ALL ABOUT...featuring Sam Walshaw

Encouraging imagination, creative writing, creative drawing and picture book design.

Stuart Trotter and Sam Walshaw, experienced children's illustrators and published author's will guide you through the exciting world of children’s book publishing and talk about the characters they have illustrated, written or worked with, including Rupert Bear, Maisey and the Pirates, Wallace and Gromit, Kipper, Lulubell Ladybird, Noddy, Winnie the Pooh, Little Fairies, Postman Pat and Matilda Loves.

Our information packed talk and workshop will teach you everything about how a children’s picture book is produced- from idea to shelf! Part lecture, part workshop, this course will take potential authors/illustrators of all ages through the process of outlining, writing, and designing a children’s picture book.

We show the initial stages of picture books, mock ups, roughs, through to beautiful finished artworks and discussing the structure of picture book writing, illustrating and design. The workshop helps pupils formulate their own ideas, introducing creative writing. Stuart and Sam talk about how illustration is used in books, and finally the design of books. The 'brainstorming' session encourages imaginative thinking with the pupils 'roughing out' their ideas on to the storyboard sheets we provide. A picture book is not just a series of drawings and words, but must be a reading experience so the pupils are encouaged to think about the design element of the genre. Once everyone is happy with the story the pupils then transfer their work into their own blank picture book we provide.

Sam, an experienced greetings card designer will also talk about her design and illustrative work in this very interesting and challenging industry.

An accomplished illustrator, Sam works on a Mac, and is extremely skilled in Illustrator, Photoshop, and Indesign.

What’s brilliant about Rockpool workshops...

• Students get a unique insight into the exciting professional world of children’s book publishing.
• Students have fun, developing their creativity, either visually or with the written word.
• There is plenty of class participation – as professional illustrators and authors, we’ll help in developing and perfecting ideas together, just as trained artists and writers do.
• Stuart and Sam will help you develop original artwork and writing, from rough to finished.
• We help everyone – whatever their talents – to create something by working together, just as we would in the workplace.

Sam Walshaw is a very talented greetings card designer, children’s author and illustrator. In 2007 Sam submitted her picture book ideas Neandersmall
and Maisey and the Pirates to Rockpool Children’s Books.

Sam’s books have sold worldwide, USA, Thailand, France, South Africa, Spain, and in 2013, Neandersmall was nominated for best children’s picture e-book at the Digital Book Awards in New York! Digital is Sam’s preferred medium, she is an expert in Illustrator.

2 of Sam's wonderful books

Available POD from Rockpool Albury