Visual Narrative for Picturebooks: Create a Playful World

Visual Narrative for Picturebooks: Create a Playful World

“Congrats! You have reached the end of this course. I’m very proud of you for getting this far, and I can’t wait to see your project! Let’s go over the different steps you must follow to create a picture book. Words and Pictures First, remember that you have unlimited possibilities when it comes to picture books. The way you decide to match words and pictures will result in a story that is uniquely yours. Experiment with these interactions as much as possible. Your Character Your main character can be your guide! take some time to develop a personality for them, get to know who your character is and what makes them special. Give them wants and needs.

Three is a Magic Number Use the three-act structure as a base to build your story. Breaking up your story into stages will help you keep up the pace and timing. Once you get the hang of it, feel free to experiment with different structures! Storyboards! Don’t be afraid to draw and re-draw your sequences as many times as you need. Make copies of a 32-page flatplan and plan out your story until you’re happy with its visual flow, rhythm, and timing. Remember to consider the emotions you want to elicit from readers and use the different shots and frames accordingly. Always leave room for the text! Go Mini Don’t skip the mini-dummy step! You’ll be happy you did it. Everything looks different in book form, and you’ll realize things you wouldn’t have otherwise. The Final illustrations Create a couple of samples of finished illustrations. You don’t need to finish all of them. Just a few colored spreads and the cover will give publishers an idea of what the picture book will look like. If a publisher wants your book, they will probably suggest some changes, so it’s better if most of your spreads are sketches anyway. Get Out There Reach out and show your book around. Go to book fairs if you get the chance, be open to advise and feedback, and keep looking out for inspiration and ideas. Most importantly, have fun! I truly hope this course has been helpful to you. Remember to share your picture books on the forum and to interact with your colleagues. Ask for advice and give out your own. I will be there as often as I can to answer your questions and to give you any feedback you may need. Thank you for joining me. I’ll see you soon! ”

Partial transcription of the video

“Final Project Before saying goodbye, let's go over the steps I recommend you follow to complete your project. First, make sure that your story has all the elements of a three-act structure. Remember to give your character a specific need that will be fulfilled in the resolution. Sketch as much as you need to get to know your character. Experiment with shapes, sizes and special quirks to make your character memorable. Review your storyboard and make sure the sequential image is clear, has a good rhythm, and engages the reader by showing interesting compositions and expressive characters. Rem...”

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Course summary for: Visual Narrative for Picturebooks: Create a Playful World

• Level: Beginner
• 100% positive reviews (49)
• 1339 students
• 4 units
• 12 lessons (1h 42m)
• 11 downloads

• Category

  Illustration

• Software

  Adobe Photoshop

• Areas

  Children's Illustration, Drawing, Editorial Design, Narrative, Picturebook, Storyboard, Traditional illustration