"Build An App" contest for InteractBuilder

From Mark Mitchell: Have you ever considered designing an interactive story app as a
way to take your writing and/or illustration art to a new level?

Did you know that you have an opportunity to win a $1,500 Amazon
gift card (and other prizes) in InteractStudio's new "Build an App"
contest?

Don't know what we're talking about? You can learn more about the
"Build An App" contest and watch an introductory training and see
more videos on InteractBuilder and some other apps for touch-screen
tablets here:

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9mZ6M&m=3dfA0vnjJjmGyon&b=qqaokuTrzVFIUVscEdidgw

Are you excited about the upcoming contest but not sure how to get
started with the InteractBuilder software?

You can join developer Ezra Weinstein and the InteractBuilder
community for a free webinar on Sunday October 27th, 9:00AM Central
Standard Time for a free, hands-on training session (on the
InteractBuilder software that you can download and use for free.)

"This webinar will targeted for our new users who really want to
learn how to use the InteractBuilder and how to start building
apps," Ezra says. "All users are welcome to join. And there's
always something new that you can learn even if you've been using
the software for a while."

Here's where to register for this free online training session:

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9mZ6M&m=3dfA0vnjJjmGyon&b=Px7efslnp0o8F3ydRA_kMg

Best Practices: Digital Publishing with Stacy Abrams

If you're a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers (SCBWI) and Illustrators and you're interested in tech and publishing topics, you might wish to register for a free special 'webinar' that the Carolina's SCBWI chapter plans to broadcast earlier that evening.

It's a free session on "Digital Publishing Best Practices" hosted by Stacy Adams, execuive editorial director of Entangled Teen,
a relatively new indie publishing house:
entangledpublishing.com/category/entangled-teen/
(Before moving to Entangled, Stacy was an editor at Bloomsbury Publishing's childrens division.)

The webinar will be Wednesday Oct. 16, 6.15 pm %u2013 8:15 pm (U.S. Central Time.)

To receive your access link you'll need to register here:

anymeeting.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=E954D980884B38

The webinar is open to all SCBWI members. 

Its a live feed, so be sure to sign up! It is the last of the ones this year.
Dyann Callahan

Tonight is our Group Critique- so exciting!

For Mark Mitchell's Make Your Marks and Splashes: A Power Course on Creating Effective Illustrations for Childrens Books, Magazines and Other Media for Children
we have a monthly critique for members.
I always get super excited and butterflies in the stomach!
Here is mine for this month:

"Basilisk" watercolor, by Dyann Callahan

I think part of the growth experienced in a course is looking at other's art and getting feedback on yours. Its very supportive and helps not only with improvements, but many bounce off ideas that can help make your art the best it can be when getting it ready for a client, conference, submission, or publisher.
I will post notes on my critique soon!
Dyann

The Best Children's Book Education Courses

The BEST Children's Book Education Courses 2013

The Best Children's Book Education Courses

The one thing I fully recommend is to never stop educating yourself in the field you choose. In the past 10 years, things have changed dramatically in the opportunity for creative. Locality is not an obstacle for opportunity. It also has heightened the talent pool for publishers and clients.
Talent is one thing of course, and passion. BUT to effectively be the best you can be, treat this as any other profession and educate yourself.
I signed up for many reasons, including a sense of community and these are some of the best Children's Book Courses to educate yourself to be a Children's Book illustrator and my, Dyann Callahan, experience with them:

 * Mark Mitchell's Make Your Marks and Splashes: A Power Course on Creating Effective Illustrations for Childrens Books, Magazines and Other Media for Children

 I love this course! I think for a overall experience its invaluable as to the resources and monthly open critiques. My local SCBWI (Society Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) group is mostly writers, so the critiques here are a wonderful way to learn. Each week Mark Mitchell post interviews and open streaming webinars from authors, publishers, or other illustrators and has a Wiggio open board for posts and support.

 

* Will Terry's Folio Academy courses and blog

I check his blog weekly for great videos such as this:

My Speech To Illustration Students - Part 1 - Will Terry  

SVS- School of Visual Storytelling

Will Terry has opened the SVS- School of Visual Storytelling that is a tremendous resource. I am a student a WKU and like most colleges, they do not offer anything but studio art, 2D, or ceramics. Not even a digital painting course. The value and impact of courses like

Painting in Photoshop Power day

The combined power of FOUR instructors in ONE day.
Will Terry
Brooke Boynton Hughes
Zac Retz
Kevin Keele

 

 

Thanks for reading! If you know of any more, please add them in the comments!

Dyann Callahan

 

"Maraldia - City of Orphans" children's book cover progression

I sent off a few articles for The Street newspaper last week and we will see if they use them. The air is changing and its hard to believe its October already! A year ago I had the pleasure of illustrating
"Maraldia - City of Orphans" for author Paul Schonschack, Amazon link here and what a treat it was. It is an amazing story full of hope and all profits go to the Zambia orphanage, Living Hope International (LHI).

I had my husband pose his hand holding a Christmas ornament for the cover of this children's book. Originally in natural colors as the story is set in a small village, think a shire like in The Hobbit,  I used vegetable dye and hand purposed colors of the forest.  He wanted a striped shirt, pirate style, and a golden carved ornament (the whole look of the book was to be  sketchy Alice in Wonderland styled pen and inks). It seemed a bit bland, so I did a second cover for the novel in crystalline primary colors to reflect the age group a bit more and have more shelf appeal.

 

 

The last was the final used on the cover of "Maraldia - City of Orphans" and I love it!

Dyann Callahan