KidLitArtists.com: SCBWI conference

Showing posts with label SCBWI conference. Show all posts

Friday, August 28, 2020

Interview with Neha Rawat- 2020 SCBWI Summer Spectacular Showcase Winner

© Neha Rawat

Hello Neha! Congratulations on your award! How does it feel winning the whole Showcase among so many other talented artists?

It's been over a week since the announcement was made and I'm still a complete mixed bag of emotions. I jump between feeling surreal, exhilarated, surprised, overwhelmed, lucky but mostly grateful :)

Well hooray for you and your art! What kind of projects are you working on now?

I have 3 children's books on my plate right now. My first international picture book deal with Candlewick Press was announced just this week which I'm super stoked about! The other 2 projects I received through my agency, Advocate Art, and I'm excited for them as well!

That's wonderful news! Is there any other type of illustration work that you’re hoping for in the near future?

I love drawing cute and funny things so I would love the opportunity to work on a story with humorous animals as the main characters.

That sounds fun! Is there one really helpful piece of advice that you’ve gotten since pursuing illustration? Any one piece of bad advice?

I had been freelancing as an illustrator for a few years before I found my calling in the children's publishing industry, and learned a lot through my own struggles. This wasn't advice that was given to me, but things that I assumed and learned over time.

Best advice: Draw what you love instead of what you think others will love.

Bad advice: Compare yourself with other artists.

That's really good advice. Thanks! What was one of your favorite quotes or lessons from the SCBWI Summer Conference?

In the session with LeUyen Pham and Dan Santat, one of the questions asked to them was "What do you wish you knew at the beginning of your career that you know now?" Since I'm at that stage now, I really appreciated this question and even more so, LeUyen Pham's answer to it. She said it's all a confidence game. As an illustrator, I need to believe that the art that I am creating for a book is the best that "I" envision it to be and that I'm not trying to fit someone else's version of what a book is supposed to be. I think this is exactly what I needed to hear right now :)

I'm so glad. I think that's really good to keep in mind for us all. What were some of your favorite books when you were a kid?

The first ever picture book that I remember and loved was Walt Disney's "Dumbo". It came with a read-along audio tape and I just loved the story and illustrations of it (and was thrilled when I came to know there was a movie as well!) Other than that, I was and still am a big Snoopy fan :) We had (have) the full set of Charlie Brown's encyclopedia and though I couldn't understand a lot of what was written as a kid, I spent hours looking at the pictures.

Where can we find you online?

Website: https://www.NRBstudio.in/

Instagram: @NRBstudio.in

Facebook: NRBStudio.in

Twitter: @nehrawat

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Interview by Meridth McKean Gimbel, a kidlit writer, artist, & champion taco cruncher who is currently building a time machine. They are also represented by Linda Pratt at Wernick & Pratt. You can follow their work at:

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Interview with Rob Sayegh Jr. - 2020 SCBWI Summer Spectacular Showcase Honor Winner

Hi there Rob! Super congratulations on another award for your scrumptious work! How does it feel winning an Honor among so many other talented artists?

Winning the honor award feels incredible. To be recognized a second time by the SCBWI, judges still has me in a state of shock, but to be chosen among the almost 500 beautiful portfolios of my colleagues and friends was special.

That is pretty special. What kind of projects are you working on now?

I just finished final art for my author/illustrator debut, Love Tails with Cameron Kids, and Arlo Draws an Octopus written by the fantastic Lori Mortensen with Abrams kids. Both are available in Spring 2021.

Congratulations! That's wonderful! What kind of illustration work are you hoping for in the near future?

I would really love to work on a series of picture books or graphic novels. I love the idea of a story and character that can last longer than one book with many layers.

That would be awesome! Is there one really helpful piece of advice that you’ve gotten since pursuing illustration?

The best advice I have been trying to push myself to do more of is to get to a place as an illustrator or author where you are willing to rip up all your work and start over. No matter if it's the best thing you ever wrote or drawn. For me, it translated that you need to be fearless as a storyteller and not to hang on to something because they will prevent you from moving forward and trying new things. It's helped me to take many more risks and draw more freely without the fear that I have to make something perfect or submittable to a publisher each time I create something.

