Why a children’s book course? For one thing, sales of children’s books are booming. Revenue from children’s books sales ballooned to $1.7 billion in 2015, according to the Association of American Publishers. Even in this digital age, consumers want the high-touch experience of an actual book. Art directors are on the lookout for artists!
We know that artists love illustrating children’s books. Why? Because it’s magical to sink into a project for months, creating their own signature characters and imaginary world. There was also a growing demand from students who loved the week on Children’s Books in MATS A.
Zoe and I have each enjoyed great success in this area and were excited to develop a course together. Both of us regularly work with artists and we they understand how to get the best out of creative people. Together we will give you everything you need to you get work in this lucrative and creatively rich area, branding yourself in your own style.
Lilla says, “We wanted to teach a children’s book course because picture books texts are so rich emotionally and visually, plus they embrace a multitude of artists’ styles, from witty to painterly to graphic.”
As agent and art director, we know what art directors want! I’ve has assigned tons of children’s book commissions with top international publishers, and Zoe has worked with top artists to create best-selling books. So we know exactly what art directors look for.
We have created a course that will teach you everything that art directors seek from a children’s book illustrator.
Here’s what you absolutely must include in your pitch. You must prove to the art director that you can:
- Draw compelling (and consistent!) characters in your style
- Show characters in action
- Use accessories, colors, and props to help tell the story
- Design a world that enhances the reader’s experience
- Illustrate characters’ emotions in fresh ways
- Understand the role of pacing to engage the reader to turn the page
- Use hand-lettering as a key part of the visual appeal of the book
- Use color to enrich the emotional experience
Our online course, Illustrating Children’s Books will give you ALL of these tools and skills, as well as showing you how to pitch your work to art directors to land that dream illustration gig. It’s all here for you, ready to help you launch or supercharge your career as a children’s book illustrator.
Not only will you learn how to create a fantastic children’s book pitch, but you’ll have learn a ton about the process itself so when you land your children’s book gig, you will have the tools to actually do a great job!
A few of the many children’s books we’ve assigned our artists at Lilla Rogers Studio. Clockwise from top left: Flora Waycott, Sarah Walsh, Mike Lowery, Mike Lowery, Sarah Walsh, Daniel Roode.
Join me this Friday for a special Facebook Live! I will be on the main Make Art That Sells Facebook page here at 12 noon Boston time (EDT). There will also be a ‘Text Chooser’ downloadable pdf in the newsletter on Friday and on the MATS blog, so be sure to download that before you join me for the discussion.
Hurry! This course is strictly limited and filling up fast. More than two-thirds of the available spots are already taken!. REGISTER HERE
