This course is for experienced Children’s Book Illustration learners who wish to put together a portfolio of their illustration work for applications to City Lit Advanced courses, higher education, or agents and publishers. Some learners may also wish to create a ‘dummy’ picture book.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
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
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.
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.
Robyn is an illustrator and author of picture books. She mostly work with dip pen, ink, paint and pencil, always carry a sketchbook and adore detail, texture, and expressive eyebrows. Robyn studied children’s book illustration at Cambridge School of Art and graduated with an MA(distinction). As well as creating her own stories she has illustrated books for Joseph Coelho and Anne Booth. Before being trained as an illustrator Robyn designed sets, costumes and puppets for theatre for a decade, having gained an MA in theatre design from Wimbledon School of Art. Her books have been selected as a Bologna Exhibition Finalist, The Sunday Times children’s book of the week and among The Guardian’s best books of the summer. They have also been long listed for the UKLA book awards and the Spark book awards and selected to be part of the Empathy Lab ‘read for empathy’ list. I was shortlisted for the Batsford Prize and the Searle Award for Creativity. Alongside my teaching for City Lit, Robyn teaches on the Open University BA Illustration course, Falmouth's MA Illustration, a postgrad short course in creativity for Cambridge University and Adult Ed life drawing classes in Cambridge.
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/children-s-book-illustration-portfolio-preparation304742Children's book illustration: portfolio preparationhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/v/z/vz524_cbi_portfolio_prep.jpg549549GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Art & design/Courses/Art & design/Graphic design & illustration/Courses/Art & design/Graphic design & illustration/Children's book illustration22851132116317251228511321163<p>This course is for experienced Children’s Book Illustration learners who wish to put together a portfolio of their illustration work for applications to City Lit Advanced courses, higher education, or agents and publishers. Some learners may also wish to create a ‘dummy’ picture book. </p>152594466Children's book illustration: portfolio preparation549549https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/v/z/vz524_cbi_portfolio_prep_3.jpgInStockDaytimeFriKeeley StreetAvailable courses5-10 weeksWeekday2026-06-05T00:00:00+00:00Some experienceJun 2026Art & designVZ524549549Children's book illustration: portfolio preparation439357549Dee Shulman, Robyn Wilson-Owenchildren-s-book-illustration-portfolio-preparation/vz524-2526<p>This course is for experienced Children’s Book Illustration learners who wish to put together a portfolio of their illustration work for applications to City Lit Advanced courses, higher education, or agents and publishers. Some learners may also wish to create a ‘dummy’ picture book. </p>0000-Available|2026-06-05 00:00:00<p>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.</p><p><br/>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.</p><p>This course is for experienced Children’s Book Illustration learners who wish to put together a portfolio of their illustration work for applications to City Lit Advanced courses, higher education, or agents and publishers. Some learners may also wish to create a ‘dummy’ picture book. </p><ul><li>Create a portfolio showcasing your illustration work</li><li>Explore and develop ideas in response to a brief</li><li>Develop your drawing, characterisation, and layout-design skills</li><li>Explore different methods of sequential story telling</li><li>Explore and develop page layouts using text and image</li></ul>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.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.<br/><br/>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.Emphasis will be on individual tuition and achievement of personal objectives discussed with the course tutor. In addition, there will be: <br/><br/>- Presentations <br/>- Demonstrations <br/>- Practical work <br/>- Group discussion <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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).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. <br/> <br/>Need art supplies? Our partner London Graphic Centre has everything you need from pencils to printing services, at 15% off. <br/> <br/>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/.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.Graphic design & illustrationChildren's book illustrationvirtual439549357VZ524NONEFri05/06/26 - 10/07/2610:00 - 17:0010:0017:006 sessions (over 6 weeks)65-10 weeksDaytimeWeekdayKSKeeley StreetDee Shulman, Robyn Wilson-OwenSome experienceAvailable courses2026-06-05T00:00:00+00:00Jun 2026Art & design549549Children's book illustration: portfolio preparationchildren-s-book-illustration-portfolio-preparation/vz524-2526<p>This course is for experienced Children’s Book Illustration learners who wish to put together a portfolio of their illustration work for applications to City Lit Advanced courses, higher education, or agents and publishers. Some learners may also wish to create a ‘dummy’ picture book. </p>0000-Available|2026-06-05 00:00:00<p>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.</p><p><br/>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.</p><p>This course is for experienced Children’s Book Illustration learners who wish to put together a portfolio of their illustration work for applications to City Lit Advanced courses, higher education, or agents and publishers. Some learners may also wish to create a ‘dummy’ picture book. </p><ul><li>Create a portfolio showcasing your illustration work</li><li>Explore and develop ideas in response to a brief</li><li>Develop your drawing, characterisation, and layout-design skills</li><li>Explore different methods of sequential story telling</li><li>Explore and develop page layouts using text and image</li></ul>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.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.<br/><br/>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.Emphasis will be on individual tuition and achievement of personal objectives discussed with the course tutor. In addition, there will be: <br/><br/>- Presentations <br/>- Demonstrations <br/>- Practical work <br/>- Group discussion <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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).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. <br/> <br/>Need art supplies? Our partner London Graphic Centre has everything you need from pencils to printing services, at 15% off. <br/> <br/>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/.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.Graphic design & illustrationChildren's book illustrationconfigurable
17251163Children's book illustrationhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/art-and-design/visual-communication/children-s-book-illustration1/2/285/1132/1163/17251/Courses/Art & design/Graphic design & illustration/Children's book illustration