I love that! That's great advice! Any one piece of bad advice?
The only bad advice that I have heard is that we live in a culture where you need to post your artwork every day to social media to be seen as an artist today. I think the opposite, and it relates to the best advice I was given. You should curate everything that goes out into the world, and the rest is you and your's alone to know about. I have countless drawings that never make it out there. They are little doodles that are awful, but they help me figure out a concept or an idea that I don't share with anyone. They are experiments that have gone wrong and manuscripts that make zero sense. Still, those mistakes and experiments are sometimes much more valuable to my overall career than the things I post online or market about my work. To any new artist, I would suggest just taking the time to figure out who you are and what niche/market you want to be a part of first. Play and experiment around that idea until you have a small portfolio of images you feel comfortable with and then begin marketing yourself. Avoiding the instant gratification of getting yourself out there for the sake of being out there is a mistake I think people make too often because of the pressures of social media.

Great advice! What was one of your favorite quotes or lessons from the SCBWI Summer Conference?

I am a firm believer in keeping it simple, which was said by Dan Santat and a few others. I think when you keep it simple, it is easier for your voice to shine and, at the same time, for others to relate to your story.

I also really loved Mac Barnett's question of “How does your book exist in the world?" I think starting from here is so important. It makes the place you are coming from so much more genuine and gives you manuscript purpose.

What were some of your favorite books when you were a kid?

I am, to this day, the biggest fan of Bunnicula by James and Deborah Howe. Lyle, Lyle Crocodile by Bernard Waber is a picture book I ADORED as a kid.

Those are good books! Where can we find you online?

You can see more of my work on www.robsayart.com and Instagram and Twitter @robsayart

You can also follow me on Goodreads for book updates.

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Interview by Meridth McKean Gimbel, a kidlit writer, artist, & champion taco cruncher who is currently building a time machine. They are also represented by Linda Pratt at Wernick & Pratt. You can follow their work at:

Monday, August 24, 2020

Interview with Kayla Harren - 2020 SCBWI Summer Spectacular Showcase Honor Winner

Art ©Kayla Harren

Congratulations Kayla on your Honor at the SCBWI Summer Conference! How does it feel winning the Honor among so many other talented artists?

It feels like I got very lucky.

I would also add that you are very deserving.

I spent a few hours looking through all of the portfolios in the showcase and immediately had to go follow so many of the artists on Instagram. It is inspiring seeing everyone’s unique style. There are so many wonderful portfolios in this showcase, I still can’t believe mine is listed in the Honors next to Leanne Hatch, Rob Sayegh Jr., and Marissa Valdez.

They are pretty fabulous, aren't they?! What kind of projects are you working on now?

I am illustrating the picture book A Teacher Like You, the third book in the “…Like You” series written by Frank Murphy and published by Sleeping Bear Press. I am also finishing up a book with GP Putnam’s Sons titled Calvin about a transgender child’s first day of school and the supportive parents, teachers, and friends who rally around him. Both books will be released 2021.

How exciting! Sounds like you are busy! Is there any type of illustration (or other work) that you’re hoping for in the near future?

I would love to illustrate middle grade covers and make black and white chapter book illustrations.

Wonderful! Is there one really helpful piece of advice that you’ve gotten since pursuing illustration?

The best advice I heard was very simple: Keep making art. The only way to improve a skill is to keep practicing. Even when my book dummies were consistently being rejected and my artwork wasn’t making it into gallery shows and I wasn’t being hired to illustrate, I kept drawing and learning and making art. Eventually I got better, but if I had stopped making art, I never would have had the opportunity to improve.

Art ©Kayla Harren

That's inspiring. I'm glad you kept at it. Any one piece of bad advice that you've been given?

I don’t think I have been given any bad advice. Advice is a tough thing in general. Each person has their own unique struggles and everybody is at a different stage in their lives and careers. There really isn’t one perfect piece of advice because everybody needs to hear something different depending on their personality and goals.

