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Get all the tools and training you need to become a professional children's book illustrator!

In this comprehensive 10-week course we will show you a clear path to illustrating your own children's book.

The Most Comprehensive Children's Book Illustration Course Available

Here's a few things that set us apart:

  • Taught by 3 top-tier professional Children's Book Illustrators

  • True "start-to-finish" class guiding students to finished portfolio pieces

  • Guided assignments and checklists so you always know what comes next

  • Step-by-step process detailing Planning, Production, and Publishing

  • Easy-to-understand actionable assignments

  • Over 20 hours of demos, lectures, and teaching content

Bonus material

$1500 worth of bonus material included in the course!

  • Free Bonus Courses!

    Children's Book Pro comes with FREE bonus courses to help you along the way!

  • Live Zoom Sessions!

    Weekly live zoom call with your instructors! We will be on call to answer your questions!

  • Exclusive Social Group on Discord

    Meet your fellow students! Get feedback on your work from your peers, or just show off a cool new image you made.

Bonus Courses Included with Children's Book Pro

How to Draw Everything, Basic Perspective, Visualizing Drawing in Perspective, Light and Shadow, Unique and Appealing Character Design

FAQ

  • How long will I have access to the videos?

    Forever! Once you purchase the class you are free to access the content anytime. Since your purchase never expires you can take as much time as you need to create the images that will end up in your portfolio.

  • Is this class good for me if I am a beginner? Or a pro?

    This class is intended for anyone who wants to illustrate picture books! The content is good for a beginner and you can use it over and over as you build your skill set. Advanced students or professionals will be able to use the content immediately to take your work to the next level.

  • How long does the class take?

    We have the class broken into 10 weekly sessions, but you have as much time as you need to complete the course. Some parts of the course, such as making your book dummy, will take longer than others, so the overall length of time will vary from person to person. You always have access to the content so we encourage you to take as much time as you need to create your best work.

  • What is the refund policy?

    100% refund if you cancel by Week 2 / 50% refund if you cancel by Week 3 / No refunds after Week 3.

  • When does the class start?

    New class starting in the fall of 2022. Each week new content will be released until the course is finished (ten weeks total).

  • Do I have to work digitally or traditionally?

    We show some demos in Photoshop, but the content here is intended to be made in any medium. We all work in different ways and this class is fine for however you want to work.

  • Is CBPro included in the SVSLearn video subscription?

    No. CBPro was designed to be a deep dive into children's book illustration, with a live component for students to ask questions of the instructors. SVSLearn is geared toward building basic illustration skills through video-only instruction.

Still Have More Questions?

Watch our Q&A Livestream!

We answer more of your questions and dig in deep about what this course covers. Watch the Livestream here:
Q&A Livestream on YouTube

Instructor(s)

Illustrator/Cartoonist

Jake Parker

For the last 19 years Jake has worked on everything from animated films to comics to picture books. For several years he worked for Reel FX and Blue Sky Studios on such projects as Horton Hears a Who, Rio, and Epic. He is the creator of the popular Inktober drawing challenge. Jake currently works as an illustrator and cartoonist on children's books and comics. He works out of his home studio in Arizona.

Illustrator Extraodinare

Lee White

Lee White is a children's book illustrator based in Franklin, Tennessee. 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.

Illustrator

Will Terry

Will Terry has been a freelance illustrator for 26 years. He got his start working for magazines and newspapers in the Washington D.C. area. His early clients include publications such as Time, Money, WSJ and ads for Sprint, Pizza Hut, Fed Ex, and Master Card. He has illustrated about 30 children’s books for a number of publishers, including Random House, Simon & Schuster, Scholastic, and Penguin. When he's not mountain biking, hiking, or snowboarding he works out of the svslearn.com office in Provo Utah. 

