Organizing SCBWI Illustrator Meetings San Francisco-Bay Area (asking for ideas, experience)

Susan Szecsi

@smceccarelli I agree each topic can have their own conference or a series of meetings. As for the Sketch-Crawl, yes, I see the challenges. I fact, we are hesitating between the Oakland Zoo to draw animals, or perhaps some busy public place in Oakland, Berkeley or San Francisco and daw people. I am also thinking about to give more structure/schedule to this Crawl. Based on my experience, most artists are genuinely shy. In case of SCBWI skill levels are ranging from the beginners to more established illustrators. If we choose to go to the Zoo, I am putting together a handout with some advice. I identified 2 main problems why people would hesitate to do it. One is feeling intimidated by others watching you when drawing. Second is worrying because you are not sure what you are "expected" to do. I think we can address both by doing some icebreakers, demonstrations (I mean showing it) and organize some peer help. I want to ask the more experienced, more extravert participants to "help" the newbies. I imagine if you go around the zoo with your small group (3-6) it feels different. It would not be compulsory of course. However, I do not want anybody walk around bored and alone or staring their phones. My aim is to make everybody happy, enjoy drawing, discover that sketching improves your skills, it is a tons of fun and an opportunity to socialize. I have been watching @Will-Terry's videos for years and learned a lot from him. I hope I will have the courage and the talent to encourage people as much as he does.
I truly appreciate your comments. What great suggestions. It would be nice to know if there is a study or book about current trends and market preferences. Maybe approaching the librarians and teachers is a doable thing for us.
I love the Adobe Max idea a lot!

Susan Szecsi

@lmrush Good luck to starting your Draw-Lunch! I am very curious about your experience. Once we have the Sketch-Crawl I will let you know about it too.

lmrush

@Susan-Szecsi perfect!

ArmedCadaver

Hello! I'm a freelance illustrator and soon to be SCBWI member from the SF Bay Area. All of those topics sound great, especially 1 and 3! Building art skills to better present a portfolio, along with getting connected with agents and learning from successful illustrators are all constantly big on my to do list.

((It's hard for me to travel too far as i have 2 young children but I really would like to be a part of the SF Bay Area meet ups!))

MOO

I am a scbwi member in San Jose also. I wish there were more activities in the South Bay! But besides that, I agree that all of them interest me equally. I have been a member for a couple of years but have been timid about getting very involved. I did go to th elast Illustrators Day in SF (I think it was the last anyway...) with Marla Frazee. It was great!

MOO

@eleArts Maybe we can start with two of us, Elena

MOO

@eleArts BTW, if you are interested in joining our new writers critique group (if you are at all interested in writing) we meet in Willow Glen on Monday nights at Peets Coffee-1140 Lincoln, Ave, CA 95125 We've just had one meeting. We share our manuscripts by e-mail and then will discuss them on Monday night. We'll see how it goes. None of us knows exactly how to do it, I don't think, but ,...:-) It would be nice to have a group for illustrators too. We started one once with two people but it fell through.

eleArts

@Marsha-Kay-Ottum-Owen Yes, I definitely would like to check your writer's group since I'm writing my own picture book. I'd also like to very much start a illustrator's group as well.

MOO

@eleArts Cool. If you can come on Monday, please do! I can let the others know to expect you And I will beinterested in the illustrators group too. (Especially if it's in San Jose).

Naroth Kean

I'm too far XD

MOO

@Naroth-Kean Where do yuo live, Naroth? Are you in California too?

Naroth Kean

@Marsha-Kay-Ottum-Owen hi I'm in Philadelphia!

MOO

@Naroth-Kean Oh yeah! That might eb a bit of a way to go to meet up My first german ancestor came to Lancaster, Paxtang way back when. That's teh closest I've been to Philadelphia

eleArts

@Marsha-Kay-Ottum-Owen Ooops, I saw your post too late.

MOO

@eleArts It's kind of crazy weather out there. We might skip tonight or do it online.....that's my preference anyway You can come next time...if that's what you were referring to.