Courses
I offer a range of specialised courses in writing and illustrating picture books, from beginner and development courses to my Superpowers course for professionals who want to enhance their portfolio and sharpen their marketing skills to get more work…
Developing Picture Books
21st April – 2nd July 2025
ONLINE: Wednesday Evenings, 19.00 – 21.00 BST
Join my 10-week course to develop your storyboard and children’s illustration portfolio in a supportive, small-group setting. Designed for intermediate students, you’ll receive personalised feedback from me, drawing on 20+ years of award-winning experience. With live lessons and expert guidance, you’ll stay motivated and take your work to the next level!
You will gain:
- Personalised Feedback: I review each student’s work, offering individualised guidance to refine your story and illustrations
- Develop your Illustration Style: Explore your strengths to consolidate your unique style
- Build an Illustration Portfolio: Create relevant content week-by-week to spark interest from the commercial market
- Market Insight: Obtain guidance on marketing your work & create an action plan for submitting work to publishers & agents
- Improve Techniques: Experiment with gouache & acrylic painting techniques & sharpen your story writing & editing skills
- A Complete Storyboard: Complete your storyboard & learn how to create a coherent colour palette for your picture book
- Further Development: Gain many useful resources to start your picture book-making career & the opportunity to join one of Claire’s monthly mentor groups for continued accountability and support
Testimonials
“Claire is very knowledgeable and very generous with us as students by sharing her experience and knowledge. Each session I learnt a lot and went away with more things to think about for my own story. Claire spends time discussing students’ questions, which is very helpful.”
“I like the fact that Claire includes things like using shadows, colour theory etc. As I didn’t go to art college, I find it useful having these kinds of things as part of the course.”
“Claire’s great teaching, generous sharing of knowledge – this was truly a fantastic experience!”
£595
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Discover your Children’s Illustration Superpowers
Starts 6th of June 2025
ONLINE: 13.00 – 17.30 BST
Have rejections from agents and publishers left you lacking motivation & direction in your children’s illustration career?
Join my small, exclusive, three-session course for intermediate/ advanced levels to gain greater career clarity and confidence. During this interactive course, you will:
~ Gain professional feedback on your children’s illustration portfolio.
~ Manifest your goals & establish your career direction.
~ Give your portfolio a market-boosting makeover.
~ Write a new bio & pitching statement to present your work with confidence.
~ Work on your brand & promote your work creatively.
~ Grow your fan base on social media and other places you may not have considered.
~ Connect with a friendly, supportive group of fellow children’s illustrators.
~ Feel inspired and motivated, knowing exactly what areas you need to work on to appeal to clients, publishers and agents.
This course is for those who have been educated to an intermediate level in children’s book illustration and have already created a portfolio of work. Set out over three Fridays with a gap of four weeks between the second and third sessions allows time for work to be completed. There will be a small amount of preparatory information to upload to an online pinboard before the first session.
Testimonials
“Thank you Claire – it was a fabulous experience. I’m looking forward to developing my portfolio and all that we learned. I am also really thankful for the wonderful feedback from my fellow illustrators/artists and yourself. A really wonderful group and experience.”
“Thanks so much for this Claire, was great to get feedback on my work from such a talented bunch of illustrators. Would highly recommend for anyone seeking inspiration and taking your career goals to the next level!”
“Thank you so much Claire! I feel really invigorated and motivated now! I’m recommending it to everyone I know!”
£355
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Write & Illustrate a Picture Book
17th September – 26th November 2025
ONLINE: Wednesday Evenings, 19.00 – 21.00 GMT
(Formally named ‘An Introduction to Creating Picture Books’)
On this friendly, highly structured 10-week adult beginners course, you will learn the essentials of creating children’s books for 0-6-year-olds, to appeal to the contemporary picture book market. I teach both writing and illustrating as the two disciplines are integral to picture books, but you may wish to specialise in either one.
During the course, you will:
~ Gain an overview of the market & advice on getting published
~ Learn how to create stories with convincing characters
~ Experiment with a range of appropriate artistic mediums
~ Explore narrative themes, structures & writing styles
~ Learn how to storyboard your book with compelling layouts
~ Learn how to make a dummy book to present to publishers
~ Receive one to one & group feedback on your work
~ Obtain advice and guidance on marketing your work
Testimonials
“Claire is a fantastic tutor. She’s not only talented but well versed in the industry and has the ability to explain things clearly while being very kind and generous to the students.”
“Great tutor, very approachable and knowledgeable. I enjoyed the online experience possibly more than an offline class”
“The tutor spoke from a lot of experience so it was a really good insight into children’s publishing. Even though it was over zoom, there was a really great community feel on the course. I also really liked that there was time for feedback sessions and that we learnt some cool new techniques.”
“Claire is very encouraging and supportive. I was not at all confident when I realised the standard of the work and how many people already had art degrees etc, but I think we all have found it increasingly easy to share our work and receive comments from Claire and each other.’
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