2008 Midsouth SCBWI Fall Conference

From an Illustrator's point of view

(you can see the 2007 Conference photos HERE )

The 2008 SCBWI Midsouth Conference began with a rousing keynote address by writer Bruce Coville. With a title like :"Saving the World, One story at a Time: Why What We Do Matters", you just had to open up your eyes......no matter how little coffee you'd had. Bruce Coville has such an engaging speaking voice, much like his writing. He switches on a dime from a "voice over" explaining his writing theory of "HA", "Waaaahhh", and "Yikes!" to the attitude and story of a conflicted 10 year old boy.....all at the drop of a hat. And just when you think you've got your wits back.....he launches into a haunting tale of butterflies and a young boy's wonder.....and left not a dry eye in the audience. It was a tour de force performance.....and left us all in awe of a "Master Story teller".

After the first session it was onto the Illustrator's side of things, with the first breakout session with GreenWillow's Victoria Jamieson and her "Art Department: Confidential: An Illustrator's View from the Inside". She showed us a view of her office with tons of folders all over the desk, and assured us that the forelorn plant at the side of her computer, near a looming stack of folders, did make a complete recovery....'tho it was touch and go for a while. The next image was her Promo Card Basket....where a months worth of cards sat waiting for her review. She says she much prefers cards over envelopes that must be opened (Ooopsies...paper cut!), and likes to see images of children and animals. She keeps the ones she likes and refers to the illustrators' websites, and prints out images she keeps to remind herself about that person's style.

My next session was also with Victoria Jamieson, "Picture Books, From Start to Finish". This session was a primer for those who have the desire to both write and illustrate their book. This session was particularily close to Ms. Jamieson's heart as her forthcoming book "Bea Rocks the Flock" which she both wrote and illustrated is due out in 2009. She showed us a wealth of materials that she put together during the making of her book. She had original ideas sketches she used to pictch the idea, all the way thru the finalized dummy that was very helpful in planning where the various panels, pages and spreads would be most effective, in keeping the reader turning the page.

After this session it was time for lunch and the Illustrator's Critique Group meeting. We had about six illustrators who have attended the Conference before, plus three newer illustrators make up our group. It was just lovely to see how much the returning illustrators have grown! Their styles have changed and grown more professional. The three newer illustrators showed off some impressive work, and asked questions about this business. This Group meeting is always one of my favorite portions of the Conference. It's a great time to get to talk "shop", in a group of your peers, and to exchange tricks of the trade. And just to get out of our often lonely work-a-day shell.

In the afternoon, I attended the second version of Ms. Jamieson's Art Department Confidential talk, and then us "brave and few" went for our individual critiques.

The next day, Sunday, was waaaay more relaxed, with only one breakout session, and an "Art Screening" with Ms. Jamieson. At the Screening, about six of the illustrators sat around a table, and laid out some of our promo materials in a pile, and called it our "Card basket". Ms Jamieson shuffled the deck, pulled out random cards/sheets and gave us a few words comment and whether she would put that card in the "keeper" box or recyle it. It was a most informative peek into what goes on in an Art Director's mind. We all came away with good insights.

The last part of the day was a Panel discussion, and I got to see some of the faculty that I hadn't seen before. From left to right was Harold Underdown (Purple Crayon) , Victoria Jamieson, Amalia Ellison, Bruce Coville and author Alexis O'Neill.

Frank took also took photos at the session he attended with Amalia Ellison:

I always feel that anytime you can come away from a Conference more inspired and excited than you were when you came in......it's been a HUGE success!

A great big shout out of thanks to Candie, Sharon and Genetta and all the wonderful volunteers who make these conferences run so smoothly and allow us all to get so much out of a weekend "gathering".

(For another viewpoint of this wonderful conference check out Kristi Valient's blog.)

Alison Lyne

9/23/08

All photos are from the skillful photography of Frank Lyne

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