



Richard Allen started out as a freelance illustrator in advertising, publishing and newspapers. His core interest has always been wildlife, especially birds (he won ‘British Birds - Bird Illustrator of the Year’ in 1993). Now living in Wivenhoe, the bird-rich estuaries and marshes of the Essex coast provide an endless source of inspiration and opportunities for sketching in the field.
Publications that he has illustrated include: Concise Birds of the Western Palearctic (Oxford University Press), The Handbook of Birds of the World (Lynx Editions), A Field Guide to the Birds of South East Asia (New Holland), and the recently published Sunbirds and Flowerpeckers (A&C Black).
He also produces woodcut-style illustrations for packaging, advertising and newspapers for the Times, Sainsbury’s, Hello and various design agencies.
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