The Happy News

THE BRIEF

We created two cheerful, uplifting illustrations for The Happy News newspaper, contributing to its mission of celebrating positive stories and good news from around the world.

DECEMBER ISSUE ILLUSTRATIONS

We were commissioned by The Happy News to create two spot illustrations for their December news spread, bringing to life positive stories that celebrate kindness, community, and hope.

The first illustration accompanied a story about a family lighting up their street in memory of their son, capturing the warmth, togetherness, and light at the heart of the piece. The second illustrated a feature on a rewilding project that saw a remarkable 116-fold increase in bumblebee populations, inspired by the idea of “letting nature lead.”

Working closely with the editor, we created artwork that reflected the uplifting tone of the publication — colourful, heartfelt, and full of optimism. It was a joy to contribute to a newspaper dedicated entirely to good news and to help visually celebrate stories that remind us of the good in the world.

To ensure the illustrations were accurate, we dedicated significant time to researching the subjects of the news articles.

One of the stories highlights The Rewilding Denmarkfield project, which spans 90 acres north of Perth, Scotland. In just two years, an area once dominated by barley fields with little biodiversity has transformed into a flourishing ecosystem, boosting the local bumblebee population sixteenfold.

For this Letting Nature Lead illustration, we focused on capturing the exact types of bees and plant species relevant to the story. This involved careful study of different bee species—their shapes, markings, and behaviours.

It was a rewarding challenge to balance authenticity with our playful illustrative style. The research stage is always one of our favourite parts of any project.

“It's always a pleasure working with Charlie. Her illustrations are charming, creative and efficient.

Charlie's dedication to researching the subject of the illustrations she did for The Happy Newspaper really impressed me and we were all so pleased with the outcome, so much so that her work got a top spot on the cover!”

Zabby Allen - Editor - The Happy News