Good Ship Students at Bologna Children's Book Fair Day One

We thought it was only right we celebrated our amaziiiing Good Ship Students who are exhibiting at the Bologna Children's Book Fair.

First up is Amber Au who has done all of our courses!  We asked Amber about her work, here's what she said...

"Hellooo! I am Amber. I am thrilled to announce I have been chosen to participate in Bologna Children's Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition 2024 and The Unpublished Picture Book Showcase 5!!! 🎉
I did all the courses from The Good Ship Illustration - Picture Book Course, Find Your Creative Voice Course and Business Course, and that's the best decision I have ever made. Before the courses, I had no confidence in my work and considered myself as an aspiring-picture-book-illustrator or picture-book-illustrator-to-be. I had been a perfectionist for my entire life and I applied that to my art too. "Everything has to be perfect.", I thought. Of course, I can hardly finish a single piece of work. During the courses, Helen, Katie and Tania (Ohh! And Salty too!) shared a lot of useful information as well as industry insights. They are so knowledgeable and all three courses are packed with valuable resources. But out of all these, the most valuable thing of their courses to me is the mindset shift. They are not tutors, they are mentors. I love all the pep talks they gave us in the courses. "You are exactly where you are supposed to be" and "Put your playful hat on and have fun" are two sentences I heard almost every week during the courses. I have started to love drawing from life and discovered a way to combine my life drawing skills with my digital work. I have gained the confidence to put myself out there, to meet other illustrators in real life and be part of a community. 
Without their encouragement, I won't have the courage to submit my work to competitions. Without their support, I won't be able to put "Picture Book Maker" under my name on my business card. Without their guidance, my work won't have the opportunity to be exhibited in the Bologna Children's Book Fair this year! I find myself has gained so much more confidence (still working very hard on it though!), courage and compassion to myself after taking the courses. 
Last but not least, a massive thank you to the Captains 🚢 - Helen, Katie and Tania for your efforts in making these enjoyable courses. They are truly life-changing for me. Thank you for inviting me to share my thoughts here 🤍 Remember, you are enough :) x" 

Next we have Ruby Wright a regular Good Ship Art Clubber. We asked Ruby about her work and she said...

"When I first thought seriously about trying to become an illustrator I began joining in with Helen's Walktosee hashtag, and through that I discovered people who are now part of my important illustrator crew (and we ALL need a crew!). Helen would feature a roundup of sketches each weekend and if one of mine was picked it felt like encouragement to keep on going, in the days before I was ready to make actual books. We also all need those little glimmers of light, especially in the early years. I was pretty sure that my route into illustration was going to be more patchwork than doing an MA, so I started having tutorials with Orange Beak Studio, and when the Good Ship was formed it felt like confirmation for me that there are other ways of studying and practicing. And then the pandemic hit, and those of us lucky enough not to get seriously ill or lose loved ones still had to contend with the isolation and monotony of those long lockdown months, and in our case, lack of access to nature and the burden of home schooling. When Helen, Katie and Tania started doing Friday Night Art Clubs it felt really exciting, and a genuine lifeline and connection to people outside our flat. Plus it was brilliant drawing practice. I started sketching things from the kitchen cupboard, and through that activity, I noticed how many animals appear on food packets and so the idea for my first picture book, Animal Crackers, was formed. In the story, the animals from the packets and tins come to life, causing fun and ultimately, havoc. And in real life, I got not only a book deal but a GOOD SHIP BADGE which I will be wearing with pride at this year's Bologna Book Fair!"

P.S. To celebrate our Good Ship trip to the fair, our Helen's created a nice guide for you. All her tips and advice for making it the best trip EVER are available to download and use immediately. Woweee 🥳

We’ve also made you a new podcast episode - Bologna Children’s Book Fair Good Ship survival guide to go with it, marvellous eh!