Course Curriculum

Welcome to the class

  • 0.1: Teacher Introduction


WEEK 1: Getting started

  • 1.1: Overview of Children's Book Pro
  • 1.2: Amazing Books
  • 1.3: Types of Books 
  • 1.4: Anatomy of a Children’s Book
  • 1.5: Children’s Book Map
  • RESOURCE: Children's book breakdown pdf
  • HOMEWORK 1A: Amazing Books! 
  • The Children's Book Map


Week 2: The Manuscript

  • 2.1: Manuscript Introduction 
  • 2.2: Manuscript Breakdown 
  • 2.3: How to Paginate
  • HOMEWORK 2A: Working with your Manuscript
  • Manuscript Visual Breakdown PDF
  • Pagination Assignment


WEEK 3: Characters

  • LECTURE 3.1: Analyzing Characters from Different Children's Books
  • LECTURE 3.2: Drawing Kids vs Adults
  • LECTURE 3.3: Character Consistency
  • LECTURE 3.4: Stylizing Characters
  • LECTURE 3.5a: Character Design (Lee)
  • LECTURE 3.5b: Character Pose Sheet (Lee)
  • LECTURE 3.5c: Character Pose Sheet pt 2 (Lee)
  • LECTURE 3.6a: Character Design: Awesome Man Design (Jake)
  • LECTURE 3.6b: Character Design: Awesome Man Demo (Jake)
  • LECTURE 3.7a: Character Design: Skeleton Design (Will)
  • LECTURE 3.7b: Character Design: Skeleton Demo (Will)
  • LECTURE 3.8: Drawing realistic Animals
  • LECTURE 3.9: Drawing Anthropomorphic Animals
  • LECTURE 3.10: Drawing Stylized Animals
  • HOMEWORK 3A: Character Interview
  • HOMEWORK 3B: Design Your Characters
  • HOMEWORK 3C: Character Structure
  • HOMEWORK 3D: Character Pose Assignment
  • HOMEWORK 3E: Animal Pose Assignment
  • OPTIONAL HOMEWORK 3F: Anthropomorphic Animal Design Practice


WEEK 4: Environments and Props

  • LECTURE 4.1: Exteriors vs Interiors
  • LECTURE 4.2: Structure and Volume in environments
  • LECTURE 4.3: Stylizing Environments
  • LECTURE 4.4: Drawing Props
  • DEMO 4.5a: Little Red Riding Hood Exterior (Lee)
  • DEMO 4.5b: Exterior of Jack's House (Jake)
  • DEMO 4.5c: Kitchen Interior (Will)
  • HOMEWORK 4A: Design an interior and exterior from your manuscript


WEEK 5: Spots, Pages, and Spreads

  • LECTURE 5.1: Spots, Pages, and Spreads
  • LECTURE 5.2: Composition Guidelines
  • LECTURE 5.3: Focal Point
  • LECTURE 5.4: The Peg-Leg Pig
  • LECTURE 5.5: Little Bot and Sparrow Case Study
  • NO HOMEWORK: CATCH UP WEEK


WEEK 6: The Dummy

  • LECTURE 6.1: Process and Procedures
  • LECTURE 6.2a Basic Indesign (Lee)
  • LECTURE 6.2b: How to use the templates (Lee)
  • DEMO 6.3a: 3 Little Pigs (Will)
  • DEMO 6.3b: 3 Little Pigs (Jake)
  • DEMO 6.3c: 3 Little Pigs (Lee)
  • HOMEWORK 6A: Create a THUMBNAIL dummy
  • RESOURCE: Photoshop and InDesign Templates
  • RESOURCE: DUMMY LAYOUT
  • Picture Book Breakdown: Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen


WEEK 7: Dummy Work Week

  • LECTURE 7.1 You Got This! Keep going! 
  • LECTURE 7.2 Book Dummy Process with Lee: This Pretty Planet
  • Lecture 7.3 Book Dummy Process with Will: Boneparte Plays Ball


WEEK 8: Publishing

  • Week 8 Introduction
  • LECTURE 8.1: Production Process
  • LECTURE 8.2: Design Your Cover
  • LECTURE 8.3: Prepping Files for Print
  • LECTURE 8.4: Adding a Dedication
  • RESOURCE: 7-Step check list for prepping photoshop files 
  • HOMEWORK 8A: Illustrate a Spot
  • HOMEWORK 8B: Illustrate a Page
  • HOMEWORK 8C: Illustrate a Spread


WEEK 9: Getting Professional

  • LECTURE 9.1: Building a Portfolio
  • LECTURE 9.2: Making Your Website
  • LECTURE 9.3: Social Media for Illustrators 
  • LECTURE 9.4: Submitting Manuscripts to Publishers
  • LECTURE 9.5: Self Publishing Your Book


WEEK 10: Conclusion

  • LECTURE 10.1: Final Thoughts