I'm excited!
Can you tell I'm excited?
It's because I'm about to launch a new hare-brained scheme and you guys are all going to get to be part of it!
(And no, just because it's April 1st and we just had a contest, this is NOT an April Fool. I just couldn't add this to yesterday's Winner Celebration Post or tomorrow's WYRI!)
I've been thinking for a while that children's authors get all the fun. Contests and prizes and being able to claim top finishes in Pretty Much World Famous Writing Contests. . .
It isn't entirely fair.
In the world of picture books, authors are only half the story.
We couldn't do what we do without our illustrators!
I think it's high time to let the illustrators have some fun and a contest and prizes and be able to claim top finishes in a Pretty Much World Famous Illustration Contest!
So that's what we're going to do!
Are you ready?
Announcing
The First Ever Pretty-Much-World-Famous Illustration Contest!!!
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| the fact that this particular illustrator resembles a female is in no way meant to deter any male illustrators! :) |
The Contest: Draw/Paint a children's picture book cover illustration (no text required - art only) for one of the following stories (which you will recognize as the top finishers in the March Madness Fractured Fairy Tale Writing Contest - a little extra surprise for those authors :)):
- The Three Wiggly Worms Bluff by Wendy Greenley
- Goldilockup by Mike Allegra
- Goldibawks And The Three Pairs by Dawn Young
- The Sweetie Witch by Pen Avey
- The Princess And The Stinky Cheese by Lauri Meyers
- Mongoose's Holi Party by Darshana Khiani
- The "Princess" And The Pete by Jennifer Caritas
- The Jackrabbit Who Cried Gila Monster by Elliah Terry
Illustrations should be 8x10, horizontal or vertical, any medium, posted in jpg at least 72 px
All stories can be read on the March Madness Finalist Post HERE so you will know what to illustrate :)
Post: Your entry should be posted on your blog between Thursday April 24 at 5 AM EDT and Monday April 28 at 9 PM EDT, and your post-specific link should be added to the link list on my Thursday April 24 post which will remain up through Tuesday April 29 so that people can come visit and enjoy your gorgeous artwork! (No PPBF on Friday April 25, no new post on Monday April 28, but there will be a brief interruption for WYRI on Wednesday April 30 because I forgot to leave it open for the contest :)). If you don't have a blog but would like to enter, please copy and paste your entry into the comments of my April 24 post. (If anyone has trouble commenting, which unfortunately happens, you may email me and I'll post your entry for you! Also, since this is the first time we've done an illustration contest, I'm not sure if you actually CAN paste your entry into the comments. If this turns out to be the case, email them to me and I'll add them directly to my April 24 post.)
Judging: entries will be judged by multi-talented, award-winning author/illustrators Iza Trapani, author and illustrator of over 20 gorgeous picture books, and Lisa Thiesing, author and illustrator of at least 16 beautiful and fun picture books and early readers! Judging criteria to include:
They will narrow down the entrants to 6 finalists (or possibly a couple more or less depending on the number of entries :)) which will be posted here on Thursday May 1 for you to vote on for a winner. The vote will be closed at 5PM EST on Sunday May 4 and the winner will be announced on Monday May 5. (No PPBF on Friday May 2.)
- is the picture readable to a young audience,
- how well does it show the character(s) and
- is the character(s) appealing (character development),
- does it make you want to read the story,
- originality
- skill.
They will narrow down the entrants to 6 finalists (or possibly a couple more or less depending on the number of entries :)) which will be posted here on Thursday May 1 for you to vote on for a winner. The vote will be closed at 5PM EST on Sunday May 4 and the winner will be announced on Monday May 5. (No PPBF on Friday May 2.)
The Prizes!: There will definitely be a 1st prize. Whether we give prizes for 1st only, 1st-3rd, or 1st-6th will depend on how many entries we get.
First Prize is absolutely amazing! A portfolio critique by celebrated author/illustrator Michael Garland, who has over 20 picture books to his credit!!!
Illustrators, we can't wait to see what you've got in store for us!
Everyone else (authors, parents, teachers, librarians, farm equipment retailers, etc. :)) think how much fun it's going to be so see what the illustrators come up with!
You've got three weeks, illustrators!
On your mark, get set, GO!!! :)
First Prize is absolutely amazing! A portfolio critique by celebrated author/illustrator Michael Garland, who has over 20 picture books to his credit!!!
- Second Prize - a $50 gift certificate to Dick Blick Art Materials
- Third, Fourth & Fifth Prize will be winner's choice of one of the following books:
- Writing With Pictures by Uri Shulevitz
- A Caldecott Celebration - Seven Artists and Their Paths to the Caldecott Medal by Leonard Marcus
- Show & Tell - Exploring the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration by Dilys Evans
- 2014 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market by Chuck Sambuchino
- Sixth Prize - sketch pads/pencils
Everyone else (authors, parents, teachers, librarians, farm equipment retailers, etc. :)) think how much fun it's going to be so see what the illustrators come up with!
You've got three weeks, illustrators!
On your mark, get set, GO!!! :)
