Christmas Advent Windows in South London

My daughter helped me decorate our advent window. The neighbour who organised advent windows in our part of south London, Jessica Owen, secretly assigned us and others in our area a number/date and then each night from December 1-24 a newly decorated window was revealed.

Illustration talk/workshop for Level 2 students at Lesoco College

Students working on their responses to the creative brief I gave them.

Earlier this week I went to Lewisham and Southwark College (Lesoco) in south London to talk to Level 2 students about my experiences as an illustrator and I also set them a creative brief task to create a character.

As arranged with their lecturer, Mary Campbell, I had two hours to talk. I decided to give an overview of:

• My education.
• My background in graphic design and animation.
• The many and varied clients and projects I have been involved with. (I had quite a large portfolio with me!)
• How I work with clients.
• Sources of illustration work.
• How to look for work.
• Publicizing your work.
• Useful education and training for self employed illustrators.
• Support groups and networks for illustrators.

That was a lot of talking and unfortunately I didn't realise I was starting to run over time until shortly before I had to finish. The students only had 20 minuttes or so to draw their responses to the character based creative brief I had given them. They were amazing, they all produced something and many of them managed to create interesting characters that would be viable.

The students are looking for work experience placements in illustration, design or related businesses, studios or agencies in London. If you can help please contact art and design lecturer Mary Campbell at the college or send a message to me and I'll pass it on.

Comics Club for 9-12 year olds at Carnegie Library, South London

On Saturdays between 10am-11am, from October 10 to 21 November 2015 (excluding 7 November), I'll be running a series of six free Comics Club workshops in Carnegie Library for 9-12 year olds.

Comics Club at Carnegie Library SE24. Poster and workshops by Amanda Lillywhite.

I call the workshops a "club" because the participants will have the opportunity to read and talk about comics as well as make them. Each week I'll bring in a variety of graphic novels, zines and comics from my own collection suitable for their age group and they'll have access to the library's collection as well.

I'll also show them comics I've created and a graphic novel for kids that I'm working on. I'll take them through the process of making comics: how to create characters and stories, script, edit and make artwork. We'll also do some guided drawing and I'll give them some tips I've learnt during my years as an illustrator.

At each workshop they'll develop their own ideas for characters and storylines that will be brought together in a comic strip or a zine.

Wondering what to do while your child is in the workshops? Carnegie Library is a beautiful building with a great collection of books, free wifi, study space and a wildlife garden. Bloom Yoga is running drop in yoga sessions in the other meeting room in the library at the same time as Comics Club, they cost £10, mats are available and there is no need to book.

Comics Club is free but there is a limit of 10 participants. Please get in touch if you have a 9-12 year old interested in taking part in the workshops and I'll reserve a place for them. My contact details are on the poster above, you can also use my contact form or social media links.  If the dates or age group don't suit get in touch with me anyway if you'd like to be put on a mailing list to be kept updated about future workshops.

ShoutSouth festival 2015 - a celebration of story-making for kids in south London

A big pile of art supplies from Derwent for
the kids taking part in ShoutSouth 2015.
(This was taken in Bridget Marzo's studio,
you can see her new book
Tiz and Ott's Big Draw up on the shelf.)

For the next three days I'll be one of the illustrators and writers who will be running workshops for 100 kids from 10 south London schools to help them develop their story making skills. This is the ShoutSouth Festival and it will be held at London South Bank University.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the kids come up with. We're very excited that Derwent Pencils have donated art materials so there should be some great drawings. Workshops will include The Spark (getting your initial idea), Character Passport, Spot the Plot and Mad, Murky & Moody.

As if that wasn't enough there will be cake sponsored by the festival bookseller Pea Green Boat Books! 

The illustrators and writers involved in ShoutSouth are all published and all members of CWISL. Click on the links to find out more about us.