Nicola Bayley's Book of Nursery Rhymes (1975), One Old Oxford Ox (1977), Copycats (1984), The Necessary Cat (1998)
Nicola Mary Bayley[1] (born August 18, 1949) is a Singaporean-born British children's book illustrator and author. She is most known for her illustrations of cats, including in the books The Tyger VoyagebyRichard Adams, The Mousehole CatbyAntonia Barber, Katje, The Windmill Cat by Gretchen Woelfle and others.[2]
Publisher Tom Maschlerer noticed her final portfolio from the Royal College of Art and commissioned her to illustrate a book.[2] This led to her first book, Nicola Bayley's Book of Nursery Rhymes, being published by Jonathan Cape in 1975.[4]
Richard Adams was inspired by Bayley's illustration for the nursery rhyme, "Three Thick Thumping Tigers Taking Toast for Tea", and he subsequently wrote a prose poem based on her work.[4][2] The poem was turned into a book called The Tyger Voyage, which Bayley illustrated. Released in 1976, it was Bayley's second book published by Jonathan Cape.[4]
In 1977, her book One Old Oxford Ox was published, containing a collection of tongue twisters.[3] In 1984, she created the Copycat series,[5] which included the books Parrot Cat, Polar Bear Cat, Elephant Cat, Spider Cat and Crab Cat.[4]
The 1990 book The Mousehole Cat, written by Antonia Barber and illustrated by Bayley, won the British Book Award for illustrated children's books.[3]
She wrote and illustrated the 1998 book, The Necessary Cat.[2]
Bayley's illustrations are painted using a stippling effect, created by using brushes to make thousands of small dots.[2] She works with watercolors, which is her preferred medium.[4][5] Her illustrations were often based on her own pet cats.[3]The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature stated, "Her artwork is characterized by minute detail, glowing colors, and fine texture", adding that her work "generally [has] a soft feel."[3]
Haddon, Celia (16 May 1976). "The Smile on The Face of the Tyger: the paintings of Nicola Bayley, and the selling of her new book". The Sunday Times Magazine. London. p. 30.
