The course is a hands-on journey of experimentation: each day is dedicated to exploring different tools, materials, and techniques. In illustration, as in any craft, the tools are part of the creative process: often the ideas are there, but the means to translate them into effective images are missing.
The course is designed both for those approaching the world of illustration for the first time and for those with experience who wish to deepen their expressive research, find a more intentional direction, and develop a recognizable personal voice.
The goal is to provide a true “toolbox”—technical, methodological, and creative—that allows ideas to be transformed into coherent and meaningful images.
Through guided exercises and moments of free experimentation, participants will work on the fundamental elements of visual language: line, gesture, and mark; the construction of form and composition; and the creation of textures, patterns, and atmospheres.
Different languages and approaches will be explored in a personal research process, with reference to techniques and visual solutions used in children’s picture books.
The course will culminate in a final synthesis project, in which each participant will connect the techniques explored with their own expressive choices. This will be an opportunity to consolidate what has been learned, recognize personal strengths, and create a work that authentically represents the journey undertaken.
Techniques explored during the course:
- Line and mark-making with ink and watercolor ink
- Textures and patterns: hatching with fine liners
- Shading with graphite powder and chalks
- Frottage
- Monotype and painting
Illustration by Sarolta Szulyovszky, Születésmes, ScolaR, Budapest, 2025