So You Want to be an Author/Illustrator? Online Course 2020

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)