Survive & Thrive at Bologna: Illustrator Hacks and Tips with Ellen Vesters

Survive & Thrive at Bologna:

Illustrator Hacks and Tips with Ellen Vesters

The workshop is aimed at illustrators seeking a clear and practical framework for structuring their portfolios, with a focus on the European children’s book market.

The presentation will address portfolio structure, coherence, and market expectations, offering practical guidance and industry context.

There will be time specifically reserved for Q&A, allowing participants to ask individual questions and ensuring the session remains directly relevant to their needs.

The schedule will be as follows:

10:30 – 11:15 Event begins. Speaker leads webinar.

11:15 – 12:00 Q&A with Speaker, workshop closing.

14:00: one-on-one critique starts.

About Ellen Vesters:

Ellen Vesters is an award-winning illustrator and highly respected mentor specializing in visual storytelling. She graduated with Cum Laude in 2017 with a Master’s degree in Children’s Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art.

In 2013, she founded the Urlaub study centre, which quickly grew into a leading creative learning environment within the Dutch educational landscape. After a decade of guiding illustrators to refine their voice and professional practice, she took a bold new step by founding Venster – the Academy for Illustration & Narrative, where she also developed a postgraduate Visual Narrative program focused on storytelling, concept development, and authorship.

Ellen brings insider industry insight to her teaching. She has served as a jury member for Picture This! (organized by Lemniscaat Publishers) and for the prestigious Illustration Biennial in Bratislava on behalf of IBBY Netherlands. She is also an active portfolio reviewer at the Bologna Children's Book Fair.

As a member of the Advisory Board of the Dutch Foundation for Literature, she advises the graphic novel committee on funding applications from both emerging and established creators.