Interested in a career in Children’s Book Illustration, or advancing your practice to the next level? With the guidance and support of your tutors, you will have the opportunity to engage with experienced industry professionals, and develop your practice and personal visual vocabulary to a professional standard.Visitors on previous years have included:
Davinia Andrew-Lynch, Curtis Browne AgencyHelen Chapman, Art director Pengui...
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SKU
243209
Full fee£3,249.00Senior fee£2,599.00Concession£2,274.00
This is an advanced course designed to provide you with all the tools necessary to take the next steps in your journey as a Children’s Book Illustrator. Taught by dedicated professionals in the field, you will further build and tailor your portfolio and develop your own practice. With the support of your tutors, and within the broad guidelines of each module you’ll propose and develop a series of Children’s Book projects. You’ll share and discuss your work with other students in group critiques and participate in seminars.
What will we cover?
Character development
Research strategies
Colour integration and palettes
Layouts, design and text
Visual narrative
The process from manuscript to publication
Who’s who in the industry
Publicity and self-promotion
Professional practice
Recognising, presenting and celebrating students' achievements is an important part of our advanced courses. There will be an opportunity to exhibit your work during or at the end of this course, either within the college or at an external venue.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Develop consistent and durable characters
Integrate narrative with palette
Design thumbnails, spreads and dummies
Understand the industry hierarchies and entry points
Understand the process of children’s book publishing
Present your work to industry professionals
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
As this is a professional practice course, entry will be by portfolio submission.
Ideally your application will contain examples of:
Ideas - for characters, story, scenes or visual sequences
Image making - character drawing and development, colour exploration, variety of media
Presentation - final artwork that is arresting, well designed & consistent
Project Development - indication of staged research, development and final artwork
Evaluation - of own practice ie strengths, weaknesses and areas to develop
You will also need to have sufficient literacy, numeracy and ICT skills to include:
reading: ability to use different texts to obtain and summarise information; detect opinion, meaning and respond to points made within a text.
writing: use different styles, format and structure, formal and informal for different purposes or audiences; write confidently for your audience, with few errors.
speaking/listening: ability to listen to information and respond appropriately; present information clearly and adapt verbal contributions to suit the audience and situation, including discussions.
numeracy/maths: extract, interpret and create information from lists
ICT (information and communication technology): use basic ICT systems.
Self-reflection is an important part of art education and practice. You will be encouraged and expected to evaluate and review your own learning, ways of working and progress. As a student on an advanced course, you should also be prepared to engage with concepts, debates and methods that may differ from those with which you are familiar.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Teaching methods include talks, presentations, visits from industry professionals, demonstrations, discussions, group work, Q&A. Outside of class, home study is essential to successfully complete this course. As an additional (and optional) extra, we advise members of the group to visit the annual Bologna Children's Book Fair which takes place every spring (dates TBC). This would be at the expense of the individual student, although at least one member of the tutor team would attend. It would present an opportunity to engage with industry representatives from across the world, but non-attendance would not in any way affect assessment or the outcome of the course for any learner who was not able to travel.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Basic materials and Adobe CC software are provided onsite. Your tutors will advise you on the best choice of materials during the course. It is advisable to bring a USB drive if you don’t have cloud storage.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Suitable progression routes from this course may include other advanced City Lit courses, which your tutor will advise, as suits your individual interests and practice. As this is a professional practice course, however, the expectation is that your focus will be on professional/commercial practice in the industry.
General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 10:00 – 17:30. For general advice you can contact advice@citylit.ac.uk, or visualarts@citylit.ac.uk for course specific questions.
