Learn how to ramp up the emotion and meaning in your images

Visual Storytelling is an essential part of being an illustrator. Moving beyond artistic technique, this course deals with the fundamental issue of how to tell a story visually. Deciding WHAT to draw is oftentimes more important than HOW it’s drawn. This video comes with 5 different assignments that address concepts relating to visual storytelling. You will finish the course with many thumbnails that you can then take to finish and potentially add to your portfolio.

In this class you will learn:

  • Step by step techniques to evaluate stories effectively

  • Common problems to avoid in your work

  • How to generate ideas quickly that are focused and move your project forward

  • How to establish meaning in an image

  • How thinking about time can give many options for storytelling

  • Techniques for enhancing storytelling in both big encompassing ideas, and also with individual images

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About the Instructor

Illustrator Extraodinare Lee White

Lee White is a children's book illustrator based in Colorado. He has been illustrating books for the past 20 years and has over 30 titles to his name. His latest book, This Pretty Planet, was released in November 2020. He also teaches all his painting secrets at SVSLearn.com and workshops around the country.

Course curriculum

    1. 1) What is "Visual Storytelling?"

    2. Workbook

    1. 2) The Three Step Process

    2. 3) Case Study: Sophie's Fish

    3. 4) Case Study: To Catch A Sunbeam

    4. 5) Assignment #1

    5. Assignment 1: Evaluating Story

    1. 6) Mind Mapping

    2. 7) Assignment #2

    3. Assignment 2: Mind Mapping

    4. 8) Assignment #3

    5. Assignment 3: Generating Story Ideas

    1. 9) Picking the Moment

    2. 10) Assignment #4

    3. Assignment 4: Picking the Moment

    4. 11) Creative Cropping

    5. 12) Assignment #5

    6. Assignment 5: Creative Cropping

    7. 13) Other Storytelling Techniques

    1. Visual Storytelling Techniques

    2. Downloads

About this course

  • 21 lessons
  • 3.5 hours of video content
  • 1 Video
  • 1 Download

Reviews

5 star rating

A must watch before putting pencil to paper!

Raymond Kaselau

Excellent examples to detail why images are more effective than others. Great downloadable assignments. However, please include the "Creating a Memorable C...

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Excellent examples to detail why images are more effective than others. Great downloadable assignments. However, please include the "Creating a Memorable Character" worksheet as references at 34:45.

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5 star rating

Taking the right path - I guarantee thins will be learnt

Frank Johnson III

1. Taking the right path 2. I guarantee things will be learnt This Course is: 1. Comprehensible 2. An abundant amount of Supporting Examples and acti...

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1. Taking the right path 2. I guarantee things will be learnt This Course is: 1. Comprehensible 2. An abundant amount of Supporting Examples and activities 3. Crafted from experience and acknowledges the viewer 4. Lessons that can be applied to any form of story-telling This review is in the form of the "evaluating a story" formula from this class! Much love and God bless!

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5 star rating

Great course for beginners and only authors

Melissa Mwai

I signed up for the trial to see if SVS would for me as an author. I think this is really helpful for beginners (like myself). Although I'm more of a writer,...

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I signed up for the trial to see if SVS would for me as an author. I think this is really helpful for beginners (like myself). Although I'm more of a writer, I felt that the topics in the course will help me develop my story and dummy, even though I don't plan to show it. Thanks for the great tips!

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5 star rating

A "Next Level" Class

Don Ti

I've hit a frustrating wall on how to use what technical skills I have to SAY SOMETHING. This class breaks down the vague concept of storytelling and provide...

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I've hit a frustrating wall on how to use what technical skills I have to SAY SOMETHING. This class breaks down the vague concept of storytelling and provides great actionable exercises to put the lessons into practice. Great class and beyond my expectations. Thanks for this!

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5 star rating

Really useful info!

Ash Weaver

I was stuck on trying to illustrate a concept so I listened to this course. I left with tons of ideas about how to move forward

I was stuck on trying to illustrate a concept so I listened to this course. I left with tons of ideas about how to move forward

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5 star rating

Just what I needed

Olivera Kovacevic

Great course, comprehensive, I would recommend to everyone. It elevates the way we estimate visuals, not just illustrations.

Great course, comprehensive, I would recommend to everyone. It elevates the way we estimate visuals, not just illustrations.

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5 star rating

I loved this course. Very useful

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5 star rating

Great Techniques

Jared Helder

Lee gives a great overview of some basic storytelling techniques with compelling examples that illustrate his points.

Lee gives a great overview of some basic storytelling techniques with compelling examples that illustrate his points.

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5 star rating

AMAZING & INSPIRING!

Kim Gatto

This was an amazing, inspiring, motivating class from beginning to end. More like this please! Thanks Lee White for your wonderful mind!

This was an amazing, inspiring, motivating class from beginning to end. More like this please! Thanks Lee White for your wonderful mind!

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5 star rating

To the point, with really good tips

Sofia Calderon Miller

This course lasts 1hour and 40 minutes. The teacher really takes advantage of that time, with tips, method, to the point questions. Some of the point he disc...

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This course lasts 1hour and 40 minutes. The teacher really takes advantage of that time, with tips, method, to the point questions. Some of the point he discusses might seem obvious, but through the use of really good examples and pointers, you find yourself thinking "wonder why I never thought about that before. I really enjoyed it and I am actually sad I cannot go back in my current project and improve several of my images with what I learnt in this class. I will use it the next project for sure.

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5 star rating

Great course!

Judy Bales

Lots of clear and solid information on creating and illustrating a story. The visual examples that illustrated his points were stunning. I had not heard of a...

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Lots of clear and solid information on creating and illustrating a story. The visual examples that illustrated his points were stunning. I had not heard of any of these illustrators and am eager to check out more of their work.

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5 star rating

I'm on the mind map hype train.

JESSICA WHITE

This course was awesome start to finish. Great information, great examples. Tons of useful advice and techniques for thinking outside of the hamster wheel th...

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This course was awesome start to finish. Great information, great examples. Tons of useful advice and techniques for thinking outside of the hamster wheel that is your brain's comfort zone.

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