Author hide-outs

Korky Paul

Korky Paul's studio is so chock-full of things that it hardly seems possible to fit in a person. Along the white walls are shelves with drawings littered over them. Little pots of poster paint and ink, brushes and other painting gear are lined up behind them. Beside them, a rectangle made up of tiny, see-through illustrations from one of Korky's books is projected on to a patch of wall. Next to these little pictures is a very full bookcase. A big black flag with a skull and crossbones hangs beside the bookcase and in front of everything, close to you, is a large green-topped table with more books, a camera, and a laptop computer on it. The laptop is open, and because it is so close to you, it appears very large. On the blue screen is the name Korky in huge, rather wonky cartoon letters. The 'O' is even larger than the other letters and there is an outsize exclamation mark after the name. And next to the laptop, just edging into the picture, is a pair of hands. In one there is a remote for the projector and the other the computer mouse. Before you move on to find out whose hands they are, have a look round for the first Hotspots.

There are three very close together. In the first Hotspot, Korky's hand energetically washes his paintbrush in a jam jar and the water turns red. Then Korky looks out at you with a smile. He wears a blue denim shirt. His short fair hair frames a high domed forehead and he has round blue eyes and deep lines on either side of his wide mouth.

Look for the next Hotspot very close by. Purple cartoon notes of music dance across an illustration from Korky's book, 'The Rascally Cake' in this Hotspot. The picture shows a cartoon magician with a pointed black beard and evil eyes, and wearing a tall, battered hat. He throws all manner of disgusting objects into a dustbin ready to give them a stir with a wooden spoon.

The next Hotspot is very near. In this Hotspot, Korky looks out at you through glasses with light-coloured frames. Some of the drawings from 'Professor Puffendorf's Secret Potions' hang on the wall behind him. Professor Puffendorff's assistant is a tall, mean, greenish-looking fellow with squinty eyes peering out from under a tall hat. His long cloak billows out round him over long spindly trouser legs.

Move on just a little way to the next Hotspot. At this Hotspot, you will find Korky looking down at some of the drawings he made for his book 'Captain Teachum's Buried Treasure'. He has taken off his glasses. He is wearing a dark blue t-shirt with red lettering on the front, but only an 'and' sign can be seen. The rest is covered up by his denim jacket. Captain Teachum has grubby grey skin, a long nose and wild eyes. His muscly arms are covered in tattoos and his red hair stands up as if blown by a gale.

Move on. In a murky light, a man is standing with his hands on the green-topped table. He wears a black trilby hat, and the turned up collar of a red checked shirt collar sticks up from a long black sweater. He faces to the left, staring ahead of him at the projection on the wall. It's Korky, hard at work. A model boat, a tiny cow and other small toys line up on the shelves along the wall. Behind Korky, a white angle-poise lamp shines down on two puppets balanced on boxes.

Search about here for the next Hotspot. In this Hotspot, Korky is in his denim jacket again, looking at drawings for his new book, 'Winnie's New Computer'. Winnie the Witch has a long pointed nose with a red tip and a chin that juts up to meet it. She has a bush of long grey hair and carries a broomstick with purple twigs.

Move on past the angle poise lamp that sits on the corner of a curved desk. On the desk are a computer screen, a camera tripod, an open book and a red guillotine for cutting paper. On the guillotine sits a conjuror's wand and next to it is an empty beer bottle with gold paper round the neck. Some of Korky's books lean against the white wall and overhead fixed to the wall, almost touching the low ceiling, are two long shelves of cds. At the right hand end of the desk is a doorway through which Korky peeps, wearing a red peaked cap and smiling a little secret smile.

You will find another Hotspot in this area. In this Hotspot, Korky gives his tabby and white cat a thorough massage, digging his fingers into his thick fur and spinning him round on an office chair. The cat looks very content and lies back, licking his chops.

Move on to the next section of Korky's studio where lots of his pictures line the walls and a jolly looking plastic skeleton leans casually against the top of a large photocopier. On the left is a tall African drum with beads hanging down all round it. On the drum is a large white ball. On the right, is someone's back in a long black coat.

Round about here is the next Hotspot. At this Hotspot, Korky reads from his book 'The Dog that Dug'. Purple music notes bounce across the green background of a picture of bones that sprout like the stalks of a weird plant or a bone forest.

Move on. The back in the black coat belongs to Korky. He has a tall wizard's hat with a point on his head and sits at his desk drawing. The hat is decorated with gold and purple stars and a crescent moon. Beside Korky is a tray of paints and paintbrushes. On the wall in front of him is a black and white drawing that, from a distance, is just a web of fine lines.

Look around here for the last of the Hotspots. In this Hotspot, the point of Korky's pen flashes across the paper as he draws a black and white cartoon picture of a mouse with huge ears.

Move on to turn the corner of the studio and find Korky's name in wonky letters on the laptop, and a pair of hands reaching into the picture, which is right where you began.