I love teaching "The Book Dummy" at RISD CE. Every class is as exciting as the last, with students bringing in their own manuscripts and creating prototypes of their own children's book, called a "dummy" in the industry.
We begin with storyboards, small thumbnail sketches that help to create the design and pace of the book. Manuscripts are reworked (ie: slashed, revised, honed, refined, and on and on and on!!!)
Anne worked on a story written by her mother.
Alison's story was about Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.
Alison shared a quote she'd heard that summarized the class for her.
The difference between a dream and a goal...
is a deadline.
Twelve weeks passes quickly when you are turning a story into reality, with character development, color studies, layout, design, manuscript revision, and finished art.
It was a joy for me to watch each student bring their ideas into reality.
Roya and her husband Luc collaborated on a book about Colors.
Karen rewrote a Grimm's folktale.
Marcela's "Sisters" reflects her own experience of living in two different countries.
Jessica dummied up a poem by Peter S. Beagle, with the author's permission.
Sarita wrote her original manuscript in Marlo Garnsworthy's Children's Book writing class through RISD CE.
Rebecca's story was about growth and the cycle of life.
Illustration I and Book Dummy classes get together.
Lori Surdat Weinberg's Illustration I class joined us, and I look forward to
seeing many of them in a future Book Dummy class.
... and I brought my own dummy.
