Professional Practice AD5000: Research Children Illustration

The children’s illustration market in enormous, from educational and entertaining, to surface design, and product design, meaning that there are loads of different things I can apply my illustrative work to.

Why does Children’s illustration appeal to me?

Currently my illustration work is heading in the direction of the children’s market, my current style seems to relate to this market, and it simply something I enjoy. I am aware that it is a highly competitive industry but when it works well it can be very rewarding. For my final major project in my third year I plan to produce my own children’s book, which I hope will promote my work, and get me a head start in this industry. With this book I plan to submit it to various publishing houses these include ‘No brow’, ‘Pan Macmillan’ and the ‘Little Tiger Press’, as well as presenting it too a panel of art directors at the London book fair. But before I even start writing my story I need to conduct lots of research, where my book could fit into the market, what kind of the illustration is fashionable, and how I go about marketing my book.

What skills will I need?

· Strong understanding of my target audience
· Able to compose and pace a narrative
· Willing to research
· Good development of characters’ skills
· Imagination
· Knowledge of the new tends and fashions
· Patience and willing to improve
· Consistent drawing abilities

Creating a children’s book the process behind the artwork

Illustrator Paul Howard in an article I have read gives an insight into how he creates work for a children picture book -'The Penguin Who Wanted to Find Out', written by Jill Tomlinson

Step 1

Document your first thought in small quick sketches, thinking about the limitations you are restricted to, size, orientation, colour scheme, how many pages the amount of text. Create a few layouts which can be applied to all of the pages, creates consistency and unity. Once happy with the sketches, submit then to the designer.

Paul Howard- 'The Penguin Who Wanted to Find Out'
The Chelsea Magazine Company, U. (2017). How to Become a Children's Illustrator - How To - Artists & Illustrators - Original art for sale direct from the artist. [online] Artistsandillustrators.co.uk. Available at: https://www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/how-to/drawing/248/how-to-become-a-childrens-illustrator [Accessed 11 May 2017].

Step 2

Begin drawing more polished and refines pencils roughs of each spread. This is usually done to half size on layout paper. These sketches are only done when everyone working on the project is happy with the placing of the illustrations in conjunction with the text. Creating detailed sketched helps everyone knows exactly what to expect from the final artwork. These are usually scanned in and produces a mini version of the book from the print-outs.

Step 3

After the sketches have been approved it time to start on the final artwork. Art this stage use full sized print outs of the detailed sketches, using a light box and a sheet of cartridge paper on top top of the print out. Loosely sketch enough information to get started with the illustration, you can also use removable tape around the image area including an required bleed. Tip work on the main characters and then the scenery/ extra elements, your characters are the main focus usually, and you don’t want to mess these up after you have spent hours with the scenery.

Step 4

Once the main characters are done, starting working into the drawings, if you are right-handed work left to right, to avoid smudging.

If using pencils, repeatedly sharpen pencils to work in the detail, the highest level of detail is reserved to the main animal character to ensure it dominated the picture.

The final stage can take anything up to a week, so patience is key, do not rush.

The Chelsea Magazine Company, U. (2017). How to Become a Children's Illustrator - How To - Artists & Illustrators - Original art for sale direct from the artist. [online] Artistsandillustrators.co.uk. Available at: https://www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/how-to/drawing/248/how-to-become-a-childrens-illustrator [Accessed 11 May 2017].

I found this article really useful, I have never completed a huge book, which I have completely designed to every detail, usually I just have a brief idea, draw out all of the components and just play around with them until it looks okay. So I think I need to design a little more, not so much that I’m restricted to change but so I have a better idea and so do clients about what the final product will be, otherwise the end product could be a totally different thing to what that client was expecting to see. So these 4 steps contain great tips on how to start and finish a successful illustration.

How to Illustrate a Picture Book: Creating the Drawings

I watched this video in which children book illustrator Lynne Chapman, talked about her process of creating the illustrators for a children's book. My notes from the session are below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5DQXg86luA

· Publishers sends email with basic text- decide whether what to do it
· Makes notes on it how its broken in spreads
· Ask publisher to set the text to the font and the size of it- so you can work the illustrations around the text- scan in to size=template

Screen Shot- YouTube. (2017). How to Illustrate a Picture Book: Creating the Drawings. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5DQXg86luA [Accessed 11 May 2017].

· Used to start- large drawings in full detail= great idea of what to do
· Start with thumbnails- one spread at a time- small thumbnail- quick first ideas- fit on the page- using the text to estimate the spacing- works chronologically
Screen Shot- YouTube. (2017). How to Illustrate a Picture Book: Creating the Drawings. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5DQXg86luA [Accessed 11 May 2017].

· Larger drawing at the side of illustration to add detail- several attempts
· Not perfect but designs are roughly right- scan into computer –enlarge them- put the into template spreads- move text around within the spread- using the thumbnail to adjust
· Print those out
· Take layout paper- place over print out and redraw- make changing refine characters and layouts

Screen Shot- YouTube. (2017). How to Illustrate a Picture Book: Creating the Drawings. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5DQXg86luA [Accessed 11 May 2017].

· Draw arrows to identify the gutter- centre fold- ensure nothing important is in the gutter or close to
· Scan it back into the computer- print out of the whole book- using the templates- with the text and line for the gutter- these then get sent to the publisher- wait for feedback

Screen Shot- YouTube. (2017). How to Illustrate a Picture Book: Creating the Drawings. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5DQXg86luA [Accessed 11 May 2017].

Kick Starter- a platform which raised money and awareness of creative projects

YouTube. (2017). How to Illustrate a Picture Book: Creating the Drawings. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5DQXg86luA [Accessed 11 May 2017].

E Evaluation- What i have taken away from conducting this research?

From conducting this small amount of research I have learnt that though highly competitive that there is a possibility to make a living out of producing children’s illustrations, and that it doesn’t have to just involve books. I could create posters, products, packaging, textiles or clothing, as long as my work is versatile and is liked.

From watching the two YouTube videos I now have two other ways of gong about creating a children book, which I will be doing for my Final Major project, this has therefore informed by practise, as I now have the knowledge from two illustrators who have had multiple successful children’s book published.

Professional Practice AD5000

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Research Children Illustration

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