Courses & Workshops

Children's Book Illustration Advanced - Outline

This second course is aimed both at anyone who has attended my first course and wishes to develop their skills to a higher level, as well as competent 'drawers' interested in children's picture books. As the working partnership of text and image is such an important aspect of picture books, I aim to promote awareness of this through a series of exercises where you will be encouraging to really explore your imagination through drawing. Although illustrators must always remember their responsibility to provide a sensitive response to any given text, it must not be forgotten that there is always more than one way to do this. I will encourage you to explore these possibilities freely. You will be introduced to medias and processes which you may not be familiar with, as well as discovering how less conventional book formats work by designing a circular/spherical book in class. Your confidence in character creation will be reinforced by making one or more in 3D. You will become well aquatinted with your character(s) through drawing exercises, in preparation for illustrating short narrative sequences, designed to tackle some perspective and foreshortening challenges. By the end of this course, I would expect you to have the confidence to continue to develop your skills independently, moving towards gathering ideas in readiness to creating a book of your own.

See course dates.

  

 

Children's Book Illustration Advanced - Materials List

You will need these materials for most sessions:

  • A4 sketching or computer printer paper
  • A3 cartridge pad
  • Pencils
  • Black pen
  • Craft knife
  • Scissors
  • Note book

Additionally, the following materials will be required for specific sessions:

  • Characterisation: pencils, pens and paper
  • Character Creation and Perspective Drawing: plasticine, pens, pencils and paper
  • Facial Expression: mirror, paper and pencils
  • Sequencing: pencils, pens and paper
  • Short Texts: coloured pencils, pens, paper and pencils
  • Atmosphere, Location, Scale and Characters: coloured pencils, pens, pencils and paper
  • Book of Different Shapes: coloured papers, card, scissors, compass, pencils, glue-stick, craft knife and magnets
  • Mixed Media: coloured inks, liquid watercolours
  • Shape Books: preferred medium plus coloured card, paper, scissors, craft knife and glue
  • Storyboarding: pencils, pens and preferred medium

Art materials are available at Central St Martins and other London art shops.