Children’s Book Illustration with Sandra Morris: Character Development

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Description

Join Sandra Morris for this full weekend course and learn techniques to create and develop your very own storybook characters.  Learn drawing techniques that will have your characters running, jumping and leaping right off the page. This is the first course is a series of three for Children's Book Illustration.

Course outline

• an introduction to picture books - where did it all start and what makes a successful book today
• interviewing your characters and creating a character map
• learning about ways to show expression
• looking at your characters, 360 degrees from front, side and back
• working with clay, turn your character into a 3D model
• learn about the process of illustrating, developing and producing a children's picture book

What should you bring?

Your lunch each day. We'll provide tea and coffee in the staff-room.

Come prepared with an idea for a character.  A story idea would be helpful but not crucial.

Materials: this course has a list of required art materials that we'll email to you when your enrolment is confirmed. If you are enrolling in the week before the course starts, you may wish to telephone the office to check requirements so that you can be prepared for the weekend. Phone 09 5219623.  

Example of type of materials:

• A3 blank pad
• drawing pencils and colour pencils
• eraser
• super sculpey (Beige - 454g)
• modelling tools
• wire cutters
• roll of tin foil

You will also need some modelling wire. Sandra will have a supply of this available on the day and you can buy a metre from her directly at $1 a metre.

All available from art supplies stores. Selwyn Community Education students are offered a 10% discount at Gordon Harris, Newmarket (ph 520 4466).

Who should attend?

Authors, teachers, art students, librarians, parents and grandparents. Suitable for those with basic drawing ability.

The Children's Book Illustration Series

1. Character Development - draw your character and create a 3D model
2. Storyboarding and Dummy Book - learn the process of illustration and laying out a picture book
3. Techniques - advanced techniques for illustrations

Each course builds upon the one before although it is not essential to have attended Character Development or Storyboarding/Dummy Book to attend the advanced illustration techniques course. 

Testimonials

The Character Development workshop was extremely useful in centering the focus on the main protagonist. Developing the role the character will play, its features and special identifiers assisted me tremendously in building the initial story idea into a more solidified start of a project.

From June 2015: Sandra's great. Excellent creative feedback and encouragement. Very generous with her knowledge. Course beyond expectations. Learnt more than I expected. Character modeling was amazing.

From June 2014: I loved the character interview.  Gave me a deeper insight and understanding of who my character is/could be. I absolutely LOVED the sculpey process.  I wouldn't mind doing a whole workshop on scupley and bake and paint/dress the character.  Thank you for helping me bring my character to life! Loved it! Adele V

The drawing techniques were fantastic as I couldn't really draw before.  The sculpting brought characters to life and makes drawing multi-dimensional.  Fabulous skills to have acquired! Sarah S

So much fun! Illustrating is not as hard as I thought it would be when it's broken down, and making a 3D model of my character was a blast! Amelia

The tutors were brilliant.  Everyone in the class, regardless of their initial artistic skill, created some amazing work by the end of the course.  The environment was very supportive and encouraging and I had a lot of fun. Sarah J

Prerequisites

Basic drawing ability