(Or Ages Dark & Light) – By John Howe
New books are always a welcome event, especially as they provide an excuse to briefly escape from the studio and get out into the rest of the world a moment. (Like many illustrators, the time spent proportionately in the former as opposed to the latter is sadly inferior in quantity; quality, of course, not being issue open to debate or even wise to contemplate.)
And, yet another chance to set thoughts to paper. A portion of this is my personal ramblings for the book itself, but has been considerably restructured and augmented thanks to the kind prodding (ignore illustrator’s hesitations, uncertainty, unsureness, doubt, irresolution, indecision, equivocation, vacillation, waffling, wavering, second thoughts, dithering, stalling, dawdling, temporization, delay, reluctance, disinclination, unease, and dubiety too) and pertinent questions (“Can you repeat that? Intelligibly. Please?”) of Ruth Prickett at Illustration Magazine. See their FALL 2007 issue. Buy a copy. Subscribe. (Buy a back copy – there is a lovely article in the Spring 2007 issue which should be in the libraries of all self-respecting admirers of Mervyn Peake.) [More]
Susanne writes: ‘In Business’, a BBC Radio 4 programme, includes an interview with Richard Taylor on his approach to business. ‘In Business hears from .. the man who created the special effects behind the movies of Lord of the Rings and King Kong.’
Well it’s been another busy month here at Weta HQ, with lots of exciting developments! 
Weta Bug recently revealed our work on two Radical Publishing projects, 
The world of 
Dr Grordbort’s fans and artists 
Across the world, a 
The web team recently revealed an 
Meanwhile, we have released further details of our work on the second film from The Chronicles Of Narnia: 
Weta Co-Director Richard Taylor, designers Chris Guise and Daniel Falconer and Weta Bug headed down to the 
Wellingtonians can now get their Raygun fix by checking out 
Talking of the Capital, the city has been abuzz with excitement as the 
It’s time for Wellington to honour its home-town heroes says communications specialist Roger Ellis who is standing for the Wellington City Council in the Northern Ward. In recent years Wellington has produced some exceptional people. The whole world knows what Peter Jackson has almost single-handedly achieved – a major league movie industry right here in the suburbs of Wellington. He has received a theatre-load of awards from the good and the great throughout the world. “Yet to date the Wellington City Council has done little to honour this outstanding favourite son. The same could be said for Weta’s Richard Taylor.
She’s best known as one half of a powerhouse duo, but AJ Michalka is about to go solo in a big way, the 16-year-old singer beamed, revealing that she’s set to appear in Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” follow-up, “The Lovely Bones.” “It’s like a dream role,” she enthused, nearly jumping up and down with excitement. “I’m playing the best friend of the girl who gets murdered. I was flipping out [when I heard I won the part]. I’m really, really stoked.”