In November, Jacki Kellum Studios Opened at 32 South Main Water Valley, Misssissippi Today, I am finisihing hanging a new exhibition at Jacki Kellum Studios in Water Valley, Mississippi – Illustrating a Picture Book – The Process – From rough sketches to hyper-realistic studies to the magic. The work on exhibition focuses on my books…
Category: #How to Illustrate a Picture Booik
Tuesdays with Tomie – Jacki Kellum Studios Free Breakfast Club Program – Practicing Turning Our Memories into Picture Books – Begins September 9, 2025
For too many reasons to name, Children’s Literature is my favorite genre to read and study. While Tomie de Paola is not my favorite Picture Book Creator, he is the best I know to study to learn to turn memories into picture books. Because de Paola is both a prolific writer and an illustrator, he…
Studying Other Artists and Illustrators – Studying Other Writers – The Importance of Copying the Masters in Becoming Better at Your Craft
In addition to being a practicing visual artist and writer, I have taught both writing and art 3/4 of my life. Although I have NEVER allowed my students to submit a copied piece for a grade, I have always told them that copying more accomplished artists and writers is a wonderful way to learn. Many…
How to Lay Out a Picture Book – How to Weave Images and Words Together on a Page – Examples
In a systematic way, I am researching the wrting and illustrating career of Tomie dePaola. When I started this project, I was simply trying to think of a way to honor dePaola on his birthday–September 15. The prolific picture book author and illustrator Tomie dePaola was born on September 15, 1934. After I began my…
Who Was Patrick – An Ancient Irish Bishop and Patron Saint
THE CONFESSION OF ST. PATRICK. “They also found wild honey, and offered me some of it, and one of them said: “This is offered in sacrifice, thanks be to God”; after this, I tasted no more. But the same night, while I was sleeping, I was strongly tempted by Satan (of which I…