#SpringMingle - Last Day for Early Bird Registration! - #SBreeze17

Last Day for Early Bird Registration

You know how the early bird always get the worm? Well, the early registers get a sweet discount on the conference! And today is the last day to get it!
So what are you waiting for? Click over and register!!!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Portfolio Set Up & Viewing - #SBreeze17

Portfolio Set Up & Viewing

Are you an illustrator wondering how to set up your portfolio? Maybe you would like some new tips to incorporate into what you are already doing? What better way than to learn from a pro! Elizabeth O. Dulemba is a former Illustrator Coordinator for Southern Breeze. Check out what she has to say...

Present Your Portfolio Like a Pro

by Elizabeth O. Dulemba 

     "It seems simple once you know how it’s done, but at some point you do have to actually learn how to correctly prepare and show an illustration portfolio. Despite being used for such different purposes as interviews, presentations, or shows, there are some basic rules most professionals follow.

      First, size matters. Most portfolio shows have limitations of about 17” x 22” (closed). Keep to that size or smaller and you’ll be able to travel easily with your portfolio and use it anywhere..."

Continue reading over on Elizabeth's blog:   http://dulemba.com/index-portfolio.html

Registration IS NOW OPEN for SCBWI members! 

Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Liz Conrad Scholarship - #SBreeze17

Illustrators, Enter the Liz Conrad Scholarship

Liz Conrad
May 21, 1954 - August 26, 2009

In honor of our dear friend, Liz Conrad, the Southern Breeze chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustratorsestablished the Liz Conrad Conference Tuition Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to one budding illustrator in the children's book field and includes tuition to the annual conference and to Illustrators' Day or the Illustrators' Intensive, depending on the conference that year. In 2017 the winner will also receive a mentorship with the judge, Loraine Joyner.

This scholarship is open to Southern Breeze SCBWI members only and would be an impressive honor to add to one's resume.

Find more information on how to apply by clicking :::HERE::: 

DEADLINE IS JANUARY 15!

Illustrators' Day registration IS NOW OPEN for SCBWI members! 

Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Come Make Your Illustrations Soar w/ Loraine Joyner - #SBreeze17

Come Make Your Illustrations Soar with Loraine Joyner

Southern Breeze is pleased to announce that Loraine Joyner, former Art Director for Peachtree Publishers, will be the judge for the Liz Conrad Scholarship for Springmingle and Illustrators Day '17, and will participate in the Quickfire Portfolio review on Illustrators' Day. She will also be available for private portfolio reviews.

An added bonus for this year's Liz Conrad Scholarship includes a mentorship with Loraine for the winning illustrator. The winner of the scholarship will work with Loraine to complete the following in accordance with specified formatting and deadlines:

● a picturebook storyboard, including main character sketches and selection

● roughs for a selected scene

● final drawing of a scene

● final finish of a scene

● 3 character finishes of the main protagonist showing 3 distinctly different emotions, each from a different angle or point of view, but with no settings or secondary characters

The Mentorship will include meetings in person, skype, email or phone and will reflect what it would be like to work with an AD on a picture book project complete with required format specifications and deadlines to meet.

What an amazing opportunity for a lucky illustrator!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Tackling the Tough Topics with Michael Joosten - #SBreeze17

Tackling the Tough Topics with Michael Joosten

Want your illustrating to soar? Then fly to sign up for Springmingle and catch a session with one of our super artsy speakers!

Michael Joosten has been working in children's publishing for a decade, having started his career in the Cross Channel division of Scholastic Books. Now, he’s at Random House Children's Books where he works as an editor on such classic properties as Dr. Seuss, Little Golden Books, The Berenstain Bears, Richard Scarry, and Little Critter.

In addition, Michael also works on original picture books. And so he knows a lot about covers, so you’ll want to hear his Illustrator's Day session, “Lovers of Covers: All You Need to Know About Creating a Memorable Book Cover.”

He’ll also be presenting a Saturday session, “Well This is Awkward: Tackling Tricky Topics in Picture Books.” Having recently acquired picture books about the Gay Pride Flag and the Stonewall Riot, Joosten will discuss how you can tackle tricky topics in your work.

That’s a session you won’t want to miss! So join us in Decatur, March 10th-12th at Springmingle, the only conference in Southern Breeze for 2017!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Look, Illustrators, It's Jim Hoover! - #SBreeze17

Look, Illustrators. It's Jim Hoover!

