Picturehooks Mentoring

@KirstiBeautyman and I have been on an adventure together. I mentor, she mentee for the Picturehooks Mentoring Programme. Last night at the private view, we were delighted to find out she was chosen as Picturehooks Illustrator 2017! We each wrote a little about the process:

“During our first meeting Kirsti showed me some beautiful, magical ideas she had for picture books, one stood out as having lots of potential: ‘Penny and the Mist Monsters’. She already had a title, and an almost fully formed story. Kirsti said she had never drawn children before, so that was the main focus of our work together. She struggled to show her rough drawings at first, but I think we conquered that without any serious long term scarring! I love how Kirsti has retained the mysterious, magical, strange qualities of her work, whilst finding her picture book voice.”

— Helen

Penny and the Mist Monsters
Kirsti Beautyman

“Working with Helen over this past year has been an invaluable experience. The guidance she has given me throughout the mentoring scheme has been eye opening as she has guided me and helped me to adapt my illustrations to visually fit the market of children’s books. During this journey I have grown and gained confidence, but also I feel very lucky to have gained a supportive and inspiring friend.”

— Kirsti

Isn't Kirsti's work beautiful? The exhibition opened yesterday and she has already been approached by a number of agents and publishers. The Bookseller, which is the magazine read by all the publishing types, bookshops, authors and illustrators (basically the best place to be featured as a new illustrator), wrote a piece about Kirsti. If you are recent graduate, wanting to illustrate picturebooks, the Picturehooks Programme is open to you. If you are in Edinburgh, go and see the exhibition:  So much new talent, and not-so-new talent (me, Patrick Benson, Ross Collins, Steven Antony and Debi Gliory).

 

How to Hide a Lion
Helen Stephens

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