English
Follow Diana’s process for building story-driven illustrations in Procreate with stronger composition, thoughtful color, and a soft storybook feel.
You don’t need to figure out the entire illustration at once.
Diana breaks the process into clear, manageable steps, helping you move from a simple idea to a finished children’s book scene with confidence.
+13K
Hi, I’m Diana McDermott, a children’s book illustrator based in Austin, Texas. I’ve illustrated 23 children’s books and taught thousands of students through my online classes and tutorials.
As a self-taught artist, I know how overwhelming a complete illustration can feel. That’s why I break the process into clear, manageable steps—from brainstorming and sketching to adding color, texture, and final details—so you can create with more confidence.
Giving the speech at the Apple store
“You don’t need to have every detail figured out before you begin. I’ll show you how to build your illustration one step at a time and turn a simple idea into a finished storybook scene.”
*Prices in USD. Limited time offer. Expires Thursday, February 9, 2023 at midnight.
Every choice in a children’s book scene has a purpose, from where the characters are placed to the mood created through color and light.
Diana will help you make thoughtful visual decisions so your illustration feels clear, engaging, and connected to the story.
A children’s book scene can quickly become crowded. Diana shows you how to decide what supports the moment, what can be simplified, and where detail will have the greatest impact.
Rather than filling every empty space, you’ll learn to edit your choices so the final illustration feels intentional, readable, and complete.
Diana explains the thinking behind her creative choices, helping you develop an illustrator’s eye you can carry into your own future projects.
A successful children’s book illustration does more than fill a page. It helps young readers understand what is happening, notice the most important moment, and connect with the characters.
In this course, Diana shows you how to translate words into visual choices that support the story. You’ll learn to think about action, emotion, setting, and page balance so every element has a clear purpose.
Follow Diana as she interprets a story moment and develops it into an engaging book illustration in Procreate. Along the way, she explains what she chooses to show, what she leaves out, and how those decisions make the scene easier to read.
Find the main action and emotion within a passage
Decide what the illustration should reveal to the reader
Create character poses and expressions that support the moment
Balance characters, backgrounds, text, and open space
Use color, lighting, and texture to strengthen the atmosphere
Keep the final page clear, engaging, and connected to the story
By the end of the course, you won’t just know how to finish an illustration. You’ll understand how to make each visual choice communicate something meaningful and create scenes that feel like a natural part of the book.
*Prices in USD. Limited time offer. Expires Thursday, February 9, 2023 at midnight.
Understand the principles behind an effective children’s book scene, so you know why an illustration works rather than simply copying what you see.
Apply each lesson while creating a complete illustration in Procreate. Every technique is taught within a clear, practical context—not as a disconnected exercise.
Leave with an approach you can adapt to new manuscripts, characters, settings, and illustration styles long after the course is finished.
Instead of wondering whether your composition, character, or color choices are working, you’ll learn what to look for and how to make purposeful adjustments as your scene develops.
...are questions almost every illustrator faces while building a complete storybook scene.
Diana’s teaching is approachable and practical, giving you guidance without forcing you into rigid rules. You’ll leave knowing what to notice, what to adjust, and when your illustration is ready to move forward.
*Prices in USD. Limited time offer. Expires Thursday, February 9, 2023 at midnight.
Click a module below to explore the lessons. All content is narrated in English.
Part 1 - Paginating Your Manuscript
Learn how picture books are structured, divide your manuscript into pages, and design page turns that keep the story flowing and readers engaged.
Learn how picture books are structured, divide your manuscript into pages, and design page turns that keep the story flowing and readers engaged.
Part 2 - Character & Style Development
Learn how to define your illustration style, design a memorable main character, and create supporting characters and settings that make the story world feel complete.
Learn how to define your illustration style, design a memorable main character, and create supporting characters and settings that make the story world feel complete.
Part 3 - Storyboarding the Whole Book
Learn how to storyboard your book, build strong compositions, vary the pacing across spreads, and place text so every page feels clear and balanced.
Learn how to storyboard your book, build strong compositions, vary the pacing across spreads, and place text so every page feels clear and balanced.
Part 4 - Color Planning & Palette Building
Understand essential color theory, build a cohesive palette for your book, and plan color across thumbnails and key story moments.
Understand essential color theory, build a cohesive palette for your book, and plan color across thumbnails and key story moments.
Part 5 - Final Coloring & Rendering
Learn how to set up your Procreate file, refine your sketch into clean linework, build depth with color, and add texture and finishing details.
Learn how to set up your Procreate file, refine your sketch into clean linework, build depth with color, and add texture and finishing details.
Part 6 - File Prep & Publishing
Learn how to prepare your files for print, export interior pages correctly, and set up your book cover for publishing.
Learn how to prepare your files for print, export interior pages correctly, and set up your book cover for publishing.
Get lifetime access to 20 practical video lessons and over 2 hours and 50 minutes of training, available anytime on desktop, tablet, or phone.
After completing the course, you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion recognizing the skills you’ve developed—from planning and illustrating your story to preparing the finished book files for print.
This course brings the complete picture-book illustration process together, from paginating your manuscript and developing characters to storyboarding, coloring, and preparing your files for print.
Instead of piecing together separate tutorials, you’ll follow one complete path from your first page plan to a print-ready book.
You could spend months testing page layouts, file setups, color choices, and export settings through trial and error. Diana shares the experience she has gained from illustrating 23 children’s books, helping you avoid common mistakes and move forward with a stronger plan.
Learn from someone who has already worked through the creative decisions, revisions, and technical details, then apply that practical guidance to your own book.
If the course isn’t the right fit, that’s completely okay.
Simply reach out within the refund period to receive your full payment back. No stress, no questions asked!
*Narrated by a speaker in English language.
*Prices in USD. Limited time offer. Expires Thursday, February 9, 2023 at midnight.
That’s ok. There are lots of ways you can learn to create art.
| Price 💸 | Convenience 👌 | Time Investment ⏰ | Guarantee 🔒 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youtube | Free! (Usually… You just have to watch the ads they show you.) |
Ready when you are, but no clear curriculum to follow. | Unlimited. There are so many different people to follow and videos to watch - you could spend the rest of your life watching videos and still not know what to do next. | None. |
| Art School | $$$$$ Anywhere from $15,000 to $60,000+ every YEAR. |
Somewhat convenient. All of your classes will be on one campus… You just have to drive there and attend class… every day. |
2 to 8 years, depending upon your degree program and chosen path. | None. |
| Local Art Classes | from $ to $$$ |
Somewhat convenient. Classes will be in your local area, but there’s no promise that you’ll be able to find classes or instructors that fit your artistic goals. |
Unknown. Depends on what classes are available and if you can fit them into your schedule. | None. |
| Skillshare | It’s hard to find this information on their website, but Skillshare is $36 a month - every month. | Convenient. Courses are available on demand… but you do have to figure out your own curriculum and which teachers are best for your needs. | Unlimited. Just like with YouTube, there are so many different offerings - you’re likely to spend hours upon hours trying to find the right options for you. | “Payments are nonrefundable and there are no refunds or credits for partially used periods.” |
| Trial & Error | The sky’s the limit! Depending on how much you want to spend on supplies, you could save a little… or you might end up spending an absolute fortune. |
Somewhat convenient. It’s all at your own pace - but there’s also no outside help provided. | Unlimited. Just like with YouTube, there are so many different offerings - you’re likely to spend hours upon hours trying to find the right options for you. | None. |
*Prices in USD. Limited time offer. Expires Thursday, February 9, 2023 at midnight.
