Continuing Education

214 East 21st Street

This course is for students who want to develop the visual writing and storytelling skills required to plan and create innovative picture books. Each week will begin by looking at early and contemporary picture books to study the fundamental elements of visual narrative, characterization, composition, pacing and point of view, as well as how to engage the reader. The second half of each session will navigate the picture book creation process. Students will map their fictional worlds and sketch a sequence with thumbnails, then make a storyboard, refine their characters and settings, and finally craft their picture book dummy. Special emphasis is placed on experimenting with playful, poetic and thought-provoking interactions between words and images. Weekly revisions will be made based on critiques, and we will discuss the challenges for picture book authors/artists, and how to navigate submitting work to publishers and agents.
NOTE: This section of VNC-2342 is held on campus at SVA.