, trooly rooly map, in a tube and everything! It's been printed on the most beautiful writeable, wipeable paper and when you unfurl it, it doesn't stay coiled in a tight fist--it lies almost flat. Heaven!

There are, quite literally, NO spare walls in my house except this curved one at our entryway. It's like it was made for this map. Look how huge it is. It's HUGE!

Australia: Illustrated Map will be released this December, and will be available in stores Australia-wide, and online. I'll be having a map launch--yes, you read it right--we might have to crack a bottle of champagne against it--at Harry Hartog Woden (Canberra) on Sunday 26 November, so whack that in your diary, and check my EVENTS page for updates on how you can RSVP.

Have you ever been to a map launch? I haven't! What will I wear...

Australia map--the entire thing!

Okay, can't wait a moment longer. Here's the entire Australia map! (Hardie Grant Travel, Dec 2017.)

I hope enjoyed this peek at my latest dream project. It's one of those endeavours I didn't want to end.

Keep an eye out for the map in shops and online, in time for Christmas.

If you would like some close-ups, see...

Queensland
Northern Territory and South Australia

Australia map peek II

Today I thought we could head over to the Northern Territory, for a peek at my Australia map (Hardie Grant Travel, Dec 2017). From honey ants to dilly bags, bush tomatoes and sacred sites, this is a territory of vast beauty and cultural significance.

Then, I thought we could meander south...

...to South Australia. From the Painted Desert to vineyards, lofty ranges, the Nullarbor Plain and the vast Southern Ocean, this is yet another state of extremes.

Stay tuned for a peek at the entire thing!

See...
Queensland
Northern Territory and South Australia
The entire map!

a dream project - Australia map!

We all have dream projects, do we not? And sometimes they are curious things. For me, it's been a Christmas book, a map, an ABC book, a book about balloons, among others. Don't know why it's been these particular things; it just has.

This year, the magical dream project pixies fluttered in from a nearby wood, and granted two creative wishes--and one of them was a map.

A map! Hyperventilating.

This one is called Australia and it was some delightful journey, traversing--yet again--our big, beautiful land, exploring and learning even more about this incredibly diverse continent. I worked closely with the amazing Emily from Hardie Grant Travel to create this enormous--nearly 1.5 metres wide!--wall map. And I loved each and every minute. Very soon I'll be working on the packaging design, for a December 2017 publication.

Created with ink, watercolour and digital artwork, the map features flora, fauna, icons, sights and sites, along with Indigenous rock art sites and shipwrecks. There's also a key with over 250 labels, and fun facts dotted around in yellow spots.

I'm delighted to share the map with you, starting with our beautiful Sunshine State, Queensland. I'll take you through a peek at a few states, with a final glimpse at the entire map.

Huge thanks to commissioning editor Melissa Kayser for approaching me with this truly divine project. A major tick on the Dream Project list.

See...

Northern Territory and South Australia
The entire map!