Richard Bell's Wild West Yorkshire nature diary

Billy-goat

Wednesday, 7th February, 2007
kidbillyTHE DRAWING I’d chosen for the title page of Walks Around Horbury, of a tree-fringed path, is too similar to the one that I’ve now done for the cover. The goats that I saw near Storrs Hill would make a surprising alternative; an example of the unexpected sights that you might come across on a walk on the network of paths around the town.

I wanted to show the white kid and the grey billy-goat but the kid doesn’t work well in black and white line. In colour it stands out against the grassy slope but in line it’s indistinct; just white on grey.

Instead I’ve gone for the striking head of the billy; his horns curve up between the letters of the title above him.

Unfortunately the author’s name has to go right beneath him so, as he and I are bearded, I can imagine the comments that I’m going to get.