My first SCBWI conference experience.

Wow @natiwata! What a great experience, thank you so much for sharing.

I was just visiting the SVS forums today to look for your post about Giuseppe Castellano's portfolio review, so I could say how cool it was to spot your work on the "Illustrator's Showcase" of his site, and here you are with even more awesome news! Your work is great, not surprised you're getting such a great reaction

Thank you so much for sharing such an in-depth review of your conference experience, I've wondered if it was worth heading to one. I find the SCBWI website confusing and have always felt overwhelmed and as though I'm not ready for a conference. Your review might be the kick I need to go to our British one in November!

Congratulations on the art show, and the Random House reaction too!

NoWayMe

Thank you for sharing this!!! I really wish I can attend one someday (hopefully soon!) This will definitely help preparing!

MOO

Wow! That's really great! Sounds like you were well received too. Thanks so much for sharing. I haven't been to any yet and also don't have a portfolio and knowing that I could go to kinkos and get 11X17 posters for 1.27 Great tips and info and I think it's great that you were able to go! I haven't jumped in yet. I could go to the one in LA but haven't taken the leap.

Dulcie

Thanks so much for sharing what you learnt from your experience at SCBWI! So pleased that it went well for you, it sounds like a fantastic experience and congratulations both on the 2nd place, and having your art received so well by Random House.

Also fantastic that you got to meet fellow SVSers Like @Nanette it all makes me think perhaps I should go to the UK conference in November..

sam marrero

so cool. you are my hero!!

smceccarelli

Super cool posts, and congratulations on a very successful conference experience! I will look into the UK ones (no conference coming to my region) - after your report it may be well worth the traveling...

audrey dowling

great feedback and congratulations!
may we see which piece you entered the competition with?

mattramsey

@audrey-dowling said in My first SCBWI conference experience.:

may we see which piece you entered the competition with?

ditto the request!

natiwata

@mattramsey It was based on the portfolio as a whole. Most of the images I printed are in my website here: www.iwataillustration.com

I did not include the ones from the truck book, as thoughs aren't really great examples of my natural style.

smceccarelli

@natiwata I have just decided to attend the SCBWI NY conference in February. I am meeting with the local Illustrators coordinator of SCBWI in Switzerland later in August, to explore the possibility of going together (the Swiss chapter is not that big!). If I understand correctly, if you want to bring in your portfolio, it should be physically printed, is that right? Any tips on how to make it the best possible shot? What size/format is best suited? Thank you for pointers - I have never done a physical portfolio!

natiwata

@smceccarelli I totally understand, this SCBWI was my first time printing a physical portfolio too and I totally stressed out about It!

It depends on what you want to do with your portfolio. I believe any of the art shows require it be printed out, but for just showing around it's up to you. For portfolio reviews some people do bring iPads, but there is something nice about printing your stuff out since ultimately your selling your art to a print based industry.

As for size and format, first thing to decide is if you want to go landscape or portrait. It's best to not have to turn a big portfolio around constantly. I chose to format everything in Photoshop on a 11"x14" black background template and then print it all out so I didn't have to do any physical cut and pasting/mounting.

vvvvvvvvv THIS ARTICLE BY GIUSEPPE CASTELLANO IS INVALUABLE vvvvvvvvv
http://www.gcastellano.com/arttips/theillustratorsportfolio
^^^^^^^^^^ THIS ARTICLE BY GIUSEPPE CASTELLANO IS INVALUABLE ^^^^^^^^^^^

Though I wasn't able to do it because of signing up at the last minute, I think it would be very valuable to participate in some of the workshops if you can. There are dummy and portfolio critique sessions and several sessions that require 'homework.' Mingle, talk to people. At our conference they set signs on some of the tables for 'Newbies' but I avoided sitting there because I wanted to sit with a mix of experienced and new illustrators.

Hope some of this helps!

Kevin Longueil

@natiwata I read the Giuseppe Castellano article - really great! Thanks for posting it!