Good point. What was one of your favorite quotes or lessons from the SCBWI Summer Conference?

I didn’t write this down, so it is probably a misquote, but I love what Phillip Pullman had to say about success. Three things play a part in an author’s career: persistence, talent, and luck. The only thing you can control is persistence. This has definitely been true in my experience.

It was definitely a theme of the conference! What were some of your favorite books when you were a kid?

I loved reading the Babysitter Club series and especially loved the paintings on the covers of the original books. I loved the picture books Little Chick’s Easter Treasure, Aunt Isabel Tells A Good One, and Rainbow Fish.

Art ©Kayla Harren

Where can we find you online?

My website is www.kaylaharren.com and I post sketches and details on my Instagram @kaylaharren

Awesome! Thanks Kayla! We look forward to seeing more of your work!

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Interview by Meridth McKean Gimbel a kidlit writer, artist, & champion taco cruncher who is currently building a time machine. They are also represented by Linda Pratt at Wernick & Pratt. You can follow their work at:

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

News!! SCBWI Portfolio Awards!!

This weekend was the 26th annual SCBWI Conference in Los Angeles!! It is always an amazing and exhausting time, filled with inspiring speeches, interesting workshops, and spending time with new and old friends. It's also when the bi-annual portfolio awards are given, and this year all THREE honor awards went to KidLitArtists!!!

HONOR AWARDS:

Andy Musser!!!

And brand new mentees Shannon McNeill

And Irena Freitas!!

You'll be hearing more from Shannon and Irena, along with the other new mentees Heidi Woodward Sheffield, Alexandra Thompson, Diandra Mae, and Amber Alvarez in interviews later this year.

Woohoo KidLitArtists!!! Other mentees have won portfolio awards in the past, too (the judging is completely separate from the mentorship program, just so you know!), and you can see some of the winning portfolios here:

Eliza Wheeler - Grand Prize SCBWI LA 2011
Juana Martinez-Neal - Grand Prize SCBWI LA 2012
Andrea Offermann - Grand Prize SCBWI NY 2013

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Jen Betton wrote and illustrated HEDGEHOG NEEDS A HUG (Penguin-Putnam) coming in summer 2018, and illustrated TWILIGHT CHANT by Holly Thompson (Clarion-HMH) coming spring 2018.
You can find her here:
www.jenbetton.com
www.facebook.com/jenbettonillustration
@jenbetton

Monday, July 3, 2017

SCBWI Conference Tips!

Your bags are packed, your portfolio perfect (you might just fiddle with the order one more time), your business cards in hand.... all that's left to do is go, right? After attending both the LA and NYC conferences several times, here are a few things I've found helpful!

Be brave! Talk to people around you, be friendly! You never know who you might meet! At my first conference, when I didn't know a soul, I met dynamite illustrator Richard Jesse Watson this way. The folks who attend SCBWI tend to be almost universally friendly and welcoming. I've met some of my very best buddies at these conferences.

Awesome illustration buddies and fellow mentees Maple Lam and Lisa Anchin (and me).

Always have a backup portfolio and dummy: even if it is just on your phone. You never know who might be interested in seeing it and you don't want to have to say "well, if you go to the portfolio showcase..." (and you should definitely put your work in the portfolio showcase!)

Have your business card stashed in the front of your conference badge: it fits right under your name, and if you have an image on it, then not only can people can pick you out as an illustrator, but they will connect your name with your work (it is really exciting when someone looks at your card and says, 'hey, I know your stuff!').

Bring LOTS of business cards and postcards – especially if you are in the portfolio showcase. It really stinks when you run out and then someone you really want to connect with asks for your card!

Be on time! The portfolio showcase is only open to general conference-goers for about an hour, so be on time if you want to see all the books (plus they announce the awards at the beginning). The keynotes often run overtime, but the workshops will still start as scheduled! It is also easier to say hello to the speaker before the talk – afterwards they will be mobbed!

Do it all!!! Sign up for a critique, put your book in the portfolio show, and go to the social events. Often the optional elements of the conference are my favorite parts.