Dee studied English at York University, and Illustration at Harrow School of Art, and has worked as a writer and illustrator ever since – from book-jackets, theatre posters, magazine illustration, graphic novels, to Young Adult and children’s books. She has written and/or illustrated over 50 books ranging from board books to Young Adult. She is published in the UK by Penguin, Random House, Harper Collins, OUP, Barrington Stoke, Heinemann & A & C Black, with co-editions in Germany, Russia, China, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Serbia, Poland, France, Finland, Italy, Holland, Korea, USA, and Japan. Dee has exhibited at the Illustration Cupboard London; Royal National Theatre; Barbican Centre; AOI Gallery; Lyric Theatre Hammersmith; Arnolfini; Ulster Museum; Nottingham Museum; Stirling Gallery; Rochdale Gallery; McRoberts Gallery; and Citylit Gallery. Dee loves tutoring at Citylit, and runs courses on Children’s Book Illustration, Drawing for Graphic Novel and Illustration. It is her mission to create a warm, supportive and creative workplace to help students explore and develop their skills, imagination and potential.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/advanced-children-s-book-illustration-professional-practice241681Advanced children's book illustration: professional practicehttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/a/d/advanced-childrens-book-illustration-professional-practice-1024.jpg32493249GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Art & design/Courses/Art & design/Advanced art & design/Courses/Art & design/Advanced art & design/Advanced media & communications/Courses/vm/Visual Arts Long Courses/Courses/Courses to boost your career/Art & design/Courses/Courses to boost your career2285113211701171207313493134901228511321170165313490<p>Interested in a career in Children’s Book Illustration, or advancing your practice to the next level? With the guidance and support of your tutors, you will have the opportunity to engage with experienced industry professionals, and develop your practice and personal visual vocabulary to a professional standard.<br/><br/>Visitors on previous years have included:</p><ul><li>Davinia Andrew-Lynch, Curtis Browne Agency</li><li>Helen Chapman, Art director Penguin Random House, Bloomsbury, Little Tiger Press, DK & Penguin</li><li>Rebecca Garrill Art Director Andersen Press</li><li>Margaret Hope, art director MacMillan Books</li><li>Anne McNeill, Editorial director Random House and Penguin books</li><li>Rachel Petty, former editorial director Macmillan Children's Books, currently author/illustrator agent at the Blair Partnership</li><li>Arabella Stein, Managing Director, Bright Agency</li><li>Millie Van Grutten RCW Literary Agency</li></ul>153002275Advanced children's book illustration: professional practice32493249https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/a/d/advanced-childrens-book-illustration-professional-practice-1024_6.jpgInStockDaytimeTueKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-10-06T00:00:00+00:00AdvancedOct 2026Art & designVK59932493249Advanced children's book illustration: professional practice259922743249Dee Shulmanadvanced-children-s-book-illustration-professional-practice/vk599-2627<p>Interested in a career in Children’s Book Illustration, or advancing your practice to the next level? With the guidance and support of your tutors, you will have the opportunity to engage with experienced industry professionals, and develop your practice and personal visual vocabulary to a professional standard.<br/><br/>Visitors on previous years have included:</p><ul><li>Davinia Andrew-Lynch, Curtis Browne Agency</li><li>Helen Chapman, Art director Penguin Random House, Bloomsbury, Little Tiger Press, DK & Penguin</li><li>Rebecca Garrill Art Director Andersen Press</li><li>Margaret Hope, art director MacMillan Books</li><li>Anne McNeill, Editorial director Random House and Penguin books</li><li>Rachel Petty, former editorial director Macmillan Children's Books, currently author/illustrator agent at the Blair Partnership</li><li>Arabella Stein, Managing Director, Bright Agency</li><li>Millie Van Grutten RCW Literary Agency</li></ul>0000-Available|2026-10-06 00:00:00This is an advanced course designed to provide you with all the tools necessary to take the next steps in your journey as a Children’s Book Illustrator. Taught by dedicated professionals in the field, you will further build and tailor your portfolio and develop your own practice. With the support of your tutors, and within the broad guidelines of each module you’ll propose and develop a series of Children’s Book projects. You’ll share and discuss your work with other students in group critiques and participate in seminars.<p>Interested in a career in Children’s Book Illustration, or advancing your practice to the next level? With the guidance and support of your tutors, you will have the opportunity to engage with experienced industry professionals, and develop your practice and personal visual vocabulary to a professional standard.