Children’s Book Illustration

This course offers an introduction to Children’s Book Illustration, exploring the relationship between concept, text and image. The class will give the students opportunity to select a text and practice illustrative techniques by choice. Exploring new approaches is part of the learning experience and the appropriate methods and materials will be discussed individually.

Students will:

• Develop conceptual skills as they relate to image making.
• Incorporate design components such as format, layout, and typography in the illustration process. It includes the ability to research for inspirational references, and practiced professionally based solutions.
• Develop a working familiarity with a variety of illustrative techniques and apply them to their illustration project.
• Employ basic awareness of professional ethics and practices.

INTRODUCTION AND SPECIFICS OF THE ILLUSTRATION ART

Serial Art form, Visual Narrative, Research, Collaboration, Production Process
Different types of illustrations – Book Illustration, Children’s Book Illustration, Educational Illustration, Editorial, Graphic Novels, Cartoons
Specifics of Book Illustration and of Children’s Book Illustration
Illustrative Techniques

ANATOMY OF THE BOOK

Book Cover – Specifics
Dust Jacket
Front Matter
Book Body – Formats, Paper, Design Solutions
Back Matter

WORKING ON A BOOK PROJECT

Visual exploration of ideas- thumbnails
Character design development
Chapter illustrations, Single page, Spread, Spot/ Vignette, Frontispiece
Graphic design solutions, Working with type
Selection of technique, Technique exploration, Final art

Image: King Rabbit on His Throne, 1988 from More Tales of Uncle Remus, by Julius Lester (New York: Dial Books, 1988). Jerry Pinkney (1939–2021). Watercolor and graphite on wove paper, composition: 10 1/2 × 14 1/4 inches, sheet: 13 3/8 × 17 1/16 inches. Delaware Art Museum, F. V. du Pont Acquisition Fund, 2007. © Estate of Jerry Pinkney.