Want your illustrating to soar? Then fly to sign up for Springmingle and catch a session with one of our super artsy speakers!

Jim Hoover is an Associate Art Director at Viking Children’s Books, and he’s been publishing books for over fifteen years. He’s designed and directed the art behind hundreds of picture books and he’s illustrated for DreamWorks as well as for many novel jackets and interior art. Now, he’s coming to Springmingle for Illustrator’s Day!

Visual Story Telling in Two Spreads 

Great picture books are a harmonious marriage of words and picture. A story’s magic happens when these two components work in tandem. For this assignment, please pick a text to work up two spreads for. The story can be something you are actively working on, or an idea you have been hoping to get the time to draft into a more fleshed out story. Or you can do two spreads from a classic story or fairytale you’ve always loved. The spreads don’t need to be consecutive, but think about how to best present this portion of your picture book to your audience—which in this case, is an art director. At the end of the assignment, you will have two pieces for your portfolio which means that your audience will also be editors and agents. How can you hook your audience with two spreads from a picture book?

Sketches will be submitted to Jim via email and are due no later than February 10. Jim will then give you feed back via email for you to incorporate into your final pieces of art—which will be discussed as a group in person the day of the session.

Please note: There is limited enrollment and an additional fee for those participating in the Illustration Project. The preliminary and final work will be presented and discussed at Illustrator’s Day.

Hoover will also present two sessions on Saturday, including “Marrying Text and Pictures to Tell a Great Story” and “All About the Cover!” For his cover session, he’d like you to do a picture book cover, especially if you attend on Friday (two spreads AND a cover! You are practically there!) You can bring a few thumbnails and discuss—if you want feedback on direction, or a final piece of finished art. If you bring a finished piece of art, please do bring a few thumbnails as well—it’s like math—he wants to see your process. Show the work!

A ton of feedback for our illustrators from Jim Hoover! But you can’t get it unless you join us in Decatur, March 10th-12th at Springmingle, the only conference in Southern Breeze for 2017!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~

#SpringMingle - Illustrator's Day - #SBreeze17

Illustrator's Day

SCBWI Illustrators and Writers across the Southern Breeze region will gather in Decatur, Georgia for the love of children’s literature on March 10-12, 2017.  Our region boasts of many talented and awarded illustrators and authors.  Join us for Illustrator’s Day and Spring Mingle weekend to learn new skills and network with art directors, editors and agents. 

In case you haven’t heard, Illustrator’s Day is a day geared towards the craft and professional development of visual storytellers of all levels.  The day always includes valuable interactions through informative sessions, critiques and industry connections.  This year has special opportunities you will not want to miss!

Michael Joosten, Editor for Random House, will present a session titled,Lovers of Covers:  All You Need to Know About Creating a Memorable Book Cover.  Because we do often make our book choices because of their covers, attendees will learn about what publishers, art directors, editors, sellers and buyers are looking for in a stellar cover. 

Jim Hoover, Associate Art Director at Viking Children’s Books, will also challenge us to make magic with pictures and words through the Illustration Project: Visual Story Telling in Two Spreads.  Figure out how to hook your audience and present dynamic visual storytelling in only two spreads.  Who is your audience?  The Art director, editors and agents who will provide valuable feedback during the unveiling at Illustrators Day 2017.  What a way to be seen! For more information on the project please visit: http://southern-breeze.scbwi.org/jim-hoover . A limited number of participants will be accepted. Register Early!

And the icing on the cake is that this year, Loraine Joyner, retired Art Director of Peachtree Publishers, will be judging our annual Liz Conrad Scholarship.  The scholarship opened on December 1^st  and will be awarded to one budding illustrator in the children's book field to attend our Illustrators' Day and Springmingle Annual Conference in Atlanta. Loraine has also graciously decided to offer a free mentorship to the winner! Don’t miss this opportunity.  Details can be found at http://southernbreezewriters.blogspot.com/p/scholarship.html.  Deadline is January 15, 2017.

Many Illustrator Day attendees choose to extend the weekend by joining in on Spring Mingle.  The weekend will feature keynotes, breakout sessions, many critique opportunities to encourage skill development and a Saturday night gala to let your hair down.  (Who said book nerds weren’t cool, right?).  Tell a librarian, a teacher and your friends. We’ll see you soon for the big Spring Mingle in Decatur!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for SCBWI Members! 

Click  :::HERE::: to log in and register.

~See you in March~