<br/><br/>Visitors on previous years have included:</p><ul><li>Davinia Andrew-Lynch, Curtis Browne Agency</li><li>Helen Chapman, Art director Penguin Random House, Bloomsbury, Little Tiger Press, DK & Penguin</li><li>Rebecca Garrill Art Director Andersen Press</li><li>Margaret Hope, art director MacMillan Books</li><li>Anne McNeill, Editorial director Random House and Penguin books</li><li>Rachel Petty, former editorial director Macmillan Children's Books, currently author/illustrator agent at the Blair Partnership</li><li>Arabella Stein, Managing Director, Bright Agency</li><li>Millie Van Grutten RCW Literary Agency</li></ul><ul><li>Character development</li><li>Research strategies</li><li>Colour integration and palettes</li><li>Layouts, design and text</li><li>Visual narrative</li><li>The process from manuscript to publication</li><li>Who’s who in the industry</li><li>Publicity and self-promotion</li><li>Professional practice</li></ul><p><br/>Recognising, presenting and celebrating students' achievements is an important part of our advanced courses. There will be an opportunity to exhibit your work during or at the end of this course, either within the college or at an external venue.</p><ul><li>Develop consistent and durable characters</li><li>Integrate narrative with palette</li><li>Design thumbnails, spreads and dummies</li><li>Understand the industry hierarchies and entry points</li><li>Understand the process of children’s book publishing</li><li>Present your work to industry professionals</li></ul><ul><li>As this is a professional practice course, entry will be by portfolio submission.</li><li>Ideally your application will contain examples of:</li><li>Ideas - for characters, story, scenes or visual sequences</li><li>Image making - character drawing and development, colour exploration, variety of media</li><li>Presentation - final artwork that is arresting, well designed & consistent</li><li>Project Development - indication of staged research, development and final artwork</li><li>Evaluation - of own practice ie strengths, weaknesses and areas to develop</li></ul><p><br/>You will also need to have sufficient literacy, numeracy and ICT skills to include:</p><ul><li>reading: ability to use different texts to obtain and summarise information; detect opinion, meaning and respond to points made within a text.</li><li>writing: use different styles, format and structure, formal and informal for different purposes or audiences; write confidently for your audience, with few errors.</li><li>speaking/listening: ability to listen to information and respond appropriately; present information clearly and adapt verbal contributions to suit the audience and situation, including discussions.</li><li>numeracy/maths: extract, interpret and create information from lists</li><li>ICT (information and communication technology): use basic ICT systems.</li></ul><p><br/>Self-reflection is an important part of art education and practice. You will be encouraged and expected to evaluate and review your own learning, ways of working and progress. As a student on an advanced course, you should also be prepared to engage with concepts, debates and methods that may differ from those with which you are familiar.</p>Teaching methods include talks, presentations, visits from industry professionals, demonstrations, discussions, group work, Q&A. Outside of class, home study is essential to successfully complete this course.<br/>As an additional (and optional) extra, we advise members of the group to visit the annual Bologna Children's Book Fair which takes place every spring (dates TBC). This would be at the expense of the individual student, although at least one member of the tutor team would attend. It would present an opportunity to engage with industry representatives from across the world, but non-attendance would not in any way affect assessment or the outcome of the course for any learner who was not able to travel.Basic materials and Adobe CC software are provided onsite. Your tutors will advise you on the best choice of materials during the course. It is advisable to bring a USB drive if you don’t have cloud storage.<p>Suitable progression routes from this course may include other advanced City Lit courses, which your tutor will advise, as suits your individual interests and practice. As this is a professional practice course, however, the expectation is that your focus will be on professional/commercial practice in the industry.</p><p>General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 10:00 – 17:30. For general advice you can contact advice@citylit.ac.uk, or visualarts@citylit.ac.uk for course specific questions.</p>Advanced art & designAdvanced media & communicationsvirtual259932492274VK599ASSXTue06/10/26 - 22/06/2710:00 - 17:0010:0017:0030 sessions (over 38 weeks)3011 weeks or longerWeekdayKSKeeley StreetDee ShulmanAdvancedAvailable courses2026-10-06T00:00:00+00:00DaytimeOct 2026Art & design32493249Advanced children's book illustration: professional practiceadvanced-children-s-book-illustration-professional-practice/vk599-2627<p>Interested in a career in Children’s Book Illustration, or advancing your practice to the next level? With the guidance and support of your tutors, you will have the opportunity to engage with experienced industry professionals, and develop your practice and personal visual vocabulary to a professional standard.<br/><br/>Visitors on previous years have included:</p><ul><li>Davinia Andrew-Lynch, Curtis Browne Agency</li><li>Helen Chapman, Art director Penguin Random House, Bloomsbury, Little Tiger Press, DK &amp; Penguin</li><li>Rebecca Garrill Art Director Andersen Press</li><li>Margaret Hope, art director MacMillan Books</li><li>Anne McNeill, Editorial director Random House and Penguin books</li><li>Rachel Petty, former editorial director Macmillan Children's Books, currently author/illustrator agent at the Blair Partnership</li><li>Arabella Stein, Managing Director, Bright Agency</li><li>Millie Van Grutten RCW Literary Agency</li></ul>0000-Available|2026-10-06 00:00:00This is an advanced course designed to provide you with all the tools necessary to take the next steps in your journey as a Children’s Book Illustrator. Taught by dedicated professionals in the field, you will further build and tailor your portfolio and develop your own practice. With the support of your tutors, and within the broad guidelines of each module you’ll propose and develop a series of Children’s Book projects. You’ll share and discuss your work with other students in group critiques and participate in seminars.