First Steps in Book Illustration - Share a Story Week

As part of this wonderful Share a Story Week, we are offering you a chance to come and explore some book illustration – no previous experience necessary. Inspired by Charlie Mackesy, famous for The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse, you will explore various illustrating techniques. Including sketching in pen, exploring fingerprint creatures and adding ink/coffee to add tone/texture to images. The Tutor will lead and support you to achieve your goals by the end of the session.

This is a practical and interactive course designed to help you identify a new hobby or interest. The teachers are very experienced and will allow you to explore your own abilities and techniques to be able to create something you are happy with.

By the end of the course you will be able to-

Demonstrate an ability to follow instructions,

Demonstrate using a range of materials to create a mixed media illustration.

Understand how to use different marks to create texture.

Consider composition and narrative in an illustration.

Identify progression opportunities

Supportively appraise own and others work

You will learn in a variety of ways:

You view demonstrations showing and prompting you in your explorations of different techniques and materials and encouraging you to share your outcomes and discuss your progress with your tutor and peers.

You will have access to handouts such as worksheets and prompt lists to encourage your analytical skills, encourage reflective practice and consolidate your learning.

You will be encouraged to share your work and your reflections so that you can help your peers learn and learn from them too.

You will gain 1:1 feedback, advice and inspiration from your tutor verbally in sessions.

What equipment will I need?



If you are studying online only:



Some paper – no smaller than A4 (standard printer paper size)

Biro / fine liner

Coffee diluted 2:1 (coffee;water) cooled

Black Ink / black paint / black watercolour paint

You will also need access to a computer with camera and microphone and internet access in order to join live demonstrations via teams, and engage with your tutor and peers.





The Additional Learning Support Team work across college supporting learners with a variety of learning needs in different ways. Support can be requested at enrolment or at any point throughout your course. For more information telephone 0333 0031717 or email LearningSupport@nelsongroup.ac.uk
This course is delivered in 1 session of 2.5 hours.

You will receive feedback from your tutor and peers on your individual outcomes for each topic within the course.

You will also develop your own analytical skills, enabling you to critique your own work and establish ways of moving forward as you move towards independent learning.

You will track your progress in your course learning mat.