David Roberts
illustrator / author

Date
Thursday 8th September 

Time
7-9.00PM (UK GMT)
 
Venue
Online, Zoom
 
FEE
£12 (INCLUDES booking fee)




 

David Roberts was born in Liverpool.

He had many jobs including shelf stacker, egg fryer, hair washer, film extra and coffee-maker before finally realising his dream of becoming a children’s book illustrator when his first book Frankie Stein’s Robot written by Roy Apps was published in 1998. This book was shortlisted for the 'Mother Goose Award' for emerging illustrators.

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Since then, he has worked with many fantastic authors including Julia Donaldson, Julian Clary, Philip Ardagh, Michelle Robinson, Sally Gardner, and Andrea Beaty. His Dirty Bertie character has starred in more than 30 junior fiction books, written by Alan MacDonald, and he has illustrated a version of the classic Kenneth Grahame book The Wind in the Willows.

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The Questioneers series, written by Andrea Beaty, includes Iggy Peck, Architect, Rosie Revere, Engineer, Ada Twist, Scientist, Sofia Valdez, Future Prez, and most recently Aaron Slater, Illustrator which was a NYT #1 bestseller in its first week of release. Ada Twist, Scientist has been made into a Netflix animation series, and the character recently featured as a balloon in the 2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.

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David wrote and illustrated a non-fiction book about the Suffragette movement and is currently working on a book about the history of LGBT+ activism.

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David has won many awards, most recently the Society of Authors’ Queen’s Knickers Prize 2022, and has been shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal for Illustration on a number of occasions. 

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Join David to hear about his process and his inspirations, plus how he illustrates and writes his books. There will also be a Q&A opportunity after the talk.

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Tickets are sold through Eventbrite and are non-refundable. Zoom links will be emailed directly to you on the day of the event around 5pm UK time.

The event is LIVE - but buying a ticket will give you access to a recording of the event which will be available to view back for 48 hours afterwards.

CHARACTER Design Workshop WITH SARA OGILVIE

Date
Wednesday 14th September

tIMe
1-4PM (UK GMT)

Venue
Online, Zoom
 
FEE
£45 (INCLUDES booking fee)




 

The workshop will look at how to create engaging and believable characters for picture books. It will cover the importance of sketched observation, sourcing reference, and other unusual ways to spark new ideas to explore and bring characters to life with potential for the printed page.

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Sara will give insight from her personal experience into this process including behind the scenes material, working with art directors to develop characters that fit the mood of a story text, and how to make an emotional connection with the reader.

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The workshop is split into three sections: 

• A lecture and Q&A session 

• A character drawing exercise 

• Small group discussion 

From this workshop you will: 

• Learn skills to move forward with your own character design 

• Feel inspired by the examples shown 

• Have a greater understanding of a characters role within a picture book 

• Have the chance to ask two industry professionals questions 

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The workshop is open to ALL (whatever your level). It could be your first time creating a character, you might be a student, graduate, or currently working on a project that you feel you'd like character development help with. If so, this is the workshop for you! 

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Sara Ogilvie is an award-winning illustrator and printmaker from Edinburgh, based in Newcastle upon Tyne.

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After many years working primarily as a printmaker her first steps into the world of picture books resulted in Dogs Don’t do Ballet, with writer Anna Kemp, published in 2010 for Simon and Schuster. Since then her picture book collaborations have made numerous shortlists including The Roald Dahl Funny prize (3 times) Sainsburys Picture Book awards (twice) and the Waterstones Children’s Prize. In 2011 she was one of Booktrust’s Best New Illustrators, and in 2016, in collaboration with Julia Donaldson, The Detective Dog won the Books are my Bag award in the picture book category. In 2018 her illustrated commission for Dodie Smith’s The One Hundred and one Dalmations, for the Folio Society won a D&AD pencil in the Book Design category. Her Illustrated books have been adapted for the stage by The Little Angel Puppet Theatre in London, and New Writing North in Tyneside, while animated pages have been created for TV on the Bookaboo series.

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Her latest picture book collaboration with Julia Donaldson, The Hospital Dog published in October 2020.
Sara has taught illustration and printmaking for over 20 years at many colleges and universities both in the uk and abroad. She currently teaches part time on the Graphic Design course at Northumbria University.

