Judy Sue Goodwin Sturges
Judy Sue Goodwin Sturges is herself a graduate of RISD’s undergraduate program in Illustration. After graduation, she worked in the art departments of such places as Hallmark and Ginn & Co. before starting her own children’s book studio in Boston in 1989. She envisioned a place where she could nurture creative talent and develop quality book projects for trade markets and museum communities. Today, she works on behalf of nearly 40 picture book artists worldwide (with a staff of RISD alums).
As a professor of Illustration for more than 35 years, Sturges continues to nurture young talent. She has taught Picture and Word for many years and designed the course to help students interested in working in children's books understand the necessary balance between writing and illustrating. She co-teaches the course with an industry professional working as an author and/or editor of picture books.
Although her passion is children's literature, Sturges loves all forms of artistic expression. Her Artist's Book class challenges students to extend their concepts outside of traditional book parameters to achieve their own creative interpretations. In addition to these upper level courses, she teaches basic illustration concepts to sophomores and helps guide seniors through their thesis projects.
In 2008 Sturges was approached by Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road project to collaborate on another double credit course entitled Folk Tales in the Digital Age. Musicians from the Silk Road Ensemble worked with students in a workshop setting honing their skills in writing, storytelling, illustrating and music, and the class culminated in a final public performance in the RISD auditorium.
When on break from RISD, Sturges likes to return to Italy, where she spent a few glorious years as the chief critic for RISD's European Honors Program. While there she attends the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, spends quality time with partner studio illustrators who are living abroad and, most importantly, spends time working on her own stories.
Courses
Fall 2024 Courses
ILLUS 3608-01
THE ARTIST'S BOOK
SECTION DESCRIPTION
At their very core, all books convey a sequence of ideas, but the execution varies widely from one volume to another. In this course, juniors and seniors strive to extend this concept outside of traditional book parameters to achieve their own creative interpretation. Working from their own themes, students mold an innovative presentation of images and concepts in two dimensions or three, using concrete depictions or abstract forms in the construction of their own unique artist's book. Assignments include the study of different folds, narrative problems, poetic counting, lost and found, and a free project of the student's choice. Students are encouraged to continue their own media that might include painting, construction, printmaking, etc.
Elective
ILLUS 3612-01
PICTURE AND WORD
SECTION DESCRIPTION
In this class, we will explore the children's picture book as a medium of artistic expression. During the first half of the semester, we will experiment with a number of storytelling techniques and principles while also focusing on different approaches to the format, illustration, and design of picture books. The second half of the semester will be dedicated to the creation of the final project: each student will complete a book dummy for an original children's picture book accompanied by several finished Illustrations.
This is a co-requisite course. Students must register for LAS-E416 and ILLUS-3612.
Elective