Mentoring Programme

Our mentoring programme is now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted their applications.

Who is the programme for?

Our mentoring scheme is designed for emerging illustrators ready to take the final step into a career in children’s picture book illustration. Perhaps you have completed a degree in illustration, or already have a portfolio of work and are looking to polish your craft and build connections in the industry. Our mentoring programme will help you take off as a fully-fledged children’s picture book illustrator.

Mentoring

Emerging illustrators will be matched with eminent and established illustrators for nine months. You and your mentor will focus on aspects of the illustrator’s work.

For the mentee, it is a similar experience to working closely with an editor for a year, but with the additional opportunity to experiment and work outside your comfort zone, trying new techniques and methods.

Training

There will be a training session to establish how you and your mentor will work together and to discuss your processes and intended outcomes.

The mentees will also be given further training during the scheme, which may include sessions on illustration techniques, self-promotion and portfolio presentation. You will also be encouraged to attend the other Picture Hooks events taking place throughout the year.

Showcasing your work

Towards the end of the process, you will be given the opportunity to show your portfolio to UK publishers. We also intend that the work you make during the mentoring scheme will be displayed in a touring exhibition.

Click here for full details and FAQs.

Meet our previous mentors and mentees

See the illustrators section of our website.

Each year, we collect feedback from our participants in order to improve upon the scheme. Below you can find some closing comments from past mentees.

“Jill offered invaluable feedback at every stage of the process, continuously challenging me to step beyond my comfort zone. It is clear to me how my illustrations have improved during this process, and I could not be more thankful for the mentorship Jill has provided.”
– Aline Monda, mentee 2023

“Being a mentee has been a brilliant experience, a rare chance to hone my storytelling skills and have a deeper understanding of character-led picture books.”
– Olu Oke, mentee 2023

No illustration experience but interested to give it a go? Check out our Buddy Scheme for creative artists.