CHILDREN'S ILLUSTRATION

Thank you to Kate Messner for organizing the Skype visits for World Read Aloud Day!
It was a pleasure to visit  Sweet Apple Elementary, Roswell, GA St. Andrew's School, Clifton NJ PS 85, New York, NY North Hart Elementary, Bowersville, GA Cannaday Elementary School, Mesquite, TX
For more information on World Read Aloud Day, visit LitWorld.org


Look at these fabulous sea monsters and reviews!

Photo by Jody Sitts

Pre-K through Grade 6 and Library Presentations

Presentation Description:

Most children have never imagined what a picture book story sounds and looks like without the illustrations. I show a picture book layout and read the words so that audiences can imagine how they would illustrate the story.  I ask for suggestions about which words require illustrations, so the students can better put themselves in the role of illustrator. 

I also demonstrate how I create a character by using a flip book of a changing face. Just an angle change of two simple lines (the eyebrows) can signal a character’s emotion going from surprise to anger. (Students are encouraged to make their own drawings and characters at this point in the presentation.)

Additionally, I read a couple of short picture books and explain the difference between illustrating someone else’s words and illustrating my own words—showing early drafts and galleys from both THE ARTIST AND THE KING (which I wrote) and PIRAT…

Last week I made an illustrator’s visit to the New Castle Arts Center to read from Pippa at the Parade. Thank you to all of the inspirational artists who drew their own versions of Pippa! And a special thank you to Rachel for creating this wonderful giant and man on stilts.