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Tickets are sold through Eventbrite and are non-refundable. Zoom links will be emailed directly to you a couple of days before the event.

The event is LIVE and will not be recorded for viewing back afterwards.

COLOUR Workshop
WITH KATIE HARNETT

DatE
Monday 26th September

tIMe
10AM-1PM (UK GMT)

Venue
Online, Zoom 

FEE
£45 (INCLUDES booking fee)




 

In this workshop, illustrator and author Katie Harnett will be discussing the many different ways colour can be used in narrative illustration. Katie will speak about the importance of colour in storytelling, the different ways colour can be approached, and her own personal approach to choosing colour palettes in books. She will give practical tips on finding your own personal palette, as well as covering the basics of using colour in your work. Please note that this is not a colour theory workshop. 

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The workshop is split into three sections:

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• Lecture and Q&A session

• Colour exercise

• Group discussion

From this workshop you will:

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• Learn about how to use colour in a purposeful way, to add to the world of your story

• See a wide variety of inspiring approaches to using colour

• Have a greater understanding of the purpose of colour in picture books

• Have the opportunity to ask industry professionals questions

• Meet some other illustrators too!

The workshop is open to ALL (whatever your level). Whether you are confident using colour generally, and would like to know more about how it is used in a picture book setting, or if you feel completely at sea, everyone is welcome. 

Katie Harnett is an illustrator and author from Sheffield. 

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She has written and illustrated three picture books, these include the 2017 ‘Greenaway Medal’ nominated Archie Snufflekins Cat. She is the illustrator of the Franklin’s Flying Bookshop series. There are three books in this series and they have gained 10 co-editions, the second book, Franklin and Luna Go To The Moon won a ‘Gold Made For Mums’ award 2019. Katie also illustrates children’s fiction book covers and older fiction. 

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Her awards include: 

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Selection for The Illustrators Exhibition at the Bologna Children's Book Fair 2012 & 2015 Recipient of the Bologna Children's Book Fair ARS IN FABULA Grant Award 2015 
Shortlisted for the Independent Book Week Book Award 2019

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Katie is represented by Andrea Morrison of Writers House.

Tickets are sold through Eventbrite and are non-refundable. Zoom links will be emailed directly to you a couple of days before the event.

The event is LIVE and will not be recorded for viewing back afterwards.

Character Design Workshop
with Maisie Shearring

Date
Saturday 22nd October

Time
10AM-1PM (UK GMT)

Venue
Online, Zoom
 
FEE
£45 (INCLUDES booking fee)



 

Character Workshop: Building a World for Your Picture Book Characters 

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This workshop will give you an insight into how you can begin creating worlds for your characters - how to consider the spaces they live in and what it can add to both your story and the reader’s understanding of the characters in your book.

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Illustrator and author, Maisie Paradise Shearring, will use examples from a broad range of picture book projects along with sharing how she approaches building worlds in her own picture books.

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The workshop is roughly divided into three sections:

• A lecture and Q&A

• A drawing exercise

• A final group discussion and chance for any last questions.

The workshop is open to all (whatever your level). It could be your first time creating a world for your character, you might be a student graduate, or currently working on a project that you’re keen to develop further.

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Maisie Paradise Shearring is an international award-winning and published author-illustrator.

In 2015, Maisie received the prestigious Bologna International Illustrators Award in recognition for her graphic novel, Susan's School Days. Her first picture book, The Happy Prince, was nominated for the 2017 Bratislava Biennial of Illustration. Maisie's subsequent picture books include, I'm Actually Really Grown-Up Now and Anna & Otis, both published by Two Hoots.

Maisie is the illustrator of the picture book The Boy Who Loved Everyone, written by Jane Porter and published by Walker Books. This book was awarded The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award. Maisie has two new books coming out this year; in July, The Girl Who Noticed Everything, written by Jane Porter and published by Walker Books and in August Bob and Bunk, illustrated and written by Maisie and Rose Blake and designed by Ness Wood, published by HarperCollins.

Maisie has post-graduate lecturing experience, having worked on the MA in Children's Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art. Maisie has been a mentor on the Picture Hooks scheme.

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The event will be held online via ZOOM - the link will be sent to you directly via email a couple of days before the workshop.

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All tickets are £45 INCLUSIVE of booking fee - and are non-refundable.

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The event will be LIVE - and will not be recorded for viewing afterwards.