Ruth Hearson Illustrator

05/09/2026

Honestly…..I’m REALLY good at procrastination. Especially on the cover of a book. Something particularly funny happens in the decision making department where I get stuck practicing and practicing it until there is NO TIME LEFT WHATSOEVER for any more procrastination or practicing . And so then I just have to GET ON WITH IT. IMMEDIATELY . And then I do it. And then here it is. My process. You’re welcome.

22/08/2026

In “The Stable Where Christmas Began” Jesus was born right in the centre of the busy and bustling town of Bethlehem amongst the ordinary and everyday folk. The stable would have been something more like a garage or an outhouse and whilst there was “no room” for them inside the house/inn I like to imagine that the stable would have been warm and welcoming with a little more privacy for Mary. I did a zillion drawings in trying to create my own version of the stable trying to incorporate all those ideas….and I think I got there in the end.

20/08/2026

Celebrating a book birthday with a double decker bus of a bacon butty! 🥪Thank you Robin it was amazing! I demolished it. MrWatsonsCafe

19/08/2026

Tomorrow is publication day for The Stable Where Christmas Began. No honestly, it is!! Before we get to this bit there’s an awful lot of drawing, experimenting, thinking, and reworking not to mention overthinking and procrastination! Here are a few of the earliest drawings when I started the book almost 2 years ago. The ideas bit at the beginning is my absolute favourite part where I just have fun drawing out all of my ideas. Some of those get ditched pretty quickly and others make it all the way through to the end.

25/06/2026

Finished the last few illustrations from Dan and Sarah’s wedding yesterday as I ran out of time on the big day. What a lovely bunch of smiley peeps they are. Do get in touch for a chat about live event illustrations, wedding invitations, favours or keepsake picture book portraits of your bridesmaids/best men/flower girls.

21/06/2026

A very happy Father’s Day to all the dads today; adoptive dads, foster dads, just-like-a-dad-to-me dads, grandads, fur dads and hoping-to-be-very-soon dads. And an extra big wet Zeki kiss and hug to everyone who finds today a toughie. 🩵🩵🩵

14/06/2026

This was a special gift for a new daddy and his son, from his parents . It’s a picture book portrait with a very special story and this is both a happy ending and a wonderful beginning.
Father’s Day is next week …. So if you are quick I can do a couple of commissions or you could always give them a picture book promise to present on the big day for a portrait to follow in the next few weeks.

28/05/2026

Absolutely brilliant books made over the last couple of days at Leek and Blythe Bridge Library!!!! All really looking forward to The Festival of Brilliant on 11th July!!!

20/05/2026

Please read to all the little one’s in your life. It’s life changing. And lovely.

Did you know that reading can actually support children to overcome inequalities before they deepen?

That's one of the reasons we believe every child should have the chance to enjoy reading and all the benefits it brings 💙

19/05/2026

Just a few of the Picture Book Portrait’s I’ve worked on. Every one of them a unique little character staring in their own story! Do get in touch to commission a drawing of your own special little someone. A perfect Father’s Day, special birthday, bridesmaid thank you or just a memory of when someone was little a long time ago.