Picture Hooks provides opportunity and development for emerging picture book illustrators

We help illustrators access the world of children’s publishing.

Although based in Edinburgh, Picture Hooks support is available for all emerging illustrators.

Find out more about our programme >>

Picture Hooks’ Guide to Bologna: Advice for First Timers  

The dates have been announced, flights are being booked, and tickets are on sale – the world’s biggest Children’s Book Fair awaits!  If this next Bologna Book Fair is your first ever and you don’t know what to expect, or you’re feeling frazzled at just the thought of it, fear not! We at Picture Hooks […]

‘Help, I’m Stuck!’ A Picture Hooks Competition

OPEN NOW – Our latest competition is here, and this time the prompt is, ‘Help, I’m Stuck!’ We all need a helping hand sometimes, don’t we? As with our other competitions, we’d like to see two illustrations in a swipe through format. our competitions are all about encouraging you to think about storytelling, the page […]

Picture Hooks at Edinburgh Central Library – Exhibition & Panel Talk

On now! We’re running a free exhibition at the beautiful Edinburgh Central Library, all about the importance of picture books, featuring brilliantly talented, award winning artists: Catherine Rayner, Chris Haughton, Debi Gliori, Ken Wilson-Max, Lydia Monks, Nick Sharratt, Sara Ogilvie, and Vivian French.  Picture Hooks: Hooked from the Start explores how books read in childhood influence and […]

NEW INTERVIEW SERIES – PICTURE HOOKS DISCUSSES

In our first interview, Vivian chats to former teacher, university lecturer, and founder of Just Imagine, Nikki Gamble. Just Imagine works extensively with schools in the UK and internationally to develop outstanding reading and writing, where stories and literature are placed firmly at the heart of learning. Let’s see what they have to say about […]

Latest from our blog

Picture Hooks’ Guide to Bologna: Advice for First Timers  

The dates have been announced, flights are being booked, and tickets are on sale – the world’s biggest Children’s Book Fair awaits!  If this next Bologna Book Fair is your first ever and you don’t know what to expect, or you’re feeling frazzled at just the thought of it, fear not! We at Picture Hooks […]

February 12, 2026

‘Help, I’m Stuck!’ A Picture Hooks Competition

OPEN NOW – Our latest competition is here, and this time the prompt is, ‘Help, I’m Stuck!’ We all need a helping hand sometimes, don’t we? As with our other competitions, we’d like to see two illustrations in a swipe through format. our competitions are all about encouraging you to think about storytelling, the page […]

December 31, 2025

Picture Hooks at Edinburgh Central Library – Exhibition & Panel Talk

On now! We’re running a free exhibition at the beautiful Edinburgh Central Library, all about the importance of picture books, featuring brilliantly talented, award winning artists: Catherine Rayner, Chris Haughton, Debi Gliori, Ken Wilson-Max, Lydia Monks, Nick Sharratt, Sara Ogilvie, and Vivian French.  Picture Hooks: Hooked from the Start explores how books read in childhood influence and […]

October 20, 2025

NEW INTERVIEW SERIES – PICTURE HOOKS DISCUSSES

In our first interview, Vivian chats to former teacher, university lecturer, and founder of Just Imagine, Nikki Gamble. Just Imagine works extensively with schools in the UK and internationally to develop outstanding reading and writing, where stories and literature are placed firmly at the heart of learning. Let’s see what they have to say about […]

August 25, 2025

‘NICE TO MEET YOU!’ – A NEW PICTURE HOOKS COMPETITION

Exciting news! It’s time for our next Instagram competition: ‘Nice to Meet You!‘ Who’s meeting who? Surprise us on the swipe-through! We’d like you to create two illustrations in a swipe-through format to show us two or more characters meeting for the first time. Our competitions are all about encouraging illustrators to think about storytelling, […]

June 30, 2025

Play with a Purpose: Continued with Vivian French and David Melling, 24th June 7pm BST

Good news! We received such great feedback from you on last month’s webinar with our dynamic duo, Vivian French and David Melling, that we’ve decided to run three more webinars all about the importance of play. In each of these webinars, Vivian and David will demonstrate different ways to add playful practices into your drawing/painting […]

June 19, 2025