Imagine getting paid to dream up engaging characters that children (and adults) will love!
Look at all the markets! Books for all ages, gifts, toys, socks with a plant face! A coin purse! And look at all the different styles too: there’s room for everyone.
Learning how to create characters is fantastic for your art career
Here’s why:
- You can get tons of work. You can license your characters for children’s books and toys and games (plush toys, play sets, card and board games and so on) of course, but there are shedloads of things that you probably haven’t even thought of – clothing for kids and adults alike, cushions, bedlinens, teatowels and oven gloves, phone cases: basically anything you can decorate.
- It’a a great way to show an agent or art director that quirky, unique personality of yours. Whether you’re witty, dreamy, playful, nerdy or whatever else, the characters you dream up will reflect that.
- You can create characters no matter what level you’re at: it can be something as simple as a stick figure or putting eyes on a lamp. You’ll learn more in class.
Which brings us to … What is a character anyway? Essentially, a character is anything with a face: put eyes on a sock, a crayon, a car, a potato (extra eyes!) and you have a character. And of course some characters already have faces: horses, bunnies, people.
This is why characters are so important for getting work in so many markets, and why learning how to create characters (or learning how easy it can be to create characters) can give a huge boost to your creative career.
Art by Make Art That Sells student Jenny Miriam for My Toy Pitch. Jenny is now represented by Lilla Rogers after taking Make Art That Sells courses.
Drum roll … ! In our brand new course for 2022, Bootcamp Special: Character Play, you’ll learn to do exactly that! Just like our student-favorite, Assignment Bootcamp: Portfolio, you’ll get something every Monday for the duration of the course that will help you create one stunning portfolio piece every month for four months in a way that’s playful, enjoyable and motivating. Plus, you can snap it up now at a huge 25% off in our giant Cyber Sale, which starts Tuesday, November 23rd. Don’t miss it!
Meet your teachers!
Lilla has put together two fantastic teachers for this course. They’ve each been contributing some content to each others’ courses, and Lilla spotted their amazing energy together, and that so much of what they were each teaching was all about characters and how to create characters – and so a new course was born!
Zoë Tucker is a brilliant children’s book art director whose clients include Scholastic, Alison Green Books, Frances Lincoln, First Editions, Hachette UK, Harper Collins UK, DK, and Magic Light Productions. She’s also the author of several highly acclaimed children’s picture books, including Ada and the Number-Crunching Machine and Greta and the Giants, both of which she originally wrote for our Illustrating Children’s Books course, and others including Meet the Supremes and Meet the Beatles. And she also co-teaches Illustrating Children’s Books alongside art agent Lilla Rogers.
Zoë holds a copy of her first picture book, Ada and the Number-Crunching Machine, illustrated by Make Art That Sells student Rachel Katstaller, and which she originally wrote for Illustrating Children’s Books.
Riley Wilkinson is a creative director and creator of The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game, a smash hit preschool game that has sold more than two million units and has nearly 10,000 five star reviews on Amazon. He’s also an art agent with Lilla Rogers Studio, where he heads up the brand new Let’s Invent toy design department, and he co-teaches My Toy Pitch alongside Lilla.
Riley with the 10th birthday edition of his Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game, which has sold more than two million units and has nearly 10,000 five star reviews on Amazon.
In other words, not only will you learn how to create characters in Bootcamp Special: Character Play, but you’ll also get your unique creations directly in front of an art director and an art agent!
We caught up with Zoë and Riley to ask some questions about the brand new Bootcamp Special: Character Play.
Q: Why did you write this course?
A: Riley says: “Lilla asked us both what sort of course we’d LOVE to take. Zoe and I were like twins: THIS is the course we’d both take. Based on the wild popularity of Illustrating Children’s Books and My Toy Pitch, we took bits from each to give students a course that gives them a taste of two huge children’s markets. There’s no other course like it anywhere! Plus, Zoë is such an expert. I’ve taken her classes, and I’ve wanted to work with her for years. Now we get to spend four months together with all of you!”
Art by Make Art That Sells student Mackinzie Rekers for My Kid Book Pitch. What will your characters be like?
Zoë adds: “Yes! We wanted to show you how simple and enjoyable it can be to develop great characters, which are key for the toy and children’s book markets. And it gives us a chance to connect with our wonderful students again: they are the heart and soul of Make Art That Sells, and Riley and I (and Lilla) love any opportunity to meet with them!”
