School Visits

I love to share what I do with kids. My programs are fun and interactive, with an emphasis on drawing.

Depending on the age group, presentations can be from 45 minutes to an hour. I tailor each program for the age and size of the group. Generally there will be a short slide show, lots of real examples of my work and plenty of demonstration drawing. For smaller groups we can do an art project.

Sample program:

Creating Characters:  Who will I meet in a story?

When we open up a picture book, we see beautiful color illustrations that complement the story and bring it to life. Illustrators don’t just sit down and draw a perfect picture; in fact there are many steps (and missteps!) on the way to the printed book.

With an emphasis on creating characters, I will take the students though this journey, from printed manuscript to final galleys. There will be lots of room for questions.

The students will help me develop a character using descriptions drawn from a hat. They will then have a chance to draw their own characters.

School visit fees:

$250 per presentation, up to 4 presentations per day, plus travel expenses.

Equipment needed from the school:

A projector set up for Power Point; I can bring a laptop or use the school's computer. Paper, pencils and a place for the student's to draw — tables, desks or clipboards.

Preparation for my visit:

Please read some of my books beforehand so that the kids are familiar with me and are excited about my visiting the school. This makes it a lot more fun for everybody! It is also a good idea to prepare some questions in advance.