Children's book illustration: portfolio projects and preparation
This course has now started
Course Code: VK524
Duration: 6 sessions (over 7 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
You will continue to develop your own style while exploring character design, story ideas, themes, research strategies and page layout in response to the given brief.
What will we cover?
Over the course, you will have the opportunity to develop your work using a variety of media, depending on your choice and advise from you tutor.
You will examine different approaches and styles of illustration, develop research and reference material and explore the relationship between illustration and text. The workshops will cover character development and expression, page design and layout, relationship of illustration to text, and target age ranges.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• explore and develop character design
• explore and develop ideas in response to a given brief
• explore different methods of sequential story telling
• develop page layouts using text and image
• prepare a picture book dummy and manuscript.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is a development course, which is a progression and aimed at those who have completed Children’s book illustration for beginners.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, as appropriate to a course delivered online, and will be invited to take part in group discussion. You should be able to use numbers and be able to do simple measurements and calculations.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Emphasis on the course will be on individual tuition and development towards outcomes discussed with the course tutor. You will be encouraged to contribute ideas to group discussion and share your work with the group.
You will examine different approaches and styles of illustration, develop your own ideas and characters, create illustrations and evaluate the success of these. Homework will include research and image development.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
As this course is delivered online, you will need to provide your own materials. As a minimum, you will require an A4 or A3 sketchbook, pencils in a range of grades, an eraser and sharpener. Beyond this, the choice is yours, but we would recommend some of the following: pen and ink, watercolour, crayon, charcoal, pastel. Your tutor will be able to advise, as the course progresses.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
for further details on our full range of progression options and courses please visit our website.
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.