Our raved-about, career-changing LIVE online course, Illustrating Children’s Books, starts in just a few weeks, on Monday, May 23rd (places are still available: book yours here)!
It’s an incredibly rigorous course that’s also playful and fun, which is why our students take it again and again. Your teachers, top art agent Lilla Rogers and renowned children’s book art director Zoë Tucker, will teach you everything you need to know about the wonderful world of children’s book illustration, in an accessible, step by step way that will break everything down and help you bring your A-game to every assignment: as Lilla always says, she tricks you into doing your very best work!
You’ll get daily drawing prompts, weekly LIVE reviews with your teachers, and weekly assignments that will build into a show-stopping professional pitch presentation that contains everything an art director or editor needs to see to give you a kids’ picture book gig, ready to send off.
Art by Make Art That Sells student Jacqui Langeland for Illustrating Children’s Books. In just five weeks, you’ll create a ready-to-send professional pitch presentation. Sign up now!
To help you prepare for this popular course, Lilla has created a series of FREE assignments that will stretch your creative muscles and get you into the zone – find the first one below.
Ready to dig in?
Here’s your first assignment …
For the next five weeks, we’re going to imagine that you have just been commissioned to illustrate a children’s picture book. Take a moment just to imagine how that feels … Perhaps the art director or editor has spotted art from Illustrating Children’s Books that you shared online (it happens – read a recent example here!), perhaps they’ve been a fan of your art for a while or perhaps you just sent over your finished pitch presentation, but either way you’ve opened up an email saying that they love your work, they have the perfect project for you and they’re desperate to work with you! How thrilling … Let’s get stuck in!
Let’s say that the art director has sent through the manuscript and it’s time to get to know your main character. Today we’re going to delve into exploring a character with a simple prompt. Don’t overthink it, just relax and have fun.
Today, you’re going to draw Lilla as a child.
Here’s art agent Lilla in Grade 4 or 5. Turns out she’s always had a thing for cat eye spectacles.
Your teacher, art agent Lilla, says: “Draw me in your own style. Check out those fabulous eye glasses, the ribbon in my hair, that gorgeous print on my dress. What do you think I’m looking at? What emotion am I projecting? Am I expansive and wild or thoughtful and observing? Think about my clothing and expression. Add a scene if you like. Play. Have fun.”
Lilla adds: “I’m thinking that you will draw me and perhaps add items around me that show where I live, what I’m all about, my story … Get to know me! Have fun, be quirky, be eccentric, be you. Indulge your intuition. Play pretend. Make up a story. Remember, all styles and all levels are welcome to join in. We are an open, supportive community here and encourage all levels of talent.”
When you’re done, share your art on social media and don’t forget to tag us with @makeartthatsells and use the tags #matsprep and #matskidbook so that Lilla can see what you do – we’ll be sharing some of her favorites.
Lilla’s Tip of the Day: “I want to remind you that talent is not finite. I promise you that you will absolutely get better at your art if you keep learning and making art. Your style will evolve, your drawing ability will improve, your color palettes will be richer and more beautiful, and your composition will flow more easily. As an agent (and an artist) I’ve seen this over and over. Talent, like a muscle, grows with use.”
Book your place on Illustrating Children’s Books here!
Lots of love
Lilla and the Make Art That Sells team xxx
P.S. Look out for Part 2 this Wednesday, May 11th – and don’t forget to share on social media so I can see!
