SVS Children's Book Pro is a cohort-based programme from the School of Visual Storytelling for illustrators who want to work on picture books. It is taught by Lee White, Jake Parker and Samantha Cotterill, who together have created more than 75 books with major publishers, with guest illustrators joining some sessions. Students choose one of three finished manuscripts and take it through the whole process, from planning and sketching to production, ending with a portfolio-ready piece. The programme combines in-depth video lessons, weekly live sessions for questions and feedback, guided assignments and a private community. Enrolment currently runs through a waitlist.

Unlike the self-paced Essentials classes, Children's Book Pro runs as a group, so students move through the stages together and share work every week.

What You Will Learn

Planning the illustrations for a finished picture book manuscript
Sketching your ideas and developing them into finished art
Moving through production to a portfolio-ready piece
Working with guided assignments and checklists at each stage
Getting real-time answers and feedback in weekly live sessions
Insights into publishing and how the industry works

Who Is SVS Children's Book Pro For?

The programme suits illustrators who have solid fundamentals and want to build a picture book portfolio, or who plan to submit work to agents and publishers. It is a natural continuation of the SVS Essentials curriculum, especially Visual Storytelling and Next Steps for Illustrators.

It is not a beginner course in drawing; if you are still learning fundamentals, start with the Essentials classes.

How the Programme Works

The SVS page describes the programme as an eight-week journey, with around ten weeks of video lessons in the course content. Each week combines recorded lessons with a live session where students can ask questions and get real-time feedback, and a private community space for sharing work with artists around the world.

Course Structure

The programme follows the making of a picture book:

Planning: choosing a manuscript and planning the book
Sketching: developing your ideas for the story
Production: developing final art for a portfolio-ready piece
Publishing insights: how illustrators work with the industry

What You Will Make

You will finish with a portfolio-ready illustration project based on a real manuscript, showing that you can carry a story across pages, not just create single images.

Why a Cohort Programme?

Illustrating a whole book is a long project, and many illustrators stall halfway on their own. Working in a group with weekly deadlines, live sessions and a community keeps the project moving and gives you feedback at the moments it matters most, such as when sketches are approved and final art begins. Seeing other students solve the same manuscript differently is also instructive in itself.

Price and Access

The price is shown on the SVS website when enrolment opens. At the time of checking, Children's Book Pro was taking sign-ups for its waitlist. Check the official page for the next cohort's dates and price.

About the Instructors

Lee White has illustrated more than 27 children's books, mainly in watercolour, and co-founded SVS Learn. Jake Parker has around 25 years of experience in animation, comics and picture books and created the Inktober challenge. Samantha Cotterill is an award-winning author and illustrator known for her 3D paper dioramas.

Things to Consider

Time: plan for weekly live sessions and assignments over about two months.
Prerequisites: strong drawing, colour and composition skills.
Before this: Visual Storytelling and Next Steps for Illustrators.
Community: the private group is a large part of the value.
Enrolment: join the waitlist to hear about the next cohort.

Start the Course

Interested in learning with SVS Learn?

Start Children's Book Pro

For the programme details and waitlist, visit the official SVS Learn website.

Looking for more ways to learn? Browse all courses and learning resources on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: October 26, 2026

Children's Book Pro by SVS Learn