BOOK ILLUSTRATION

Get to know your instructor, the course, and what you’re in for. This session sets the tone — from key outcomes to how your work will take shape. 

• Instructor intro
• Course overview

Get your feet wet in the world of book illustration by exploring the many genres and formats — from pop-up books to graphic novels. Map out what makes each category tick and choose the story you’ll bring to life throughout the course. Big ideas start here.

• Book illustration categories
• Children’s books & young adult (YA)
• Education & information books
• Comic books & specialty books
• Book cover & jacket illustration
• Editorial illustration

Assignment #1: Pick a book to reimagine (classic, contemporary, or self-authored) as the foundation for your illustration project.

Dig into composition tricks like balance, scale, and visual hierarchy — then learn to turn raw ideas into intentional sketches using symbolism, mood boards, and a little creative chaos. This is your blueprint for better thinking and better designing.

• Design & composition fundamentals
• Designing with intention
• Ideation & inspiration 
• Workshop: Visuals for an article 

Assignment #2: Read a synopsis or excerpt of your chosen story. Then, create a brainstorm page, a visual word list, and a mood board to guide your design direction.

Sketching is not a victory lap. Learn how to sketch smart. You’ll explore how text and image work together, how to filter big ideas into sharp visuals, and how pros plan their thumbnails to save time and boost output. Bonus: real-world examples from Netflix, The New York Times, and more.

• Text & image relationship 
• Prioritizing ideas & communication to maximize output
• Using scale for efficient workflow
• Scheduling an idea friendly environment
• Professional projects examples

Assignment #3: Sketch at least 5 thumbnail concepts for a book cover and 3 for endpages — or — 5 cover sketches and 3 thumbnails each for 3 internal picture book spreads.

Turn rough ideas into polished blueprints. In this class, you’ll level up your sketches with color, value, and type, learn how to place elements, and keep your creative engine running without burning out. It’s all about thinking smarter so your final piece lands harder.

• What is a detailed sketch?
• Developing value, detail, color, typography
• Placement
• Managing creative energy over the course of a project
• Using methodical ideation to enhance final execution

Group critique meets creative upgrade. Learn what’s working and what’s not by putting your sketches under the microscope. You’ll give and get feedback, see real-time draw-overs, and sharpen your visual storytelling so your ideas actually land with your audience. 

• Does the sketch visually communicate an idea?
• Feedback & critique on thumbnail sketch progress
• Workshop: Feedback & draw-overs

Assignment #4: Pick your strongest thumbnails and turn them into more detailed sketches. Begin exploring color, value, and typography.

What's the difference between web versus print file resolution? Learn to identify book anatomy terms, apply bleeds and grids, and construct production-ready layouts incorporating mechanical specifications, embossing, foil, and signatures.

• File resolution: Web vs. print
• Book anatomy terminology

Assignment #5: Prep your final artwork file with proper resolution (300–600 dpi) and sketch overlay. Start rendering your final illustration if ready.

Learn more about the unsung hero of design. You'll experiment with fonts, spacing, and layout grids to make your type not just look good, but actually work. Think of it as giving your words a voice and a really nice outfit.

• Who’s responsible for typography? 
• Set typography
• Expressive hand drawn typography
• Test & revise

Assignment #6: Design and place final typography into your layout. Use grids to keep type consistent across spreads. Submit a screengrab showing your progress.

In this class, you’ll sketch out a full 32-page dummy, nail the pacing of your narrative arc, and use color and tone to dial up the drama. You'll also get feedback on your work and learn what it takes to wrap a project for the real world.

• Critique picture book projects
• Creating a 32 page book dummy or storyboard
• Visualizing a dynamic story arch
• Using color & value to establish tone & feel 
• Outsourcing & finishing a project

In this workshop, you'll critique composition, color, and pacing in your peers' work, then fine-tune your own for a clearer, more compelling story. It’s all about sharpening your eye and leveling up your narrative flow.

• Workshop: Composition, color and pacing for dynamic, sequentially illustrated stories

Assignment #7: Capstone Project: Create a full book jacket (front, spine, back, endpages) or a picture book pitch with a cover, 3 finished spreads, and 8 sketched spreads for a 32-page format.

Time to stop being your industry’s best-kept secret. In this session, you’ll map out a smart self-promo strategy — from competitions and conferences to cold emails and killer portfolio sites — and learn how to network. Great work deserves to be seen — and hired.

• Competitions & conferences
• Portfolio website & social media
• Email marketing campaigns
• In-person portfolio reviews
• Visualizations/applications 

Figure out how to get paid fairly for your art. This class dives into pricing guidelines, contracts, exposure versus compensation, usage rights, and how to navigate the fine print without getting burned, so you can protect your work and your wallet.

• Negotiating 
• Usage rights 
• Artist/literary reps

Assignment #8: Using the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook, estimate a professional rate for your capstone project.

Show off your finished illustrations, back up your design choices, and get real feedback from your peers & instructor. You’ll practice pitching your work, explore printing and outsourcing options, and celebrate the journey from sketch to a finished, polished piece.

• Presenting a finished project
• Critique
• Online book printing & outsourcing
• Pitch deck presentations
• Visualizations