Art Courses

Illustrations

Drawing (Fundamental)

Drawing (Advance)

Watercolour

Instructor

Students' Comments

Location
Fee
Registration

Home

"The subject matter is the paint, and the paint speaks of human needs."
- Joan Snyder, painter

Illustrations for children Books, Advertising and Magazines

This course provides a hands-on experience on illustration skills and the business aspects of being a freelance illustrator. Interpretive and narrative illustrations will be introduced. Focus will be on children books. Also touched upon are illustrations for advertising, magazines and graphic designs. Each class will deal with a different issue about the profession and topics will be explored in a progressive manner. Students will be assigned a book or other editorial project at the beginning of the course. They will be walked through the production of this project during the course, and will be expected to complete the project (as a portfolio) by the end of the course. There will be in-class exercises, homework, and group critiques on all assignments.

Topics in the course:

Introduction: Overview on process, styles, techniques, and formats; "pains and gains" of a career in the industry of children's book, advertising and magazines.
Character Development: how to visualize personality and emotions; how to develop a unique or personal style.
Story: how to work with text; how to create images "inside" and "outside" the story.
Research: how to find visual references; how to build up details and make your characters sympathetic and settings authentic.
Composition: how to "freeze" frame; how to create "point of view" for the required moods and atmospheres.
Effects: how to use styles, colours, and special techniques to create certain effects; how to use materials, tools and computer to facilitate the process.
Editorial Format: how to proceed from "thumbnails" to "final" artwork; how to work with the technicalities of book design, reprography and printing.
Getting Published: how to self-promote; how to work with a publisher; how to negotiate a contract, royalties, and copyright.