Children's book illustration: portfolio preparation

What is the course about?

This course is for experienced Children’s Book Illustration learners who wish to assemble a portfolio, and/or dummy children’s book. Whilst developing their portfolios, learners will refine their drawing, characterisation, layout-design, and sequential narrative skills – including exploring the relationship between image and text.

Tutors will provide briefs and set research tasks to inspire characters, story ideas and themes, and help learners to expand their approach to illustration and use of media.

What will we cover?

• Create a portfolio showcasing your illustration work
• Explore and develop ideas in response to a brief
• Develop your drawing, characterisation, and layout-design skills
• Explore different methods of sequential story telling
• Explore and develop page layouts using text and image
• Prepare a picture book dummy and manuscript.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

By the end of the course, you will have researched, developed and realised a portfolio showcasing your illustration work, to facilitate your progression (in a direction you have identified). And/or created a dummy book, for the same purposes. As a part of this process, you will have refined your skills in Children’s Book Illustration.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is for experienced Children’s Book Illustration learners who wish to assemble a portfolio, and/or dummy children’s book. Learners need to have completed the City Lit Children’s Book Illustration Course or Developing Children’s Book Illustration course.

English-language competency is required: you should be able to follow verbal and written instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. You may need to take short written notes for your own use and take part in group discussions.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Emphasis will be on individual tuition and achievement of personal objectives discussed with the course tutor. In addition, there will be:

- Presentations
- Demonstrations
- Practical work
- Group discussion

Additional/extension activities may be set for you to complete at home or outside of the course hours. Completion of additional tasks is encouraged to help you get the most out of the course. Where required your tutor will discuss these with you.

This course is supported by Google Classroom as a Virtual Learning Environment. When you log on you will be able to access course material, presentations, and handouts etc. and may be asked to complete learner progress records. You can find help via the student help centre on the City Lit website.

Please note it is important that you sign up and log in to your course Google classroom prior to the first session. Joining detail will be sent to you via email (check your junk/spam folder).

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

At City Lit, access to basic materials and resources are available as part of this course. We advise you to bring a A5/A4 sketchbook for the recording of ideas and an A3 folder and/or a USB drive, to transport work to and from City Lit. Additional materials required as part of the course will be discussed by your tutor if required.

Need art supplies? Our partner London Graphic Centre has everything you need from pencils to printing services, at 15% off.

To get 15% LGC discount, you will need to show proof/ confirmation of enrolment and being a student at City Lit. You can apply in-store or by simply emailing info@londongraphics.co.uk with a scan or photo of relevant confirmation. Student discount does not apply to products that are already discounted or on offer. More information can be found here- https://www.londongraphics.co.uk/student-discounts/.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

We recommend looking at our Children’s Book Illustration Studio as a next step in your progression. In addition, we offer a range of courses and specialist workshops within graphic design, illustration, children’s book illustration and graphic novels.