Write You

So at the SCBWI conference this is what Arthur Levine said, "We have heard  the words write or illustrate what you know... I'm going to say take out the what and the know, and just write or illustrate you."

I know he didn't mean it literally like this painting I did at the end of my sketch book this morning.  But, I am inspired by all  the musings at this year's conference.

Portfolio Review in 10 days!

Sprout!

It's that time of year again.  The SCBWI conference.  This year, instead of a manuscript review, I am doing the portfolio review.  I know about it all year, and for some reason still end up spray glueing and re-arranging it in the car on the way.  

Illustration Friday- INFLUENCE

So last week's topic was INFLUENCE.  It was such a timely word for me because I have definitely been under the influence of other writers and illustrators these days.  Just coming off of the SCBWI conference here in LA, I was overwhelmed by the talent, creativity and well just plain hard work it takes to make a great book.  That being said, I had a slight glimmer that I could do it.  I WANT to do it, I just need to do the dang work! The really cool thing is that some of the people that influence me  gave me actual encouragement.  I wrote to David Small, he wrote back....he stoked my fire.  Marla Frazee breathed air into my dreams, Denise Doyen looked me in the eye and told me I could get there. Today SCBWI  sent me a "certificate of merit" for my book What's Your Name Again.
So, I've taken everything and am pushing myself.  I signed up for Karl Gnass's figure drawing on Friday's, unplugged my computer during the day and got four solid hours of writing and drawing time.  (Thank you Antoinette Portis!)  I'm reading Stephen Frys The Ode Less Traveled.  Taking Ann Whitford Paul's rhythm and rhyming workshop and then....well this quote from Ogden Nash expresses my best of intentions moving forward. (have you noticed people saying that a lot lately?)

'For better or worse, I have followed the course, and the only course, that enabled me to set pencil to paper as a writer; that is, to proceed as if nothing you have to say has been said earlier and better is a paralyzing one, and the only thing to do is ignore it, and assume that you are living in the first day of the world." OGDEN NASH

SCBWI Summer Conference 2011

Wow, so I was totally inspired by the work and artists and writers at the conference.  I have lots of work to do, but believe I can get there...  just keep drawing.  So instead of telling you about all of the amazing artists and writers like Judy Blume or David Small,  Denise Fleming, Kadir Nelson...click on the title and see for yourselves.  I'll be at my drawing table.

Who am I?

Getting ready for the conference, and I am filled with excitement, anxiety and caffeine.  Trying to get my portfolio and 10 images that represent me, that make me stand out among hundreds of people that already stand out.  My cards from Moo are cute, but tiny, too tiny...  

my dummy books are not glued together and photoshop is NOT MY FRIEND!

Now here is some real conference advice from Ingrid

SCBWI Conference was AMAZING

When I sat down in the big room at the conference on Friday morning, I cried.... I did, I actually cried.  I couldn't believe I was there.  I couldn't believe I cried, and would continue to do so throughout the 4 days at odd moments of inspiration, hope, gratitude and fear.  Every single person there was an inspiration.  The lectures were informative, the speeches were profound and my children were having a blast with their Dad.  

I came to the conference as an artist/illustrator.  I came with my book.  "What's Your Name Again?"  I didn't come as an illustrator.  People always told me, you should do children's books.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I never felt that way, I didn't just want to illustrate some random story.  So.... I came with my own.  My family's story, my story inspired by my 5 year old daughter and her relationship with my Mom, her 78 year old Nana who has Alzheimer's disease.  The story came from my sketch book, which I drew after she visited us for Thanksgiving last year.  

I even entered the manuscript review.... Mac McCool a graphic novelist, really liked it.  He was thrilled that I could get so much emotion out of so few words.  110 to be exact.  I, was even more thrilled.  He nominated it for the Sue Alexander award, which picks one manuscript from the whole conference and the winner wins a trip to the New York Conference and a review with 3 editors.  I find out in September.  

The keyword here is MANUSCRIPT, not pictures, he didn't really like the pictures. But, I'm an artist?  It was odd information for me, information that I didn't really know what to do with.

After I picked up my fragile artistic ego off the floor, I began to think a little bit....

I've learned a lot making this book, going to the conference, and listening and looking and....well, I love my story, my book, my idea, my drawings.  I want the world to see it to, I want to make a connection.  I'm looking at the drawings again, sketches really, they were a means for me to tell the story, and while I spent so much time on the book, making sure it was 32 pages, that it told the story right with the help of my very own personal and talented editor Allen Keller , and working on the computer, I never re-visited the art, I took them for granted because in my mind I know what they will and should look like.  I love them, but I want them to have a more finished look, so that they can be seen and felt better by the viewer, ie: editors.  I thought a "dummy" book was just that, a dummy or mock up of unfinished sketches that gave the tone and character and action of the book, without having to do all the work.  Wrong!  I learned that, that is not necessarily so. Yeah, sure, maybe if you have a couple of books published and your editor knows what to expect and your style is.  But... an unknown like me, the illustrations must be spot on how you want them.   

So, here I am.  Home. The children are sleeping, I should be too, actually I should be drawing, but I'm too tired and excited and in my case makes for really crummy pictures. 

Thank you to all the wonderful people at the conference for giving me this belief in my art and also in myself.