Eric Hill's artistic career began when he joined a London art studio as a messenger at the age of 16. He drew cartoons in his spare time and especially enjoyed drawing aircrafts, which later influenced Spot's design. In 1978, Eric began making up bedtime stories for his two-year-old son and Spot was born! Where's Spot? was published in 1980 and pioneered the lift-the-flap concept. Spot became an instant celebrity.