Endpapers

Our illustration mentor this year is Penelope Dullaghan, and in addition to the mentorship she will be offering a 2-hour webinar on pattern making for book endpapers. From concept to creation, Penny will guide us through what makes an endpaper pattern visually engaging and demonstrate a live session in photoshop — although you can of course use any program or just regular old pencil and paper, the basic concept behind it remains the same. 

There are so many different ways to tackle endpaper design!  Since they are the first and last things a viewer sees when they open and shut the book, it’s a great way to introduce a theme or overall feeling, a silly joke, or just a bold pop of color to really set the story off on the right foot.  They are able to be a little more bold than the cover -- which of course has to go through a massive design process with many people weighing in from marketing, sales, editorial, and the art department. 

Jen and I pooled our picture book collections and found some really neat examples we thought would inspire you. To be honest I often overlook the endpapers, and so was surprised and delighted by the ones that I found. Take a look at your own collection when you have a moment, I think you will feel the same as I did.

—Katie Eberts (SCBWI-MI Co-IC)

The webinar with Penelope Dullaghan, From Concept to Creation: Pattern-Making for Children's Book Endpapers, will be Wednesday, November 6, 2024 from 7:00 - 8:00 pm (ET). Registration will be open October 21-November 5.

Katie Eberts, Michigan Co-Illustrator Coordinator, received her BFA in Art & Design from the University of Michigan with a concentration in watercolor. Her debut picture book, Hush-A-Bye Night written by Thelma Godin, was published by Sleeping Bear Press in March 2023.  She is based in Cedarville, Michigan.