Gus Gordon

Gus goes from doodles to Noodles

Gus goes from doodles to Noodles
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As a child Gus Gordon was a constant daydreamer, his incredibly short attention span and endless doodling regularly got him into trouble with his teachers at Ben Lomond Public School.

But he has come a long way from that child who always sat staring out the window.The former Ben Lomond student never grew out of his childhood imagination, instead he has developed it, culminating in more than 60 children's book illustrations, the release of his first book A day with Noodles earlier this year, and a second book in the works, about a chicken called Wendy.Mr Gordon's seemingly lack of focus has given way to a life as a successful children's book author and illustrator.
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Reality ... after several diversions, former Ben Lomond student Gus Gordon is making a name for himself as a children's illustrator and author. Photo: submittedReality ... after several diversions, former Ben Lomond student Gus Gordon is making a name for himself as a children's illustrator and author.Photo: submitted

Visiting book Illustrator - Gus Gordon

Gus GordonPenguin Books Australia - What's New
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Gus Gordon

Gus Gordon is an illustrator based on the northern beaches of Sydney.He grew up on a property in northern NSW and after leaving school, worked on cattle stations all over Australia before coming to the conclusion that 'drawing silly pictures' was a more sensible career option given his childhood obsession with drawing.Gus moved to Sydney and studied at the Julian Ashton School of Art while drawing cartoons for a variety of magazines and newspapers.He illustrated his first book in 1996, and has since illustrated over 30 children's books.

From dancing bums full of baked beans to vomiting comic kids, children's book illustrator Gus Gordon says the grosser it is, the better.

"I just love drawing silly pictures, and it's my job. Gordon was one of seven illustrators and children's book authors entertaining hundreds of children, and their parents, at Sydney Town Hall on Tuesday as part of the Kids' Night Out activities.

For Gordon, 33, of Warriwood, drawing snails and piles of pigeon poo is a dream come true.
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The book signing came and we sat down and looked at each other and I said 'Oh you're Gus'," she said. "It was hard to believe you could do so much without knowing each other. Now we're great mates."

Gus also started a comic strip called Mungbean, based on three surfies, Mungbean, Jack and Scruffy who live in the surfer's paradise of Bingle Bay. However, Gordon said that competition with syndicated American syndicated comic strips made him set Mungbean aside for children's books.

Gus now illustrates for six publishers, but he said the road to success hasn't been smooth.

Growing up in northern NSW, he ignored encouragement by parents and teachers to study cartooning and went to work as a jackaroo, travelling around the countryside working cattle stations. He was in advertising college by the time he realised he wanted to be a cartoonist.

"I just wanted to draw silly pictures because that's what I was mostly doing at college," he said.

It took him years to get his early work published, but he was determined. Australian Business Monthly bought a clichéd "fish in a bowl gag" from him, and it's been full-steam ahead since then.

Now, with a one-year-old son, Gordon said the biggest thrill will be when he reads his child a bedtime story that he's both written and illustrated. "As he gets older, Oliver will be a good sounding board for my work, so I look forward to that."

His wife Alison said it might have been his first appearance at the Sydney Writers' Festival, but he's easy-going and teaching in schools and hospitals has helped him with public appearances. "He just says funny things all the time," she said.

From dancing bums full of baked beans to vomiting comic kids, children's book illustrator Gus Gordon says the grosser it is, the better.

From dancing bums full of baked beans to vomiting comic kids, children's book illustrator Gus Gordon says the grosser it is, the better.

"I just love drawing silly pictures, and it's my job."Gordon was one of seven illustrators and children's book authors entertaining hundreds of children, and their parents, at Sydney Town Hall on Tuesday as part of the Kids' Night Out activities.

For Gordon, 33, of Warriwood, drawing snails and piles of pigeon poo is a dream come true.
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The book signing came and we sat down and looked at each other and I said 'Oh you're Gus'," she said."It was hard to believe you could do so much without knowing each other.Now we're great mates."

Gus also started a comic strip called Mungbean, based on three surfies, Mungbean, Jack and Scruffy who live in the surfer's paradise of Bingle Bay.However, Gordon said that competition with syndicated American syndicated comic strips made him set Mungbean aside for children's books.

Gus now illustrates for six publishers, but he said the road to success hasn't been smooth.

Growing up in northern NSW, he ignored encouragement by parents and teachers to study cartooning and went to work as a jackaroo, travelling around the countryside working cattle stations.He was in advertising college by the time he realised he wanted to be a cartoonist.

"I just wanted to draw silly pictures because that's what I was mostly doing at college," he said.

It took him years to get his early work published, but he was determined.Australian Business Monthly bought a clichéd "fish in a bowl gag" from him, and it's been full-steam ahead since then.

Now, with a one-year-old son, Gordon said the biggest thrill will be when he reads his child a bedtime story that he's both written and illustrated."As he gets older, Oliver will be a good sounding board for my work, so I look forward to that."

His wife Alison said it might have been his first appearance at the Sydney Writers' Festival, but he's easy-going and teaching in schools and hospitals has helped him with public appearances."He just says funny things all the time," she said.

Markus Zusak and Ursula Dubosarsky, and our Artist in Residence, illustrator Gus Gordon.
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Drawing Characters with Gus Gordon.
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Gus Gordon is an illustrator based on the northern beaches of Sydney.He grew up on a property in northern NSW and after leaving school, worked on cattle stations all over Australia before coming to the conclusion that 'drawing silly pictures' was a more sensible career option given his childhood obsession with drawing.Gus has illustrated nearly 40 children's books for children.