Visualize the possibilities for your character(s) with author-illustrator and animator Kelly Light!
From "Louise Loves Art" by Kelly Light
Talented picture book author-illustrator Kelly Light was schooled on Saturday morning cartoons and Sunday funny pages. She picked up a pencil and started drawing, and never stopped.
She's the author-illustrator of the Louise series. Louise and Andie: The Art of Friendship (Spring 2016) and Louise Loves Art (Fall 2014) are the first two books in the series published by Balzer + Bray, HarperCollins.
She has also illustrated Elvis and the Underdogs and Elvis and the Underdogs: Secrets, Secret Service, and Room Service by Jenny Lee, and The Quiks series by Erin Soderberg.
A former animator and cartoon licensing artist, Kelly also serves as an "international ambassador of creativity" for the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity.
She'll be our guest instructor-critiquer for the Thursday, July 27 live session set for 7 p.m. (U.S. Central Standard Time.)
You can opt for just this month's single Group Critique session with Kelly Light (replay included) or subscribe for access to this and replays of all past months' sessions.
Eyes, mouths, hands – Oh My!
For our July 27 session, Kelly is asking you to bring to life two out of four possible characters she describes for us from an imaginary children's book manuscript, as if she was an editor auditioning you for the project.
"I want you to read each and pick 2 and design the character," she says. "You interpret the description. Who do you see playing this part? Then draw them in three poses and do three facial expressions. If it reads as a kid, draw a kid, if you envision an animal – draw an animal."
Kelly also says to upload your own characters that you are working on. "Bring them in thinking about whether they feel alive to you. What do you think you did successfully?
"Where do you think you need help? Do you think there is something missing about them. Do you have questions about how to turn them around?
"I want everyone in the group to share with me and the group any character design questions that you have."
After a very special teaching session, she'll pick some sketches by several artists in our group to focus on.
Come join us for another great visit with a gifted guest instructor!
Sketches by Kelly Light
Monthly group critiques are 'perfect practice'
They tell you...
What isn't working
When to push harder
When to just stop
And help you...
Get a fresh perspective
Our guest critiquers – illustrators, author-illustrators, children’s literary agents, art directors, maybe an editor or two – examine your final in a spirit of teaching and mentoring.
Think more like a pro
Watch up close and personal how full-time creatives evaluate and troubleshoot their own and others’ pieces.
Prepare for... that thing
That upcoming kidlit (or illustrators’) conference, important promotional mailing, post or sit-down with a client or a prospect.
And nudge you to...
Sharpen your discernment powers
Remind you of those bedrock principles of draftsmanship, design and communication. (Funny how they keep bringing you back to those.)
Meet your tribe
Your colleagues and the expert practioners. Who share their What I Wish I Knew Then stories and become your contacts in ‘the biz.’ (It’s called networking.)
Get better at... getting better
Practice with critiques helps you understand the hierarchy of feedback and how to navigate it wisely – knowing what’s valid for you now, vs. what to set aside for later.
Precious moments. Practical stuff. Group critiques – in the classroom or around a cafe table with friends – have been training artists for centuries. Be part of a time-tested tradition, updated for the 21st century.
Join us around the table in new, live, online group sessions every month – and enjoy watching replays of past sessions at your leisure.
Improvement comes from consistent focus
Sometimes it will be your work being discussed. More often than not, it will be someone else's.
You'll benefit by being there. Watch and listen. Absorb the insights to help you later, when it's just you behind the drawing board making all those essential design decisions.
You don't have to go it alone...
Participate in all of our monthly live programs. Access replays of all past sessions...
Like the ones we've enjoyed and learned so much from last year, taught by these wonderful children's publishing professionals:
Mira Reisberg, author-illustrator, teacher and founder, Children's Book Academy
Jeff Crosby, author-illustrator
C.S. Jennings, author-illustrator
Giuseppe Castellano, senior art director, Penguin Random House
Jodell Sadler, founder KidLit College and agent
Len Smith, animation character designer
Abigail Samoun, children's book agent, co-founder of Red Fox Literary
Karien Naude, illustrator
Marsha Riti, illustrator
Nicole Tugeau, agent and artists' rep, Tugeau2 Children's Illustrators
Annette Simon, author-illustrator
Renowned author-illustrator Robert Quackenbush Halloween Critique Bash (explains the scariness)
Terry Widener, illustrator
Jill Corcoran, founder of Jill Corcoran Literary Agency
Just us, with Mark and Chris, illustration art by Chris Perry
Chris Schechner, designer, illustrator and art director for 20+ years for "Pockets" magazine
Christy Stallop, illustrator
Award-winning storyboard artist and children's illustrator Larry Day
Mark Mitchell, author-illustrator and moderator
Wendy Martin, author-illustrator and teacher
Kelly Sonnack, senior agent, Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Picture book series author-illustrator Janee Trasler
Mira Reisberg, Round 2, illustration by Lisa Goldberg
Loraine Joyner, senior art director for 23 years with Peachtree Publishers
Nick Balian, illustrator animator, art manager for digital publisher ustyme Books
Denise Fleming, award-winning author-illustrator
Mary Sullivan, award-winning author-illustrator
Catch up critique - Illustration by Kathryn Powers
Mira follow-up critique, illustration by John Wanczyk
Illustrators' Agent Melissa Turk of The Artist's Network
A bit of art school...
For $10 per month.
Video thumbnail illustration by Mariama Ross.
We'll keep it real by limiting enrollment...
Secure your spot at the table while you can.
30 Day Money Back Guarantee!
Try out the subscription. You can easily cancel at any time. If you find your first experience of a session not helpful or just not your cup of tea, write me (c/o the How To Be A Children’s Book Illustrator blog) and I’ll refund you same day, no questions asked and no worries (and we’re still friends.)