Meet DOTTI COLVIN: Cartoonist and Award Winning Children's Illustrator...


INTRO - ( A friendly hello!)
Hello peeps!
This is the page where I toot my horn. I thank you kindly for being interested.
I’ve been doodling goofy pictures all my life, but before I became a professional illustrator, my love of slapstick, puppetry, and silent cinema led me to a 20 year career in animation:- See BIO for more details.
I’m driven by making people laugh and smile. Reading and literacy is also something I care deeply about (just ask my kids,LOL) and we all know that the more enjoyable a book is, the more likely it is to be picked up and read. So I’m currently on a mission to create books that kids will love reading…again and again, by filling them with comedy, warmth and lovable characters.
I collaborate with indie authors and writers who either write character-driven narratives or who need something comical to help to communicate a more serious message.
If you write environmental or STEM related topics or tackle mental-health issues, I would especially love to hear from you as I like working on projects that make a difference.
BIOGRAPHY - (Trumpet tooting part)
If you are pressed for time, there is a short formal version here.
Dotti Colvin is the illustrator of several funny books for children and Y.A including Nita’s Adventure Series, Lance and The Boiled Egg, and award-winning children’s book Baby Worries. Best selling Author Sarah Brennan praised Nita’s Adventure Series as “utterly original and absolutely irresistible!”
Before becoming a professional illustrator, her fascination of mime and movement presented her with the choice of becoming an animator or a clown. Ultimately, she chose animation, and spent 15 years in the animation industry in London. During this time, she attained awards for her work on commercials, music videos, and short films for high-profile clients such as the BBC, Cartoon Network, and Grand Central records.
Dotti’s diverse skill set has allowed her to wear many hats including puppet-maker, character modeller, lead animator, team leader and now children’s illustrator. She has also shared her expertise by mentoring and teaching at renowned institutions including the Royal College of Art in London, the University of West Indies in Trinidad, and Escape Studios London.
Fluent in both English and Italian, she relocated to Italy in 2013 with her Italian husband to raise little humans while continuing to work remotely. In 2021, mid pandemic, she joyfully transitioned from the animation industry to become an illustrator and cartoonist where she could blend her love of comedy, silent cinema and puppetry into vibrant and character-driven imagery, with a mission to encourage children to read.
She is a member of the Professional Cartoonists Organisation in London and a team member of noteworthy Puppet Tree Social Enterprise that uses puppetry to build confidence and creativity in children.
She has lived and worked in London, New York, the Caribbean and Switzerland and now lives with her husband, Wifi, and their two bilingual sons next to a beautiful Italian lake. When she’s not illustrating she enjoys a cheeky Prosecco, reading about science and tech, fixing and up-cycling stuff, and trying to paddle-board like a ‘cool mum’ with her boys.
To work with her go here!
AWARDS
Childrens Picture Book Winner 2024 – The Brew Seal Project – Nates Noisy Nose
Seal of Excellence Award 2024 – The Brew Seal Project – Nate’s Noisy Nose
Book of the Decade Award – WishingShelf Book Awards 2024 – Baby Worries
Gold Award – WishingShelf Book Awards 2022 – Baby Worries
Silver award – Fingathing Super hero music – Kalamazoo Animation festival
Gold Award – Thunderpig – Imagina Animation festival
Silver Award Thunderpig – Kalamazoo , short film category
Silver Award- Interrogating Ernie – Anima-mundi festival ~
Puppet Exhibition –Radio City, Rockafella Plaza –New York 1995
ANIMATION RELATED ENGAGEMENTS
2003 Bradford Animation Festival Guest speaker
2003 –2007 AnimaeCaribe festival .Trinidad Guest speaker

WORK WITH ME!
I offer a range of cartoon related services!
I choose to work with authors who write funny character-driven books, or journalists and bloggers who need a comical visual to break the ice on a more serious message. I am open to reading all your stories, but please know that I do not accept ALL manuscripts as projects. I look for something that together with my work will be a rocking combination.

- Character designs
- Book illustrations
- Layout and design
- Cover design
- Cartoons for editorial
- Cartoons for web
- Full book service including everything that takes your story from a manuscript to a fully illustrated printable book, ready to launch into the world!
Get the party started – For commissioning or to book a FREE 15 minute, no obligation chat, where we talk books, expectations and prices go here
KEEP IN TOUCH
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