It was a fine ‘how-do-you-do’ to a new illustration style for Daron when he was offered the chance to illustrate a ‘Gnu’ book for an award-winning writer. 

‘In the last three-ish years, Iʼve had to step back and think about reinventing myself but without stepping away from the painting and my character work,’ Daron says.

‘I love painting - its expressive feel and spontaneity - and wanted to retain these qualities in my new work. And I found that I could do that with the style I created for the Blue Gnu.’

His involvement in the book came after Daron sent a self promotional illustration of a lion to publishers Scholastic NZ. They must have liked it, as a couple of days later they asked him to illustrate a 32-page book for NZ Post Children’s Book Award winner, Kyle Mewburn. 

‘The book’s all about character,’ says Daron. ‘The Gnu uses his face and eyes to express himself. Heʼs cheeky and a little bit dozy.’

Daron added a bird that sits on the gnu’s back, to focus attention on him and to appeal to young readers who enjoy pouring over details in pictures.

‘The colours were simple and I needed a contrast to the blue of the Gnu - the African plains are a beautiful orange and purple,’ he says. ‘The double pages helped to created the space and loneliness you see the plains.’