Author hide-outs

Chris Riddell and Paul Stewart

Chris Riddell and Paul Stewart sit in a corner of their studio, smiling at each other and chatting. Paul sits on the left facing inwards. His back is to a wooden door with a window above it. His head is shaved, and he has dark eyes and eyebrows and the shadow of a moustache and beard. He wears a grey sweatshirt with the hood down and khaki combats. He leans one elbow on his chair with a notepad and pencil at the ready. Chris sits sideways facing Paul, his short straight dark hair going grey over his ears. He wears a thick, chunky blue sweater with a shirt collar just peeping over the top. His left arm is towards us, the elbow hooked back over the arm of the chair. The other elbow rests on the shelf top that runs between them and he holds a page of small drawings in his hands. On the white wall above the shelf top are the brightly covered jackets of some of their books.

Look around for the first Hotspot. At this Hotspot, Paul reads from 'Rabbit and Hedgehog: A Little Bit of Winter'. He faces us wearing a black and white shirt with a pattern of dramatic whirls. Some of the illustrations of rabbit and hedgehog appear and Paul looks down at a battered old stuffed toy tucked under his arm.

Move on along the wall of Chris's studio. The tables against the wall are full of clutter: tiny drawers, pots of poster paint, a cup full of brushes, an angle-poise lamp and another lamp with a metal shade standing on the floor. A white light-box trails its flex on to the floor and boxes and bags lie beneath the tables. At the far end of the room is a tall chest with shallow drawers for holding large pictures. On the wall are more book jackets.

There is another Hotspot close by. The Hotspot here starts with a drawing of one of Chris's monsters, all googly eyes and tentacles. Then, from behind, there is a close up of Paul's hands typing, the gold ring on his left hand gleaming in the light.

Move on to see the far end of the room. Overhead are curved beams that support a balcony with railings. The floor of the studio is also wood, and a wooden staircase leads up to the balcony from the right side of the room where there are more windows and double doors. Paul sits half way up the stairs looking out of the window into the garden. In the centre is a large easel holding a picture of a tall thin blue mountain. At the foot of the stairs is a baby-walker with a red metal handle and red wheels. There are three Hotspots very close together here.

At the first of these Hotspots, Chris draws one of his weird alien creatures, getting uglier by the minute, with long pointed ears that stick out on either side of its wrinkled tortoise face. Chris adds lots of rings to its neck, making it longer and longer like a giraffe.

Look for the second Hotspot in this area. 'In this Hotspot, Paul reads from The Blobheads: Talking Toasters' wearing his black and white shirt, standing in front of a bookcase. Some of Chris's fantastic illustrations appear.

The third Hotspot in this area is very near. At the third Hotspot Paul tells us part of 'The Edge Chronicles: Stormchaser'. A blue sky appears with a puffy white cloud on the left and purple cartoon notes of music dancing across the screen.

Move on along the right hand wall of the room to find Chris hunched over his desk, an angle-poise lamp giving a soft glow for him to work by. He sits in an old wooden chair with a curved back. His face, with a look of deep concentration, is reflected in a mirror propped up on the wall at the side of the desk. High above his head is a window. Below it on the wall are pictures and drawings.

There is a Hotspot somewhere here. At this Hotspot Chris is in close up. His head and hands appear bent over the drawing board. He dips a brush into a pot of ink and puts the finishing touches to the alien monster you met earlier.

Move on along the wall. Beside Chris's desk on the floor is a television and above it on the wall, lots more book jackets. There are two Hotspots here, one almost above the other.

At the top Hotspot, Paul reads from 'Muddle Earth'. Two revolting alien monsters leer out at us through piggy eyes. A blue dragon flaps through the sky, all teeth, jagged wings and claws, and the purple music notes keep bouncing by.

The second Hotspot here is lower down. At the lower Hotspot, Paul and Chris are outside the studio talking, the red brick wall and a climbing bush behind them.

Move on along the wall of the studio to a sink in the corner with a water heater above it and a tap in the wall. A mop leans against the sink and there are more pictures on the wall round about. Turning the corner you come to a tall bookcase crammed with books. Next to it is a fold-up chair with cushion seat. On the seat is a black bag holding a picture. The chair is in front of the wooden door that was behind Paul when you first met him chatting to Chris - and there they are again, still talking.