Get some rest. The conference is exhausting! While you want to take advantage of everything you can, it's ok to take a break and recharge a bit. Also, you can meet some pretty amazing illustration folks out on the pool deck (just sayin'). Also, bring a sweater – sometimes those rooms are coooooold!

Do homework prior to networking: look at the faculty bios and decide who you want to meet. Look them up on twitter so you know what they look like and you can walk up to them in the hall. Read their tweets and books so you have something to talk about. Go to their workshops! Look up the twitter hashtag for the conference (#la17scbwi this year) and join in the conversation.

Be receptive to feedback: whenever someone spends the time to review your work, take notes, listen, and don't be defensive. Send thank you notes to anyone who critiqued you: As well as just being a nice way to show your appreciation, most people don't do this, so it helps you stand out. It is also a chance to show another image to them. One year I got a personal letter back from an art director (decorated with cute stickers!) responding to my thank you note.

After the conference, follow up: look up folks you connected with on facebook or twitter, or send a postcard. I find it helpful to write a tidbit of info on a person's business card or postcard when I get it, which makes it easier for me to relate the name to the conversation we had (which can be important if you pick up 50+ business cards over the weekend).

For more info on:

Portfolio Prep:
Portfolio Tips from SCBWI Mentorship Winners - SCBWI Insight
Editing Your Portfolio - by Andrea Offermann (winner of the 2013 SCBWI portfolio showcase)
Mentee vs Grand Prize Winner Portfolio - by Juana Martinez-Neal (winner of the 2012 SCBWI portfolio showcase)
Portfolio Comparison - by Eliza Wheeler (winner of the 2011 SCBWI portfolio showcase)
Creating a Children's Book Portfolio - by Jen Betton

More Conference Tips:
For First Time Attendees - by Debbie Ohi
The Portfolio Showcase - by Debbie Ohi

After the Conference:
What next? - by Jen Betton

I encourage everyone to go to both their regional and national SCBWI conferences! I'm so sad I won't make it to the LA conference this year, but hope to see you there next year!
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Jen Betton wrote and illustrated HEDGEHOG NEEDS A HUG (Penguin-Putnam) coming in summer 2018, and illustrated TWILIGHT CHANT by Holly Thompson (Clarion-HMH) coming spring 2018.
You can find her here:
www.jenbetton.com
www.facebook.com/jenbettonillustration
@jenbetton

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Portfolio Showcase Advice from Jennifer Laughran of Andrea Brown Literary

As any reader of KidLitArtists knows, one of the most thrilling parts of attending SCBWI conferences as an illustrator is an opportunity to show your work alongside your peers at the Portfolio Showcase. Find the guidelines for submission here.

In addition to the satisfaction of putting your hard work together and sharing it with the world, the showcase also presents opportunities to win awards and scholarships — for all levels of experience, from student to seasoned professional.

FYI, all the artists and authors blogging at KidLitArtists are former mentorship winners from the SCBWI portfolio show. I really can’t speak highly enough about this opportunity and community!

A portfolio mentorship entails the opportunity to get detailed, focused feedback from the conference Illustration Faculty during the conference. Consider more than just the technical specifications when you enter your portfolio in this show; each judge and visitor comes to the portfolio show with her own sense of what she is looking for.

To find out a bit more, I interviewed Jennifer Laughran of Andrea Brown Literary about what an agent attending the conference might be looking for, and for her feedback and advice for illustrators entering this show:

Jennifer Laughran of Andrea Brown Literary

Susie: Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Jennifer: I'm a senior agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency. I rep authors and author-illustrators for books from PB through YA.

Susie: How much of your roster is made up of illustrators (as opposed to authors, and author-illustrators)? If you’re primarily interested in author-illustrators, do you want to see a book dummy?

Jennifer: My own list is primarily authors - I do rep about 15 author-illustrators. I'd be open to somebody who was "just" an illustrator, but might have goals to be an author as well. As an agency we rep about 100 illustrators - you can see our roster here.

If you are querying an author-illustrator piece, I'd want to see the text, a sketch dummy, and a couple of finishes.

