Blog

Goblins & Bloblins – Play with a Purpose  LIVE from 7pm GMT on Monday 12th May Join our very own Vivian French and dynamic David Melling in the next Picture Hooks Explores free webinar as they show us how play is an essential component of top-notch illustration.   Play can be a launch pad that propels […]

** CLOSED FOR SUBMISSIONS – THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED** ‘Meow? MEOW!’ competition, submissions open Thursday 6th March 2025 We’re excited to announce our first before and after Instagram competition of 2025! Purrfect for all you feline fans, the prompt is ‘Meow? MEOW!’.  Inspired by the mischievous and unpredictable nature of kitties, it’s all about […]

We are delighted to announce our latest ‘Before and After’ competition on the theme of ‘What’s inside?‘, which invites you to submit two images of a character before and after opening a parcel (no background needed), with an emphasis in expressing your character’s feelings and experience through their physicality. The competition will take place between […]

Calling all emerging children’s book illustrators! Our mentoring programme is now open. Don’t miss the chance to give your craft a final polish and launch your career as a fully-fledged children’s book illustrator. Paired with an established illustrator over nine months, selected mentees will develop specific pieces of work, attend masterclasses and meet publishers, finishing […]

We are delighted to announce our first competition of 2024, the latest of our ‘Before and After’ competitions, on the theme Ready, Steady… GO! There will be one Ready, Steady… GO! competition taking place during May – June 2024. The winner will receive a prize of £500, and two additional awarded runners up will both […]

We are delighted to announce our first competition of 2024, the latest of our ‘Before and After’ competitions, on the theme Fearful/Brave. There will be one Fearful/Brave competition taking place during February – March 2024. The winner will receive a prize of £500, and two additional awarded runners up will both receive £250.

Are you a passionate artist from a non-traditional illustration background? Perhaps you love drawing vibrant characters or telling a story through pictures but haven’t thought about doing a MA, or have honed your skills in a different industry altogether. Our buddy scheme pairs creative artists with established children’s picture book illustrators for six months to develop your […]

Celebrated children’s author and Picture Hooks co-founder Vivian French is no stranger to the power of illustration and storytelling to ignite young imaginations in schools. In collaboration with County Hall Arts, Vivian paid a visit to Oasis Academy Johanna in London to run a day of workshops and activities. This beautiful video, with music specially […]

We are delighted to announce our latest competition, the second of our ‘Before and After’ competitions, on the theme ‘Oh No!’. There will be one ‘Oh No!’ competition taking place during July – August 2023. The winner will receive a prize of £500, and two additional awarded runners up will both receive £250. Learn more […]

We are delighted to announce our latest competition, and the first of our ‘Before and After’ competitions, on the theme Quiet/Loud. There will be one Quiet/Loud competition taking place during April – May 2023. The winner will receive a prize of £500, and two additional awarded runners up will both receive £250. Learn more about […]