Children's Book Illustration Summer School

Overview

Discover what makes an effective picture book for children and practice making your own, with our six-day summer school at Cambridge School of Art.

Full description

Whatever your level of drawing experience, our Summer School will allow you to explore characterisation, pacing, pagination, the interplay of text and image, composition and design. You’ll produce your own dummy picture book under the guidance of our tutors in a friendly, relaxed and supportive environment.

Our studio sessions are run on a one-to-one tutorial basis by experienced tutors from our MA Children's Book Illustration, so students from all backgrounds and experiences are welcome.

Alongside the practical, studio based work, you’ll attend a series of lectures by leading internationally published illustrators, which will run throughout the week.

Our tutors:

David Barrow is a children's book author and illustrator and a graduate of the MA Children’s Book Illustration at Anglia Ruskin, Cambridge School of Art. Whilst on the course, David created his first picture book, Have You Seen Elephant? He won the Sebastian Walker Award for New Talent in Children’s Book illustration at his degree show and was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. Since then he has produced several Picture Books for numerous publishers, including the Kate Greenaway nominated Troll Stroll, Fergus Barnaby Goes On Holiday and My Mum Always Looks After Me So Much by Sean Taylor. He is currently in the process of working on his next books.

Maisie Paradise Shearring is an international award winning and published illustrator. In 2015, Maisie received the Bologna International Illustrators Award in recognition for her graphic novel, Susan's School Days. Her first picturebook, The Happy Prince has been nominated for the 2017 Bratislava Biennial of Illustration. Maisie has a broad portfolio of work and she is currently working on her second picturebook as both author and illustrator with Two Hoots. Her first picturebook with Walker will be out this year. Maisie is one of the co-founders of Orange Beak Studio, with Ness Wood and Pam Smy. Maisie loves drawing and experimenting with materials. You can see more of Maisie's drawings from her sketchbook on Instagram.

Birgitta Sif is an award winning children's book author and illustrator. She was born in Iceland, lived in and around Scandinavia and America while growing up, and worked as a graphic designer in New York before graduating with a Masters in Children's Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art. She is the creator of the Kate Greenaway shortlisted picture book, Oliver, and Frances Dean Who Loved To Dance and Dance, both of which were endorsed by Amnesty International. Birgitta has written and illustrated numerous picturebooks that have sold all over the world. She also works as an associate lecturer for the Masters program at Cambridge School of Art. Currently Birgitta is finishing her 9th picture book which will be out next year with Walker Books UK and Candlewick Press US. You can follow Birgitta Sif on Instagram.

Pam Smy has illustrated folktales, chapter books, nursery rhyme collections, picture books and novels. Her work has been published by many leading UK publishers, including David Fickling Books, Walker Books, The Folio Society, Penguin Random House and Egmont. She has had 18 years of art school teaching and lecturing experience and, over this time, has developed an understanding of how to nurture creative process and work through ideas with illustrators; recently she set up Orange Beak Studio with fellow book-creators, Maisie Paradise and Ness Wood. She has a passion for observational drawing and sketchbooks. You can follow Pam on Instagram or Twitter.

Ness Wood is a book designer, art director and lecturer, having taught at Goldsmiths, Cambridge School of Art and currently at UCLAN. She is the designer of many award-winning books and has worked for major publishers including David Fickling Books, Faber & Faber and Penguin Random House. She is known for her encouraging and collaborative approach with illustrators and students. Ness is also a co-founder of Orange Beak Studio along with Maisie and Pam who offer tutorials, mentoring and portfolio surgeries to people interested in children’s book making. In 2018 Ness and Pam won the BBD&P Award for the Graphic Novel Category.

NB Accommodation can be booked for this course at £300 for 7 nights. Rooms are limited and will be offered on a first-come, first serve basis. The following cancellation fees apply:

20% of the full cost for cancellation prior to 10 weeks before the date of commencement
50% of the full cost for cancellation within the period 10 weeks to 17 days before the date of commencement
100% of the full cost for cancellation within the period or non-notification of arrival 17 days to day of arrival

Who should attend?

Anyone with an interest in children's illustration, in children's books and in creating a picture book over a week.

Dates

29 July–3 August 2019.

Where you'll study

Your department and faculty

At Cambridge School of Art, we combine the traditions of our past with the possibilities afforded by the latest technologies.

Using our expertise and connections in Cambridge and beyond, we nurture creativity through experimentation and risk-taking to empower the makers and creators of the future.

Our academics excel at both practice and theory, making a real impact in their chosen fields, whether they are curating exhibitions, designing book covers or photographing communities in Africa. They are also regularly published in catalogues, books, journals and conference papers, their research classed as being of ‘international standing’, with some elements ‘world-leading’, in the most recent Research Excellence Framework.