Alex G Griffiths

Alex G Griffiths is an illustrator based in Canada. Originally from London, Griffiths’ self-proclaimed “messy” style of drawing lends itself well to works for children. He has illustrated several books, most recently one titled The Bug Collector.

I am introducing Griffiths’ work this week because of his love for starting his illustrations with simple materials like pens and watercolors. I’ve chosen to feature a few of the illustrations from his website that caught my eye, but I highly recommend heading over to look at the rest! These playful, loose illustrations show what artists can accomplish when they embrace their natural style. It is my hope that seeing Griffiths’ use of simple materials for such extraordinary results will inspire the budding artist (or art lover) in your life to reconsider their own creative capacity.

Discussion for Kids

Look at each of these illustrations with a child in your life and consider what story the image might be telling. Older children can write their own story to accompany the image. Each could be treated as a standalone, or as part of the same story. Share some of your stories with me in the comments below!