I’d love to visit your school, library or bookstore. If you are interested in setting up a visit or a workshop, you can reach out via email at info@mirkah.com

One of the most rewarding parts of being an illustrator, author and a printmaker is the connections I make during visits and workshops. I’ve taught and spoken to people of all ages, from kids to grownups.

Since the pandemic, I’ve moved my art/book related classes online, you can find them on Skillshare, Etchr and Gumroad (links in the main menu). While I mostly teach online now, I’m open to in-person classes again.

Some webinar topics I have taught over Zoom are:

Creating Engaging Picture Book Characters, for MD/DE/WV SCBWI.
How to Research and Organize Querying for Literary Agents, for SCBWI Hawaii
Basic Printmaking – Relief Printing, for SCBWI Hawaii & Alaska Illustrator Intensive
Wood Engraving Surfaces – Pros and Cons, for the Wood Engravers Network
Several live watercolor painting classes for Etchr Lab.

Crafting Engaging Picture Book Dummies

In this class, you’ll create a picture book dummy.
After the class you’ll know how to format a book dummy, and understand best practices on how to present a professional looking dummy as part of your portfolio to catch the eye of editors and agents.
The topics we cover in Crafting Engaging Picture Book Dummies are:
- How to break a story into pages (Don’t worry, I have a story for you to practice with)
- Book structure (Free templates included)
- Thumbnailing
- Creative layouts and page turns
- How to export your art in PDF form

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Procreate for Picture Books

In this class, you’ll learn how to illustrate in Procreate on the iPad.
After the class you’ll know the basics for Procreate and how to start creating your own illustrations in it using textures and layers to add interest to your piece.
What you’ll get out of this class:
A free brush set to use
A custom color palette
A reference sketch (both .jpg and .png included)
You'll complete a full page picture book illustration

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Character Design For Picture Books

Are you feeling stuck with designing characters for picture books?
This class is designed to help you take your character designs from bland and stiff to charming and energetic.
In this class you will:
Learn how to use the personality of your character to guide it’s design
How to use shapes to convey personality and character
How to use style to unify a set of characters
Learn different exercises to explore character design
How to make a character appealing for picture book audiences
How to draw expressions and poses

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Drawing Characters Consistently - Character Design Class Part 2

Are you feeling stuck with designing characters for picture books? Have you gotten feedback that your characters are stiff or not drawn consistently?
This class is designed to help you take your character designs from bland and stiff to charming and energetic.
In this class you will:
Learn how to draw a character consistently
What proportional markers are
The 4 techniques Mirka uses to draw characters consistently
The 1 pose that she found is an exception to the rule

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Reading For Research

Do you want to illustrate books for kids? But not sure how to improve your skills and move closer to your goals?
In this fun class suitable from beginner to intermediate skill levels, you will learn how and why it’s important to read a lot of books and how to use published books to increase your skills in illustration. A book already published is like an instruction manual for success.
During the class we will break down various ways to use books for reference, research, and learning, to develop your own skills in illustration so that you can improve and refine your portfolio.

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Draw Realistic Animals with Simple Shapes: Birds

In this basic drawing class, we break down the basics of drawing to its fundamentals. By the end of the class, you‘ll have the basic skills and more confidence in sketching and drawing realistic animals. We will be concentrating on drawing birds in this class.
You’ll learn how to:
Understand shape language of birds
Use a grid as a secondary guide
How to observe shape relationships
Draw birds from reference

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Simplifying Watercolor Painting: Techniques for Negative Painting and Creating Depth

Explore watercolor behavior using the negative painting technique, and learn how to create a sense of depth in your paintings with three simple design principles.
What you’ll learn:
Basic tools for successful watercolor painting.
Warm up and get comfortable with simple exercises
3 Design rules to create depth with negative painting
Painting a beautiful greenhouse with a variety of plants.
Adding simple details to create interest in paintings

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Simplifying Watercolor Painting: Wet-on-wet Rainbow Painting Technique

Explore watercolor behavior when painting wet on wet, and get used to the way paint disperses from your brush onto the wet surface of the paper.
What you’ll learn:
Basic tools for successful watercolor painting
Warm up with simple exercises
How paints behave
Getting comfortable with our tools
Painting beautiful rainbow plants
Adding details to wet on wet paintings
Bonus Video! Learn how the rainbow technique can be used in more complicated paintings to create depth and interest

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Printmaking demo at the Frame Gallery in Bryan TX

Author-illustrator visit at Camp Humphreys MS

Idea wall. 6th class writing workshop at Camp Humphreys MS

What others have said:

"I love this class! I'm very excited to develop my pose sheet with my book characters. The tips are very useful and practical. Great class - highly recommend it! thank you Mirka"

Debbie W. Review for Character Design Class, Part 2
“Mirka Hokkanen made writing come alive for students! They were mesmerized with her presentation, and gained an appreciation for the craft of writing. The room was practically over flowing with ideas which students eagerly posted to create their own “idea wall” for future stories.”
- Ms Harris, Camp Humphreys Middle School
"I absolutely love the way Mirka teaches. The way she takes you through the lessons feels so intuitive and fun."

Marzieh A, Review for Character Design for Picture Books, Part 1
"If you want to learn how to use Procreate this is your course! Mirka teaches you each tool this app has, and she makes a children's illustration as an example to put into practice everything you've learned."

Sylvia G, Review for Procreate for Picture Book Illustration
"What a great class! I learned that illustration on procreate doesn’t need to be difficult. It was fun to watch this process and it helped me as a children’s book illustrator. Thank you!"

Karine J, Review for Procreate for Picture Book Illustration
"What an excellent class! And so fun!! I really appreciated that Mirka had a quick line drawing at the ready so you could pop on your light box and quickly get the project onto watercolor paper. I'm one of those "time poor" people and I'm certain if she hadn't made it so easy, I would have never done the project. (Plus, the kitty staring at you the whole time just made me giggle.) This class has great step by step instruction with encouragement to try it your own way. Overall, a great class that anyone wanting to learn negative painting and watercolor glazing techniques should take!"

Mel M, Review for Negative Watercolor Painting class
"The steps were really well documented and showed not only how to create the painting, but also why each step was important. The pacing was perfect for a paint-along! Really well done!"

Margaret J. Review for Negative Space Watercolor Painting class

Crafting Engaging Picture Book Dummies

Procreate for Picture Books

Character Design For Picture Books

Drawing Characters Consistently - Character Design Class Part 2

Reading For Research

Draw Realistic Animals with Simple Shapes: Birds

Simplifying Watercolor Painting: Techniques for Negative Painting and Creating Depth

Simplifying Watercolor Painting: Wet-on-wet Rainbow Painting Technique

What others have said:

"I love this class! I'm very excited to develop my pose sheet with my book characters. The tips are very useful and practical. Great class - highly recommend it! thank you Mirka"

“Mirka Hokkanen made writing come alive for students! They were mesmerized with her presentation, and gained an appreciation for the craft of writing. The room was practically over flowing with ideas which students eagerly posted to create their own “idea wall” for future stories.”

"I absolutely love the way Mirka teaches. The way she takes you through the lessons feels so intuitive and fun."

"If you want to learn how to use Procreate this is your course! Mirka teaches you each tool this app has, and she makes a children's illustration as an example to put into practice everything you've learned."

"What a great class! I learned that illustration on procreate doesn’t need to be difficult. It was fun to watch this process and it helped me as a children’s book illustrator. Thank you!"

"The steps were really well documented and showed not only how to create the painting, but also why each step was important. The pacing was perfect for a paint-along! Really well done!"