Tomie dePaola Masterclass Released for Free

All of us in SCBWI and the children’s book community lost a dear friend and artist in Tomie dePaola. Anyone who has been lucky enough to dine or converse with him, or simply to be near his great big gregarious spirit, knows that he was the genuine article: a singular personality, and a master artist.

As we mourn his loss, we also want to celebrate his incredible body of work and his long and dear friendship with our organization. 

We are making available to members his entire Master Class DVD that he shot with Lin Oliver, where the two of them go in depth and discuss the modern picture book, a form he helped to invent and elevate. With outsized generosity, Tomie breaks down the history of the picture book, his approach, his working methods—everything you’d want to know about how he crafts a work of art for children. Tomie was incredibly proud of this Master Class. So please enjoy it, and pull a book or three of his off the shelf.

In a discussion with Lin Oliver, the master class is PACKED with insights, information, and inspiration.

Here's a quote from just the first minutes:

“If the words are more important than the pictures, that would be an illustrated storybook.... For me, the picturebook, once the child has had the book read to them, they can remember the story just by looking at the pictures.” —Tomie dePaola

Members can visit this page on the scbwi website to watch the class!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

#NY18SCBWI has a new "Master Class" format, and is selling out fast!

This is exciting!

The 2018 SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City offers an array of masterclasses with agents, editors, and luminaries in the children's book field, featuring keynotes by Caldecott-winner Dan Santat and best-selling author Angie Thomas, an agent panel, and an editor panel.

There's a Golden Kite Gala, a portfolio showcase, socials, peer roundtable critiques, a networking dinner, an autography party...

And with all that, the real star is you – and how much you can advance your career, both in craft and in the business of our industry know-how.

The masterclass format promises attendees a chance to delve deeply into their work with hands-on, smaller group sessions. As a result, space is extremely limited, but there are still a few spots left in these exclusive masterclasses.

Check out what's still available and register here.

Hope to see you there!

Illustrate and Write On, 
Lee

Summer Conference Opportunites for Illustrators & Published SCBWI Members

Registration for the 39th Annual SCBWI Summer Conference is well under way and there are a few great opportunities still available for both illustrators and SCBWI members who are published or have books under contract. These classes and tracks offer specialized instruction with great teachers and are a steal at $100. Check them out (and if you're interested, act fast).

FOR ILLUSTRATORS there are still a limited number of spaces open in two pretty awesome Master Classes:

Writing and Illustrating Children's Graphic Novels, with Mac McCool

Mac McCool freelanced for a decade for the likes of Disney and currently teaches illustration and sequential art at Cal State, Fullerton. His class, which has a couple of homework assignments that much be completed prior to attending, helps those interested in creating graphic novel to expand their stills, sharpen dialog, create great characters (over and over) and more. The class is also open to writers, too, and participants will both write and illustrate, even if one is not their forte. Click here for more information and to register.

Pushing Pixels: Picture Book Illustration in the Digital Age, with William Low
William Low has been working as an award winning painter and illustrator for more than 23 years with a long list of impressive clients, and is the author of, among others, MACHINES GO TO WORK (2009) and the upcoming CITY MACHINES GO TO WORK (2011). His class offers hands-on instruction in digital techniques (check out this video) that will teach illustrators how to create digital art that doesn't look so, well, digital! (No cold, flat, computer-y looking images here.) Participant requirements include a laptop and Adobe Photoshop. Click here for more information and to register.


PUBLISHED SCBWI MEMBERS can still registers for the Summer Conference Pro Track with special sessions and events just for them:

Pro Track Series Luncheon & Book Sale

Participants in this track must be P.A.L. SCBWI members, that is they must have a book under contract with, or published by, a publisher listed on one of the the SCBWI Market Surveys. There are eight targeted courses offered (including a couple of sessions with yours truly), plus Friday’s lunch for PROtrack attendees offering a tasty conversation on “Staying Afloat Financially.” PROtrack conference-goers also have the opportunity to sell their book in the PROtrack Bookstore at Friday night’s wine & cheese reception honoring published attendees. And in addition Website Consultation, Author Photo, or SCBWI.org “Find A Speaker” Video Shoot options are also available. Click here for more information and to register.