Course Resources Archive

This module will explore the development of illustration in the children's publishing industry and build a sound knowledge base of the procedures and practices as well as the current trends and work opportunities in the field.

It will also introduce and explore, at a basic level, issues of child psychology with reference to visual sophistication and style, and subject stimuli at different ages and what parents look for when buying books for children.

Subjects will be introduced through a series of lectures and students will conduct research into styles of children's illustration as they apply to age ranges and gender. The knowledge gained will be applied in a practical "real world" project based on an area of particular interest to the student to nurture their creative, problem solving and professional skills.

Researching, deconstructing and evaluating past and contemporary children’s illustration.

Initiating, developing and producing relevant solutions, informed by collating and evaluating reference material from primary sources

The consideration of content, narrative and communication objectives for different age groups.

The interrelation and integration of layout, text and image, including structural methodologies and imaginative, pictorial uses of text and/or number within the narrative.

Developing and experimenting with a wide range of image making techniques and evaluating their suitability for targeted audience.

A student passing this module should be able to:

Initiate, design and produce a series of illustrative images with an informed and accurate identification of the target audience’s perceptions, capabilities and reactions

Extend and develop their mastery and knowledge of styles and illustrative techniques, appropriate to the applications of  illustration intended for children

Assess the narrative structure of their work, its effectiveness and suitability for children and related demographics (e.g. parents, relatives, teachers)

Critically examine and analyse the wider cultural context of the genre and evaluate how it relates and reflects upon their personal practice

Integrate and analyse their research and primary source materials, form independent judgments, and use them to devise effective and appropriate solutions

Identify goals, manage workloads, meet deadlines and communicate in a professional manner appropriate to the expected standard

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.