So You Want to be an Author/Illustrator? Online Course 2020
With Courtney Pippin-Mathur and Kelly Light
June 4 - July 30, 2020
- $699.00 – Program Price
Online Course Info:
This is an eight-week online, hands-on workshop featuring:
- LIVE sessions with faculty for lessons and assignment check-ins
- Pre-recorded lectures and learning materials
- Structured practice, creative, and revision assignments to move you toward a finished picture book dummy (mock-up)
- Peer critique
- A faculty critique of your finished picture book dummy if you turn it in after the course
Online Workshop Participant Cap:
18.
Join Us Online To:
Explore the possibilities of moving from Illustrator to Author/Illustrator, or becoming an Author/Illustrator. Learn how to find ideas and move from sketch to story ideas. Explore narrative drawing, pagination, thumbnail sketches and dummy (mock-up) creation.
This course is divided into 8 sessions:
Scroll down to see a detailed agenda.
- Session 1: Meeting, Sketching and Sharing
- Session 2: How to Turn an Idea Into a Story
- Session 3: What Makes a Picture Book?
- Session 4: Polishing the Story
- Session 5: How to Make a Dummy
- Session 6: Teacher Feedback on Revisions and Plans for Dummy
- Session 7: Dummy Submissions
- Session 8: Dummy Reviews
Please note: our online courses use the Thinkific platform, so when you click to register, you’ll land on the Thinkific site and you’ll register there.
What You’ll Learn & Experience
During this workshop you will:
- Find out how to get ideas and keep them flowing.
- Use story sketches to spark ideas.
- Examine the elements of a picture book.
- Discover how to leave room for the illustrator–even if you are the illustrator.
- How to paginate your story and use thumbnail sketches to create a dummy.
- Move toward a finished picture book dummy (mock-up). With focus, participants should be able to complete/revise a working dummy in its entirety to submit for faculty critique after the course.
Attend If:
- You’re an illustrator and you would like to try to create both the text and illustrations for a picture book. This course aims to help you with both ways of storytelling!
- You’re a beginner who knows you’d like to both illustrate and write your picture books.
- You’re ready to devote some time to learn and practice. This course offers long-term support over 8 weeks and allows you to learn at your own pace.
Agenda
This course is divided into 8 sessions:
Week 1: Meeting, Sketching and Sharing
LIVE Zoom session: Course Overview, Introductions, “Let’s Draw” Presentation.
Assignments: Character sketches (free and prompt based)
Discussion, Sharing of Sketches and Poll
Week 2: How to Turn an Idea Into a Story
Pre-recorded video: How to Find the Story
LIVE Zoom session: After watching the video, we’ll meet and discuss favorite character sketches and brainstorm ideas.
Assignments: emotion drawings, elevator pitches and where is the universal love connection?
Week 3: What Makes a Picture Book?
Pre-recorded video: What is the Story? Plot, character development and emotion in 32 pages and under 500 words.
Assignment: first draft of the story
Share first draft of the story text with faculty
Week 4: Polishing the Story
Pre recorded Presentation: Page Turns and Plot.
LIVE Zoom call with faculty and peers to read aloud stories
Assignments: Paginate your story, create thumbnails/storyboard, create one full color piece.
Week 4 special guest: author/illustrator Kelly Light!
Week 5: How to Make a Dummy
“How to Make a Dummy” resources
Assignment: complete your first dummy
Discussion board: open for questions and to share
Week 6: Teacher Feedback on Revisions and Plans for Dummy
LIVE Zoom calls to discuss questions and progress
Week 7: Dummy Submissions
Finish your dummy and submit it!
Week 8: Dummy Reviews
Pre-recorded video: Revision–the Best of Times, the Worst of Times
Peer dummy review & discussion
LIVE Zoom call to celebrate! Q&A with faculty.
After the course:
Optional (and encouraged): submit revised dummies to faculty for critique and feedback.
Resources
Crafting a Picture Book Dummy
How to Write a Picture Book (When You’re An Illustrator)
Breaking Through Those Creative Blocks
Illustrator Inspiration from Shadra Strickland & Kelly Light (video)
About the Leader
Categories : Expanding Careers or Genres, Idea, Illustration Craft, Just Getting Started, Online, Picture Books, Pre-Published Author or Illustrator, Revising, Writing Craft