We are so proud of our wonderful Make Art That Sells alumni and are pleased to showcase a series of gorgeous student work that was produced in our first session of Illustrating Children’s Books. Here is part 6 in the showcase series.
***
Attached you will find a copy of the image I used during the character poses week. This week was my favorite week! We had already spent some time developing our character, drawing their accessories and then drawing them with expressive facial emotions. The third week we worked hard on getting characters to show expression with their whole bodies. It was fun to use real humans as models for my farmer bunny from “The Enormous Turnip”. I had a lot of fun creating a whole page of poses for him. I really thought a lot about how he might move, what activities he may do, and especially playing with his ears! I moved him off the farm and sent him to yoga classes and baseball games. I decided I didn’t want an old grandpa bunny who would throw his back out dealing with the gigantic turnip! I wanted a modern hip grandpa bunny.
How did the ‘Illustrating Children’s Book’ class help you grow?
It was a blast! This whole course was so jam packed with materials. I will be using my notes and printouts and going back and creating more art for children’s books.
What did you discover about yourself?
I was able to get over my own fears a bit in this class and just have fun. As a first grade teacher, I am familiar with a lot of the books that are out there. It was great to be able to explore the books shared in the class. I had fun sharing my characters with my students, too.
How would you describe the course to a friend?
If a friend was interested in taking this class, I would tell them to set aside at least a couple hours each day and work really hard BUT have an awesome time exploring your imagination. It was so much fun to create this whole little family that went along with the text. Lilla and Zoe did a wonderful job of collecting so much information. I also LOVED the sketchbook daily prompts. Those were so helpful to keep me focused. Don’t forget you’ll have the support of a Facebook group to get feedback, support and even ideas. Thank you for my new favorite course!
See more work here: Website | Instagram | Facebook
***
The entire course was totally amazing! I chose to show my illustration from the cover.It was the 5th week of the course and it was amazing because i believe that the cover is the first thing we see when choosing a book , and it has to be well presented and stand out amongst all the other beautiful works out there.This particular assignment, which ended in designing our book cover was my favourite because we could demonstrate in one illustration everything we learned during these five weeks on the course, including composition, lettering, poses, emotions, presentation, mood. We went through a lot of exploration and at the end of the course we knew our character’s personality and posture very well.”
How did the ‘Illustrating Children’s Book’ class help you grow?
Very much indeed, first of all having worked on children’s book market for 8 years now, it gave me a different approach on the market. Made me realise my strong and weak points, and see which ones i need to work out on more. Also the emotional support Lilla and Zoe offered us during the course was astonishing! As artists we struggle with personal insecurities and they taught us how to put them aside, to enjoy the process, play and have fun. We produced a big amount of work that isn’t normally done under 5 weeks, and we did it! and it was super exciting!
What did you discover about yourself?
I learned that i love my work, i have a passion for art, and especially children’s books, and i will continue giving it my best, taking art lessons, practising, studying and becoming my better self, thus a better artist! As our beloved teacher Lilla always says ”BE YOU WITH A VENGEANCE!”
How would you describe the course to a friend?
I would definitely recommend anyone Lilla’s courses, not just this one, I am simply amazed by her good spirits, her love and passion for what she does. She is definitely the most kind hearted and efficient art teacher i’ve ever had!. And Zoe is such a sweet person! She is the art director everyone dreams of! She is kind, but also knows an amazing amount of things and her insights and guidance were things i will look back from time and time again. The best thing about the courses is the lovely pdf’s and videos, that even after the course has ended, you can go back and freshen up on your notes, study and take action on your personal projects! I will follow Lilla and Zoe and take part on as many courses as i can! A must try for sure, for every artist out there who wants to have an amazing lucrative portfolio and expand the job opportunities.
See more work here: Website
***
Caroline Bonne Muller | Cartita Design
I choose week 2, expressions. I learned so much that week, I had no idea what you all could tell in the positions of eyes, eyebrows and mouth and still having the same girl, even when I changed hairstyle!! It was an eye-opener!!
How did the ‘Illustrating Children’s Book’ class help you grow?
Every Mats course I take, gives me more confidence and more tools to work with!
What did you discover about yourself?
How much I enjoy to tell a little story in my drawings.
How would you describe the course to a friend?
Amazing!! Do it and experience yourself!
See more work here: Website | Instagram | Facebook
***
It was so fun to place characters from my story in different rooms of Ada Lovelace’s house. I chose to make Lilla and Zoe teachers for my character. Lilla always says “Give a lot”, so I tried to make this image full of exciting things to look at. When I was a child, I adored books where there were tons of things on every page.
How did the ‘Illustrating Children’s Book’ class help you grow?
This course helped me really concentrate on characters. By thinking about how to tell the story in the best way possible, Lilla and Zoe showed me how to craft more effective characters.
What did you discover about yourself?
I discovered that I CAN create an entire children’s book course if I break it down step by step. Everything seems easier when you’re only focusing on the next step.
How would you describe the course to a friend?
This course is a whirlwind of information about how to illustrate a children’s book. It will teach you everything you need to know. Lilla and Zoe break it down for you step by step. They hold your hand through the process and make it fun! If you want to really challenge yourself and move your work to the next level, you simply have to sign up.
See more work here: Website | Instagram | Facebook
***
The image I included was the full page spread assignment. I really enjoyed drawing the environment after spending so much time on the characters. I couldn’t wait to draw the jungle I kept seeing in my head as I worked on the characters, the poses, faces, and accessories. It also felt like the picture I made that told the best story, there was an action involved.
How did the ‘Illustrating Children’s Book’ class help you grow?
It’s strange but one of the biggest things I took from the class was keeping my color palette complex and using grays. There was so much amazing information about how to make a pitch, where and with who, but I have yet to capitalize on that.
What did you discover about yourself?
I discovered that I could demand time for my artwork. It was the most difficult part of the class for me, making time, and I did it.
How would you describe the course to a friend?
A smorgasbord of information and inspiration on children’s books, practical and business tips as well as art, style, and illustration tips.
See more work here: Website | Instagram
***
The emotions week was my favorite week because, for me, it was the most playful week! I had a lot of fun exploring different facial expressions and watching my character’s mood change with a subtle shift of the eyebrows, mouth or head tilt. My character grows up in the story so it was an additional challenge drawing particular ages and discovering what features might change or stay the same.
How did the ‘Illustrating Children’s Book’ class help you grow?
This class loosened me up and helped me let go of some of my restrained graphic design tendencies. The way the class is structured gave me room to explore working in different mediums and approaches. I feel more confident drawing people and feel like I understand what makes consistent, relatable characters.
What did you discover about yourself?
With Lilla’s mantra of “Be you with a vengeance” in the back of my head, I discovered how to tap into the silly, whimsical side that only my family and close friends normally see. It made me feel vulnerable at first but the joy (and constant chuckling to myself) that I experienced while drawing my characters was a huge revelation for me.
How would you describe the course to a friend?
Each assignment is jam-packed full of inspiration and challenges; at the end I was amazed at how much art I was able to make in just 5 weeks. Lilla and Zoe have awesome chemistry as they present the material, making it easy and fun to absorb. Being in a community with other students is invaluable—everyone is so generous and supportive!
See more work here: Website | Instagram
***
In five weeks, you’ll create a brilliant children’s book pitch to help you land your dream children’s book gig. You’ll get over 20 videos, weekly assignments, live weekly video reviews, interviews with publishers and illustrators and more. Co-taught by top art agent Lilla Rogers and highly-respected children’s book art director Zoe Tucker.
Spaces are limited! Don’t miss out. REGISTER HERE
