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@MirkaH yup, same here. That was what I had my eye on, so we are on the same page. Thanks for the input!

I really dig your summary of the video @Dulcie ! Thanks for sharing.

Well maybe use both if we want to ? it doesn't sound like a lot of folks are doing it though

@Nazuba Thank you for your comments. I will recolor the illlustration because I really don't like the way it is now. Ill take the lightening tips with me as I recolor. Thank you again!

@Ben-Migliore I don't do photoshop at all. I take pictures with my cell phone. Solely a tradtional artist at this point 🙂 But, sometimes they post and sometimes they don't. It might just have been a bad day for my computer too. Thanks for the sizes though.

@Eric-Castleman The contouring of you crosshatched marks is very nice. I really like the volume it creates. Well done! Just beautiful.

Oh, no worries - firstly, there are more ideas where that came from…Also, like you said there are many books out there already tackling this topic. And most importantly - you really deserve a book being published, because your art is so accomplished and you devote so much time and energy trying to get there. So I really hope that this one gets past all the hurdles to publication - I will be in the queue to buy it!

Oh, it sounds great that it is an exchange of letters with Emma on alternate spreads…I looked back at the previous sketches to try and work out what the structure was, but I wasn’t sure.

Yes, I have Grandad’s Island as part of my own picture book collection, it’s again a very well-conceived book, both readable and poignant. My five year old son loves it - but I know that he only sees the ‘literal’ story, and the fun idea about going on a voyage to a tropical island - he has no idea that it is about death. I wonder if one day when he’s older, he’ll berate me for allowing him to cheerfully love a story about death and loss, and saying goodbye - will it feel like innocence destroyed when he works out the double meaning? Or maybe that will just be a part of growing up.

Anyway, will look forward to seeing/hearing more with your progress on this 🙂

Hi Ben, Awesome work. Love the perspective and line work! 'Space is such a great subject. I wish I could draw spacecrafts. Perhaps Ill try once to study some. Till Then Ill follow your work with great interest!

I like it a lot. Look forward to seeing some more later 🙂

@smceccarelli I did my comps about 4 x 5 inches and redid them quite a bit so I was practiced ..I thought..but I can tell I will need to redo a lot. Well, I will need to make some alterations. These are still just line pencil drawings that I redraw and erase on over an over again. But they are larger. I will leave them up on the wall to look them over for a couple of days and look for what need to fix and then get back to work. It helps to have them a distance away so I can see them overall. With my last book, I layed them out on the floor and stood on the couch 🙂 I still have SO much work to do.....

@Kevin-Longueil thank you so much your a great help!

@Kevin-Longueil Great ideas! Thanks a lot for the suggestion.

Hello? Anyone out in the abyss? haha
I guess there's no North Western Americans (is that what you'd call Washington or Oregon peeps?) in the SVS forums...
Anyone been to any of the regional SCBWI conferences in their area (not one of the two large LA or New York ones) who would like to share insights?

Personally, I have a specific way I use each social media site. I use Facebook for personal connections (people I've actually met in person, family and friends), Twitter for publishing/illustration connections (people I have met or hope to meet through SCBWI or similar organizations), Instagram for sharing sketches and finished pieces and following artists I admire, Pinterest for gathering and sharing inspiration.

I think it helps me to say "THIS is how I am using this platform, it is not for these other things." You don't have to use every social media platform (awhile ago I realized tumblr just wasn't for me... though maybe I'll pick it up again down the road, we'll see) but I think it helps to have an "agena" for those you do use.

@Anthony-Benicki Thanks. That is a good idea. I could have his paw on side of the counter so it looks like he might jump up.

@imrush Thank you

@evilrobot Thanks. You should finish yours. I saw the initial stages and it was looking great. I think this is the longest I have spent on a digital piece. Probably around 20 hours so far which when I look at some of the artist I follow is nothing!

I paint, so it is much easier in that regard. However, I do use fiber castel polychromos which I spent $200 on, and I see how fast those things are trying to vanish on me. Sharpening them is worst feeling.

@Dulcie Oh the doggy picture is fun! They are both fabulous. Great work Dulcie

@evilrobot I found the Will Terry video that I was talking about earlier....a good excuse to listen to it again, just finished and found it very inspiring the second time round too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa7yI3mRSOY

It's very philosophical, talking about how you shouldn't be defined as an artist by what people are willing to pay you, but instead he asks you to decide what do you really want to do/what would make you happy? ...he thinks having a balance between personal projects and client work is helpful...and you should dare to dream big...he talks about how personal projects can be successful in their own right...that if you're making lots of money from art, but you hate the art you're asked to do, it sucks...but on the other hand another artist might be totally fulfilled by (for example) being employed full-time at a studio. He gives various examples of journeys by different artists, and what defines 'a career step up' or fulfilment will be different for each artist. Definitely recommend this one (for anyone!)

Also, there is this one, though only listen to it if you fancy taking @Eric-Castleman's advice to burn the business down 😉 ... it's very much 'life is short, you never know what might happen, take your opportunities' sort of thing. But it also talks about money vs happiness, and how life won't turn out the way you expect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JgSoDO_nZ4&t=1008s

It was great! Lots of great info and especially great networking opportunities. In NYC its really easy for them to get editors and ADs out to look at the illustrators portfolios, so there is that. I couldn't make it this year but I'm planning on it next year.