Behind the scenes at Hall & Hart! We are incredibly fortunate to have such remarkable talent contributing to our drafting team!
Meet Dean McGrath, a Senior Draftsperson at Hall & Hart and a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in the industry. We're thrilled to announce Dean's debut as an illustrator with his newly published book, "I Worry A Little, I Worry A Lot." Join us as we sit down with Dean to explore the inspiration behind his exciting book release.
We would love to hear about your drawing journey. Where did your love for illustration come from and how many years have you dedicated to drawing?
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. I have a very artistic family that was always encouraging. My grandfather studied at the Royal Academy of Arts, and two of my aunts are professional artists. Once out of high school, I worked on and off in the animation industry as a clean-up artist, a storyboarder & a character designer, before deciding to draw house plans instead.
The children’s book market is highly competitive. What inspired you to go on this creative journey?
My friend Jacquie came to me with a great book idea with an important message, so I felt compelled to do my best to bring the story to life. She wrote it for her daughter, so it was very special to be a part of it.
Is this your first published book and how long was it in the making?
This is the first book I’ve published; it took around 6 months from concept to the final illustrations you see in the book. Illustrating is a longer process than expected but the challenges are very fulfilling.
Without revealing too much detail why will children love this book? Additionally what age group is the book targeted to?
More than anything, I think the message of this book is important. For kids who are prone to worry this book is intended to let them know it’s ok to be worried but there are people around them that will support them and help them through their struggles. Each page has lots of different “worries” on them for the kids to point out and discuss throughout the book. The book is targeted to 5–10-year-olds but the message is universal.
Are there any future projects in the pipeline for you, such as a second book?
I have a couple of books I’ve written that still need to be illustrated, and Jacquie has sent me a rough draft for her next book too so look forward to that.
How does your passion for illustration complement your role as a Senior Draftsman at Hall & Hart?
Drafting in essence is a form of communication, it shows the client what they can expect on completion, it shows councils we comply with guidelines, it allows engineers to calculate structural needs, it gives estimators accurate information to price a job & gives trades instruction on how to build the home. All these things are much clearer if you have a well-set-out collection of plans that are well-drawn aesthetically. On the flip side, I think the eye for detail required for drafting helps a lot in keeping my illustrations cohesive and mistake-free.
Dean's book "I Worry A Little, I Worry A Lot." is available now from www.amazon.com.au, www.fishpond.com.au and an e-book version from www.booktopia.com.au.
