A Field Guide to Larking - pen and ink illustrations

Lara Maiklem's new book 'A Field Guide to Larking: Beachcombing, Mudlarking, Fieldwalking and More' is out now from Bloomsbury. It's a really beautifully produced volume, packed full of facts and information, illustrated by Johnny Mudlark's outstanding artefact paintings, and exquisitely designed by Clare Baggaley. I was lucky enough to be asked to contribute pen and ink illustrations.

 

"A Field Guide to Larking is a practical, interactive and inspiring guide to 'larking' from the bestselling author of Mudlarking.

To lark is to get out and about, to explore the world around us and to discover the little treasures hiding in plain sight. We think, of course, of mudlarking but there is also beachlarking, fieldlarking or even simply exploring your own home with fresh eyes.

In this beautiful field guide, Lara teaches us how to lark for ourselves. There are maps and charts, tips and lists, and colour illustrations throughout to help identify finds. From tide tables for mudlarkers to a flint guide for fieldlarkers, this book is richly informative and yet small enough to pop in a pocket. Like a journal it invites you to interact - to make notes and record finds along the way.

If Lara Maiklem's first book was a glimpse into a hidden world, with this field guide she shows us how we can discover it for ourselves" 

 

My usual illustration work is super-accurate technical artefact drawings, but for this job I had to develop a looser style that fitted with Johnny Mudlarks' beautifully intricate paintings, whilst still being accurate and informative. It was a real pleasure to have to sit down and draw such a wide range of objects, from buttons and buckles to seaweed and skulls. 

 

The book is absolutely gorgeous, and I feel works on every level: engaging and informative text, lush illustrations, fabulous design, and all in all just a lovely thing to hold in your hands. 

Larking is available to buy from your local bookshop or from Bookshop.org.