Calling all illustrators! Curious what art directors are looking for in a portfolio? Join us as Tracy Shaw, art director at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (LBYR), shares advice on what art directors look for in an illustrator’s portfolio, geared toward the children’s publishing industry, including tips on best practices for organizing/curating an illustrator's portfolio website. Apply learned techniques to your portfolio, and assess the effectiveness of those changes by signing up for an optional 15-minute virtual portfolio review. Portfolio reviews participants are invited to a Virtual Happy Hour to debrief with other attendees and build community. The webinar will be on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at 1pm CST. Portfolio Reviews will be on Sunday, December 13, starting at 1pm CST.
Additional Details:
WHEN
Sunday, November 8, from 1:00-2:00pm (CST)
COST
Cost: $15 Members | $20 Non-Members
Optional Portfolio Review + Virtual Happy Hour
Sunday, December 13, starting at 1pm CST.
Registrants will take what they’ve learned in the webinar, apply it to their portfolio, and submit a portfolio weblink by December 6 to Sheli, Webinar Coordinator, at [email protected]. Participants will be emailed their 15-minute timeslot in early December. *No AI generated art work.
Cost: $80 Members | $90 Non-Members
Virtual Happy Hour tentatively scheduled for 5:00pm (CST) *subject to change
WHERE
Both events are virtual. After registering, you will find your registration confirmation under My Events on your Member Home. The Zoom link for the event can be found under the green Meeting Info button, as well as handouts for this presentation.
RECORDING & REFUND POLICY
The webinar will be recorded, and the recording will be available for one month following the event. Attendees will receive a link and a password by email within a few days following the event. Since this is a recorded event, no refunds will be issued for the webinar.
Because fees paid to professionals for portfolio reviews are contracted in advance, these fees cannot be refunded.
Questions about this event? Contact Jennie Gollehon, Regional Advisor, SCBWI Nebraska: [email protected]
Meet the Instructor
Tracy Shaw has been in publishing for over 25 years at Little, Brown and Company, currently an art director at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (LBYR). She studied Illustration at RISD, which led her to book design. She has worked on everything from board books to adult nonfiction. For seven years, she led the art direction of James Patterson’s children’s imprint, Jimmy Patterson Books, and is now back to doing what she loves best - picture books.