#PBCrtiqueFest

We are Joining in with #PBcritiqueFest on picture book spotlight. This event and give-away is to celebrate picture book writers and illustrators and offer writers and illustrators a chance to get their work critiqued. The event also helps to build our kidlit community and connections within the illustrator and writer community.

Picture Book Spotlight is created by Brian Gehrlein and is set up to champion picture book authors, illustrators and agents and celebrate picture books in the industry. Its a great resource for debut illustrators and authors and especially those who are querying.

Here is a link to PB Spotlight-https://www.pbspotlight.com

Critique Fest: https://www.pbspotlight.com/pbcritiquefest​

Also On PB Spotlight there is lots interesting of author and illustrator interviews and spotlights. There is also fantastic picture book give-aways to join in with. #PBcritiqueFest is a great opptunitiy to engage with like minded authors and illustrators as well as being in with the chance to have your worked criqtued.

Picture Book Spotlight

Character designs

One of our favourite parts of illustration is designing characters. From coming up with an initial idea for a character to sketching them out in different scenarios and giving them a world to inhabit. When coming up with characters to design, we begin by gathering references, looking closely at facial expressions and getting an overall idea for their personality. We draw our character in lots of different poses. Often we sketch the character over and over again, giving them facial expressions and emotions which helps make them more believable.

When drawing child characters we like to exaggerate their movements. We find that by giving them lots of movement enhances the personality of the character and gives a playful feel to our work. When adding colour to our characters we try to keep in mind the original sketches, so as not to loose the original playfulness and spontaneity of the sketch.

Creating playful scenes

When coming up with ideas for illustrations for book ideas, we often sketch rough ideas of what the characters look like, what they are doing, the environment the book is set and the world they inhabit. We come up with lots of designs. Often our sketches are quite unrefined at this stage, scribbling down lots of ideas for scenes and characters. Later we start to think about layout and perspective and creating an intriguing atmosphere.

We love to experiment with creating intriguing and playful environments, thinking about if its a cold or hot enviroment, what season is it set in, is it night time, who lives there. We also like to think about what colours we want to use. Sometimes its a lot of bright colours, like greens and oranges and yellows, to create a really vibrant scene, full of life. Other times we use just one or two colours, like blues and greys, to create a cold wintery environment.

Little brother and sister sitting in their bedroom