SCBWI conference Los Angeles (part 2)

On Sunday August 3rd, I attended two workshops by published authors, one whom is one of my very favorite illustrators. The first workshop was called The Map: Charting the Course Using Thumbnail Sketches from Rough Dummy to Final Art by Melanie Hope Greenberg. At first, I wasn't sure if I liked my decision to attend this workshop, but as she continued on past her introduction and shameless book promotion (I say this quite fondly as she was very animated and friendly!) the real meat of the workshop found it's way to the front of the class. Melanie provided us with a hand out with fifteen boxes on it numbered 4-32. She proceeded to show us her method of the storyboard layout from start to finish. Here are my notes regarding the workshop:

• This map is the way to edit your story. Visually.
• This is the key to your project and pagination. It will help you in the pagination process. (Since I have a background in graphic design, I was very familiar with this term, but others didn't quite know what that all meant.) Pagination is the way information is laid out, the consecutive numbering to indicate the proper number of the pages.
• Pages 2 & 3 are front matter and dedication.
• Start your book by writing your story on each spread on the "map." Use just a few words to indicate the gist of the story.
• Incorporate drawings with the text.
• As you write your manuscript, assign action words to each of the spreads for your illustrations. I repeat this as this is one of the most important bits of info from this workshop, assign action words to each of the spreads and ILLUSTRATE these action words!
• When you are creating your illustrations, you will have the map to refer to if you get stuck or forget your path or it gets too cluttered. The map will help you find your direction and ability to simplify if needed.
• Some agents will need a book dummy and some will be able to just use the storyboards (your map.)
• When you make your dummy, include pages for your cover and dedications. The left side is always even numbers and the right side is always odd numbers.
• In your dummy, black and white drawings are fine but be sure to include at least one spread, the one that tells the most about your story, and illustrate it in color.
• Always send a query letter before you send your packet.

The second workshop was called Illustrating Appealing Characters by Mark Teague. He has an amazing style and I was shocked to learn that he has no formal training, this all come naturally to him. Wow. He is so very talented. Here are my notes from that workshop:

• Doodle. Doodle a lot. In doodling, this is where your characters appear.
• You need to have story telling in your portfolio. Work on a story line for a few images in your portfolio to show the consistency of your characters.
• When you get a manuscript from an editor, really READ the story. You will be able to pull things out of the story to make it visually dynamic.
• Create your characters together, when you have more than one character on a page, so they will have interaction. Just importing people or animals onto a page doesn't always show them interacting together.
• A good picture book should be consistent throughout the entire story, it should not fall off anywhere!
• Play it up. Think big. Make your characters larger than life.
• Keep your drawings loose. Thinking too much can make them too tight.
• Start at the beginning of the story. Although it is tempting to jump into the middle or the area that feels the easiest to you, resist and start at the beginning.
• You can get to where you want to be by just doing it A LOT!!

Well, my friends, this is the end of my post for the 2008 SCBWI LA conference. All I can say is it was FABULOUS and I highly recommend going next year if you can possibly swing it. It is so worth it and you will receive ten times the amount back that you will put in by just showing up. Happy illustrating and writing!!