Contests

[smceccarelli]

Bologna Children Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition.
The brief requires to send 5 related illustrations either unpublished or published in the last year. Deadline is October 5th for the 2019 exhibition. They take about 1% of applicants.
The winners entries are exhibited at the Fair, which is attended by practically all major children publishers in the world and a good deal of agents, and included in the Fair annual, which is distributed to publishing houses.

SCBWI portfolio awards are also good ones - nearly every regional events has one, and they make for nice publicity. SCBWI also has other global awards - you can look at their website, I'm not familiar with them.

I also enter the Spectrum award, and the Communication Arts awards, but more out of habit than real hope. The level is just too high.

[julian beresford]

@smceccarelli do you know the type of illustrations that can be entered at the bologna children book fair illustration exhibition? eg spots, full scene, vignettes

[smceccarelli]

@julian-beresford I think it´s completely up to you. It can be a mix of both.
The Bologna Fair likes to keep a reputation of being “edgy” and “contemporary” in their exhibition, so the illustrations they select are not really mainstream - not cute animals, cartoons, colorful happy scenes.
I used it last year to experiment with a more stylized style. I made it to the shortlist, but not to the exhibition. I think two of the illustrations might have been good enough, one was so-so and two were definitely weaker, which probably affected the outcome.
This year, I’m also experimenting - still not sure how, but I’m thinking of doing some mixed media. I’m entering the non-fiction section this time.

[lmrush]

The scbwi narrative award is coming up

https://www.scbwi.org/scbwi-narrative-art-award/

[julian beresford]

@smceccarelli Cool thanks for the info, would it b possible to see some of the illustrations you sent in?

[julian beresford]

@lmrush I'll have to keep that one in the diary for next year, will you be entering that one?

[lmrush]

@julian-beresford I am not sure if I have the time, I plan to try.

[smceccarelli]

@julian-beresford I posted them all here in the forum! Including the various stages:

http://forum.svslearn.com/topic/3903/alice-in-wonderland-illustration-series

Incidentally, while I didn't make it in the exhibition, these 5 illustrations brought in two jobs for a large editorial publisher. Portfolio pieces that you can use to promote yourself are always a good investment of time. That's the main reason I enter competitions (not to win!)

[rcartwright]

@smceccarelli Thank for the ideas,

[rcartwright]

@lmrush Thanks I was looking at this for next year

[julian beresford]

@lmrush Cool would love to see your work if you do

[julian beresford]

@smceccarelli Thanks, they are great love the style. I think for this year I will send in some work I did earlier on this year and work on some illustration for next year