Children’s Book Illustration

Moving from initial concept to final artwork, learn to use colour, tone and light effectively. This course will cover all the basics: making a storyboard, the design of picture books, illustration techniques and presentation of your work. Students will also examine current children’s book publishers in Australia.

Take your initial concepts to final finished artworks ready for publication. Look at many successful existing examples to illustrate the importance of palette, tone and light source. Beginning drawing students welcome.

Students will have an awareness of the process of designing and illustrating a picture book, skills in various illustration techniques and knowledge of the children’s book publisher market.

Lorette Broekstra studied Graphic Design at Swinburne University and after finishing she travelled to Holland where she worked as a freelance Illustrator for eight years. Lorette worked for various advertising agencies, publishing houses and design bureaus in a range of media.

After her return to Melbourne in 1996, as the mother of two young children, Lorette developed a keen interest in Children’s Books. In 1999, she wrote and illustrated her first picture book, Baby Bear goes to the Zoo which won her the Crichton Award for illustration. She now has a total of sixteen published books.

Lorette teaches drawing and design at RMIT, and short courses in illustration and Children’s books at both RMIT and the CAE (Council of Adult Education).

Please bring to the first class the following materials:
– 2B and 4B pencils
– A3 Bank / Layout pad
– Eraser
– Ruler

Further materials will be discussed at first session.

This course is suitable for beginners who have some basic drawing experience.

Continuing students would also benefit from attending this course, allowing them to continue work on their own Children’s Book Illustration projects, with the expert guidance of the tutor.