Columbia University Students Gain Skills in Children's Book Illustration Course

Under the instruction of Jacqueline Alcantara, an adjunct professor, students explore various illustration techniques applicable to picture books, graphic novels, and young adult covers. Alcantara emphasizes the importance of understanding the book production process, which she believes gives students a competitive advantage in the publishing industry. She has taught the course for six years.

Students are encouraged to experiment with their preferred artistic styles while developing content aimed at young audiences. Amar Farraj, a senior illustration major, commented on the value of revisiting previous work to enhance their designs. He stated, “This class is important because not only are you looking back on things that you have worked on, so you’re able to replicate them, there is also a focus on the industry of children’s book illustration.”

Currently, students are engaged in creating sequential illustration page spreads based on personal childhood experiences. This narrative technique, commonly used in graphic novels and animations, allows artists to tell a story through a series of arranged images. Senior illustration major Jules Rush shared that the class has them designing themselves as young children engaging in various actions. She hopes to apply narrative storytelling techniques to her future tattoo art career.

The course employs a hands-on approach, allowing students to express their creativity using basic materials like paint, glue, and scissors. Alcantara aims to introduce diverse art styles prevalent in children’s book illustration.

Thanie Garavito, a junior illustration major, aspires to be an environmental artist and appreciates how sequential art demonstrates character development through simple illustrations, similar to comic art. Senior illustration major Duncan Baader expressed excitement about upcoming lessons on young adult cover illustrations and comic book art, aiming to eventually write and illustrate his own comics.

Having illustrated children’s books herself, Alcantara aims to maintain a beginner’s mindset and encourage exploration. She believes that the creative process is integral to learning. The course culminates in a final project where students will write their own manuscripts, illustrate, and assemble a physical three-page book. Farraj remarked, “These are things that you are going to remember if you publish a children’s book, for the rest of your life.”

Copy edited by Isaac Russo. Jenna Kottke, a sophomore film and television major and broadcast journalism minor, reports for the Chronicle.