Susie: When browsing the portfolio show, what are some of the key things you look for (as an agent, or as a judge)?

Jennifer: I like a strong sense of MOVEMENT in illustration - dynamic pictures, rather than static. I like a picture that really tells a story, rather than just being a beautiful image or decoration. The thing is - lots of people are good at design and good at drawing, and might make swell editorial artists, or be great at surface design, textiles, cards, etc... but that DOESN'T automatically mean that they will be awesome at children's book illustration.

Photo by Debbie Ridpath Ohi from this phenomenal, must-read post!

Susie: What’s something you recommend for the portfolio that illustrators might not think of doing?

Jennifer: It can be very helpful to see a couple of page turns. If you aren't an author, consider doing a couple of spreads from a well-known fairy or folk tale in your own way.

Don't forget - illustration isn't JUST for picture books! It can be fun to see how an artist might approach book jackets and/or b+w interior spot art. If these are things that appeal to you, you might find your own way to interpret a "classic" book jacket or iconic literary scene.

Susie: What are common portfolio or book dummy missteps you recommend illustrators avoid?

Jennifer: I think sometimes illustrators put in everything and the kitchen sink just so the portfolio is "big" but some pieces are obviously of lesser quality, or in a more amateur style, etc. I'd rather have fewer pieces of higher quality, than a portfolio bursting with filler.

Susie: What subjects would you like to see appear more in portfolio pieces?

Jennifer: For illustrators doing humans, I'd like to see diversity.

Susie: As an agent, what do you look for in a takeaway promo piece?

Jennifer: I look for pretty art and contact information. And if you are already agented PLEASE put your agent info on there, too.

Susie: Any other general SCBWI conference advice?

Jennifer: Have fun. Stay sober. Drink lots of water.

Susie: Thank you, Jennifer! Good luck to all the illustrators working hard to be part of this amazing show!

Grand Prize winner at #LA16SCBWI, Oge Mora, a student of the Rhode Island School of Design

For more about #LA17SCBWI, check out the official SCBWI blog. For more portfolio advice, read: Portfolio Tips From SCBWI Mentorship Winners.

Registration is still open - get all the details on the 2017 SCBWI Summer Conference, July 7-10, here.

This post was cross-posted to the official SCBWI Team Blog.

Susie Ghahremani is an award-winning illustrator and obviously also a major design nerd.
Her author-illustrator debut titled STACK THE CATS was just named one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year (so far) for 2017!

For more about Susie and her books and art, visit her site at boygirlparty.com or follow at @boygirlparty on instagram, twitter, or Facebook for the latest updates.

Friday, June 10, 2016

Interview with author- illustrator Jean Kim

Jean Kim is an Korean illustrator living in San Francisco.

She won the SCBWI Portfolio Honor Award at the NYC Winter Conference in 2015 and the Portfolio Award at the 2014 SCBWI Spring Spirit Conference.
To learn more about Jean’s work, you can visit her website: http://jeankim.me/

I have followed her work for a few years and am always inspired by her beautiful technique, playful characters and sense of wonder.

I am very happy to share with you an insight of Jean’s process and her work:

Q. Where do you find inspiration for your illustrations?

I get inspired by most things in everyday life, especially from conversations with people. It may be friends, family or sometimes even strangers. For my personal works, I create my work to express stories of loneliness and alienation from different experiences and relationships. This is why I tend to ask people about their loneliness, and their stories become my biggest inspirations.

Animals are one of my biggest inspirations too. For my children's book projects I like having animal characters better than human characters. I love their unique shapes and their pure and simple emotion.

Q. Can you describe your process? Which are your favorite tools?

I use mixed media. Currently my favorite tools are pencils and pen & ink. (I get excited every time when I try a new medium) I love tools that leave special texture effects on the paper.

I start my drawings with a black and white layer, using either graphite pencils or pen & ink. In my approach, I gently rub pencils on cold press paper or do a cross-hatching technique with a pen to create textures.

Then, I scan my drawing in a high resolution in my Epson scanner and add a color layer in Photoshop. I color the illustration with a Wacom tablet.