<p>Interested in a career in Children’s Book Illustration, or advancing your practice to the next level? With the guidance and support of your tutors, you will have the opportunity to engage with experienced industry professionals, and develop your practice and personal visual vocabulary to a professional standard.<br/><br/>Visitors on previous years have included:</p><ul><li>Davinia Andrew-Lynch, Curtis Browne Agency</li><li>Helen Chapman, Art director Penguin Random House, Bloomsbury, Little Tiger Press, DK &amp; Penguin</li><li>Rebecca Garrill Art Director Andersen Press</li><li>Margaret Hope, art director MacMillan Books</li><li>Anne McNeill, Editorial director Random House and Penguin books</li><li>Rachel Petty, former editorial director Macmillan Children's Books, currently author/illustrator agent at the Blair Partnership</li><li>Arabella Stein, Managing Director, Bright Agency</li><li>Millie Van Grutten RCW Literary Agency</li></ul><ul><li>Character development</li><li>Research strategies</li><li>Colour integration and palettes</li><li>Layouts, design and text</li><li>Visual narrative</li><li>The process from manuscript to publication</li><li>Who’s who in the industry</li><li>Publicity and self-promotion</li><li>Professional practice</li></ul><p><br/>Recognising, presenting and celebrating students' achievements is an important part of our advanced courses. There will be an opportunity to exhibit your work during or at the end of this course, either within the college or at an external venue.</p><ul><li>Develop consistent and durable characters</li><li>Integrate narrative with palette</li><li>Design thumbnails, spreads and dummies</li><li>Understand the industry hierarchies and entry points</li><li>Understand the process of children’s book publishing</li><li>Present your work to industry professionals</li></ul><ul><li>As this is a professional practice course, entry will be by portfolio submission.</li><li>Ideally your application will contain examples of:</li><li>Ideas - for characters, story, scenes or visual sequences</li><li>Image making - character drawing and development, colour exploration, variety of media</li><li>Presentation - final artwork that is arresting, well designed &amp; consistent</li><li>Project Development - indication of staged research, development and final artwork</li><li>Evaluation - of own practice ie strengths, weaknesses and areas to develop</li></ul><p><br/>You will also need to have sufficient literacy, numeracy and ICT skills to include:</p><ul><li>reading: ability to use different texts to obtain and summarise information; detect opinion, meaning and respond to points made within a text.</li><li>writing: use different styles, format and structure, formal and informal for different purposes or audiences; write confidently for your audience, with few errors.</li><li>speaking/listening: ability to listen to information and respond appropriately; present information clearly and adapt verbal contributions to suit the audience and situation, including discussions.</li><li>numeracy/maths: extract, interpret and create information from lists</li><li>ICT (information and communication technology): use basic ICT systems.</li></ul><p><br/>Self-reflection is an important part of art education and practice. You will be encouraged and expected to evaluate and review your own learning, ways of working and progress. As a student on an advanced course, you should also be prepared to engage with concepts, debates and methods that may differ from those with which you are familiar.</p>Teaching methods include talks, presentations, visits from industry professionals, demonstrations, discussions, group work, Q&amp;A. Outside of class, home study is essential to successfully complete this course.<br/>As an additional (and optional) extra, we advise members of the group to visit the annual Bologna Children's Book Fair which takes place every spring (dates TBC). This would be at the expense of the individual student, although at least one member of the tutor team would attend. It would present an opportunity to engage with industry representatives from across the world, but non-attendance would not in any way affect assessment or the outcome of the course for any learner who was not able to travel.Basic materials and Adobe CC software are provided onsite. Your tutors will advise you on the best choice of materials during the course. It is advisable to bring a USB drive if you don’t have cloud storage.<p>Suitable progression routes from this course may include other advanced City Lit courses, which your tutor will advise, as suits your individual interests and practice. As this is a professional practice course, however, the expectation is that your focus will be on professional/commercial practice in the industry.</p><p>General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 10:00 – 17:30. For general advice you can contact advice@citylit.ac.uk, or visualarts@citylit.ac.uk for course specific questions.</p>Advanced art & designAdvanced media & communicationsconfigurable
11711170Advanced media & communicationshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/art-and-design/advanced-practice/media-and-communications1/2/285/1132/1170/11711/Courses/Art & design/Advanced art & design/Advanced media & communications
