Sketching Siblings

As I have mentioned before, sketching from life is essential for any illustrator.  If you plan to illustrate for children's books, then it follows you must train yourself to draw children well.

I have found it helpful to draw the same child from different views to get a sense of what makes each child unique.  Another valuable technique is to find subjects with a brother or sister available.  Noting the similarities and differences has given me insight into creating my own characters, and making them believable.