Creative Arts & Media for Unreached Children
training
It's been said, “It takes a village to raise a child,” We also believe it will take an army of artists to meet the needs of unreached children around the world.
The application for September 2023 is now CLOSED
Our next CBM will be in September 2024
Join us to enhance your creativity, grow your skills, and be inspired to create children’s books/colouring books that communicate the good news across cultures.
Application for 2023 is now closed
Create Children’s Books for Missions (CBM)
is an Online Course that teaches you how to Write and/or Illustrate
High-quality, Biblically-based, Picture Storybooks in a way that
makes the Gospel of Jesus relevant and familiar to children
in their own culture.
This course is focused on producing illustrated storybooks for children among the unreached people groups of the world.
Application for 2023 is now closed
WRITING COURSE
When is it?
September 4th - 29th, 2023
If writing is your thing and you’d like to write a Biblically-based story that would communicate the love of the Father to unreached children in a culturally relevant way, then this course is for you.
How much is it?
$80 USD
We offer scholarships for students from World B and C Countries.
ILLUSTRATING COURSE
When is it?
October 2nd - November 24th, 2023
If drawing and illustrating is your thing and you’d like to learn how to illustrate children’s storybooks that can impact the unreached children in a culturally relevant way then this course is for you.
How much is it?
$160 USD
We offer scholarships for students from World B and C Countries.
or you can do BOTH! for only $200 USD
Here's an incredible story of fruitfulness from one of our students
STUDENTS FEEDBACK
"I learned a lot about storytelling and illustration techniques. The CBM online seminar taught me how to reach unreached children."
CINDY, HONG KONG
"I found the course to be an amazing and wonderful challenge... The information is presented by some of the most caring and experienced instructors in this industry."
MATT, USA
"The idea of collaborating with the Holy Spirit to create projects with Him that bring Him Glory and invite others to experience the Kingdom was huge... "
JOHANNA, WRITING AND ILLUSTRATING FOR CHILDREN IN TUNISIA
"It was very satisfying for me to have such a comprehensive course taught by Christians... It was good to hear things from the right point of view."
SUSANNA, BURKINA FASO
Check out some of our student's work...
MEET THE INSTRUCTORS:
AVRIL VAN DER MERWE
Avril van der Merwe is the author of How Cheetah Got His Tears (Puffin Books, 2017), Once Upon a Rhinoceros (Puffin Books, 2018), and I Don’t Want to be a Hyena (Puffin Books, 2019), Don’t Be Shy, Bushbaby (Puffin Books, 2021), as well as several prize-winning children’s stories set in Africa. She developed a love of illustrated children’s fiction during a decade working as a Montessori pre-primary teacher in Cape Town, and high school English teacher in Johannesburg. Avril grew up in South Africa, but now lives in Seattle, USA, where she works as an inspirational writer and speaker, while continuing to write children’s stories and adult fiction. She also holds a PhD in Biblical Studies. An ordained Pastor through the Fellowship of Christian Assemblies.
TOD POLSON
Tod Polson received both his BFA and MFA from The California Institute of the Arts (Cal/Arts) under scholarship from the Walt Disney Co. His student film, Al Tudi Tuhak, won many awards including the Student Oscar. Between degrees, Tod apprenticed under the Oscar winning team of Chuck Jones, and Maurice Noble. Tod has worked extensively as a director, designer, and teacher, helping develop a variety of projects all over the world. Some of these projects include the Emmy award-winning El Tigre for Nickelodeon, the Oscar-nominated feature The Secret of Kells, and the Golden Globe-nominated, The Book Of Life. His animation design book, The Noble Approach, Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation was published by Chronicle Books LLC. Currently, Tod is developing projects big and small from Thailand.
YUKO GREEN
Yuko is an illustrator and author who lives and works in the Big Island of Hawai’i. She has written and/or illustrated more than thirty five children books and many children activity books, mostly with Hawaiian themes. Her illustrated picture book: Tales of Tutu Nene was awarded the “Best Illustrator” category Bronze Medal in 2012 Moonbeam Book Award, nonfiction book: Winter is for Whales won the 2008 IPPY Book Award in Children’s Book category, and Over on the Island received the 2008 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award.
Besides writing and illustrating children’s books, Yuko enjoys teaching art at various settings, from kindergarten to university level. Yuko graduated with a MA in Illustration from Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD), and a BA in Art from the University of Washington. Yuko is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Yuko has taught "Children's Book Illustration" at the University of the Nations (YWAM),
MYRA D
Myra is the founder and team leader of Create Seeds. She graduated with a BD in graphic design with honours from the Swinburne National School of Design, Melbourne. She quickly got a job offer at a major children’s book publisher, Hinkler Books in Melbourne, Australia. During that time she had illustrated 4 educational books that were published and distributed nationally in Australia.
In the last 3 years, she had illustrated two other Children’s Story Books, ‘Stella the Rosella’ and ‘The Great Victor’. Both books have been published. ‘The Great Victor’ has won a gold medal award from the ‘Readers’ Favorite’, an international book award contest.
RICK LUTH
Rick grew up on a pig farm, in Canada, with a love for animals and drawing, which he began as soon as he could hold a pencil. After achieving a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Calvin University, he worked as a freelance artist while also training bird of prey in various wildlife parks. However, after feeling a tug on his heart to “teach kids about life through art” he pursued a degree in art education at the University of British Columbia. His career as an art teacher opened up a variety of opportunities to teach in both Canada and the USA, as well as on the mission field in Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, and Cambodia, all with his wife, Becky, and their 4 sons. He now uses his gifts for creative teaching and art to reach people with “the news of the FULLEST life.” This journey has led him and his family to YWAM where he now serves with Create Seeds as an illustrator and teacher.
NATHAN MAETZENER
Nathan was a former staff of Create International. He has illustrated contextualised artwork for different unreached people groups including the Bengalis and Iranians.
After his time with Create International, Nathan was pursuing a career in the animation industry. He graduated from Max the Mutt College of Animation, Art and Design.
Nathan has over 6 years experience working on animated content for television. He has worked on series such as Final Space and Bravest Warriors in the animation department and also has experience working as a storyboard artist. He is attracted to fun and challenging new projects and always on the lookout to collaborate with others that want to produce quality content. Presently he's storyboarding for atomic cartoons for various series for television and streaming services.
GRAHAM FLEMING
Illustrator, designer, storyteller, husband, and father. Graham Lewis Fleming is a creative catalyst, varied in his approach and pursuits. He leads the School of Illustration and practicums at U of N. He leads workshops on digital art, visual storytelling, and publishing children's books. He has guided children as young as five years old in making their own books. He continues to further his own education with online courses. Graham makes his home in Tokyo, Japan.
Mr B
Mr B, is the founder of an animation school based in South Asia. He has taught in YWAM schools in the past.
Mr B started working with small productions studios and mostly worked as a freelance artist. He also worked on the pre-production of the movie Shark Tale when he was with DreamWorks Animation. Eventually, Mr B moved to South Asia to start up his own studio and founded a School of Animation and where he could train many local students to expand their portfolios and compete at a global level.
Application for 2023 is now closed