The Austin SCBWI 2012 regional conference, Something for Everybody, is just around the corner. You’ve got three and a half weeks to get your portfolio together—or build a totally new one depending on how ambitious you are! You’d like to knock the socks of off the editors, art director, and agents attending, land a book deal and win the portfolio competition (you are ambitious, aren’t you?)…if only you knew what they were looking for?
Well, my friend, this year, the Girllustrators got your back! We were lucky enough to be tiny Girllustrator flies on the wall at the meeting where the list by which portfolios will be judged was put together. We might even have buzzed some of our own suggestions into the ears of the Powers That Be. (Okay, so now we’re bees, not flies—Girllustrators are very versatile!)
So, no hemming and hawing this year—read on and you’ll know what they’re looking for! It’s time to get that portfolio together and strut your stuff! And at the very bottom of the post, an additional opportunity for exposure!
THE LIST
1. Composition: We’re all artists, here, right? We all know about the elements and principles of design and we all use them in our art, right? But we also know that sometimes a composition just doesn’t come out quite right. But maybe we ABSOLUTELY LOVE the characters in that failed composition! Should we put it in our portfolio anyway? No way, José! If something’s not working, you’ve just given an art director a doubt about your skills, made them less interested in your work and left a bad taste in their mouth. Find a way to salvage the piece or pull it out entirely.
2. Color: Judges will be looking for your use of color. This doesn’t mean the more color you use, the better. It means that your color should be appropriate for the piece and pleasing to the eye. Does the color in your work add interest? Create a mood? Make it work, Baby!
3. Character development (sequencing): Something that is tricky in children’s books, but oh so important, is creating believable characters that are emotive, interesting and consistent. If you don’t have a sequence of a character (or characters) in different poses and showing a variety of emotions, now would be a good time to get ’er done. Art directors and editors look for this—they want to know that you can bring their characters to life and do it consistently!
4. Narrative clarity: Some might say “pictorial readability” here. This means that your illustrations aren’t all straight landscapes, portraits and still lifes, but they have a narrative quality to them. They have action, energy, emotion and a story is being told, right there—without words—in the pictures!
5. Consistency of style(s): Right. We all like to try new things. We’ve all changed over the years and have favorite pieces from long ago that we just can’t seem to bring ourselves to take out of the ol’ portfolio. But, the fact is, an art director wants to know what they’re getting when they hire you. They want to be certain of who YOU are. And for that reason, the judges will be looking for consistency of style. That doesn’t mean you can’t have more than one style and present them together, just make sure that if you have two styles, you have enough of each to show that they are consistent.
6. Professional presentation: Do we really need to say “Don’t duct tape your art to a spiral notebook and dunk it in coffee before you drop it off?” Probably not, but it doesn’t hurt to mention that your portfolio should be well-organized and neat with consistent sizes and formats. An expensive book is not necessary to look professional. But, some time and effort is.
Well, that’s it. Easy, breezy, right? Putting together a portfolio is actually a lot of work, and it’s a daunting task even to veteran illustrators. If you’d like some more help, here are a few other sites to read:
What to Include from Where the Sidewalk Ends.
Tony SanSevero’s making a children’s book portfolio.
Harold Underdown’s tips for aspiring illustrators.
Yellapalooza.com’s tips for beginners.
Christina Tugeau gives portfolio tips.
THE OPPORTUNITY
And now to that opportunity we mentioned above. This year at the conference, there will be a silent auction/raffle to raise funds. Donations of prints (originals are accepted, as well), framed (preferred) or unframed, are being requested. Please choose your favorite illustration, slap it in a frame and donate it to the cause! This not only shows your generous spirit, but it is yet another way to get your art in front of the faculty at the conference. Who knows, maybe they’ll bring your work home to display in their office! Furthermore, the proceeds from all art sales go toward the chapter’s illustration budget, so that we can continue to have great illustrator events in the future. It’s a win-win!
Donations need to be dropped off by Friday, February 17th at 5pm at St. Edward’s University, where the conference is being held. If you don’t think you’ll make that deadline, feel free to contact a Girllustrator or Assistant Regional Advisor Carmen Oliver to set something up.
