Why is character important?
Zanni talks about why characters are so important in our picture book stories.
Introduction to character with Anna
Anna shares her process for creating characters and some things to think about throughout this module.
Handout: Introduction to creating characters
Open the handout to read about our writing goals for this module.
Handout: Introduction to illustrating characters
Open the handout to read about our illustration goals for this module.
Handout: Illustrating characters
Open the handout to hear more about how Anna illustrates characters.
Let’s talk about character
Favourite picture book characters
Zanni shares some of her favourite picture book characters.
Interview with humour writer, Rory H. Mather
Zanni chats with Rory, author of Vlad’s Bad Breath, about what he thinks makes a great character.
Task: Character study
Open the handout to complete the character study.
Creating strong characters
Strong, motivated, active characters
Zanni talks about how to create strong characters with agency.
Creating characters with Anna
Anna guides you through how she creates both animal and human characters.
Interview with celebrated picture book author, Laura Bunting
Zanni chats with prolific picture book author, Laura Bunting, author of Koala’s Don’t Eat Gum Leaves, Liarbird and others about how she creates such identifiable, memorable characters and what makes a great picture book character.
Interview with talented rhyming picture book author, Amelia McInerney
Zanni chats with Amelia, author of Who Fed Zed and other wonderful books about how Amelia dreams up her hilarious characters.
Task: Create your own characters
Open the handout to complete the exercise.
Task: Drawing simple faces & inventing characters
Open the handout to learn how to start illustrating characters.
Point of view & voice
Creating point of view
Zanni talks about point of view and why it’s important.
Voice and dialogue
Zanni talks about how we can create strong dialogue and character voice in our stories.
Task: Point of view
Open the handout to complete the point of view exercise.
Develop your character illustrations
Creating your character’s world
Anna guides you through how she creates worlds for her characters.
Interview with picture book author-illustrator, Katrin Dreiling
Zanni talks to Katrin, author and illustrator of The Perfect Pig, about how she illustrates her characters.
Task: Add something special
Open the handout to complete this illustration exercise.
Task: Creating an environment for your characters
Open the handout to learn about how to illustrate an environment for your characters.
Module Two Task Creating An Environment Or Home For Your Characters
Task: Your character in movement
Open the handout to learn how to illustrate your character in movement.
Give your character feeling
Creating feeling
Zanni talks about giving your character a feeling and helping your readers connect.
Task: Create feeling
Open the handout to complete the writing exercise.
Handout: Character transformation
Open the handout to learn about why character transformation is important.
Module Two Assignments
Due the last Friday of March.
Writing Assignment: Write your character into a scene
Open the handout to read about your writing assignment for module two.
Illustration Assignment: Illustrate a character
Open the handout to read about your illustration assignment for module two.