Our talented students on the Illustrating Children’s Books Diploma Course have recently completed one of the more atmospheric and imaginative assignments in the course. They were asked to illustrate a poem in black and white using bold shapes, ink, contrast and character design. The poem, spooky in tone but full of creative potential, gives students a chance to let their inner illustrator out to play.
This assignment is not only a chance to illustrate a full poem but also a brilliant study in visual storytelling, layout design and mood setting. Each student interprets the lines differently, making every piece unique. Working in monochrome can be deceptively tricky, requiring careful attention to negative space, shape rhythm and lighting. Students are encouraged to experiment with silhouette, contrast, ink washes and line work, developing their own illustrative voice. Take a look at some of the studies that our students have produced recently below.
Loraine Wallace
Loraine created not one but two beautiful illustrations. One features a spooky skeletal figure floating in a twisted landscape, while the other is a more abstract, expressive layout that dances between line and shape – fantastic creativity and variety in her interpretations.
Jacqueline Prothero
Jacqueline created two stunning ink pieces. Her first is bursting with character, packed with skeletons, bats, and cobwebs and her second offers a charmingly eerie border design around the poem, complete with witches, stars and ghostly figures in graveyards.
Hannah Carey
Hannah’s bold and striking design features haunting black silhouettes of strange creatures and fantastical beasts lurking around the poem. It’s a wonderfully graphic solution, with powerful contrast and inventive shapes that bring the mysterious lines to life.
Marie Sophie Kaucher
Marie’s illustrated the poem within twisted trees with a watchful witches and ghosts nestled among the branches. The visual flow of the composition leads the viewer right through the poem – an inventive and well-balanced piece.
Vasiliki Katsarela
Vasiliki’s work brings a strong visual punch. With clever compositions featuring ghosts, witches, skeletons, and winding branches, brimming with spooky atmosphere and intricate detail.
About the Cours
The Illustrating Children’s Books Diploma is designed for students who wish to explore the world of visual storytelling. Our course guides you through the fundamentals of character development, composition, media experimentation and storytelling.
We are incredibly proud of the work being produced and love seeing how each student tackles the same poem with their own unique voice. These exercises build a strong foundation for professional work in children’s illustration and more importantly, they’re great fun! Stay tuned for more creative work from our talented students very soon.
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