SVS Visual Storytelling is an online class from the School of Visual Storytelling, taught by children's book illustrator Lee White. It deals with the question behind every illustration: what to draw. Lee teaches step-by-step techniques for evaluating a story, generating focused ideas quickly, establishing meaning in an image, choosing the right moment and cropping creatively. The class has 21 lessons with about three and a half hours of video, a workbook and five assignments, and is included in the SVS Learn membership.

It is one of the most popular classes in the SVS library, and it uses case studies from real picture books to show how small choices change what an image says.

What You Will Learn

A three-step process for evaluating stories
Common storytelling problems to avoid
Mind mapping to generate focused ideas quickly
How to establish meaning in a single image
Picking the moment: how thinking about time opens up options
Creative cropping to change emphasis and emotion
Other techniques for enhancing both big ideas and single images

Who Is SVS Visual Storytelling For?

The class suits illustrators who can draw and paint but whose images do not connect emotionally, and especially picture book illustrators working from a manuscript. It is also valuable for comic artists and editorial illustrators, who must choose one image to carry a whole idea.

How the Class Works

The class is divided into four parts, each followed by assignments. You begin by evaluating stories through two picture book case studies, then explore ideas through mind mapping, and finally apply techniques such as picking the moment and creative cropping. You finish with many thumbnails that can be developed into finished portfolio pieces.

Course Structure

Introduction: what visual storytelling is, workbook
Evaluating Stories: the three-step process, case studies Sophie's Fish and To Catch a Sunbeam, Assignment 1
Idea Exploration: mind mapping (Assignment 2), generating story ideas (Assignment 3)
Techniques to Enhance Storytelling: picking the moment (Assignment 4), creative cropping (Assignment 5), other techniques

What You Will Make

By the end you will have a large set of thumbnails exploring stories in different ways. The strongest can be taken to finish and added to your portfolio, and the evaluation process is something you can apply to every future manuscript.

Price and Access

The class is included in the SVS Learn membership. SVS lists its Studio membership at $29.95 a month, and class pages show a $300 annual option. A 14-day free trial is available with a card and becomes a paid subscription unless you cancel. Membership includes live events and a monthly art challenge.

About the Instructor

Lee White is a children's book illustrator based in Colorado and a co-founder of SVS Learn. He has been illustrating books for about 20 years, with more than 30 titles including This Pretty Planet, and co-hosts the 3 Point Perspective podcast.

How It Fits the SVS Curriculum

Visual Storytelling is part of Level 4 of SVS Essentials, alongside Will Terry's Developing Great Visual Stories, which approaches concepting from a different angle. Taking both gives you two complementary methods for finding ideas.

Things to Consider

Time: three and a half hours of video and five assignments.
Work from a text: a short story or manuscript makes the exercises more useful.
Thumbnails, not finishes: keep the drawings small and quick.
Pair it with: Developing Great Visual Stories.
Next steps: Next Steps for Illustrators, or Children's Book Pro.

Start the Course

Interested in learning with SVS Learn?

Start Visual Storytelling

For the full curriculum and membership options, visit the official SVS Learn website.

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Last verified: October 26, 2026

Visual Storytelling by SVS Learn