MAKING A MARK: RIP Raymond Briggs (1934

There’s not many people who went to the Slade School of Art who have
achieved critical and popular success – among adults and children – for
their illustrations and text and best selling cartoons and picture books.

Raymond Briggs
CBE (18 January 1934 – 9 August 2022) was a British illustrator,
cartoonist, graphic novelist and author. He was also a Patron of
the Association of Illustrators. He died on Tuesday age 88 years old.

“Raymond liked to act the professional curmudgeon, but we will remember
him for his stories of love and of loss. I know from the many letters he
received how his books and animations touched people’s hearts. He kept
his curiosity and sense of wonder right up to the last.” Hilary Delamere, Briggs’s literary agent.

[UPDATE: There’s a wonderful film about Raymond Briggs and his book on
iPlayer – Raymond Briggs: Snowmen, Bogeymen and Milkmen – BBC – I highly recommend it.]

Lifeline

• 18 January 1934  –  born in Wimbledon. His Dad was a milkman and
  his Mum was a former Lady’s Maid.
• 1949 to 1953  –  studied painting at Wimbledon School of Art and
  typogrea[hy at Central School of Art
• 1953 to 1955 – National Service conscript
• 1955 – 1957 – studied painting at Slade School of Art
• 1961 – 1986 – Briggs began teaching illustration part-time at
  Brighton School of Art
• 1958 onwards – Illustrating books

Awards

• 1966  –  Won the Kate Greenaway Medal for
  The Mother Goose Treasury
• 1973 – Won the Kate Greenaway Medal, for Father Christmas
• 1977 – Francis Williams Award for Illustration (Victoria and Albert Museum),
  for Father Christmas
• 1979 – Boston Globe–Horn Book Award (U.S.), for The Snowman
• 1979 – Silver Pen Award (Netherlands)
• 1982 – Children’s Rights Workshop Other Award
• 1982 – Francis Williams Award for Illustration, for The Snowman
• 1992 – Kurt Maschler Award, for The Man
• 1992 – Children’s Author of the Year, British Book Awards
• 1998 – Illustrated Book of the Year, British Book Awards, for
  Ethel & Ernest
• 2012 – British Comic Awards Hall of Fame
• 2014 – Phoenix Picture Book Award for The Bear

His own publications

He switched to writing as well as illustrating and producing his own picture
books because it was much better paid.
He explains how it took 10 years for this to dawn on him in the video below.
Plus provides a few very pertinent tips for those interested in illustrating
picture books for children. It’s a fascinating listen!

He initially produced his own work in comic book format.