Q: What’s different about this course?
A: Zoë says: “In some ways it’s very familiar. The structure is very similar to everything you’ve come to know and love about Assignment Bootcamp: Portfolio: great content, broken down into bite size assignments that are fun and easy to engage with, lots of motivation and accountability, and tons of tips and ideas from Riley and me.”
Riley agrees: “Absolutely. Lilla, Zoë, and I wanted to give students what they’ve been asking for: MORE, MORE, MORE! The Bootcamp projects and deadlines are a proven formula that works: do more work and more opportunities show up!”
Zoë continues: “The whole course is focused around creating your own cool characters that will work in books, the toy market and lots of other products and markets. It gives you the all the basics you need to get started, and if you’re interested in learning more then you can dive into Illustrating Children’s Books or My Toy Pitch.”
Art by Make Art That Sells student Jacqui Langeland for My Toy Pitch. Imagine creating appealing, engaging characters like these – don’t miss this course!
Q: Why should someone take this course? Why do I need it?
A: Zoë says: “When I was younger, I never knew my job existed. I think a lot of people are like that. I didn’t quite understand what Riley did until a few weeks ago (don’t tell him!). I think students sometimes don’t know all the cool stuff they can do with their art, and in this new Bootcamp course we hope to show them another angle, something new and accessible to them as another revenue stream. Hopefully this course will inspire and excite students about the possibilities around them. And it should be a lot of fun too!”
Riley answers: “Feeling stuck or bored? Bootcamp is exactly the fix. Just like a personal trainer who tells you to do those push ups, Make Art That Sells Bootcamp keeps your creativity in shape and refreshed! As a creative director in the toy industry, I crave motivation and seek it out. As a former Make Art That Sells student, I took the courses to keep making art, and working alongside other artists helps you become a better artist. Plus the children’s market needs your art! You’ll get character and toy assignments that add variety and interest to your work.”
Co-teacher, toy creator and art agent Riley hard at work writing course content.
Q: Which part of the course are you most excited about?
A: Riley says: “The Zoë/Riley combo is such a creative JOLT! Every time I talk to her, I’ve got ten more project ideas. Plus it’s sort of a secret way for me to work with a children’s book expert! The two of us combined is exactly the kind of course I’d love to take.”
Zoë says: “Definitely! I’m so excited to be working with Riley. I feel like together we have lots to offer, and lots to learn.”
Art by Make Art That Sells student Erica Root, who is now represented by Lilla Rogers Studio after Lilla loved her art in class, for My Toy Pitch.
Riley adds: “Also, I can’t wait to see students fall in love with their own art style and become more of who they were meant to be as artists. It’ll be so much fun to see what students create each month. I’m not giving you any clues, but Zoë’s stories and my assignments are sure to bring out your best. I get so much out of seeing the work!”
Zoë agrees: “Yes! One of my favourite parts of Make Art That Sells is connecting with our students and seeing their work grow and develop, and seeing them get picked up by art directors and agents all over the world. I am constantly inspired by the work I see in the gallery, and the kindness and support we experience in the Facebook groups and on our live reviews.”
And that’s not all … ! You can also save a huge 25% off the brand new Bootcamp Special: Character Play course when you buy it during our huge Cyber Sale, which runs from NEXT TUESDAY, November 23rd through to Tuesday, November 30th – or save even more when you buy as part of a bundle!
Click here to download your very own copy of our gorgeous Sale Guide!
Today we’re giving you a little sneak peek at our gorgeous Sale Guide, which will guide you through everything that’s included in the sale, including 25% off all individual courses and some amazing bundles to boost your creative career. And it’s also full of stunning Make Art That Sells student art (maybe yours?), worksheets and more. Get your copy here now and start planning!
Lots of love
The Make Art That Sells team xxx
P.S. Get tailored career advice from art agent Lilla and win a FREE place on a Make Art That Sells course that’s perfect for you! Join Lilla in a FREE live Zoom event THIS MONDAY, November 22nd, at 12 noon ET/5 pm GMT. She’ll be talking you through her Dream Armadillo worksheet and the bundle chooser in the Sale Guide (make sure you download your copy here so you have them ready!), before doing career tarot for a lucky volunteer and giving them a FREE place on the Make Art That Sells course that she thinks will benefit them the most! Don’t miss it – set a reminder on your phone now!