Q. Congratulations on winning the 2015 SCBWI NYC Honor Portfolio Showcase! How has that experience helped you with your career in children's book publishing?

Thank you so much Ana. It has been over a year, but it still feels like yesterday. Receiving an award from the SCBWI conference was such an honor and means so much to me. I believe that this honor gave me strength to believe in myself as an illustrator and kept me dreaming.

After I graduated in 2014, I decided to go to one of the biggest conferences in NY (SBWI), it was a huge challenge for me. When they were awarding honors, I couldn't believe my ears! After the conference, I was contacted by several good agencies, including my current agent Rebecca Sherman from Writers House who truly understands my voice and my work.

Q. What are your favorite children’s book(s)?

I am a huge fan of Shaun Tan. 'The Arrival' is my favorite. I also love 'Chester' by Ayano Imai.

Tan, Shaun "The Arrival" Arthur A.Levine Books, 2007

Imai, Ayano "Chester", Miniedition, 2007

Q. What projects are you working on right now?

I am currently working on two picture book projects. The first one is called 'Wide Awake Bear' (Harper Collins), written by the great Pat Zietlow Miller. The second one is called 'Rabbit Moon' (Arthur A. Levine Books), a story written and illustrated by myself. Both will be published in 2017 and I feel very lucky to be working with these great publishers.

Thank you so much for the inspiration Jean!

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Ana Aranda writes/illustrates for children and creates murals.
You can find her work at these different locations:

Website:www.anaranda.com

Twitter: @anaranda2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anarandaillustration

Instagram: @Anarandaillustration

Blog: http://anaranda.com/my-blog/

Monday, May 25, 2015

Process: How I keep my portfolio on course by Rodolfo Montalvo

The SCBWI portfolio showcases have been the anchors that hold me steady in the crashing sea of fear, doubt, and distraction. That’s right, trying to be a children’s book author/illustrator is an EPIC journey at sea.

Long ago I understood that being an artist/illustrator, was going to be a life-long venture. It would take lots of dedication, patience, and of course discipline to make things happen. For me, this is where the conferences came into play. I began attending SCBWI conferences in the fall of 2010 and have been attending ever since.

Early on, I found out how useful and informative the conferences were and have held tightly to them. The portfolio showcases at the conferences and the opportunity to share my work with many like-minded individuals is, for me, the most valuable piece of the “building a strong portfolio” puzzle.

I was fortunate to discover the SCBWI shortly before graduating in 2011. So I began to attend the conferences and I tried to soak up every little comment I heard about my work. Along the way I’ve collected comments and guidance for my work by many great, established illustrators, agents, editors, art directors, and many, many fellow illustrator friends. I can remember at least one thing in each person’s critique of my work. I also have all my written notes, all in little books, stored away like precious treasure maps.

After the conference, I do what we all do: go over my notes, reconnect with people online, and start new, hopefully better illustrations for a new portfolio. I always come out of the conferences tired, inspired, excited, and Oh, SO motivated. I feel like I can reach the farthest points of my journey, like I can reach the stars, all so close.

For the past five years, I have used the SCBWI showcases as my constant yearly goal line where I get to reevaluate my work. Having the physical evidence of my past portfolios gives me confidence as I move forward. I can see how I’ve grown, and each time I reach a little farther. Always reaching for those masterful levels of craftsmanship that we all admire and sometimes fear never being able to reach.

This has been the process I’ve used to help me grow as an illustrator. This may not be the way it works for everyone. But I can say, enthusiastically, that I have found many great friends and the start of what I hope will be a long career in children’s book publishing. So, go out there and find that vessel that will keep you afloat and moving into full sail illustrations one day.

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Rodolfo Montalvo illustrated the middle grade novels The Contagious Colors of Mumpley Middle School and The Amazing Wilmer Dooley, both written by Fowler DeWitt ( Simon & Schuster imprint, Atheneum). He is currently working on his first picture book Dear Dragon, by Josh Funk (Viking Children’s books – Fall 2016).

For more of his work visit www.rodolfomontalvo.com