Karen Hibbard

Workshops

Karen will briefly talk about the picture books that she has illustrated. In addition, she will bring in her published picture books, various rough and finished storyboards, final watercolours & pastels, art materials and manuscripts for show and tell.

She will talk about how she got started and what inspires her and her process of working. It is important that the illustrator connect to character, place and action.

She has a prepared powerpoint presentation of different stages of sketching, researching and illustrating the manuscript to the final stage of executing watercolour and pastel on good watercolour paper.

Some fun interactive creative writing and drawing exercises will be presented. These are meant to give students a hands-on approach to writing and illustrating their own stories.

There is time for a short question period.

Special Equipment:

Have a laptop but need a projector to show to a large group. This presentation can be done without equipment if the school can’t provide it. Note: Students should have some scrap paper and a pencil and a hard surface on which to write and draw the creative exercises (like a desk or a hardcover book).

Biography

Karen is a trained visual artist who has branched into illustrating children’s picture books. She has taught studio art to children of all ages as well as young adults for 13 years at various institutions of learning, such as; University of Manitoba’s School of Art (Winnipeg), Visual Arts Centre (Montréal), and at summer camp. She has illustrated 3 stories: Ti-Pinge, ti-zwazo and Monsieur Haricot by Joujou Turenne for Les Éditions Planète rebelle.

Karen has taught various age groups and has learned to adapt to her students and to find the rhythms of the group. Her main goal is to access the student’s creative spirit so it can find expression.

Karen is a practicing artist and shows across Canada, Europe and the US. She makes print media installation that may include drawing, print media and video. She participated recently at artist residencies in Akureyri, Iceland as well as Næstved, Denmark.