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Hey all -- we've moved to KidLitArtists.com. Recently posted: photos and coverage of the fantabulousamazing SCBWI Illustrator Intensives at the Summer Conference in LA!

For more info, resources and tips for children's illustrators as well as updates on the SCBWI Mentees, please do adjust your bookmarks:

KidLitArtists.com

At the SCBWI Summer Conference

Quickie post: Eliza, Kimberly, John and I are at the SCBWI Summer Conference right now, and we're all having a fabulous time though we're really missing Ashley and Andrea. Such inspiring keynotes and breakout sessions! Our main challenge: there are so many great events going on at the same time that it's so hard to choose.

Here's a photo from last night's Illustrator Social (which was on at the same time as the International SCBWI Social). From left to right: me, John Deininger, Laurent Linn (Art Director at Simon & Schuster), Cecilia Yung (Art Director at Penguin), Kimberly Gee & Eliza Wheeler.

-- Debbie, who has to go get ready for today's conference day now

SCBWI-NYC Illustrators Intensive: Dan Yaccarino

Takeaways from Debbie Ridpath Ohi

The first Keynote speaker at the SCBWI Winter Conference in New York was Dan Yaccarino. I had already seen Dan speak at the LA conference last year (I think it was last year), so was looking forward to seeing his presentation.

Dan Yaccarino is a NYC artist who work has been featured in books, television, magazines and newspapers worldwide. He's written and illustrated over three dozen children's books, created and produced two animated series for kids, illustrated for hundreds of magazines.

Dan showed us clips from his past and current projects as well as entertaining us with some visual puns (I love his sense of humor). Here are some of my takeaways from his talk as well as interesting info from the Q&A section:

- Focus on STORY and CHARACTER. Don't worry about digital technology changes -- it's all still about good story and compelling characters. The medium is secondary.

- On a "good day," Dan says that half his time is spent illustrating: about 4-5 hours. The rest of the day is spent doing writing, promotion or other projects. He tends to write in the morning, illustrating in the afternoon.

- Have a website is better than having just a portfolio. It's important for illustrators to have a website! A website can include multimedia, something a regular print portfolio can't.

You can find more info about Dan Yaccarino at:

http://www.danyaccarino.com/ys/

From Debbie's camera: John & Andrea after the NYC Winter Conference

John, Andrea and I had a fantastic time at the SCBWI Winter Conference. I'll be posting more about what I learned as well as more pics, but here's a fun collage I put together of some quick snaps I took when the three of us got together at the end of the convention, to compare notes and just to catch up. I told John and Andrea to look as if they were talking about something fascinating. Heh.

To Kimberly, Eliza and Ashley: we missed you!

For those of you who missed the conference: check out the official SCBWI Conference Blog, where you'll find great info, summaries and video interviews (including a somewhat overly ENERGETIC one from yours truly :-)).

-- Debbie

Registration for the SCBWI Winter Conference (NYC) starts today!

The Illustrator Intensive on Friday sounds amazing, almost like a mini-convention within the bigger convention, but specifically for children's book illustrators. Plus signing up for the intensive enables you to enter your portfolio in the private exhibition, where invited industry professionals can see it.

Registration opens at 1 pm EST today, and I'm eagerly waiting for my chance to register.