SCBWI 12th Annual Winter Conference 2011

Yes that is the back of my head

(photo taken from SCBWI bog post)

The Winter conference is over and I had a great time. The speakers were fantastic. The breakout workshops were eye opening. It was nice to hear from other illustrators on there creative process of developing a story from reading the text to working with their Art Directors.
 So thank you SCBWI for making this happen and to all the speakers and faculty.

 I meet a lot of nice people while I was there and hope to stay in touch with some of them. I also had two books signed one by Jules Feiffer & the other by Mo Willems it was nice to see Mo again, we worked together at Michael Sporn Animation about sixteen or seventeen years ago time does fly.

 some of the postcards

I am a bit sad it is over

About ten postcards were taken

Well about ten postcards were taken.

 The easel to the left in the photo was beautiful with out the artwork. His work reminded me a little bit like Boris Vallejo it was some kind of serpent creature in the painting. on the other side of me was Linda Norman - Lyman I will post her postcard another time.
I watched  people walk past the piece for a little while one person picked up a postcard then put it down. Boris guy seemed to get a lot of attention. I needed to walk away Way to Stressful!  I was in the subway when I finally took out the remaining postcards and counted. I knew I started out with 100 but when you count gets to 80 you start to worry in my head I said to my self I just need one to be taken from a publisher or editor, out of the ten that was taken I still need only one to contact me that all that matters.
more to come in the next few days

The 12th Annual SCBWI International Winter Conference

Well I am excited tomorrow starts SCBWI 12th International Winter Conference "two days chock-full of agents, editors, publishers, workshops and networking designed to rocket your writing and illustration to the next level."
I have never been to a conference before so I looking forward to see if the quote above is correct. = )

 Today I drop off  my artwork submission for the Art Showcase it is part of the conference you are allowed one piece (1) art matted and or framed and with a few other rules/ guidelines about size etc...

It was not easy to pick one piece of artwork over others, but there guidelines helped me chose.
One of my first choices was from "The Marshmallow Man" written by Rena Jones the illustration is a two page spread of the fox carrying the Marshmallow dude across the river, the second was also a two page spread from "The Giving Meadow" written by Stephanie Burkhart  it was of all the characters sleeping together (click here to see artwork). But do to size guidelines I thought that both would have lost some of there charm because they would have to be shrunk down to fit.
So I went with an older piece that fit the size requirements better and I felt it is what most Publishers and Editors look for when it comes to artwork submission.    
The title of the piece is called "Hide & Seek" originally published in Stories for Children Magazine March 2009 issue. I would like to thank Susan York Meyers who wrote the poem, allowing me to use her poem as it was originally seen with the artwork back in 2009

6:00 AM January 27

"Let it Snow"

It keeps coming does in it?

Kind of fun 

Pictures from Queens NY January 27 6:00AM

 My shadow

 Thankfully not my car

 



2011

Well 2011 is on its way and there are things I am looking forward to at the end of this month I will attend my first SCBWI Winter Conference two day of lectures keynote speakers and so on that will help me in my career as a illustrator. I also submitted an illustration in there "Showcase" (cross fingers) it was not easy to pick one piece of artwork that I felt that represented me completely but it is close. 

 (sorry do not have finished front cover with text yet)

Also coming out very soon is "Libby the Odd Squirrel" written by Lea Schizas

published by 4RV Publishing. 

I've seen the proofs and I may say I did a very good job with the artwork. Libby was a challenge that kept me on my toes but it was worth all the hard work to tell this story if your child loves to read this book is for them.

I was also told by Vivian Zabel President/CEO of 4RVPublishing  that I'm getting a royalty check sent to me some time this month, that is always something to look forward to I'm keeping an eye on my mailbox.

I have also finished illustrating "Why Am I Me" written by Wayne Harris-Wyrick also being published by 4RV Publishing, It should be out in March or April of this year but more to come on this book latter this month.

   I am getting ready to start work on a new project for 4RV called "Ferdinand Frog's First Flight" written by Marvin S. Mayer, I assure you the out come of this story was nothing like what happened to that little turtle that wanted to fly.

  

Preditors & Editors Readers Poll nominations

Well it is that time of year 

 Preditors & Editors Poll nominations are out  

and

"The Giving Meadow"

 has been selected

in 

 "Children's Book published in 2010"

(click link above to vote)

Like always there site is confusing and not easy to navigate 

there seems to be only one category for children's book this year,

last year I think there was two one for the writers and the other for illustrators,

anyway your vote would be appreciated! 

Please vote only once ("1")

unlike last year when some good hearted people tried to help me out and voted for there whole family and friends which got me into first place then I found out because of stuffing that I was dropped into forth place behind a lot of  ****

Thanks

4RV & Zazzle Store

Just a quick note that

 "The Marshmallow Man"  

T-shirts, hats and other goodies are know available to purchase on line

from Zazzle gifts just click the link below

Zazzle Gifts

So

 RUN RUN!!!

you will make me (Stephen Macquignon)

 &

the Author Rena Jones

 Very Very happy to see you wearing one of the T-shirts