Back to News

Meet Your Instructor: ITSme Creative and Course Director Bhavi Patel

Published on 29/01/2024

Meet one of our instructors for the Character Study Intensive course, Bhavi Patel! Bhavi started as an agent with Advocate Art, working with clients in the book publishing industry for over five years. She is now the art director of Advocate Art as well as our Learning course director. While Bhavi still works with some clients in the publishing and greeting card industries, she also assists us with developing these courses.

Q- What is your #1 tip for developing character design?
A- A good character design is formed not just by how your character looks, but through their personality and ability to connect with the reader. Think about what makes your character special and incorporate these elements into your design to create a magical character. If you’re working on a live brief, it’s important to fully understand the manuscript and what the author’s vision is, as this will play a kay role in what makes a character design stand out.

Q- What are some of your favorite projects that you have agented?
A- Some of my favorite projects since joining Advocate Art include, Christmas from Around the World, illustrated by Claire McElfatrick for Gibsons Games which was featured on ITV’s This Morning, and Growing up Black in Britain written by Stuart Lawrence and illustrated by Simone Douglas for Scholastic, which was listed as a Key Read for Black History month in the UK 2022.

Q- What is your illustration/ art background?
A- I have a 1st Class Honors Degree in Illustration from the University of Portsmouth, and before joining Advocate Art, I worked at the Royal Academy of Art as an Exhibitions & Art Sales Coordinator.

Q- What do you like to do in your free time?
A- I am a very active person, I love to exercise, do yoga, read, and travel. I also love food, so when I’m home you’ll most likely find me in the kitchen.

 

Learn more about the Character Study Intensive and our other course offerings here.

Other News

Trend Watch: The Graphic Novel Boom

Every week we’ll be featuring a new article over on LinkedIn, in our new trend watch series! Graphic novels are having a moment—and it’s no passing trend. From classrooms to bestseller lists, graphic novels are dominating shelves and reading time across all ages. What was once seen as a niche format with a distinct, heavy-lined “comic book”…

Bologna 2025: A Week of Connection

By: Vicky Patoulioti, Talent Source Manager, ITSme This year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair was one to remember. From early mornings to late evenings, our team Vicky, Bhavi, Ed, and Emily — were on the ground offering free portfolio reviews to artists from all over the world. Mornings kicked off with pre-scheduled reviews, while in the…

How to Beat AI and Catch the Client’s Eye

Illustration by Camipepe By: Edward Burns, CEO, ITSme As AI art tools become more sophisticated, it becomes more important to emphasize our value and status as authentic human artists. Crafting a great bio and portfolio is an excellent way to make an immediate impact. They should allow the client to get to know you in…

Be A Pro at Curating Your Portfolio!

You asked, and we listened! Be A Pro at Curating Your Portfolio; our new course is here! Learn all the secrets to crafting a standout portfolio with 4 Hours of Expert-Led Content! One of the biggest challenges you face in your illustration career is presenting your work in a way that catches the eye of…

Why Using AI in Art Briefs Can Stifle Creativity

Illustration by Beth Goody. By: Edward Burns CEO, ITSme AI art tools such as Midjourney or Flux are becoming more and more capable, and that fact is impossible to ignore. With these developments, it can be tempting to use AI-generated art as reference material when briefing a project. While AI has its uses, we at…

Mentorship in Review: Transforming Illustrators

Our illustration mentorship program is meant to bring portfolios to a new level, and we mentors were incredibly pleased by the way mentorship program graduate Zhiheng Andy Su completely transformed his portfolio during the spring 2024 session. Over the course of weeks, Zhiheng went from two very different digital and hand drawn styles before to…

Menu