Tina has always been drawing from as far back as she can remember. When she was little she drew every night in bed on a little chalk board until everything was blue, pink or yellow. Her back garden was like a small woodland and with it came lots of wildlife and so she was always chasing something or examining some creepy crawlie much to the horror of her family.
At school Tina was always the first to grab the paint pots and she even got a telling off for taking too long to draw a tractor. She did not think that was fair because she was trying to get it as accurate as possible. She was even asked by teachers and other kids if she was going to be an artist when she grew up, to which she replied ‘No way, there is no money in that. I am going to be a vet!’ Later on Tina realised she was either too dumb or too lazy to be a vet (to the relief of many animals) and was much better at drawing animals than examining them. She went to art school at John Moores University and then worked as a graphic designer for a few years until she decided she had to chase her dream of being a children’s book illustrator. Tina went freelance in 2002 and she has now illustrated over ten picture books and also some board books for Little Tiger Press, Gullane Children’s books and Lion Hudson. Tina’s first book was called ‘One Snowy Night’ for Little Tiger press and that was the book that got her started so she is eternally thankful to the publisher for taking that chance with her.